NEWCASTLE COLLEGE
What are you studying?
Jazz, popular & commercial music. It is a 3 year Honours degree course.
Why did you choose NC?
There is a good community feel in Newcastle, good night life and friendly people. When I went to visit the collage, everyone seemed very friendly, more than at the universities I looked at. I also thought the facilities seemed better. Like the recording studios were large with a lot of high tech equipment. Everything seemed well organised.
Also, I had heard of one of the lecturers, Dr. James Birkett, who I think is an amazing guitar player, and you could tell that the course would be guitar-based as two of the three lecturers were guitarists. (I play guitar!) So, it was my first choice.
What were you most worried about before you went?
Eating healthily and dealing with my own money and my student loan.
I was also worried about what my flatmates would be like (but they are really nice)
Were you worried about the work?
I wasn't worried about the course, I thought I'd just go and see what it was like
What were your first impressions?
It was amazing. My flatmates were all really chilled-out and we shared doing the washing-up and cooking.
There is a high standard of musicianship on the course which is going to push me, but the course leaders are very friendly and approachable so I feel I will be supported.
How did you feel after the first week?
Freshers week! (First years' get together) Knackered! Not enough sleep and trying to make friends and eating poorly!
How did you feel after the second week?
The course started then - lots of work straight away but it was all really interesting. I only pick up my instrument once a week on the course and the rest is theory but it is building a full and general knowledge of your instrument and every instrument. But they do expect you to practise every night.
How have you found fitting in?
Everything seems pretty natural, making new friends and going out with people. The college organised a trip to the seaside in the first week where all the course leaders and the students get to meet each other. This quickly ended up in the pub - we were all sitting round a table chatting. Some people were drinking and some people weren't but we were all making friends anyway.
Other facts.....
Our first assignment was about how to do research - they didn't teach us, we had to find out own ways. So basically we are teaching ourselves how to research.
You don't have a clue what is going to happen, and that is scary but you just have to stick with it and look at it in a different light.
The lecturers talk to you as a fellow musician, which makes you respect them as well.