Natali Dimitrova, a BA (Hons) Media student from Bulgaria, writes about applying to RGU, her course experience and doing a placement during COVID-19.

Applying to RGU

Back in the summer of 2018 before I graduated high school, I was very excited about the next stage of my life. I spent hours researching different universities and courses until I found what exactly I wanted to do.

I have always been keen on art, design and writing but I didn’t want to settle for only one of these disciplines. I then found the BA (Hons) Media course at RGU.

Natali Dimitrova, a BA (Hons) Media student at RGU

For me, this was completely new because, in my home country, a course like this was uncommon. But what surprised me the most, was the fact that even abroad, most students settle for either journalism or a graphic design course. Not so many people choose a broad area like Media as a career path. I went through the course page again and again. I saw all the modules I would study and all opportunities I would get if I receive an offer for BA (Hons) Media course. This made me even more impatient to begin my journey at RGU.

First day of the BA (Hons) Media course

My university adventure started with the induction lecture on day one. I remember how my heart was pounding when I entered the big room full of people. They were all from different countries, backgrounds, age groups but had the ambition and desire to learn. I remember introducing myself to the class. It was a bit intimidating standing and talking in front of so many people. But the instructor there was very encouraging. It showed how the RGU Staff were committed to being supportive and attentive to the students.

My RGU experience

Every lecture in every module was a new experience. I loved learning about various marketing theories. The lecturers kept the classes engaging as not only did they teach the boring but important facts but also the savvy and funny examples from the field.

I loved how they were expecting us to think outside of the box. We were encouraged to show our creativity from shooting short films and documentaries to designing mobile apps, posters, and infographics. Maybe this might sound overwhelming but there is plenty of support and resources from RGU that you can use.

Natali Dimitrova, a BA (Hons) Media student at RGU

Your university experience is not complete until you spend a whole night in the library studying. But it’s not so bad because the views from the RGU Library tower is amazing! The RGU Campus is like a maze; not in a complicated and confusing sense but in a fun “what-is-behind-that-door?” kind of way.

When I did my first short film in my first year, I was amazed at the amount of support and services provides at RGU. You will find resources on campus to help with everything that you need. I didn’t have the equipment to shoot my documentary, but I found out I could borrow all kinds of cameras and lights from RGU. I spent hours in the Mac labs editing my footage where I had access to so many different softwares. This made me very confident and helped me focus on my actual assignments than worrying about how to do them.

Placement during COVID-19

In my third year, I had the opportunity to choose between two paths – a placement or a study path. The pandemic made the decision even harder. Everything was very uncertain. As students, we were worried about how the lectures will be held or if the placement was still an option. With lockdown in place, I decided to choose the study path and stay in Aberdeen as travelling for placement would be too hard and complicated.

But at the beginning of the semester, I began feeling like I was missing a valuable part of the university experience by not choosing the professional practice/placement route. I contacted the RGU Employability team and asked for advice.

It was amazing how promptly the staff responded to me. They were so very helpful. They helped me make my CV and find a late placement opportunity. Now a month later, I am happily doing my 3rd-year placement online from home.

Natali Dimitrova, a BA (Hons) Media student at RGU

Currently, I am an intern at a start-up company and we are working on a kick-starter campaign to launch the firm’s first product. It’s an incredible adventure as I get to virtually meet new people and make new contacts every day. We are working with different marketing and PR agencies to create the perfect image for the brand. This opportunity really taught me to be a team player and gave me a taste of real-life work experience.

Advice to future students considering the BA (Hons) Media course

I would recommend RGU to anyone thinking of beginning their journey at university. RGU is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because you will meet with so many amazing people and experience so many new things that you would have never imagined.

I have always wanted to work in the media field but during my placement, I finally experienced what I signed up for. Daily Zoom meetings, constant research, thinking about different promotional ideas, creating designs from scratch and closely working with colleagues made me fall in love with media as a career even more. Choosing to move from Europe to Aberdeen to study at RGU was the best decision in my life so far.

Natali Dimitrova

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