In my first year of university I’ve noticed that the semester seem to go so quickly. In the first week we’re told everything we’re expected to learn, and twelve weeks go by and suddenly we’ve learned everything and I almost can’t remember what it was like to not know what I learned.

The experience of my first studio of the course has been a positive one. I’ve enjoyed the freedom to focus on my own passions and interests and the ability to decide for myself where to build my strengths. I’m happy with my choice of studio, Translating Observation has provided me with the technical knowledge I’ve always strived for while allowing me to put it in to practise in a way that allows me to explore and strengthen my creative abilities.

The semester was filled with a variety of exciting, new things. One of the most significant things that I learned was how to use equipment, especially the Sony EX3s. At first I was a little intimidated by the sight of them. They were huge, complicated looking pieces of technology, and I admit I was a little frightened of using them. As I spent more time on assignments and class exercise I felt myself growing more confident with the cameras. Of course there are still a few things I forgot, but I found that forcing myself to take my time and work through the process allowed me to get through the difficulties and become more confident with the equipment and the overall process.

My experience with the audio mixers was perhaps not so positive. I didn’t really get the experience during class activities and assignments to work with them. Perhaps I should have taken more time by myself to get to know the in and outs of the equipment to get a better understanding of how to work with them. I feel as though my lack of confidence when it comes to anything audio related may have hindered my motivation to learn how to use the mixers.

I feel like that is something I definitely need to work on. My lack of confidence in my abilities kept me in my comfort zone. I found it difficult to convince myself to volunteer and do new things. Instead of taking up the opportunity to undertake a new role, I either went with what I was already confident with or something that was left over. If I had persuaded myself a little more to step a little out of this comfort zone I may have been able to learn and do so much more over the last twelve weeks. Getting out of my comfort zone, and trying something new is something I’ll definitely be working on in the future.

In my first reflection on the final project I remember writing that I wasn’t too sure exactly what strengths I could bring to a group. As I look back I feel as though the figurative murky water is beginning to clear, and I’m getting a fairer idea of where exactly my strengths lie. That realisation stems from the observations I’ve done in the course. I realise that I like writing about the things I see, looking for something interesting on a train or even making something completely mundane into an engaging piece of material through words. My love for writing was re-realised through this course and it is something I’m grateful for, and definitely something that I feel I have a strength in.

This was an exciting an fun filled semester. I learned so many beneficial things and really feel like my confidence with technology has strengthened. Although I understand that I still need to work on forcing myself out of my comfort zone,  when I do that I know I will be able to reach my full potential within the course. I feel as though this studio was the perfect choice for me, it allowed me creative freedom and gave me the opportunity to focus and build on my strengths and weaknesses. It also gave me the chance to learn something new. The things I learned throughout the semester weren’t just beneficial towards my future with in the media industry, but also allowed me to strengthen my abilities with in my hobbies. I know that my experiences over the past twelve weeks will provide me with the knowledge that will be beneficial in helping me to do my best work in the future.