Designing from the inside out

 

Eunice Ang Chia Sze,20

Diploma in Interior Design, The One Academy, Final year
My favourite hangout on campus is  the computer lab

 

Choosing my course

When I was working part-time for my mother’s tiles shop, I began to develop an interest and passion for interior design. I was so geared up that I chose this course without considering any other courses. My mother was my main source of inspiration. In her line of business, many designers and contractors sought her service. Today, not only she is a successful businesswoman, she is a role model and I want to be like her.

My course

This course is an interior design course which emphasises a lot on being practical and creative in designing. It also prepares students for the working industry by providing a practical training approach towards becoming a professional interior designer.

The best bits about my course

The best bits of this course are studying concepts of a design and being able to design it. In my three years at The One Academy, organising exhibitions has been one of my most enjoyable activities. A recent memorable event was the interior design S.EX (Student Exhibition) led by our interior design head, Eric Leong. Preparing exhibitions allowed me to learn invaluable knowledge that can never be taught.

My challenges

The challenge that I face as a student is having confidence when it comes to constructing a design that is related to my subject. Even though I have won awards in design competitions, I still do have difficulty believing that my creations are good. However, I have realised that joining competitions is part of building up my confidence, as well as learning how to accept criticisms and appreciate compliments.

Extra-curricular activities

In my spare time, I enjoy helping my mother in her tiles shop, part-timing in furniture companies and also participating in interior design competitions. My recent participation was the Junior Designer Awards 2010 where I won a Bronze award for my artwork.

Looking ahead

My aim is to further my studies after graduation. It can be in a local university or in the UK. Of course I plan to learn more from my mother’s tiles shop, or might work for interior design companies while I decide where I’d like to pursue my studies.

My advice

To aspiring students, when choosing your course, always ‘test the waters’ as much as possible during your foundation year. You need to know if it is suitable for you or not especially the environment, classes, lecturers and so on, because these factors will determine your drive in pursuing your studies further.