Going into university, I had a vague idea of what my course might be like. Looking back on this year it’s evident that some aspects were better than expected, while others were harder. 2018 has been a challenge. However, with challenge comes reward.
Here are a few things I’ve learnt from the journey so far:
Attitude is everything
University was a big adjustment from school life. Let’s take transport for starters. Reaching school involved a short walk, not a bus trip or two across the city. At first, I found myself grumpy and irritated. Hours of my day were now allocated to sitting in a stuffy box with a number of other humans. I will admit that sometimes I still get like this. However, by the end of the year, I had managed to utilise time- even on a bus. Podcasts helped a lot. Thanks for your recommendations! I’ve also managed to read (hear?) a book every month with audiobooks. And about the humans- I ended up having some good chats with people I’d never met before. There’s a lot you can learn from ‘strangers.’ I now have my fair share of bus stories. One time the doors proceeded to close on me and I was wedged between them. All the passengers gasped and it was somewhat embarrassing but moving on… Outside of transport, I went for a mindset of getting as much out of this degree as possible. I prioritised my design projects, joined a club on campus and actually engaged with what I was learning. I figured education is always a privilege so I’d better quit complaining about the workload and make the most of it.
The people
Now this surpassed my expectations. At uni, people want to be there. They have a real interest in design and are also extremely good at it. It’s not school where people present half-hearted projects etc. I would always leave presentation days amazed by what my classmates had come up with. Being surrounded by creative people for a majority of the week was so inspiring. We would often have the same brief but very different design outcomes – diversity is beautiful.
A few classmates with art pages -prepare to be mind-blown : Gracie | Harri | Jess
Comparison
Obviously, when you’re surrounded by highly talented people in the same area of interest to you, comparison comes knocking on the door. One of my papers was an illustration paper. Illustration doesn’t come as naturally to me as other design aspects. We had open book reviews so everyone’s work is laid out next to each other’s. A few years back I would’ve found this disheartening. Fortunately, this didn’t impact me as much as I thought. I was able to be genuinely inspired rather than compare my own work. It is so important to be confident in your strengths. Comparison only stunts your growth. Inspiration spurs you on.
The foreground
With a whole new lifestyle and multiple assignments, my focus had to be altered. A friend once explained a concept about ‘the spotlight.’ Sometimes things in our life take centre stage, while others wait in the background. They’re still there, they just aren’t in the lead role for the time being. For me, this was my Instagram. As you know, Instagram is one of my favourite things. I love meeting other artists and getting to know you guys. It challenges me to keep creating and to create in a way that blesses others. With uni, however, it had to be put to one side. I firmly believe there is a time and a season for everything. Too many things in the spotlight make for a bad performance, right? While I was focused on uni, followers dropped and all that stuff but I’m determined to never be caught up on numbers. Now that it’s summer, Instagram comes a bit more into the foreground again. I’ve found that I have plenty more ideas and skills thanks to a year of study.
Time management
The last thing I’ve had to learn and relearn for uni is how to use time effectively. I’ve had conversation after conversation with other students describing the challenges of the uni lifestyle. It is intense (but I suppose life is in general). There’s a lot to be done in a short amount of time. Throw a job, a social life or other commitments in there and it does become a bit of a juggling act. I learnt the importance of saying yes and saying no. I learnt to schedule rest because nothing else will do that for you. For me, this meant taking most Sunday’s off. I did this throughout my last year of high school and found it extremely beneficial. I was able to prepare for the week and came back mentally ready. I also had fresh eyes for my assignments. Someone suggested that this wasn’t going to last, “Just wait until you get to uni.” This, of course, made me even more determined. I think I would have had a few more breakdowns and a lot more stress if I didn’t make rest part of my lifestyle.
So there you have it, some thoughts on uni thus far. Thanks for still following me on Instagram (haha) and for supporting me. I’ve been dreaming big about what’s in store after this degree. That being said, I’m also remembering to enjoy and embrace all that being a student brings.
I hope this helps anyone interested in studying art or going to uni.
Keep doing what you love,
– L x