The new kid at school

Courses:
1. China in the Modern World
2. New Media I (basically, web)
3. Graphic Design II
4. Advanced Web Design
5. Advanced Typography


So far so good.
I won't go into detail with every class but I'll generalize what I was exposed to so far. I'm very glad that I have two courses specifically for web design. I have never taken any classes on web design because a) there was never any worth taking and b) I've always been past the basic level and can learn way more on my own than in a classroom. What is great about Ringling though is that these courses are offered and they are repeated at the length of 3 hours twice a week. The instructors are pretty good and have a structured class. The New Media class is a compulsory and I took the Web Design class as an elective. I've actually learnt different ways to do things that I didn't know before even though I didn't think I would. Personally I don't need to learn how to make a website, I need to have time in my day to sit in front of a computer and work on a project for school that involves making a website. That itself is very new to me and I enjoy it very much. I have not had time to make websites because when I'm in school (OCAD) I'm working on other projects that do not require any site making. I know I will be learning easier methods to do things and teach myself a lot more with all this time I have to explore. Sometimes I just can't listen in class because I am just not used to someone going through a step by step procedure that I already know, but might not know one of the steps, which I could just be shown or told with one exchange.

I really like the advanced Type class. I like the projects. It's a mix of expressive and structured projects for the semester. The students in the class have energy and talk a lot unlike anything I've ever witnessed in OCAD classrooms. It's very very laid back though, which is good in a classroom setting because it makes a much more interesting environment. Part of the reason is because the prof is laid back and evidently a favorite of students. I'm happy with the project assignments. I think you will learn a lot in any typography class because experimenting with type will never be boring. I've never really had any complaints about any of my Typography classes. It's all about you and what you make of the projects assigned. Type can never be boring. There's always a lot to do.

The Graphic Design class seems to me like a Typography class. I usually go into those studio classrooms expecting interesting topics to explore, research to do and prepare to start learning through creativity and freedom. This class is like a grid/structure and very systematic. We are reading and following Bringhursts Elements of Typographic Style . Sure, you need to own that book if you're a graphic designer but it shouldn't be a textbook. Who knows, maybe it's good to force yourself to read what he says and do it rather than just read it. I'll do good work but I would much more prefer to be conceptual, come up with ideas and communicate for a cause rather than read and follow a dry book. That's not what Graphic Design is about - it's part of it, but lacks the creative freedom. OCAD definately has much better course outlines for that core studio class, bringing real world problems to the hand of designers. That's what designers especially undergraduate students need to begin understanding.


I'm here for the web anyway, so no complaints.

People are very friendly. You cannot compare the multi-culturalism of Toronto down here, so I'll just say that I'm a minority amongst the Americans here, which is okay.

So, favorite class is Advanced Type, even though I had my presumptions on it, I was pleasantly surprised. Very different. A classroom environment and students / teacher dynamic is very important to me. It's great to be surrounded by outspoken people regardless of the work they produce.

This is all just first week impressions. Let's see how things change.