SCABs

How to Stay Resilient at SCA – By @MunrajSC

By Munraj Chawla

 

How to Stay Resilient at SCA

 

A couple hours ago, Marc responded to some work I emailed over to him with the word “Meh.” About five months ago, at the beginning of my time at SCA, I would have been crushed by this. The lack of feedback wasn’t an issue – much like the tattoo he sports, Marc wears his heart on his sleeve and I understand that his standards for my work are much higher than what I sent him. However, having an idea killed… well it sucks no matter how many times it happens. 

Recently, we’ve put on a few interview days at SCA and the most recent one saw the return of a previous applicant. In her first selection day she seemed nervous and we didn’t really see much of her personality. But we all thought there was something there, waiting to be revealed. This time around… WOW. She absolutely killed it. Standing ovation. Talked about for the rest of the day. Even tweeted about by the Supreme Leader Marc. The most important thing she showed was resilience. A quality that is not just important, but necessary to survive at SCA. 

I too did two interview days, the second just as nerve wracking as the first. The first was to win a place at SCA which I did, obviously. The second was as a result of being on Brixton Finishing School, to win a scholarship. I did that too and thank God, the universe, whatever every day for it. During the time between the two I worked to afford the course. In the past I’ve liked someone only for them not to like me back, received 200 job rejections only to apply to the 201st and been left hanging after going for a high five. The last one stung. 

Naturally though, because of this, I thought I was quite resilient.

And then I came to the School of Communication Arts 2.0.

There’s not a day that goes by without at least 100 of my ideas getting ripped to shreds. And it’s great. When you start here, you think your ideas are amazing. They’re not. We are now halfway through the course and even now, I’d say 90% of my ideas are terrible. 

Saying that, I think the biggest thing I’ve learnt is how to stay resilient here. 

How do you make yourself come up with 101st idea? 

The easiest way to start is to detach yourself from your ideas. Once you figure out that your ideas aren’t your babies you move past them quickly. 

But to stay resilient? That’s tougher. There will be days where you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. Or if you’re at SCA in POP, a corrugated metal one. The best part about SCA is the people that go there and they are the reason I think I’m able to persevere after I get bad feedback. Or none at all. 

My advice to any potential and prospective SCA student: Don’t be precious with your ideas. Share them with everyone. Let them go if they’re terrible. 

And now I have to send more work to Marc to turn that “Meh” into a “Wow.” 

Song of the SCAB: J Hus – Repeat ft. Koffee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSFN8bAIkmQ

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