I remember sitting in bed the night before my grad program’s orientation and my first day of class. I was so nervous, wondering what to expect since I am the first person in my family to get their Master’s. To my surprise, when I walked in the EMDD lab and sat down in the classroom, I was greeted by smiling faces of faculty and individuals who would be in my cohort. Suddenly, I felt my body’s nervous tension ease and I began to feel at home in that classroom.

Despite my uncertainty in the beginning, my first year in EMDD was far more incredible than anything I could have imagined prior to entering the program. During my first semester, I was improved my research and analysis skills through collaborative and individual work. I had done research prior to being an EMDD student, but was able to further expand these skills through design thinking and usability testing—both things I had never done before. I was then able to take this knowledge into my second semester when creating a transmedia production design and examining virtual reality/augmented reality research. In my second semester, I also expanded my design knowledge through the collaborative creation of a four-part museum exhibition—physical exhibit, virtual reality experience, touchscreen experience, and a live actor experience— about something in relation to Indiana History.

My first year in EMDD was vigorous, but I survived and thrived through it with some helpful resources.

Peers in My Cohort: Over the course of my first year in EMDD, I was able to build strong professional relationships and friendships with my fellow peers in my cohort. This allowed for all of us to really lean on each other if we were struggling or confused with something. For example, I come from a writing background and not a design background. So, if I need guidance with design tools I would ask individuals in the program who come from design backgrounds for help. In return, when the individuals from design backgrounds struggled with writing, I would help them copyedit. This type of support and collaboration allowed us to grow closer as a cohort, while benefiting all of us.

Faculty: If I was ever struggling or feeling confused about the work we were doing, the EMDD faculty were always there to provide guidance. Something I learned over the past year was to not be afraid to ask for help or clarification. It is better to ask then do things blindly.

Now that my first year of EMDD is over, and I have gained all of these skills, I am looking forward to the experiences my year two project and creative project will bring. I feel so lucky to be part of a cohort and have faculty as supportive as what I have in EMDD.