Why I Stopped Blogging

As some of you may have noticed (or at least I hope some did) I waved goodbye to the blogging world just after I returned from the United States.

I just stopped writing the things I originally wanted to. My blog was no longer about voicing my opinion on controversial issues or sharing a light on what I considered important. Instead it became a little too much about me.

Strangely enough, I don't really like the spotlight. That might sound strange considering how honest I've been in the past. But, I like to have a conversation. I love talking to people and getting a sense of who they are. Sadly, I couldn't do that here and didn't feel like this space provided a collaboration of ideas.

So, this is one final post, for now anyway. Something to tie up the loose ends and give you all a picture of where I'm at now.

This year has been one crazy ride. I completed two internships at the Brisbane Times and Channel Nine. I spent a month on prac at QUT News, was a newsreader and senior Commonwealth Games reporter. I travelled half way across the world with my beautiful sister and learnt so much about myself. I had the privilege of attending a Hens weekend at Byron Bay and went to the wedding in Noosa. I partied at the first QUT journalism ball and sang Hannah Montana with my wonderfully talented journalism cohort. I was named a finalist at the Queensland Clarions Awards and volunteered at this years Storyology events. I spent a much needed weekend at Burleigh Heads with my family and have celebrated a bunch of milestones with them along the way.

But, in the last couple of days life has started to get pretty real. I left my job at Australia Zoo after six years to take up a three month paid internship with the Sunshine Coast Council. I've known about this new job for a while and it feels really good to finally let people know. I'll be working with the media team and will produce storytelling content for a regional and corporate audience. While it may not be journalism, I'm excited to get my foot in the media industry and see where it all leads. Who knows, I might fall in love with local government.

I also said farewell to university at QUT Kelvin Grove. I completed my last exam and have officially stopped studying. It feels really weird! I don't graduate for another month but that too, is another end of an era.

Somewhere in the future I might decide to give this blogging thing another crack. I might come across some debate I just have to put my two cents in but for now this is goodbye.

A huge thank you to my audience. While I don't really know who you are, I appreciate the time you have taken to read something I've written. Whether it was one post or sitting with a cup of coffee every week, know that I value your time spent here.

Goodbye for now.

#ashleighdwan #journalism #beyondthestory #goodbye