Why Multimedia?

I've decided it's about time I explained a little about how I came to this point. Why did I choose to study Multimedia, and why did I choose DCU? I haven't really gone into the specifics yet, hence why I'm doing this post.

To answer the first part of that question, it's an area I've always had a huge interest in without ever quite being sure why. Maybe it's down to a love of computers and technology in general, or maybe it's that I've always had a creative streak. All I know is that I wanted to study something that would allow me to combine the two if I could. In that sense, Multimedia fit the bill perfectly.

When I was in Transition Year at school, I spent a week doing work experience in Beat 102-103, a radio station in Waterford. I absolutely loved it and learned so much. I got to use new software and do some basic editing, put together some sweeps (which ended up being broadcast) and sit in on broadcasts. I came away from the experience thinking, "I wouldn't mind doing this for a living" and ultimately it was an idea that I returned to when considering Multimedia.

Audio production is an area I can see myself specialising in for the reasons above, but what sold Multimedia to me was the fact that I also get to learn about so many other things. I don't know how good I'll be at things like video production, photography and animation, but they are certainly all things I am interested in and would find a lot of fun. I'll also get to learn about web design, which I'm fascinated by and have always wanted to pursue, even if only as a hobby. In short, it's the perfect course to suit my interests.

Which brings me to the second part of the question - why DCU? Well, as I've just mentioned, the course was everything I wanted. I looked at similar courses in other institutions, but nothing appealed to me as much as the one in DCU. With other places, there always seemed to be something that would hold me back. For example, a focus on maths. With DCU I was lucky enough to be able to meet the entry requirement for maths, which was a C3 in Ordinary Level. I was also relieved to find out that there is no maths involved in the course, which is just as well because maths was my weakest subject at school. I was utterly hopeless at it.

I always knew that I wanted to move back to Dublin some day. Within Ireland, I can't think of anywhere better to be a student (though as it's my hometown, I would say that). It's a great city and there's always something to do. But why did DCU appeal to me over the other Dublin universities? Apart from having the exact course I wanted, which the others did not, it just seemed to have more to offer me. I wouldn't want to knock the likes of UCD or Trinity College, as I have friends who are studying at both and I'm sure they'll all get great degrees there, but they just weren't for me. Trinity is so prestigious that I would feel extremely intimidated, while UCD has always struck me as a little too overcrowded. DCU, on the other hand, seems compact enough to feel like a community, while also being a top modern university. I have heard nothing but good things about it from people who have studied there. The support they provide to students is supposed to be excellent. It is ranked in the top four per cent of universities worldwide and has an excellent record in terms of employability of graduates. Basically, I have no doubt that I will get a great education there.