Adventures come in all shapes and sizes 

Maddison Clack

William Feather once said, “one way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure”. That’s how I viewed starting the MA in Creative Writing and Publishing.

Wanting to expand my knowledge of writing and the publishing industry, I went in search of a master’s degree that allowed me to exercise my creativity and expand my understanding of publishing, and all its areas. This was no small feat. After completing my undergraduate degree, I took a year off to find the best postgrad degree for me and my wants. I searched for months, university after university. Degree after degree. Review after review. Then I found Bournemouth.

One thing that drew me to the MA at Bournemouth was the selection of modules. As I read through each one, exploring the module in detail, and finding out how the unit would allow my skills and passion to grow, I became more and more intrigued with the degree. And it hasn’t failed to live up to my expectations.

Although I have only completed three of the seven units on the degree, each one has given me room and encouragement to grow creatively and technically in my writing. The opportunity to create work, share it with peers, and receive feedback to improve it has taught me a lot about my writing.

Joining the degrees as a member of the online cohort worried me. I wasn’t sure whether being online would achieve the same amount of participation, communication and connection as being on campus. I hate to admit it, but I was wrong.

Being a part of the online degree has been incredible. Although there was a bit of awkwardness at the beginning, from me and others, the more the course moved, the farther out of our shells we got. Everyone had input and feedback. Everyone has something to share. It wasn’t just in the sessions but on social media, too. The online cohort created a separate WhatsApp group chat that we regularly communicate on. The group isn’t just used to discuss sessions or assignments; it is also a place where we share photos of pets and beautiful snapshots of beach sunsets and where we share book recommendations. Although we don’t go to coffee or meet each other in person, as with the on-campus cohort, we are creating connections.

The degree thus far has been challenging, encouraging and informative, and even though it may not be the “traditional” way to study, it has been a pleasure to be a part of. I am looking forward to continuing on this little adventure I am having.