Written by TY
This journal entry marks the end of what I can almost call a habit; writing journal entries every week. I can’t say I was a big fan of having to write that much every week, I was never a fan of writing in the first place, but over time, I started to enjoy it and even finish a couple of days before its deadline (which I wish I could say about my other assignments.)
We just received a message from Aida telling us this is the last journal entry we’ll have to submit, and it will be about our experience in the Pre-MDM program as we have one month left to study. That’s when it hit me, we have one year to learn!
I arrived here on the 15th of September and started my first class in Pre-MDM on the 19th. And time just flew throughout ever since. I knew I was here to study English for digital media in preparation for the MDM program. However, I was quite surprised by how much I had to wait for me. As someone from a country where strictness was the be-all and end-all of academic education, I valued how simple things were during class, how loving and understanding our teachers were, and how much fun we had throughout the program.
During this program, I made youtube videos, made video games and short reels, wrote much content related to games, led an entire team of talented students, visited interesting sites in Vancouver and more. One of the experiences I am grateful for the most is the fact I was the project manager of a project for actual clients. Going through that stressful period of leadership taught me a lot about how challenging and productive teamwork is. I was kicked out of my comfort zone so many times that I have partially overcome some of my fears, like public speaking.
As a cohort, we had our ups and downs, but what never changed is that we’re a family throughout the whole journey. I made a couple of close friendships that I think will last for years.
Aida and Jason were one of the kindest and most loving people I have ever met. They knew everyone’s backstory, and what they were going through and were always there, ready to offer help and advice. Aida, in particular, took special care of us by offering one-to-one sessions to improve our English in every aspect possible, as well as one-to-one sessions for rewriting our resumes in preparation for our upcoming MDM journey. Overall, it was an experience that was beyond what I expected, and if I could go back in time, and get granted to MDM directly, I’d still choose between studying Pre-MDM as there is always something to learn in a fun and engaging way.