Kai Ono

I’ve enrolled in the Foundation Diploma Course at the University of the Arts London (UAL), which is a 1-year course where I try out different areas of art including fashion, graphic design and illustration, and pick one of them to specialise for my Bachelor’s. UAL is a renowned university specialising in art, composed of 6 different colleges, each focusing on a different area of art. For the Foundation Course, I’m based in the Camberwell College of Arts, which is a small school that focuses on animation and illustration. My college is a lot of fun. It offers many workshops like woodworking, laser-cutting and stop-motion animation. Having so many resources in my hand gets my creative juices flowing, just thinking about all the artworks I can make from them gets me very excited!

One of my most memorable moments at UIA is the field trip to Arinomi Park. We got to do wild activities like zip-lining and balancing on a raft. All the things we don’t get to do normally! Another great UIA moment for me was the school prom. It was exciting and refreshing seeing everyone dressed up in fancy clothes and dancing their hearts out under the disco lights.

During the summer school of 2021 I volunteered as an assistant to the kindergarten teacher and as a playmate for her students. It was very fun making the kids laugh with my jokes and helping them get ready for playtime and cleaning up. At the same time, I’ve also worked as a photographer for the school’s Facebook page. Overall, volunteering was a valuable and fun experience for me, and I would recommend it to everyone.

The last time I was back on campus was on September 12th when I came to collect my physical copy of my A-Level transcripts. I would have loved to conduct a class of my own, but unfortunately I am currently in London. I hope I can visit UIA again during my winter and summer holidays!

Always look for opportunities on your own while you still have the time — volunteering, part-time jobs, clubs, additional classes, public events, you name it. Go out, explore your interests, set yourself up for future success and make your life more enriching! As much as it is a cliche to say this, they will help you gain useful skills and discover more about yourself as you explore your passions. This will also help your university applications. And even if they don’t turn out well, remember that you can get something out of these experiences either way. Don’t be afraid to fail and keep trying out new things. Wishing you guys all the best!