Editorial Internship at Psychologies: Week 1

I can't believe my first week at Psychologies magazine has gone already! I'm loving being in the Psychologies office, everyone is really friendly and has made me feel very welcome, and it's the first time an Editor has offered to make me a cup of tea, rather than vice versa!

The office is so different to anywhere I've worked previously - set in a barn in what is essentially a field in the middle of nowhere, it has a really homely feel to it, a complete contrast to the corporate magazine offices in Old London Town. Of course, the fact that one of the key members of the features team is a dog named Oscar also massively contributes towards my love for the job!

Monday was a plethora of meetings, which was a really good way to get to know the features team. I was more than surprised at the end of the meeting when Suzy, the Editor, turned to me and asked if there was anything I wanted to write about - another first in my many forays into the world of magazine offices!

I have been given a couple of long term projects to be working on - that's all I'm saying, but keep your eyes peeled on the January issue for the results- and have been given some responsibility for the social media channels.

I'm already looking forward to next week as I've got a couple of events lined up (including the press preview of the Natural History Museum Photography Exhibition- eeeek!) and a celebrity interview to do on Thursday (mouth firmly zipped as to who, but watch this space!)

Finally, I'm getting somewhere!

Good news, kids! 15 months after graduating, many work experience placements and a lot of applications later, I’ve gone and landed myself a job in journalism! As of next Monday, I have an editorial internship (admittedly unpaid, but whatever your opinion on unpaid internships – and I’ve had many opinions over the years- I’ve resigned myself to the knowledge that they are completely necessary for career progression in the media industry) at Psychologies magazine. Woo and indeed hoo!

I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be doing yet, hopefully a mixture of work across the website, magazine, and their social media channels. All I know is that there is already a project lined up for me, and I’m very excited! 

Celebrity Planet's London Ghost Tour

I've been hitting Wowcher pretty hard recently, and following on from my success at zorbing, my next bargain-fuelled adventure was a London Ghost Tour. At £16 for two people, including a boat trip on the Thames, my inner explorer couldn't resist.

Turning up at the meeting point in Green Park, we weren't sure what to expect. Would we be the only ones? Would the tour be led by an aged thespian with a penchant for the dramatic (please, no)? Fortunately, we realised that several others were also waiting for the tour, and further relief ensued when our tour guide, Joe, rocked up in jeans and a hoodie - perhaps some intrepid ghost hunters wouldn't approve, but I dislike tour guides that take themselves too seriously, dressed in top hats and carrying canes.

Our tour began in Green Park itself, where we heard stories of several ghostly beings that have inhabited the park over the years, before moving on to St. James' Palace, the British Institution and the most haunted house in  London, all the while hearing ghost stories from Joe (who did a great job of keeping track of all 45 members of the group!)

Next we hopped on to the tube at Green Park and emerged at Westminster (Joe even had some ghost stories about the section of tube we travelled on), where we heard a couple of tales of regal and parliamentary ghosts. A quick stroll over Westminster Bridge, via a couple more stories and we hopped on the boat to the Tower of London. 

After enjoying the views of the Thames by night, we hopped off the boat outside the Tower of London for our final round of ghost stories, and, it has to be said, the ones that captured my imagination the most.

I have been purposefully vague because I would definitely recommend taking the tour yourself. If you are a serious ghost tour regular, and enjoy the drama and mystery of tour guides who take themselves to seriously, regularly picking on members of the crowd throughout, then this is probably not the tour for you. However, if you are looking for a casual way to introduce yourself to the ghouls of London, go for it!