HeyU Issue 21 - 12 December 2014 | Page 4

Taylah chose to study applied media at USQ because of her passion for music and the arts as well as the doors it would open for her. In addition to studying full-time and working in a bakery two days a week, Taylah cooks, decorates cupcakes and plays the piano. With a very broad taste in music, from hardcore and dubstep to acoustic, it’s easy to see how USQ’s Applied Media degree is the perfect fit to match Taylah’s creative skills. Before beginning her degree, Taylah was concerned about the workload, but knew she had to at least try it. ‘People always tell you what uni life is like but you never fully understand until you experience it firsthand’, she said. ‘I found that if you manage your Taylah! Meet applied media student, time right, it really isn’t that bad. I am definitely guilty of procrastination, but I realised that to stop myself stressing, I just needed to make sure I spent more time on my assignments before the night they were due’. To make sure she does start those assignments early, Taylah uses food and her boyfriend for motivational support. ‘When I finish an assignment I like to reward myself with something tasty like maltesers or ice cream. If I start to lose focus while working on an assignment, I’ll just remind myself that I get to eat some tasty food when I complete it and that helps me to get motivated. Sounds weird but it works! ‘My biggest motivator, though, would have to be my boyfriend, Liam. He always has my back and supports me through everything. Knowing that he is proud of me motivates me to keep doing well.’ So, what does the future have in store for Taylah? ‘Coming into this deg ree I wasn’t sure of what specific career I wanted, and to be honest I’m still not entirely sure. I’m hoping that by the time I graduate, I will have learnt everything to do with media and be able to decide what area interests me the most.’ Some of the avenues Taylah would like to explore include: • Playing in a band. • Writing for a fashion and beauty magazine. • Working on the set of music videos. 4 fun facts about Taylah: • • • • She owns an elephant onesie. She loves making pies. Her favourite drink is a fruit smoothie. She is the first person in her family to go to uni. Taylah’s top 3 tips for other students: • It is best to study for a subject the day of its lecture because that way it stays fresh in your mind and you don’t walk out of the class and instantly forget everything. • Go to Market Days and other events on-campus because they are a great way to meet new people. • It can be important to have a certain level of independence before going to uni.