After returning from the semester break, the first week was relatively relaxed. I didn't engage in much work; instead, I spent time catching up with friends, reflecting on feedback, and readjusting to life in Singapore after a month in Delhi. Personally, it was a mixed bag as it was the first last day of my final year of college, which brings with it both excitement and a tinge of sadness. The uncertainty about what comes next after graduation is daunting, especially since I hope to remain in Singapore. The job application process and the prospect of obtaining sponsorship add to the stress.
Looking back at December, let's just say productivity took a holiday (sorry Andreas). I had lofty plans for my project, but realistically, I barely scratched the surface. Part of the blame lies in leaving my Arduino kit in Singapore and being fully occupied with my sister's wedding festivities. Family time was important, though, especially since I hadn't seen everyone for two years. Towards the end of December, I managed to focus on updating my portfolio and resume, preparing for the upcoming job applications.
The first class of semester two was largely a catch-up session. We discussed the expectations for the semester, with a significant emphasis on the impending dissertation deadline. It was surprising to learn that most of us had also struggled with productivity in December, which offered some consolation hehehe.
Discussing my feedback with Andreas was informative. It helped me gain a better understanding of my work from semester 1 and gave me a chance to reflect on my work ethic. The feedback on my graduation project was pretty decent—there were some positives and areas for improvement. Andreas noted that my body of work was interesting and that the small experiments leading up to the final artefact were a successful approach. However, he also pointed out that the connection to theater wasn't entirely clear, which is something I need to work on in the upcoming weeks.
One thing that stood out as a positive was the supplementary booklets supporting my prototype. That seemed to work well. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the feedback because it echoed some of the concerns I had myself. I've always been worried about the lack of connection between my prototype and theater, so it was reassuring to have that validated.
Reflecting on the feedback, I realised there are things I would do differently if I could go back. For example, I'd simplify the experience a bit. It felt like there were too many variables to navigate before getting to the outcome, which made it confusing for both myself and the audience. It's definitely something I'll keep in mind for my upcoming experimentations.
Andreas and I discussed the idea of developing a toolkit for my project, which he suggested to address the issue of unclear objectives. I'd been feeling a bit fuzzy about my project's objectives they weren't crystal clear, which made it hard to nail down the project's intention. Expanding on the concept of "making the audience/participants the performer" seemed like a natural fit for this toolkit approach.
Andreas recommended that I prepare two distinct ideas to present at our next consultation. He suggested at least one idea should be about something I really want to do irrespective of this project.