Part 4: Personal Essay

There are some people I know who, upon hearing that I am attempting to go to college in an artistic field, wonder why I am spending the money on a college degree when I could dive right into the workforce. Sometimes I worry about this very question myself. I know, however, that having a degree from the Ohio University School of Media Arts and Studies will benefit me greatly throughout my career.

Even though I have only taken a few media classes, I already feel that I have learned a great deal that will benefit me throughout my career as a creator of media. For instance, one topic that particularly interested me was the legality of sampling and remixing, and the core precepts of the Remix Manifesto. I am a performer and enthusiast of hip-hop music, which is very frequently based upon making beats out of samples of other songs. As such, this topic is of great consequence to me, and understanding the history and implications of sampling has the potential to give my work a new weight (or, at least, to help me understand what I am trying to do a little better). This is one extremely important benefit of a degree from the Media School: it will provide me with a sense of context of where I am now and what I have the ability to create.

Another highly impactful thing that a Media Arts and Studies degree will offer me is a wealth of experience working with fellow creators. I cannot stress enough just how important and beneficial it has been for me to work with like-minded people in my field. My college experience thus far has enabled me to collaborate and make projects with fellow media students who are very serious and dedicated to their work. I am currently acting and working on a student-run sketch-comedy TV show, and I am a member of an independent group that writes, shoots, and edits short films. I may never have had these experiences had I gone straight from high school into an industry job, and the experience is invaluable. These projects have the advantage of looking good on a resume, portfolio, or demo reel; most importantly, however, they have given me the chance to work with people who are dedicated to their respective crafts and who love what they do as much as I love what I do. And my current experience is only the first step: with a degree from the Media School, I can maintain connections and learn how to work with other people outside my main discipline.

I am honestly still unsure exactly what job I would like to have in several years, but this is what college is for. With a degree in Media Arts and Studies, I hope to pursue my future music and writing projects while making frequent and effective use of the knowledge and skills I will learn. Although it may be uncertain, I am so excited for the future.