#MeetTheTeam – Vella Nyoni
Some of Vella's hobbies include reading, watching television and listening to music. "I'm a big fan of rap". She is also an animal lover.
POLOKWANE – Starting off as a freelancer at Northern Media Group, Vella Nyoni permanently joined the Review Team last year and became a junior journalist.
Vella writes for both Bonus as well as review Weekend and covers a wide variety of news.
Here’s your chance to get to know Vella:
How long have you been working at the Review?
I have been working for the Review for 10 months now.
What is your role at the Review?
I’m a junior journalist in the editorial department.
Describe a typical day for a Review journalist?
A typical day for a journalist is usually very stressful, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays when we have to meet deadlines. You will sometimes forget your own name because you are busy trying to get everything done in a short space of time. There are however days were things go back to normal, those are the days when the papers are both finished and you can do your work at a steadier pace.
How do you deal with pressure?
I don’t sometimes. I just roll with the punches but when the going gets too tough I just remind myself that I have to do my job the best way I know how and that there are a lot of people who would love to be in my position. It also helps to meditate and take a time out to avoid a burnout.
What it is like knowing that people read your articles on a weekly basis?
Absolutely amazing. It is so rewarding to introduce myself and people are like ‘Oh you’re Vella Nyoni. I read your articles all the time’. It is so rewarding, especially because I haven’t been here that long and most people already know me even though they have never met me. It is truly satisfying. I was actually surprised at the amount of people who read our paper.
Have you kept all your articles?
Just the first few ones when I started as a freelancer. But I know that if I want them I will be able to access them.
What was your favourite story that you’ve done?
I once did a profile of an engineer who works for the city of Polokwane. Her story was amazing because she was a disadvantaged background and managed to make a success of herself. Also her response to the article was heart-warming because she called me and told me what a great job I had done and that she was trending on social media after that. It is those kinds of people that make you love your job even more because of how grateful they are after seeing your work.
What are some of the positive aspects about being a journalist?
What are some of the negative aspects?
Sometimes going out in public and talking to random people is quite challenging because some don’t even want to hear what you have to say.
Why did you decide to become a journalist?
Interestingly I fell into journalism by default. I actually studied Human Resources. After months of searching for a job, the opportunity presented itself and I decided to take it because I didn’t want to waste years sitting at home and doing nothing instead of learning something. It is said that ‘An idle mind is the devil’s playground’ so I didn’t want to sit idle and do nothing. Being a journalist has taught me a lot because it made me realize that I actually have more to offer the world than I thought. It made me grow up and see the world in a whole new light. I realized that I actually underestimated myself and what I can actually do.
Last remarks?
