Written by Cassie, 2021 Cohort
I still can’t believe that eight months of pre-MDM is coming to an end. Pre- MDM, for me, is not just a language program but more of an adventure that helps me discover my potential. On this journey, every assignment and project was an obstacle I beat. Finally, I became stronger and gained more courage after these setbacks. Along the way, my most unforgettable memories are the days with mentor Aida, “strategist” Jason, and my 9 teammate warriors with unique superpowers.
Life Mentor – Aida
On the journey, the most indispensable thing is the guidance of the mentor. No matter what roadblocks we encounter, Aida can solve it and face it with us immediately. Working with Aida has made me realize that teachers are not only about imparting knowledge, but even more about guiding us to have the correct values that are beneficial to our future work and life. Her well-designed activities incorporate Canadian culture to make our newcomers integrate easily into Canadian life. More importantly, she constantly updates the course syllabus to help us better adapt to professional language in an English- speaking working environment.
Technical Strategist – Jason
In this adventure, Jason is more like our technical strategist. With a background in professional game technology, he always had vivid examples to guide us to speak our minds. Trust me, you’ll never want to get out of class in Jason’s relaxed and fun classroom atmosphere. Similar to his teaching style are his homework requirements. The requirements do not rigidly focus on the outcome, but encourage students to use their imagination and their own expertise. This made me no longer stick to traditional exam-oriented education, but explore my own strengths to create something different. In addition, I have gradually changed from an ordinary gamer to an artist who understands game design. Jason’s courses made me realize that the storyline is as important as gameplay, character design, art, and sound effects. How to tell an appealing story is the killer skill that Jason taught us.
Tips for the incoming warriors
Do you think you will be fine if you are exempt from the IELTS test? No, more considerable difficulties are waiting for you in pre-MDM. But at the same time, you will learn more about using jargon and expressions in daily communication and project practice. Moreover, the pace of study is fast every week, and every homework corresponds to the course studied that day. The assignments are often team-based so that you will be exposed to an English-speaking environment both in and out of class. I certainly don’t worry about your professional expertise, but when many experts from different backgrounds surround you, you’re already unconsciously under pressure to learn more about other areas. Please be ready to break out of your comfort zone and learn as much as possible about what you are not good at because you may have multiple responsibilities in industrial simulation projects in this adventure.
My dear warriors, are you ready to take the challenge? We are waiting for you at MDM.