As a way to look back over the semester, it made sense to first look back over my blogs. Starting from the beginning ‘Brainstorming ‘Bout Blogs’, I wrote in depths about what I thought was required of me to constitute a blogger. Now, I find this quite ironic, as this semester has made me realise the impossibility of constituting anything. So with my new found ability to question everything, and then continue to question the every thing of that thing, I can already identify progression from my previously linear mindset.
Besides this serendipitous lol, I think the most successful thing I have done this semester surrounds my dedication and interested to the readings. Each reading that I was given, I read enthusiastically and at least twice, and as the subject topics were new to me and thus complex, my application to understanding them was vigorous and triumphant. As the content was a lot more abstract to what I was initially use to, each reading’s challenging nature provided me with an opportunity to apply myself more vigorously then I have done in previous classes and at RMIT in general.
Consequently, I have learnt a better way to apply and interpret my learnings, broadening my ability to not only digest more of what the author is saying, but apply it within my own school of thought and actual doings. This has allowed me to contribute in classes more, and understand the progression in which the class is travelling (which at times, have been refreshingly spontaneous). Unlike previous classes, where I would usually skim readings due to their repeating of content, this class made me slow down and breathe with what I was being taught. Demonstrated in my Bogost and Group Assessment essay, a majority of the feedback critiqued my application of what I’ve learnt onto the soundscape. Thus, the readings provided theories that rejection correlationist views and allowed me to replace myself in the context of my own life in efforts to truly assess what surrounds me.
In conclusion, I have been extremely satisfied with this class and my workings within it. However, I think I could have done better in the time management section, especially towards the end of semester. In efforts to extend my media resume, I have recently gotten a job as a Production Assistant at Brave studios which did effect my the dedication I had priorly applied to the course. Although still very much intellectually invested in the course, the physical aspects (attendance) did seem to waver due to night shoots and work responsibilities. Yet, due to my dedication to this semester’s academia it allowed me to invest and contribute to class discussions on a regular basis.
Thus, I can see the positive and negatives in this experience of this semester as a whole and I think what I need to do better is communicate (this seems fitting with the semester’s theme of meshwork). Communicate to Adrian more, communicate to group members and peers more, communicate to my community.
In retrospect, I give myself a 85% for an overall grade.