After attending the My Story talk, our Editor, Amie Woodyatt, sat down with TV and radio presenter, and 2016 Strictly Winner, Ore Oduba.
How are you enjoying being back in Loughborough?
Itâs so surreal. I hadnât driven through campus since I left, so today itâs been mad, cause Iâve driven through campus⌠I barely ever went to the library, but I was excited by seeing the library, and seeing the size of campus that I hadnât seen in years. I think itâs just seeing this place, cause it made such a big difference for me; I canât say it enough, but I wouldnât be doing what I was doing today if it wasnât for Lboro, and for the Union centre and the Media Centre.
You know when you do something and you go âoh if only I could tell my younger self that, thatâs itâs all gonna work out.â Itâs kind of that. I remember being in this room, starting shows; we did Loughborough Live, which was our take on the One Show⌠We did one show⌠And starting that stuff and just hoping that one day it might turn into an actual career. If I can be an example of doing what you guys are doing actually pays off and it works out, thatâs kind of it.
What was you first memory of being in LSU Media?
Oh my gosh⌠Do you know I think⌠I think there was a taster day? I remember I just went straight up here. I remember knocking on the door being like âI really hope theyâre welcomingâ, and everybody was so warm. I went in and Alison was there, and the guys who wrote the magazine, and tele, and LCR, and I was like âHi! Iâm Ore⌠Iâd love to join up!â And they were so grateful to have me, cause (as we know) weâre nothing without the volunteers.
That was probably my first memory just walking into that room and being like âoh my gosh, I didnât think I was gonna come away joining a club as quickly as I didâ, and I found my family here. So, that was kind of how it worked for the next three years.
Did you write anything for Label�
I wrote loads of things! Why arenât my articles written up and framed on the walls? No, I did, I was the Sports Editor. I wrote loads, I wrote articles for Loughborough WOW as well. For me, the skills are more transferable than anything. I was like I want to write as much as I can, I want to make as many tv programmes as I can. LCR was probably the thing I did the least; I had a radio show in second year and then concentrated on the other stuff in final year. But yeah, I did all of it and as much of it as I could squeeze in; I kind of didnât go to lectures because of it. I wonât advocate it, but it happens! So, yeah, I spent a lot of time in here and I wouldnât change it for the world!
What would you recommend to our volunteers/Loughborough students?
I would just make the most of it. Make the most of it while youâre here. The number of people that ask me âhow can I get a job in tele, or have a career that starts off in a similar way as yoursâ. If theyâre at this university I go âyou have it all on your doorstepâ. Donât regret it in three yearsâ time going âoh if only Iâd made a show reelâ. You can grab the camera, you can be part of the Media centre and you can do, you can do it now. Then you can leave having this body of amazing work and be really proud of it.
Thatâs it. Thatâs all any employer wants to see is, especially in a media career, evidence of you having done it, having that practical experience. So, Iâd say, work your socks of now, not in three years when you get into the world of work, because you can get head start on everybody else.
Nice! Thank you very much!
Oh thank you so much!
Featured image by: Sofia Azcona
Photography: David Owens
