A Summer School Experience in London

Exploring my interests, imagining university life, and briefly experiencing my future

Mina Bilgili • 16 years old • Student at SEV American College

“This experience showed me that my desire to study in London was not just a distant dream.”

My journey that began with art and film

My name is Mina. I am 16 years old and a student at SEV American College. I have been interested in art since I was little. Film and visual design especially attract me. I enjoy not only the final work that is produced, but also the creative process behind it.

In the future, I would like to study and work in a field where art, film, design, and technology intersect. I have not yet limited myself to one specific department or career path. I think high school years are a time when people should discover what they enjoy not only by thinking about it, but also by experiencing it. This was exactly the idea behind my decision to attend a summer school.

Why the UK, why London?

The idea of continuing my university education in London in the future has excited me for a long time. In London, art and creativity are felt not only in museums or exhibition halls, but also in the daily life of the city. Cinema, theatre, design, music, and different cultures constantly meet in the same city.

For me, university life is not only about attending classes. Meeting people from different countries, gaining new perspectives, and benefiting from the cultural opportunities offered by the city I live in are also part of education. I believe London can inspire me especially in the fields of film, media, art, and design, and offer important career opportunities in the future.

For this reason, I saw the summer school as an experience that would allow me to go beyond visiting London as a tourist and understand what it feels like to be a student there.

How I chose the program

While researching programs, we did not look only at the school’s name or popularity. We evaluated the course content, how practical the education was, the age group, the instructors, and how well the program matched my interests. Location was also important; I wanted to be somewhere where I could observe daily life in London and gain experience moving around on my own.

As a result, I joined a summer program in the Ealing area focused on film and creative production. The fact that the program emphasized practical teamwork and producing a concrete final project, rather than only theoretical knowledge, was a determining factor in my choice.

What I learned in class and on set

Throughout the program, we did not only listen to our instructor. We developed ideas, worked as a team, shared responsibilities, and turned a creative idea into a practical project. Seeing how an idea develops from its first version through editing and filming helped me understand that film production requires both creativity and disciplined work.

Working on the same project with students from different countries was also one of the most valuable parts of the experience. Everyone approached the same topic from a different perspective, which sometimes made me reconsider my own ideas. I experienced expressing my thoughts clearly within a team, listening to others, using our time well, and reaching a shared decision.

The course content and our final project

During the two-week program, we completed practical work in the main areas of filmmaking, such as storytelling through film, screenwriting, camera use, lighting and sound, working with actors, directing, and editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. While turning an idea into something ready to shoot, we learned how important preparations such as storyboards, script notes, and technical shot plans are. This allowed us to experience not only the result we see on screen, but also the planning and teamwork behind a film.

As the final project of the program, we shot a short film as a team. In this project, no one had only one fixed role; we took turns in different responsibilities, from developing the script to casting, acting, camera operation, lighting and sound setup, and directing. This helped us see how the roles on a film set complete one another, and how a successful result can only be achieved through good collaboration. On the last day, we held a special screening of our completed short film, which parents also attended. Watching the final version of the film we had worked on together on a big screen was one of the most exciting and unforgettable moments of the program for me.

Seeing London through a student’s eyes

Being in Ealing made me feel like I was part of a creative environment connected to the world of film and television. Outside the classes, using public transport, seeing different areas, and following my daily schedule also gave me more confidence in moving independently.

This process showed me that I truly enjoy working in creative fields. It also made me realize that my desire to be a student in London is not just a dream. During my time there, I felt comfortable, curious, and motivated. Of course, a short summer program cannot show the whole of university life; however, it helped me ask more informed questions about both the city and the fields of study I am considering.

My advice for students considering summer school

My first piece of advice to young people considering summer school in the UK would be not to choose a program only based on the popularity of the school. What the student is genuinely interested in and what kind of work they will do during the program are much more important. The course schedule, the scope of practical work, the instructors, the age group, accommodation, and transportation options should be reviewed in advance.

It can also be useful to see summer school not only as a short educational program, but as a real experience for evaluating future university and city choices. During the program, not being afraid to ask questions, meet new people, and take on tasks you have never tried before makes the experience much more valuable.

More than a summer school

For me, this experience was not only about learning new things about film and creative production. It helped me understand my interests better, experience working within a team, gain more confidence, and evaluate my future decision to study in London more consciously.

I do not yet have all the answers about which field I want to pursue, but I think I have started asking the right questions. Sometimes a short summer experience does not give you a definite decision about the future; instead, it helps you see your own direction more clearly.