Speaking from Experience - Ideas Workshop

In pairs, we were to discuss the different problems we came up with from the previous task (here). I was partnered with Frankie. We sat and talked about the different problems and our experiences, and each were similar to each others. So I then decided to categorise the problems into main ones, and then write down reasons as to why they were.

Blogging

• not doing it
• leaving it for another day
• leaving gaps to 'come back to'
• getting everything on there
• boring
• takes longer than you think
• more you leave, more there gets

Money

• rent to pay
• food to buy
• lunch time - expensive and all adds up
• look at ways to cut the costs
• going out - budget
• travelling home
• course costs
• bills

Organisation/Time Management

• have 5/6 briefs at once 
• prioritising
• remembering deadlines
• getting everything done on time well
• busy mac suites/digital print - work round
• knowing where stuff is
• keeping tidy - takes more time to find stuff when untidy
• turning up on time
• time management
• inductions - sign up and turn up
• how long something actually takes
• time to self - go out and have fun
• distractions
• know what is to come
• motivation - cant switch on and off
• same with creativity

Settling In

• new to the city
• don't know anyone
• new flat mates
• getting lost
• not know what to expect
• new friends
• confidence
• new course

I then started to think of little ways that could resolve the problems and prevent them occurring.

Blogging

• decidate certain time every day to do it
• do things when you get them rather than leaving them for another day
• just put everything on there
• lots of research really does help

Money

• budget
• allow yourself so much a week
• put away what is needed for when when the loan comes through and don't touch it
• save small amounts a week/month for a rainy day, just incase
• keep track of what is being spent on what

Organisation/Time Management

• keep on top of things - do it when you get it
• calendar to know when what is
• prioritise
• make decisions faster
• work when you have to, not when you want to

Settling In

• be confident
• talk to everyone, everyone is in the same boat
• explore, see what is around and where things are
• arrange something to do with flat mates so you can get to know each other better
• don't hide away

Choosing 5 of the main problems discussed, we had to come up with 5 ways of solving the problem for each.

Blogging

• motivation posters to get people to do it
• warning cards explaining consequences of not doing it
• do a blog/site with hints and tops on how to do it well
• video with people saying their experience of leaving it
• book to write everything in that needs to be blogged

Money

• budget booklet to budget money to make it last
• saving box/tin with suggestion card to save for a rainy day
• booklet showing cost differences
• iPhone app to keep on top of it all
• book with tips on how to cut costs and save money

Organisation/Time Management

• wall calendar for whole academic year
• normal calendar with motivation quotes related to the course
• notebook to write everything in with hints already in
• postcards with what to expect - no sleep, etc
• motivational posters to encourage to keep on top of things
• hours in a day calendar to plan when to do things

Settling In

• welcome pack with postcards and posters and map, etc
• map of where to go to avoid getting lost
• book with generalised type of GD students to fit in
• organise big GD night out at the start of the year to get first years to get to know each other
• animation with tip on how to settle in

Cooking

• student cookbook with easy cheap recipes
• iPhone app with recipes on
• poster with warnings of not being careful - funny version
• animation of what will happen if you don't eat properly
• shopping guide - cheap meals that taste good

From these, we were to each choose two possible ideas that we could do for this brief, and write out a question/statement for them. Mine are:

How to not get behind with blogging.

How to keep on top of everything.

Once these were decided, we wrote out rationales for both, and then got into pairs again. I ended up in a 3 with Sadie and Will, and we each read through each others and added to the rationales and gave each other feedback on how the idea could improved and if it would work, etc.

I can see advantages and disadvantages for both, but the idea I think that will be the most solid of the two if I get it right would be the organisation pack. I think this because yes, I do find blogging a problem sometimes and what not, and I am still not very good so I see it quite patronising to advise someone on how to blog and do it right when I can't do it that well anyway.