When one moves away from home, family and friends, it is always the beginning of a difficult journey. But in my case, before coming to the U.K., I had prepared myself living alone and being independent, and it worked quite well for me. Born and brought up in Mumbai and having completed my schooling at Vissanji Academy, Mumbai, I always had an inclination to study abroad. Thereafter, I came up with the idea of studying at the University of Southampton at the end of a long search.
I opted for the Master’s in Arts (Design) in Advertising Design Management course at the Winchester School of Art as it has a long history of 150 years and is also one of the leading art and design institutions in the U.K. I realised that this course would help me in broadening my understanding of advertising and learning more about it from different points of view. I also earned a scholarship of 2,000 for the same, by scoring a first class (Indian degree) in my bachelor’s. The course offers modules like research, design and management, which are a combination of practical and theoretical know-how with respect to advertising and marketing. Also, the courses are taught by people who have been professionals in the field for years now.
The best part One of the most esteemed Russell group universities in the U.K., the best part about the University of Southampton is that the students have options of many societies to choose from, which helps balance academics and extracurricular activities. These societies offer new opportunities. Since the master’s course is quite demanding and intensive, it’s really not easy being part of a society. Nevertheless, I am a part of India Society and always manage to attend events organised by them. Of the many events, one of my favorites is Dhishoom Reloaded (Bollywood club night) and the Holi festival celebrations, both held by India Society, because we all love Bollywood and colours!
Currently, I am in my third semester, which is a research period to work towards my final major project on social issues in correlation with brands and celebrities in India. I have recently submitted my research proposal and am looking forward to working towards developing my final assignment.
Rich culture I live in Winchester at the moment as the Winchester School of Art is based here. It’s a lovely city with culturally rich heritage. Although a small city, there’s a lot to see in Winchester. For someone like me who likes space and is a nature-lover, this city is just perfect. In my free time, I like going around the city to get some fresh air and distract myself from the load of assignments. There are many cafes and pubs that one may visit. I travel to Southampton almost once in every two or three weeks. It is student-oriented and the Uni-Link buses make it easy to move around the city. Very soon, I look forward to working with an advertising agency, probably in its account management, media planning and buying or consumer segment analysis department, with the knowledge gained here.
