<p><strong>Why did you choose to study at Plymouth College of Art?</strong></p> <p>I chose Plymouth College of Art because of how friendly the staff and Student Ambassadors were at my interview and the Open Day I went to. I loved the creative community, how much collaboration is encouraged and how free the courses were. I also really loved Plymouth because, coming from a small village, I found it wasn’t as overwhelming as other cities and I loved that the sea and Dartmoor are so close by.</p> <p><strong>What advice would you give to a student who's just about to join us?</strong></p> <p>Get to know the people on your course (and housing too if you’re moving here) before you come to Plymouth because it really helps with those first day nerves. I personally met a few of my coursemates through Facebook and made a group chat so we met in reception on the first day; it was nice to feel like I wasn’t alone in what was quite a daunting experience. I’ve helped to set up an SU Facebook group for those starting this year so do join it if you want to get to know people before you come to us in September!</p> <p><strong>What area of your study have you found most interesting during your time here and why?</strong></p> <p>My favourite module was probably Professional Practice, as it helped me figure out the opportunities and experiences that I wanted and helped me see which of those I did and didn’t enjoy. I think it’s great to encourage people to think about their futures and plan for after they graduate and I don’t think I’d be in my SU President role without the module and guidance from my Professional Practice tutors.</p> <p><strong>What piece of art or which artist has most inspired you and why?</strong></p> <p>Though it’s such a cliché answer, I’m going to have to say, Vincent Van Gogh. His work is truly beautiful and he was probably one of the first artists I saw when I was younger who wasn’t creating ‘perfect’ artwork, so studying his style made me realise that perfection isn’t always necessary for beauty and ‘good’ art.</p> <p><strong>What will be your top priorities for the SU?</strong></p> <p>My top priorities will be students' welfare and mental health, equality and representation, and making students feel that their voices are heard. In terms of student welfare and mental health, I plan to develop a wider support network of staff and students as well as improving the SU Food Bank and providing sanitary products in toilets across all campuses. In terms of equality and representation, I want to work with the Executive Committee and develop the team to include a Disability Representative and I also want to look at ways to support all students, including part-time, mature, Masters and Pre Degree students.</p> <p>As for making students feel like their voices are heard, I plan to be as present and transparent as I can be and help students have more of a say what happens within the SU and the wider college community. In general, I want to promote kindness and positivity in everything the Students’ Union does.</p> <p><strong>What has been the most useful adjustment that you've made to help you keep creating at home?</strong></p> <p>I think probably learning to create some kind of separation between my workspace and my bed. Though my desk is in my bedroom, I make a real effort to only do the work I need my computer for in my bedroom and do everything else in the living room or outside. I also try to relax for a while before sleeping so that my brain isn’t in work mode when I get into bed and I find that helps me to create a separation between the two even though they’re in the same physical space.</p> <p><strong>What music is helping you get through lockdown?</strong></p> <p>It truly depends on the day, the weather and my mood. I like anything from 1980s classics to Nothing But Thieves to Lizzo, but I think you could stick any song on and I could jam to it if I was in the right mood.</p>