During the semester I was lucky enough to meet some awesome people in the course in general but also in my weekly tutorial and the great teaching staff as well. I thoroughly enjoyed going to class each week to see what was next in the course. What I learned straight off the bat in the first few weeks of the semester surprised me. I learnt that university and especially the course in general doesn’t teach you practical skills like how to use a camera or how to use editing software, but more about the approach in which you take to things while learning. University teaches you how to think, how to go outside of the square and how to be creative. I also learnt that it is a very good thing to be critical of yourself (sometimes people can do this a little too much) but also to take credit and appreciate yourself and the work you do. It is good to give personal feedback as well as peer feedback and take all of that on board.

Probably the thing which I found most challenging throughout the course was being critical of myself and write reflections on my work and my thoughts. Throughout the course I got better at all of this, but first up from never doing anything like it before, it was quite difficult. Another thing I found challenging was working with other people. I know that sounds kind of silly, but I am such an independent person and worker I find that it is so much easier to get things done on my own and not have to rely on everyone else or other people in general. I have different ways of working to other people so I prefer to just get things done on my own. But I learnt to deal with this which will help me for the future. In the ‘real’ world or when I get a job after uni in general, I will no doubt be working with people ALLLLLLLLLL the time. So you know what, you just have to get on and deal with things you don’t like sometimes.

I found that during the course I love editing and creating. I remember when I was about 11 or 12 and I would sit on my old Mac laptop with probably the first version of iMovie and make videos to Rihanna’s song Umbrella. I just used to love playing around with editing and movie making and that’s what led me on to do Film and TV at school and to do what I am doing now. When filming things I kind of get bored and don’t really know what to capture, however, when it comes time to editing, I couldn’t be happier. I could sit there for hours and hours just editing stuff – I love it! I didn’t really realise how much I liked it until this course. I also feel as though I am quite practical and an organised person so I like to get things done, by brainstorming all my ideas first and then going out, capturing waaaaay more than I need and then going for it… whatever comes, comes!

Below you can find my learning graph which I put together in the last tutorial for the semester (week 12):

1. How much have I learnt about making media objects/studies?
2. What is my ability to work independently in unfamiliar ways or with new systems and tools?
3. How much do I understand and think critically and creatively about what I make?
4. My understanding of the role/value of my blog.

Below you will also find my five best blog posts which I have posted over the course of the semester:

1. MEDIA IS EVERYWHERE
2. PRISONERS
3. BLOOD IN THE GUTTER…
4. WORK WORK WORK WORK WORKIN ON MA SHIIIIII
5. THIS IS DA REMIX

Enjoy!