The first week I walked into the d-Studio, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I signed up for the course based on rave reviews from a few colleagues which were punctuated with “I can’t describe it… just do it.” Whatever expectations I had built up for the class were completely destroyed when I stepped into the classroom and was bombarded with the walls of shining whiteboards interspersed with brightly colored posters. After glancing through the syllabus, decorated with colors and drawings, I realized that this class would be different than the typical Sauder course.
Looking back, I never could’ve predicted what a rare and invaluable experience the d-Studio turned out to be. Throughout my university career, I had been struggling to define thinking strategies that enhanced my learning the most. Starting each class with a different creative strategy provided essential insight into how my mind works best. I would find myself going home and using freewriting to work through any particularly challenging issues I faced in my schoolwork.
With each class, I felt myself becoming more comfortable with the chaos of the d-Studio. As a Sauder student, we are trained to be meticulously methodical and linear in our analysis. The d-Studio proved a stark contrast to the regimented thinking in Sauder. As the semester progress, I found myself applying the creative brainstorming encouraged in the studio in other parts of my life. In a group meeting for one of my classes, I found myself at the whiteboard, scribbling brainstormed ideas across the board and connecting and combining them to form a unique solution. At home, a wall of my room was soon covered with Post-It notes, mapping out everything from a creative cover letter to ideas for personal projects I wanted to start.
I don’t have a good answer for how my thinking evolved due to the d-Studio. In fact, I would answer that question with another question: How hasn’t my thinking evolved? Because of the d-Studio, I feel free to break out of the confines of the traditional Sauder student and confront problems from a different angle. The d-Studio gave me the opportunity to work with great companies working towards amazing goals. It taught me the value of communication and the power of teamwork. Most importantly, it taught me the power of our minds, and how to best capitalize on this energy.
Thank you to Moura, Florin, Andreanne and my awesome classmates for an amazing, unforgettable term!
I agree, Megan! D-studio gave me such a different experience from the rest of my classes at Sauder. At first, I wasn’t used to it – the whole notion of non-linear thinking and being creative – but like you,I found myself becoming more and more comfortable with the chaos. And I think part of it was also seeing other people breaking their habits of being a typical ‘Sauderite’ that also encouraged me to do the same. So, thanks for that 🙂
I felt exactly the same way coming into this course – the feedback I got from friends who have taken this course was also along the same lines! Moura’s syllabus was also the first sign to me that this course was going to be different, but different in a fun way. Really relate to your thoughts about developing skills to “cope with the chaos” of the studio. It definitely made me uncomfortable in the beginning because we are so used to the structure of other commerce classes, but something I will take with me as I graduate into the real world which is full of unexpected surprises!