Shraddha’s experience of postgraduate study has been shaped and enhanced by the people around her. From her course leader’s support to the time she spends with friends out and about in London, it’s all come together to form her experience of studying at UAL.
"I’ve always had an interest in children’s animation, my dream being to someday work on a Pixar or Disney film. As part of my course at UAL I’m able to put my own ideas forward and see projects through to finish: from devising the storyline and concept to modelling animation environments.
My course leader always has time to help, giving me guidance and insights into how to improve my work. The academic technical staff are super friendly and supportive too and the facilities that are available to students at UAL are unlike any I’ve seen before.
“Although we develop through independent learning and a lot of trial and error, the support of tutors and the facilities at UAL make the learning curve as smooth as possible.”
I can go to the library to borrow one of the Macs or use the infinity green screen room to shoot reference videos for my animations. I use these facilities as much as I can to get the most out of my time here and the amazing resources that are available!
On a typical day, I head straight to class for a lecture in animation. I stay a few more hours in the lab working on a project, with a break for lunch to explore food stalls around Elephant and Castle with friends from my class.
“Moving from India to London, where I knew no one, was both scary and exciting. But I’ve made amazing friends here and the experiences on offer to you as a student in London are incredible.”
My advice to any student moving to London would be to live in student accommodation for the first year at least. It’s a great way to meet new people and socialise which is so important when you move to a new city. Having a good group of friends to kick back and relax with is just as important as my studies.
London can be an expensive place to live on a student budget, but you can easily work alongside your studies to support yourself. I currently work part-time as an after-school nanny, which is really fun - plus the days and hours are flexible, which means that it fits around my classes. I’d recommend it to anyone!"