Hello! Thank you for stumbling across my blog.
I guess I should introduce myself. I am Suzanne, 20 years young and I am currently studying BA Hons Stop Motion Animation & Puppet Making. I'm in my first year! My first hand in is on the 14th... I should be doing work right now.
I can't sleep, so here is my back story...
For a long time I have wanted to study animation, I just never had the confidence. My first encounter of stop motion animation was when I was in Year 8. I was in a group called 'Inspire: Gifted & Talented'. This was a group for high achieving students. A stop motion animation workshop was put on for us, and a young animator, I assume who was still a student at the time, came in to host the workshop. I absolutely loved every moment of this workshop, and it is when I fell in love with stop motion. From that moment on I knew what I wanted to do with my life.
We fast forward to my first year of college. I studied BTEC National Diploma in Art & Design, specialising in Graphic Design in my second year. The dream of being an animator was stronger than ever. My Final Major Project for my second year was a stop motion animation. It was about Mushroom Ninjas and Pirate Potatoes... a new twist on the Pirates Vs Ninja theme! I was so proud of myself for producing the animation by myself. Two years on, I now see so many flaws in it. We have to start somewhere, don't we?
I had had my interview, for Staffordshire of all places, for the course I am on now! I was accepted onto the course there and then. I could not believe my luck. Sadly, it was not to last. I went to accept my offer, and I had missed the UCAS deadline by one day, but I did not fight. I did not fight for my dream, because I thought it had happened for a reason, so I let my dream die. I decided to apply to my college to study HND Graphic Communication. I did that for all the wrong reasons. At the time I was in a failing relationship, and I thought if I stayed it would work. Alas, by the time the HND started in September, we were over. I stayed on the HND for no more than 5 weeks, I hated every moment of it. I knew I had been a fool. It was too late for me to go to uni at this point, so I decided to transfer to the Level 4 Foundation Studies in Art & Design to avoid wasting a year. For this, I decided to specialise in photography. I won't lie, I didn't particularly enjoy this year. I didn't make any friends, and the lecturers did not like my ideas. I was not a conventional digital photographer, I was a slightly odd 35mm black and white film photographer.
This time round, I decided to avoid animation, because at this point I had no confidence whatsoever. I applied to study photography at university. I applied to Coventry University, Birmingham City University, Norwich University of The Arts and Falmouth University College. I was accepted at all, apart from Falmouth... but they don't know what they are missing! ;)
I accepted my place at BCU. When September came round, I wasn't sure if I had the right choice. I stayed there until November, I knew I wasn't happy. I really wasn't in the right frame of mind to be at uni. In the end I took a year out and worked, so I could try and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
We move on to early 2012, and I had decided to apply for university... again. At this point, I had lost all interest in the arts. I decided to apply to Keele University to study Physical Geography & Geology, with Science Foundation Year. I was accepted. At the beginning, I was overjoyed, but as time passed I began to have doubts. I was scared of letting everyone down. Everything was riding on this, this was my last chance. Again, September came, and it was time for me to move to Keele. I was excited to get the new start I had longed for.
After a few hours, everything had been moved into my room, and it was time for my family to leave. It was a strange feeling, as I had never lived away from home before, but I loved the independence I gained. Freshers Week as alright, but I'm not the type of person who goes out a lot. After that week I couldn't really settle. Everyone was younger than I was and I felt like I didn't really fit in. Going to lectures made me feel empty, and I knew my heart wasn't in it. I stuck with it because I didn't want to disappoint my family, I thought they would be proud of me for getting a 'real' degree.
A week later I became ill, and rather home sick (even though I went home every weekend to work!). That week I only ended up going to one lecture. By this time, I knew I didn't want to be here. Deep down I knew that I wanted to be an animator. I looked into transferring to Coventry University, but they said to was too late. I then inquired to Staffordshire University... and they said the same thing. I was heart broken. I had been a fool, and I had never felt so lost.
Another week passed and I came home, for what was to be the last time. I had just come to terms with the thought of taking another year out, or never returning to university. I checked my emails one day to discover an email... from an animation lecturer at Staffordshire University! I honestly could not believe it. He said that there was no problem with my wish to transfer, and that he would like to interview me. Honestly. I was speechless. It was a sign, it was fate. I knew what I had to do. Later that week I was sat in Staffordshire University being interviewed.
I was accepted. Finally, I had made the right choice. I accepted the offer and withdrew from Keele University. As much as I loved the Keele campus, the university its self was not for me. Admittedly, I was quite sad when I moved out, but I knew I was doing the right thing.
I left Keele on the Friday, and on Monday I was officially a stop motion animation student at Staffordshire University. I still couldn't believe my it. I felt like I was dreaming. The other students welcomed me with open arms. For the first time in years, I was happy. I just wish I hadn't put my life on hold, or bowed down to other peoples expectations, when I knew what I wanted in the first place. I don't regret anything though, because everything happens for a reason & it has made me who I am today. Every bad choice and wrong turns, eventually bought me full circle.
We make our own luck in life, & I just hope it lasts.
Thank you for reading, & until next time.
Another week passed and I came home, for what was to be the last time. I had just come to terms with the thought of taking another year out, or never returning to university. I checked my emails one day to discover an email... from an animation lecturer at Staffordshire University! I honestly could not believe it. He said that there was no problem with my wish to transfer, and that he would like to interview me. Honestly. I was speechless. It was a sign, it was fate. I knew what I had to do. Later that week I was sat in Staffordshire University being interviewed.
I was accepted. Finally, I had made the right choice. I accepted the offer and withdrew from Keele University. As much as I loved the Keele campus, the university its self was not for me. Admittedly, I was quite sad when I moved out, but I knew I was doing the right thing.
I left Keele on the Friday, and on Monday I was officially a stop motion animation student at Staffordshire University. I still couldn't believe my it. I felt like I was dreaming. The other students welcomed me with open arms. For the first time in years, I was happy. I just wish I hadn't put my life on hold, or bowed down to other peoples expectations, when I knew what I wanted in the first place. I don't regret anything though, because everything happens for a reason & it has made me who I am today. Every bad choice and wrong turns, eventually bought me full circle.
We make our own luck in life, & I just hope it lasts.
Thank you for reading, & until next time.
Much love!
Suzanne
x
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