This month I started working on my DPS presentation. I knew I didn’t want the presentation to feel overly formal so I decided to create a day in the life vlog. The vlog follows how I manage my time across university work, creative projects, placements and other personal commitments. I thought this would be the best topic to base my presentation on as time management has been one of the biggest learning curves I have faced this year.
At the beginning of the month I found it difficult to get into the flow of writing my reflective report because I found it hard to balance writing academically with personal reflection. I often pressure myself to include deep analysis and sound academic which made the writing process feel overwhelming. To help me I attended more academic support meetings and allowed myself to approach the report in a more honest way rather than pressuring myself to sound like a theorist.
Alongside trying to finish my assignments, I worked another day as a student ambassador supporting a group of college students. This type of work is always my favourite because I remember what it felt like at their age when I was deciding what I wanted to do at university. Because of this I always try and be honest and create a welcoming environment as I understand that some students might find the university environment intimidating. Doing these ambassador days over my DPS year has really improved my confidence in speaking to the public.
Reflecting on this year as a whole I genuinely feel that choosing to do this DPS year was one of the best things I could have done for myself both creatively and personally. I can see a real growth in my people skills and confidence in my decision making and technical skills. This year has also given me a real taste of what working in the creative industry is really like, better preparing me for life after university. I have become more aware of the kind of creative field I wish to work in also. I really enjoyed my time at Labrum London because no two days were the same and in the end I learnt to enjoy the fast paced fashion environment. I found the unpredictability exciting whereas at Bang each day felt very repetative. This made me realise that I am more motivated in spaces which feel collaborative and inclusive. Hopefully in the future I can work in a similar environment.