I began the MLitt in Publishing Studies at Stirling in September 2009. Before October 1^st had passed there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that the publishing industry is exactly where I want to be. It was the most wonderful realisation – excitement and happiness with the place I found myself at twenty-one years of age. Here I don’t simply refer to place as location but as a state of mind.

With each passing week I find myself more and more enthused by the career possibilities in my future. This happiness was increased immeasurably last week when, as a publisher and traveller, a personal dream came through. This coming summer I will be moving to New York for a few months to take up an internship with Continuum, a publishing house mostly concerned with academic publishing. Perhaps for some my excitement over an unpaid internship may seem a little over the top. But to be honest, I don’t care! This is the kind of opportunity I have been working for my whole life. I may not have realised it before but this is my dream come true and no one or no thing will ever take that from me now. As a publishing student I feel that this is the most wonderful opportunity that could have come my way.

So bring it on – visas flight booking and all the other necessary preparations cause come June, after graduation, I’m leaving on a jet plane!

— Helena O’Leary