What do you remember most about your study period at SDU?
- It was a busy and wild time. I virtually dragged my sleeping bag along to campus. Not to sleep during lessons but to stay the night. But it was also an extremely festive time with heavy partying at Boogies every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I loved going to SDU. And especially coming from a different place in Denmark and meeting many other students from other parts of the country. My best friends today are the ones I met at SDU.
Looking back, is there anything (advice from a lecturer or a specific learning experience) that stands out in your memory?
- What I remember is that we were, of course, treated as adults. Which means that no one raised their eyebrows when my fellow student and friend Marie and I travelled to Afghanistan twice during our studies. And then I learned to tell stories. And not to stay chained to a desk all the time. From the first day, we had to go out and be ‘foot sole journalists’, and I was sent to Svendborg on an unspecified task, which I had to invent myself.
How have you been able to apply what you learned during your studies in your job?
- I use it all the time and build on top of it since the journalism programme involves a lot of practical training. Also, the programme laid a good foundation through all the different subjects such as philosophy, sociology and international politics, which we journalists could probably use even more. A window was opened to the world.
When you were a journalism student, did you ever imagine that you would have your current job (or did you imagine something completely different)?
- I definitely did. The summer before I started studying in 2003, I had been to Iraq after the invasion, and from then on, I knew what I wanted to do. So I was probably extremely focused through my study period – despite all my late nights out. I’ve never been a straight-A student except for my Bachelor project, which was something I was really absorbed in. So I think it’s important to study AND let the rest of life in. This doesn’t prevent you from being goal-oriented.
In your own opinion, what is your biggest professional achievement so far?
- That I have evolved from being a rather introverted, quiet and shy girl as a child to being able to manage in my very extroverted job where I sometimes still have to take a deep breath. Also just to tell all the quiet girls that you can do it.
What does it mean to you to receive a prize as SDU’s honorary alumnus?
- It’s a great honour. Especially if I can inspire others to pursue what they dream of and find the courage to take a risk. SDU has a special place in my heart because it was where I found myself. And an educational institution has this potential because this is where students have time to nerd out in the subject they are devoted to. I was the editor-in-chief of the study magazine RUST, and through that work I met students from all the different study programmes who were creative and full of ideas. So of course I’m very grateful to be an honorary alumnus.
Photo: Klaus Holsting, Politikens Forlag
