Bruna Tolomeli (Brazil)

I am Bruna Tolomeli from Brazil studying a master’s in Post Production Editing here at BU since September 2017. Having finished my first term, I have to say I am happy and proud to have accomplished one more step toward a master’s degree. Now I have some clarity of what I learned throughout the first term, as well as what helped me get through it smoothly.

Organisation

From day one I decided to be extremely organized. I did some research on the books I would like to read during the term that would add to the course lectures. Also, I took note of all my assignments and made a schedule based on their deadlines. This method can seem too strict for someone who just started their studies, but I have to say that it prevented me from overloading myself with accumulated work.

A master’s programme requires a lot of reading and researching. These are not done all in one day…they need time. I realized that by starting to work on my assignments earlier, I preserved myself from unnecessary stress. As a result, I was able to write better and stronger essays.

Dedication

My father would always say: “You will never have a second chance to make a good first impression on someone”. This saying applies to so many things in life, including your studies. Doing well on the first term rewards you with the respect of your teachers and colleagues – people who are part of your network. Being a hard-working student will make you proud of yourself and will invite others to acknowledge it. These people will remember you and help you follow your dreams.

Respect

My master’s requires a lot of teamwork. The most precious advice is one that my programme leader always reminds us: “Remember to respect others, to be thoughtful, and to help each other”. Being kind towards other people and having patience in extreme situations will portray you as a person to be trusted, to be cared for. I work with films and films are created by an entire crew. Every single person is extremely important for the final art work to be done well. Therefore, nobody is inferior to the other and all are deserving of respect and appreciation.

These tips helped me get through a smooth first term. I connected to people. I wrote good essays and I did not overload myself with assignments. I am sure that with some organisation, dedication and respect we can all achieve our dreams.

By Bruna Tolomeli, Brazil, master’s in Post Production Editing