nikita

Nikita is a journalism student at the University of Johannesburg. She took a road trip down to Cape Town to spend a week at seventeen HQ!

18 May
Waking up to an overcast chilly morning, the weather was competing with how I was feeling before I arrived at seventeen HQ. My nerves silenced my usual confident blabbermouth because I was stepping into the unknown. I was worried about what lay ahead for me because the only part I’ve ever played in a magazine is purchasing and reading! My day started off with a production meeting where I met all the lovely ladies of seventeen. Khwezi then assigned me to play with the latest digital camera, the Canon Digital IXUS 110is, to review for the Digi Diva page – check out page 50 of the July issue, on sale 1 July, to see my thoughts!

Playing with the camera!

19 May
I was super-excited today as I had a better grasp of what was happening. I started my research for Khwezi on an inspiring story that was discussed in yesterday’s features meeting – which I can say was filled with loads of jokes and laughter – but don’t worry the meeting was very successful with fabulous ideas for the August issue! In between the research, I phoned seventeeners for Pam and Liza (always nice to chat on the phone) and went to UCT with Liza to interview some boys for the Dance issue! UCT is a pretty varsity (yes, I said pretty) compared to UJ! The group of boys sure had a lot to say – check out page 47 in the July issue! I swear time here at seventeen HQ flys by! Before I knew it, it was another day gone. But I did have fun working here.

Showing Ayanda what I needed him to comment on

All the boys at UCT

20 May
I got loads of research done for the inspirational feature but I was getting worried if what I found wasn’t good enough! I helped Pam by phoning more people and correcting phone numbers for the stockists page – telling people I’m calling from seventeen sounds great to me. As my day ended, Liza gave me the checklist for the Digi Diva review page so I could start typing up my answers – wish I could keep the cameras!

21 May
This week definitely went by too fast… sigh. I’m ecstatic I came down to seventeen to find out what happens at a magazine, which I absolutely loved. Today I had more cameras to test (I’m not complaining) – I enjoyed trying to figure out the one camera that is so retro it reminds of my dad’s camera where you have to manually focus. Before seventeen is printed for you readers, a dummy (mock magazine) is put together so everything can be checked and edited into a flawless piece of art. Pam gave me the previous issues dummy to recycle the printed pages – every bit counts when it comes to erasing our carbon footprint on the environment. I also helped her put together the July Dance issue dummy which looks exciting – everybody loves to dress up and feel like a superstar.

Dummy time!

22 May
I can’t believe it’s already time for me to pack my bags and start my road trip back home, back to my pending varsity exams (Oh no!). My week at seventeen was an eye-opener that allowed me to see the amount of work, time and planning that goes into a magazine, which acts as a source of comfort, inspiration and entertainment for so many girls. So I completed my research for Khwezi and Liza, which they loved (thankfully!). As I said farewell to seventeen I felt privileged for the opportunity. Now tomorrow the road trip back to Jo’burg begins, where my friends are dying to hear of my past week as an “Ugly Betty” – a fun, carefree version!