In the second of the series of interviews with the ‘Famous Five’ SIT students fronting the university’s Admissions Campaign 2015, we chat with Lim Seng Jueh, who tell us more about the adventures he had experienced during his Overseas Immersion Programme at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) in Scotland.

1) Which degree programme are you currently enrolled in?

I am in the final year of my Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Communications Design at GSA.

2) Why did you pick Communications Design?

I have a Diploma in Interactive and Digital Media from Republic Polytechnic so I chose the degree programme in Communication design, which will not only go a long way in enhancing my future career but also my creativity on a personal level.

3) And why did you choose SIT?

SIT’s curriculum is well-suited to those who are from the Polytechnic pathway. Also, given that I have a diploma, I receive credit exemptions and can skip two years of foundation at SIT when I take up the degree; this saves me time and money compared to other universities.

Another reason why I took up the degree programme in Communications Design at GSA is because the programme gives me room for creative experimentation, not to mention that there are also very interesting projects that I would be working on in the course of my studies.

4) What do you think of your degree programme so far?

I think bringing in guest lecturers every now and then is a great idea. It’s through these cross-cultural interactions that we get to hear directly from the professionals who have made it in the industry, as well as the ideas behind their projects. Having more of these workshops would definitely add great value to us students.

5) What do you like most about studying at GSA?

Being with like-minded classmates allows us to share our ideas freely with each other. Also, we tap on each other’s strengths and help each other out on the projects. We have a close-knit community, which is something I really appreciate.

6) Tell us about your daily routine in a regular school week at GSA.

Basically, apart from consulting our lecturers and having discussions with them, we’re pretty much quite independent when it comes to studying and researching.

Some days, we would just hang around at school: chat, brainstorm and trade ideas. Other days, we work on our own individual projects. Apart from these, we also spend our time contributing to GSA through events such as the freshmen orientation programmes and art presentations.

Of course, there are times of the year when we would be really swamped with work: burying our heads in the books or rushing to complete our essay assignments.

7) Care to share with us your experience during the Admissions Campaign photoshoot?

I’d say that as an avid photographer myself, I am usually the one behind the camera lens. That said, being on the other side of the camera on the day of the shoot turned out rather nerve-wrecking and awkward. I guess I got to experience a bit of how people would feel when they are being photographed or filmed.

8) After the photoshoot, we heard that you stayed back to chat with the production crew. What was that all about?

Actually the photoshoot turned out to be a good opportunity for me to learn a little more about the trade from the professionals. I had a good long chat with the crew and of course, I had lots of questions for them; I asked them about the rental of studios, how to handle clients and unexpected situations, etc. It’s a tough industry to be venturing into. Hopefully I’ll be ready for the challenges ahead.

9) How was the experience during your Overseas Immersion Programme (OIP)?

Hands-down my OIP trip to Glasgow in June 2014 was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Living in a hostel definitely got us (my classmates and me) bonding – over messy kitchens and unexpected encounters! The experience was also very insightful; for instance, we were able to participate in craft workshops which engaged the extensive use of machinery.

In short, it was an inspiring and fun-filled three weeks at Glasgow as I got to immerse myself in another culture while studying.

10) Anything interesting happened during those few weeks?

You know, my opinion is that it’s always the unforeseen incidents which give a trip a certain ‘character’, and which make the experience unforgettable, even somewhat more ‘fulfilling’.

For a start, when we arrived in Glasgow, some of us had luggage missing and it was delayed for a couple of days. Also, there was a fire which had broken out at one of the buildings on the main Glasgow campus – Mackintosh Building – a month prior to our arrival; we were all pretty disappointed that we couldn’t visit that part of the university. I did hear someone saying that that some of our classmates had tried to sneak past the fences to get a peek….

That said, I did get a chance to visit the other campus in Glasgow – the Reid building which was pretty magnificent as well.

11) What do you want to do when you graduate?

I’m keeping my options open. I see myself as a creative individual with a versatile skill set. I am quite sure I have what it takes to contribute to each and every project that comes along in future.

Ultimately I’d like to have something that I can call my own, whether it’s a design studio or an F&B business.

12) Would you like to share with our readers some of your works?

I am currently working on my portfolio, which I’ll be showcasing soon online. These works will include my graphic designs, short films as well as photography.

My online portfolio will be accessible from April this year. In the meantime, some of my works can be seen on my Instagram account: @sengjueh