A bit more about Chelsea & VARSITY cup!!

I really love Chelsea because everything is right here in once place.  I'm very much looking forward to 2nd & 3rd year when we're doing a bit more on the larger spectrum when it comes to projects.  This year has been a lot of smaller brief projects that haven't been so much about innovation as they have been about learning tools.

I do like the freedom we're given on the course, which is nice.  It was a bit tough for me to grapple having come from the extremely structured american education system, but I absolutely love it.

The varsity cup is tomorrow, and ladies football is playing goldsmiths!  I second my earlier statement about joining a sports team.  Participating in sports gives you a strong social group which is really lovely, and I love playing sports, so it gets me out there running around.  Another unexpected benefit for me, being an international student, is the chance to travel!  When we go to our away matches, we take a minibus and I get to see a bit of the "country" as I would put it.  That has been a real treat.

Recently I worked on a website for my assessment.  You can check that out by clicking the the picture below.

Again I have to say that I wish there was more community at UAL.  Maybe I'm just missing something, but I know that the sports community is fairly strong, but that's only on wednesday nights and then on training nights.  Which is nice, but I would love to see other people in some other settings.  I know that it's difficult considering how spread out and how large the university is, but I guess that's just the way things are. 

Mid "Term" Update

So for the first time in a while I'm feeling settled in England, which is something I cannot say for last term.  The key to my feeling much better is my social life (which is now in existence) thanks to football.  I joined the UAL football team back in October and it has just taken us all a while to become friends and all that.

My problem is that I'm not the best at socializing with people my own age.  I'm really horribly shy, and I imagine I might come off as aloof at times because of that.

Anyways, for any in coming student, I HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest joining a sport or some club.  The only problem with clubs at UAL is that they don't exist.  I've paid my fees for photography, fashion & drama society and have never heard anything in the way of meetings, locations, events, or anything.  (I feel quite cheated out of my £6) I really do wish that societies would properly meet, but outside of that, sports are roaring in action.

Despite volume issues, the ladies football team is a fairly strong bunch of really great ladies, and they have really made me feel much better about being at UAL.

CLASS PROJECTS

How well your project goes depends on how your group is.  The first big project of term I had lovely RELIABLE people who did their work when they said they would.  This last time around we had to choose our own groups, and since I'm socially terrified, I ended up with people who not only do NOT do their work, they don't even show up to scheduled group meetings.  I've had two deaths in my family and have an interview in NYC in a week's time, and my hairs standing on end at the thought of what I've got to accomplish since we're so behind on our current large project.  It has come together, it's just we're having language barrier issues, as well as design process issues.  I won't go into that.  My only wish is for my tutor to divide up people more randomly. There are a few of the chummy groups who always work together, and I think it would be better for the class dynamic to break up those groups and get everyone working together with different people.

GOALS:

1. Try to get over my fear of my classmates
2. Socialize a bit more
3. Look for more events that are UAL oriented to meet fellow students.

Getting a bit silly while doing work

Overall, this term is off to a much better start because I know where everything is.  Our first project, which was a stop motion project went really well.  We did a burlesque show using zapf dingbats.  The final product turned out really well, and the final edit will be available soon.

There are a few things I've found very interesting.  Being here is like being bi-polar.  One moment things are going really really well, other times not so much.  It can be curious to see all of the dynamics of people, and watch social groups and how they act.  I'm really thankful I have my juggling friends, because without them, I would really be quiet alone. 

The one thing I find very difficult about this university is the overwhelming lack of organization with societies.  I want to join drama in the worst way, and I have emailed people, posted on their facebook wall, etc and I have no clue when the next meeting with be or where or when, and that was three weeks ago.  I think I might try some other society, but I don't know quite how to go about that.

Anyways, today is something of a day off, and I'm going to do some cleaning and get some food shopping done. xxx

Back at UAL!

So it's nice being back at Chelsea, but it was a bit difficult to return.  One of the things I have noticed is the overwhelming lack of community at UAL in general.  I feel that just having more "chelsea" things -- societies, shirts, etc that were per-school, not even just UAL we could really unite the students.

Like an orange graphic tee saying "Chelsea College" or something. Maybe that's my American love of brands coming through, but honestly I think there needs to be something to unite the students.

Another thing I've found is that there is a LOT of segregation amongst our class.  All of the "British" students hang out together, and dare I say it, seem to keep out most of the European and international students.  Well, I can't say they're "keeping" anyone out, but the groups are as I see them, The Brits, The people who speak French, the Asians and then sort of a few loners here and there.  I hate to give labels but that's sort of what it's come down to in the end.  My hope is that in a year or so we will have a much better time of mixing.

The other interesting thing coming up is the exchange to NYC.  I think it's utter bull shit that only 3 students can go.  See, I would honestly be interested in studying abroad, even though I'm abroad.  Make sense?  Yes, yes it does, because experiencing NYC is just as interesting for me as it would be for anyone, but I know I have absolutely no chance of being selected to go because I am American.  Rubbish.

We've recently gotten a new lecturer, and I can say that he is 100% better than our previous one.  We hadn't done anything or learnt anything, and now we've kicked it into high-gear, thank god.  I had started the year off last Autumn reading all of the course books, etc, but when it came down to grades, and using the knowledge, I NEVER DID.  Now I feel like my taking the time to read the books, etc, it is worth it.

We've recently been assigned a new project on mail art, which is very interesting.  The problem came hither when we were asked to put ourselves into groups.  The travesty that appeared was all of the social "groups" were stuck together.  I have worked with the same four people on every damn project basically, with the tutor assigning us groups.  He claims it is difficult for him, but I don't see how drawing names from a hat is that difficult.  Now, I don't have anything against the people I'm working with, they're all great, I just would like to work with different people!  Get to know the class a bit.


Well, there's a bit of a rant and a rave, and at least I can vent a bit about frustrations, albeit in something of an extreme manner.  My acerbic tone might sound a bit scathing, but I think it's just internal frustrations coming out.  Overall I still love Chelsea and I love the experience I'm having, the good and the bad.

I'll update again as we get more into the term!

Long awaited Update

Sorry, things have been quite hectic!  Term 1 has come to a close, and I've been keeping up with what I call my project blog.  It is a review of some of the work I've done on my own and some that I've done for class.

Overall, my adjustment was hellish-- I had to learn how to put one foot in front of the other on top of school and everything else I had to do.  So please check out my project blog and let me know what you think!

 

http://chloealpertprojects.blogspot.com/

I'm very impressed with the tutors at Chelsea about 95% of the time

My course director for 1st year students is the tutor we see everyday.  He's in charge of us and is our go-to guy for everything we need.  I have to say that I have been very impressed with how him, and the other teaching staff have been very prompt in helping us (the students) in most aspects of life and class.

The real reason for this post is about the all of the teaching staff's (so far) ability to detach themselves from pride and stay true to form and teach.  What I mean is that in this day and age, you might be teaching a random group of people a program like photoshop.  It's impossible to separate by skill level, but you can sit there as a tutor and be a moderate to advanced user, and in your class you'll have students who are at an absolute beginner level, and then you can have some students who are seasoned pros.

My personal experience working with Photoshop and Adobe extends back about twelve years.  I learned on photoshop version 5.  We're now on CS5 which is something like version 12 or 13.  I'm proud of my skill level, and being a fresh faced 19 year old girl, sometimes I get ahead of myself and can allow myself to become pretentious, which is something I think that life's experience will help me reign in, but being openly pretentious is a bit more expected in America, and it's not something that is so open here. 

What I've found is that even with this super broad range of skill levels, I haven't really seen any of the staff feel threatened by the students, or if they have, I haven't seen them let it get in the way of their teaching or being objective about a situation.

Now to be extra honest:
My only complaint could possibly be that there are so many of "us students" and so few of "them teachers."  It can be somewhat difficult to talk to a tutor when you need to, but it is never too terrible, and it is a minor thing to have issue with compared to what could be wrong.


So on the all, I think that the Chelsea tutors for 1st year Graphic Design are doing a good job.

Sometimes we all feel a bit down.

I've just been down recently.  It all started when I tried to make my hair dark blonde for winter, and the hair dye reactant didn't work and I went to a very nasty full-out grey from my normal golden blonde.  The next day my bike was stolen at college, then after that I was sick, and life just really wasn't very fun.

I've got such a strange situation socially, considering that the English are very peculiar in social settings.  One-on-one they're great, but in the large social flow of things, they don't work very well whereas I think it's quite opposite for Americans.  Small talk is something that I epically fail at, but when I'm in a group there's a certain anonymity or shield that I can have that makes things alright.


I've talked to a friend and she's had something of the same issue with the "Art Kids" and she's been here in London for a good few years, having moved from Chile I believe four years ago. 

I think it's just that time of year when people are just down in the dumps.  I've decided to try out one of the university services-- the university chaplain Jenny Hogan (who is for Chelsea students)  I messaged her last night around 3am and she got back to me today during the afternoon.  I need to schedule a time then to have a chat with her.  I am thankful that the University does provide people to talk to, but those services remain to be experiences as of now.  They seem good, though.

Right now I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear back if I will be able to move into a flat right behind the Tate Britain.  My housing budget is tight, and there is a fellow Chelsea student who is talking to her Dad about allowing me to rent it at the bare minimum of what they could afford.  My getting into that room would be out of the goodness of his heart, so I'm just hoping a praying that comes through.  I'll be living in a MUCH safer place for a whole world of reasons.  But the longer I wait to hear back is the less amount of time I have to find someone to put in this room!  Ouch.  I'm just hoping that I hear back soon!  The girl is really great, she seems well grounded and we share the same ideas and priorities, which I'm forever thankful for.