Student Spotlight - Chloe Maidment
We caught up with Music student, Chloe Maidment, to find out a bit more about her - and to see how she is getting on in lockdown.
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Chloe Maidment. I’m from a little village called Auchtermuchty in Fife. I still live there part-time with my mum, and the other half with my dad in Aberuthven. I am currently studying Music at Perth College UHI.
What were you doing before college?
Before college, I was at school. I never really enjoyed high school, and decided that I wanted to leave and go to college. So, I found a course called the Gateway to Creative Industries, and I applied to be on the course. That course lasted a year, then I moved onto the NC music course – which is the one that I am on now.
Why did you pick this course?
I picked this course as I have always loved music, and I knew I wanted to do something creative and be a part of the music industry. I love singing, playing instruments and listening to new and exciting music - so I decided that this course would be the best for me.
What’s your favourite thing about your course?
My favourite thing about being in the course is probably ‘creative project’. It was a lot of fun each week getting new projects to work on in bands, and then having to perform it in front of the rest of the class. My favourite project was probably when we have to change a songs tonality. We chose to change ‘Wake me up before you go-go’ into a minor key - which was a lot of fun to work out.
Has there been any stand out/memorable moments from your course?
A standout memory for me would have to be doing a virtual gig. I have been blown away with the feedback I have gained from doing that. I never expected anyone to even watch it! So, for people to be watching and everything running smoothly, it has definitely stood out as being one of my best memories of the course.
What is a typical day at college like? (Pre-COVID19)
I’m at college 3 days a week. So, a typical day would be me getting there an hour early as I have to get a bus at 7am to get to the college for 8.30am, so that I am not late for my 9am class as my bus journey takes about an hour just to get into Perth. Then I have classes most days until about 1pm, and then I would have lunch with my friends from the course after that. Then I would normally have a couple more classes until about 5pm, and finally I get a bus home and get home for about 7pm. Most of my classes are practical classes, so it doesn’t feel like a long day as the work being done is fun and interesting.
What is the best part of your day?
The best part of my day at college is probably second class of the day, it was always a practical class - so it was a lot of fun.
What do you like about the campus?
I like that the campus has four different building that each have their own types of classes. For example - I would look at the Goodlyburn building as being the creative and expressive arts building, and I feel that everyone can just be themselves and it’s nice to see. I also like the fact that the campus has a Costa.
Have you enjoyed studying at Perth College UHI?
I have really enjoyed studying at Perth College UHI. I think It has helped me in many ways become who I am today. I feel I am more of a confident person because of the college and the courses I have been on.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of college?
Outside of college, I do like to paint and do a lot of art and baking. At the moment, I have been painting designs onto old DVDs that no one uses anymore. I also like going out for walks with my dogs - Bailey, Scooby and Orla.
What are your plans after you finish your course?
After I finish this course, I am going onto HNC Music Business. Which I will be on until I either get my Bachelor’s degree, or find a job in the industry.
What advice would you give to someone who might be thinking about studying at Perth College UHI?
My advice would be, to just do it. For me, it was the best decision I have made as I had no idea what I was going to do in life, and being at Perth College UHI - I finally know what I want to be doing. Also, be prepared to have to walk back and forth from Brahan to Goodlyburn a lot. It doesn’t look like a bad walk, but it is.
Where did you get the idea for the Virtual Gig, and how did it come about?
I had initially decided that I was going to plan and organise an open mic night – but, when the college shut and we were placed into lockdown due the Covid19 - my lecturer and I decided that instead of thinking of a whole other project, to have a virtual open mic night. So that’s what I did.
Who else was involved in this event?
I planned and organised everything on my own, but I had some great musicians that played on the day. Their names are Beatrice Wilkins-Lang, Jenna Ritchie, Xander Paterson, Beth Wood, Isaac McMillan and Robert Ryan.
Who was the event aimed at?
The event was aimed at music lovers and anyone interested in live gigs that were hating the fact they couldn’t be at festivals and concerts (myself included). I wanted everyone to just have a nice time watching and listening to some great music and people.
How did the event go? Any learnings you have taken from this?
I think the event went well - only one or two hiccups overall. We were all able to make quick recoveries from anything that went wrong. I have learned that having backup plans for when things go wrong, or people bail, is some that is very much needed. I’ve also learned that this is a very stressful profession, but the end result is worth it.
Would you be looking to organise another virtual gig in the future?
I definitely want to organise another gig, and may even do that soon. It was a great experience, and I want to grow the gig facebook page as I could see that people enjoyed watching.
Have you been cooking or baking anything nice during lockdown?
I have been baking a little during lockdown, not as much as I would like to - but college deadlines have been more important. I’ve made a few cakes and cookies and I have tried to make chocolate covered honeycomb for the first time ever. I can say that it was a success, thankfully, and my family seemed to be very happy with it.
Where would you like to go when lockdown is over and it is safe to travel again?
Although anywhere sunny abroad does sound nice, I think I would like to just go and be able to see my family. Not seeing my grandparents has been really hard as I would normally see them every week, so getting to see them and be around them is something I am looking forward to.
Have you been reading any good books during lockdown?
At the start of lockdown, I had said that I was going to read loads, but I haven’t really read anything besides my college work assessments (if that even counts). I used to read loads, but like most people, I get hooked on my phone and then completely forget about reading a book.
What TV shows have you been watching during lockdown?
One of my favourites shows ‘New Amsterdam’, just released a second season so I have been watching that quite a lot. I have started to watch New Girl on Netflix, which I find quite entertaining - and I’ve been catching up with some shows that I haven’t watched in ages.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I think I wanted to be a teacher. I loved getting responsibilities/ jobs from teachers in primary school and was a bit of a bossy boots. My mum says that used to always say I wanted to be a teacher until I got to high school - then I didn’t have a clue.
If you were a super-hero, what type of powers would you have?
If I was a superhero, I would have the ability to time travel. There is so many unanswered questions in the past and future and I think it would be cool to see them in person. Also, it would be kind of cool to see how you turn out in the future. Or meet a celeb/someone important that has passed.
Who, or what, inspires you?
I think many musicians inspire me. I see where they are, and it inspires me to keep going so I can be following my dreams and ambitions. I also think all the people that have told me that music isn’t a career, inspire me to work harder just to show them that it can be done and you can be who you want to be since so many people believe that it will never happen.
What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?
The best advice I have received is: “If you’re happy doing what you’re doing, then nobody can tell you you’re not successful.” I am not entirely sure where this came from, but I heard it somewhere and it just stuck with me.
What else have you been doing during lockdown to keep busy?
I just turned 18 on 25 May, so I have been celebrating as much as someone can in lockdown. I had a cocktail party with my family that I live with, and we just had a nice day drinking, eating and having a laugh. I’ve had college work to keep me busy, so now that I am done with deadlines, I’m not sure what I’ll get up to.
