Carina Coelho is a third year student on our BA (Hons) Fashion Branding and Communication course. Attending lectures and workshops, managing work and collaborating on Ohana magazine keeps Carina very busy! Here she gives us an insight into a typical day in her life as a student at BCU…
7am: I wake up early to start my morning routine and I practice yoga to begin the day with a positive mindset. Then, I shower, get ready and grab breakfast to eat on the train into uni.
9am: I like to get in an hour before lectures begin, so I can grab an iced coffee and catch up with friends, or go over my work and notes in preparation for the day.
10am: This morning there’s a practical, design-focused workshop to help us generate ideas for our dissertation. We begin by having a class discussion to understand other’s perspectives and opinions. Our task was to create an experimental visual inspiration poster of one of our initial ideas and develop our skills using specialist programs InDesign and Photoshop. The poster will be printed and serves as a starting point for identifying key threads and keywords for our topic to then research further on an independent study day.
11.30am: We have a mid-morning break, so a friend and I grab a bite to eat and another coffee. There are so many lovely seating areas dotted around Parkside to chill in-between sessions.
11.45am: My next session explores hierarchy of design, layout and typography. We’re given lots of different books, graphic design studios and designers which are useful to gain creative inspiration from for our projects.
12.30pm: It’s lunch time and there are so many options which are a stone’s throw away from the city centre campus. I tend to visit one of the many on-site cafes or the Eagle and Ball pub (who now have an even bigger and updated menu!). Or if the weather is good, I sometimes take a short walk into the city or into Digbeth to find an interesting independent spot to eat.
1.30pm: In the afternoon, sessions are lecture focused. We’re provided with information about establishing creative research methods and psychological theories useful for fashion research, which was fascinating! I took lots of notes on my laptop, which I’ll reflect on later.
4pm: Lectures finish for the day, and I head to the library to pick up some of the books on my reading list. There’s an hour before my train leaves so I find a quiet pod where I can read and make notes. When I’m on the train I continue working on an article I’m writing for Ohana magazine society. I also make a list of things I need to do when I get home to stay on top of uni work and other commitments.
5pm: Once I’m home, the Ohana society meets online to welcome new members. It’s so lovely to meet and collaborate with students from a variety of courses. I really would recommend joining a society or club to meet new people and experience new things outside of your course. Afterwards, I reflect on my lecture notes and create a to-do list for tomorrow’s self-study day.
7pm. After a busy day at uni, most evenings are spent unwinding by cooking dinner and tidying up. Then, I’ll either chill with friends or family, watch a film or series on Netflix or have a relaxing bath.
11pm: Unless it’s the weekend or a night out, I’m usually in bed by 11pm. I like to get a good night’s sleep so I feel refreshed and ready for the next day!
