As a new student to a Multimedia Arts program, you’re unsure what to expect from such a versatile course. Maybe you’ve entered the program with the knowledge that you’ll be doing a lot of art. Perhaps you’re unsure how far will the program stretch your creativity. Similar to other art courses, expect that you’ll be doing more hands-on activities than written ones. But the experience isn’t as romanticized as seen in Tiktoks of going to art school.
Upon entering this program, I learned a lot of things that helped me in understanding the course I got myself into and will eventually pursue career-wise in the near future. Here I leave to you seven important lessons I learned as a Multimedia Arts student that will surely help guide you too:
7 Lessons I Learned From Being a Multimedia Arts Student
1. You will learn several skills
Despite multimedia arts being an “arts” course, there’s really more to the program than simply learning art. It isn’t called “multimedia arts” for nothing. You’ll pick up different skills that will make you go out of your comfort zone and help you explore your interests further. Subjects like 3D Modeling, Visual Effects, and Audio Production are just a few of the things you’ll be studying. So expect that you won’t simply stick to illustration and graphic design.
2. Creativity is both challenging and fun to find
While the idea of being a multimedia arts student seems cool and that you’ll seemingly focus on producing creative outputs most of the time, finding creativity itself is a challenge. Some activities in class may require you to solve a design problem or follow a certain branding style. These things need you to do a lot of research and innovation in designing. You’ll have to devote time to looking for inspiration, creating mood boards, and even sketching out your ideas. Sometimes you’d have to study other works to find inspiration.
But this journey in finding creativity is also fun because you’ll get to learn a lot of things and realize how creativity is all around us. As a Multimedia Arts student, you'll see the world from a different view and appreciate how art and design make up a lot of the things we interact with today. This includes the movies we binge to the packaging of the products we buy. Discovering creativity in our daily lives is what makes the experience as a Multimedia Arts student quite interesting.
3. Self-doubt is your worst enemy
Since you’re studying alongside your peers who are also Multimedia Arts students, you sometimes can’t help but compare your works and skills to others. This creates self-doubt and insecurities. However, you should remind yourself that each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, including you. Maybe you haven’t found what you excel at yet. But you will at your own time and pace. So believe in yourself as you are good enough!
4. Projects aim to prepare you for the real world
Each activity you do in your course goes toward a portfolio you can use when you apply for jobs upon graduating. The course prepares you for professional work because of your on-hands projects. Multimedia Arts doesn’t really involve a lot of concept-remembering as you’ll mostly apply what you learn in class activities. This, in turn, requires you to give your best in every activity and project you’ll have since your outputs can be used in your portfolio to show off your skills to future employers.
Additionally, you’ll have group projects such as creating short films, brand books, magazines, and the like. You’ll be collaborating with other students which mimics the collaborative environment the creative industry has, especially for production work. This trains you on how you work with other people professionally.
5. Deadlines won’t always be extended
Similarly, you’ll learn that not all professors will heed your request for an extension simply because they’re teaching you about timeliness and being professional. In some activities, you’ll encounter project criteria where passing your output on time counts for a big chunk of your grade. This is because in the professional world, clients have their own deadlines too and you have to comply with their due dates to not inconvenience other professionals. Be sure to learn how to properly manage your time yet still give the best quality output you can give!
6. Rest is important
Despite the busy life of a Multimedia Arts student, it’s still important to make time to unwind and rest. Expect to have days you’re on a creative block. But you can combat this with just a little rest and doing other things like hanging out with friends, watching your favorite show on Netflix, or even sleeping. That way, you’ll be recharged later on and ready to head back to creating.
7. You are not alone
Lastly, you’re not alone. Multimedia Arts may be a broad field that could let people walk on different career paths later on in life. However, the journey to finishing the program is one that you shouldn’t spend alone. Having a good support system among your peers would motivate you all to keep going. It’s good to have friends in your course so that you can all comfort each other when struggling and you can hype each other up in terms of achievements. Being with people you can relate to makes the experience of being a student much more fun since you get to be with people who have similar interests and cherish your college years with.
From The Candy Bulletin Community
