Jacob Johnston thought he would "definitely become a journalist" when he began his degree, but soon found university "quite suddenly and inexplicably" opened up a whole new world.
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Now, the UNE graduate who was top of his class has been awarded a media prize as he continues to kick goals in his studies and at work.
Jacob has been named the most outstanding student of his course and awarded the latest Friends of the ABC Armidale Media Prize.
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Jacob hails from Port Macquarie but has lived in Armidale since starting his Bachelor of Media and Communications at UNE in 2017.
He said there was no light bulb moment when he decided he wanted to pursue a media career; he "just always had a sense that I enjoyed writing and telling stories".
"I suppose it probably started when I began to read heavily during primary school; from there, writing felt like a natural progression," Jacob said.
"It was almost like the inverse of the proverb that 'good writers must read often' - I figured at quite a young age that I was a good reader therefore I must write often."
Set on journalism, Jacob majored in writing and publishing, but after just weeks of study was considering the vast array of other possible related careers.
Living at college and being on-campus also presented new options.
"I found that in each of my years studying, I took on different roles at the university that I would not have even considered before coming to Armidale," he said.
In his first year he was a freshman representative for his college's junior common room; in his second year he stepped into the pastoral role of resident fellow.
In his third year, he moved out to live independently and applied for an internship working on the UNE social media team. That has turned into a paid position.
"This isn't the end of my study journey, however, as I am currently studying a Bachelor of Media and Communications with Honours part-time while I work on the social media team at UNE.
"One of the great things about studying with UNE is that they are leaders in online study, so if I were to leave Armidale, I would still be able to continue my academic pursuits while I pursue my career goals."
Friends of the ABC support the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and its TV, radio and print activities, which group president Bruce Stevenson said were "vital in emerging community situations".
"Recent challenges to which the ABC has responded include the 2019-2020 summer bushfires, with real-time alerts; the current virus pandemic, with a reservoir of information just waiting to be tapped; and the pandemic-based disruptions to school attendance, with extensive resources to support home schooling," he said.
"Without the ABC, Australia would be less safe, less informed, and less entertained than it is."
