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?
It’s so surreal. I hadn’t driven through campus since I left, so today it’s been mad, cause I’ve 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 hadn’t seen in years. I think it’s just seeing this place, cause it made such a big difference for me; I can’t say it enough, but I wouldn’t be doing what I was doing today if it wasn’t for Lboro, and for the Union centre and the Media Centre.
You know when you do something and you go ‘oh if only I could tell my younger self that, that’s it’s all gonna work out.’ It’s 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, that’s 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 ‘I really hope they’re welcoming’, 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 “Hi! I’m Ore… I’d love to join up!” And they were so grateful to have me, cause (as we know) we’re nothing without the volunteers.
That was probably my first memory just walking into that room and being like ‘oh my gosh, I didn’t think I was gonna come away joining a club as quickly as I did’, 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 aren’t 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 didn’t go to lectures because of it. I won’t advocate it, but it happens! So, yeah, I spent a lot of time in here and I wouldn’t 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 you’re here. The number of people that ask me “how can I get a job in tele, or have a career that starts off in a similar way as yours”. If they’re at this university I go “you have it all on your doorstep”. Don’t regret it in three years’ time going ‘oh if only I’d made a show reel’. 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.
That’s it. That’s all any employer wants to see is, especially in a media career, evidence of you having done it, having that practical experience. So, I’d 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
