When it came to looking at universities and courses, I had no idea where to begin. I had so many separate interests and no set job role or pathway that I was aiming for, but everything I do has always led back to creativity and growth.
My journey to AUB’s BA (Hons) Content Creation with Marketing course began at work. I had originally started on a different course that just wasn’t the right fit for me and I didn’t see myself having a career in it. Outside my time on campus, I work at a franchised beauty salon, where I have now been running the social media and contributing to marketing for around two years. I loved this job role from the start. The mix of technical skills, critical thinking and planning with visual creativity through photography, editing, digital media and the treatments themselves fulfils multiple of my interests at once.
So, when I was looking to change to a course to better suit me, BA (Hons) Content Creation with Marketing was the at the top of my list.
To start with, the thought of entering an already established cohort of people a term late was very overwhelming, and I felt like an imposter of sorts. But everyone made me feel welcome and comfortable within a few hours of my first day, from the lecturers to the students on both my own course and the ones we collaborate with. Alongside this, I’ve never felt like my skillset has been more fitted to a specific role. Any uncertainties or struggles I’ve run into, someone’s been there to help or give advice.
My favourite project so far has been the Foundations of Content Creation module. This project allowed me to explore so many different types of content creation, from writing an article to taking and editing the perfect photos through various workshops. It helped to build some key inspiration for my work role, personal projects and other modules that I’ve completed since.
The theme we used for this project centred around animals in captivity and conservation. Taking a deep dive into the differences in portrayal of this matter in the media already, whether it be old or new and analysing how it impacts the audience, shines a new light on how you can approach different tasks.
Whilst creating our own content, we got to go as far as visiting conservations ourselves, being live and in the moment to make our own decisions on what wanted our media to portray afterwards. Stretching from analysing content, to creating my own that correctly conveys a message in my style, was both academically and creatively satisfying. It felt like a real full circle moment and even over this one term, I’ve felt as though I’ve come miles in my education already.
I’ve really found that from being on this course, not only have I nurtured my technical skills for things like photography, filming, editing and formal writing, but also my networking and communication skills. Whilst not all our projects have been collaborative, there’s always a push for sharing ideas and feedback to help boost your own work alongside helping others do the same. These technical skills are something that could easily be forgotten on a creative course, but I’ve found they’re some of the most valuable and transferable, being equally important as creating and completing physical work. Especially when taking up external opportunities – which there are plenty to take advantage of – it’s so important to know how to talk to your clients and debate ideas professionally.
I was originally drawn to Bournemouth for nostalgic reasons. My uncle used to run a pub down here and I have vivid memories of visiting over the Easter holidays, going to the beach and taking walks through the gardens. There are so many activities and communities you can access through both AUB and the Bournemouth area, making it so easy to fall into your own flow of things. It’s amazing to have the ability to walk straight onto the beach whenever you feel like it: sunrise, late night walks or even an afternoon stroll with a great view to feed inspiration. Not to mention having the option to take part in workshops outside your course, such as using the print room and binding your own book. It gives you the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and try something new whilst having a great time with the people around you, on and off campus.
“Make it exist first; you can make it good later” – Adam Grant
This is one of my favourite quotes and it applies to more concepts than the obvious creation of something. When you start a course, you don’t have to be good at it already or even certain about what you want to do with it, you’re doing the course to get better and learn. So, if you’re feeling unsure of your abilities or what course you want to do, just remember you can refine and tailor it for yourself later – AUB has all the tools available to do that.
