Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 39 - 38: Master of Fashion

They switched to another City Circle Tram and when they arrived at Federation Square again, Yan Yan decided to pull Yi off for a stroll.

If Yi just wanted to hold hands and sit, they might as well go to the steps of the square and have a quiet chat.

"Yi, Melbourne’s city center, has many uniquely designed buildings, all crafted by the hands of RMIT’s faculty and students. Later on, I can point them out to you.

At the end of each year, this giant screen at Federation Square is dedicated to broadcasting the RMIT graduation ceremony.

Moreover, the RMIT graduation is fun; the entire faculty and students take part in a parade.

It starts from the Swanston Street we passed when we went to the movies and marches all the way here to Federation Square." Yan Yan introduced Federation Square in her unique way.

Each year, many events are held at Federation Square, and the RMIT graduation, despite being as lively as a public festival, isn’t quite a real Carnival.

"What’s RMIT? Is it a tech school too? I’ve only heard of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)," Yi didn’t know much about Australian schools.

"That’s a blatant belittlement from a scholar. RMIT stands for Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, not a top-notch institution like MIT. It doesn’t even rank among Australia’s top eight five-star universities. At most, it’s a four-star. What I meant was, this year end, I’ll also be participating in the RMIT parade," Yan Yan explained to Yi (note 1).

"A graduation parade? Aren’t you at the University of Melbourne? Why go to RMIT for a graduation parade?"

"Because I only did my undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne. Didn’t I tell you this morning that I’m studying for a Master of Fashion?

You’d realize if you think about it: the University of Melbourne is more research-oriented. How could they have a practical course like the Master of Fashion?

I’m studying for my Master of Fashion at the RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles.

RMIT is not a very comprehensive university, but it’s a better choice for practical fields of study.

In terms of industry alignment, RMIT’s design programs are stronger than those at the University of Melbourne," Yan Yan continued explaining why she was at RMIT.

"So that’s the case. I hadn’t had the chance to learn about Australia’s universities and programs, and since you hadn’t mentioned it this morning, I assumed your master’s was also at the University of Melbourne," Yi admitted, having never considered the possibility that the University of Melbourne might not offer a Master of Fashion program before Yan Yan told him.

"Do you also have such presumptive moments?" Yan Yan teased Yi.

"Maybe it’s something I caught from you. You’ve really been through a lot over the years, transitioning from journalism to architecture, then from architecture to fashion, such a wide range; how did you even apply?" Yi, who had only studied at Peking University and Stanford’s math department, found it hard to understand Yan Yan’s application process.

"Applying to schools in Australia is much simpler than in the United States. It’s mostly about crafting a good story in your Personal Statement, making it cohesive (note 2).

A lot of Chinese students come to Australia for their master’s. No matter what their undergraduate major was, they often apply for Accounting.

Accounting is a skill in demand; it offers high immigration points.

Many Australian schools’ accounting degrees are dominated by Chinese students.

In some, you’d find dozens of classmates in the same program, all Chinese.

You’d not realize that you’re abroad but rather think the school just hired a foreign teacher.

Non-accounting undergrads have various reasons for pursuing accounting in Australia.

Some say their mom is an accountant, though they studied physics in undergrad, they always dreamt of being an accountant.

Or, ’our family runs a business; although I studied chemical engineering in undergrad, it’s mainly to manage accounting at our family’s chemical plant later.’

As long as the reason isn’t outrageous, they get accepted," Yan Yan commented sardonically.

"That’s possible, huh." Yi quietly listened to Yan Yan’s rant.

"Yes, so the last thing I wanted to study in Australia was accounting.

Back in China, when selecting a university, we usually pay more attention to the university’s ranking.

After arriving here, I realized local students focus more on the rank of the program.

When I was about to graduate with my bachelor’s, I started to feel more interested in the fashion industry.

RMIT’s Master of Fashion offers two tracks, the first one is Entrepreneurship, the only fashion entrepreneurship course in Australia.

Initially, I wanted to choose that, but then I found out that it’s offered at the Brunswick campus, not the central city campus, which made me hesitate.

After thinking it over, I realized that the entrepreneurial spirit is deeply ingrained in us Wenzhou people, something we grew up around, probably not something I needed to study specifically."

Then I chose another direction, which is what I am studying now, a Master of Fashion (Design).

Speaking of a big leap, my undergraduate degree was also in Graphic Design. Both visual communication design and fashion design belong to the design field and require the same foundational skills.

Seriously considering it, it probably isn’t too big of a crossover.

RMIT’s Fashion College is the best in Australia and ranks within the top ten globally.

Although it’s not the top global institution, it should serve as a new starting point for me.

Apart from RMIT, no other schools offer such a program.

So, I ended up at RMIT’s Fashion College where I’m pursuing a master’s in fashion design, hoping to delve deeply into the fashion industry in the future," Yan Yan explained her reasons for choosing RMIT to Qi Yi.

"I hope to ’delve deeply’ into the fashion industry in the future," Qi Yi repeated Yan Yan’s plan for the future.

Qi Yi did not continue speaking.

"Oh, right, let me tell you, RMIT in Melbourne is totally not about being the best, but about being the most extravagant.

At the end of every year, RMIT’s graduation ceremony includes the screens at Federation Square and the parade on the pedestrian street.

The final degree-granting ceremony takes place at Docklands’s Etihad Stadium.

The stadium was named after Telstra when I arrived, and it wasn’t until 2009 that it was renamed; it’s right near the endpoint of the free tram we just rode.

However, the naming rights for the stadium keep changing, so Australians prefer to call it by its locality, Docklands Stadium.

This is the only covered stadium in the Southern Hemisphere. It takes eight minutes to open the roof, which allows it to serve as an open-air venue when it’s not raining and as an indoor one when it does.

Etihad Stadium can accommodate fifty thousand people and is used by top international superstars for concerts aside from famous sporting events.

Using such a stadium for a graduation ceremony is something only RMIT, the extravagant, could do.

A school’s graduation ceremony, from morning to night, is a whole day of celebration, and Swanston Street in the city center is even closed for the students and teachers’ parade.

Melbourne’s usually scarce police presence is seen maintaining order," Yan Yan happily shared some information about RMIT with Qi Yi. freewebnøvel.com

"Oh, I understand," Qi Yi responded succinctly to Yan Yan’s long explanation.

"What do you understand?" Yan Yan couldn’t help being curious.

"I will come to your graduation ceremony," Qi Yi said, looking at Yan Yan with a touch of melancholy.

Yan Yan had so many things she wanted to say to Qi Yi, things she had wanted to share for the past five years.

But Qi Yi’s melancholy suddenly made Yan Yan unsure what to say next.

RMIT’s graduation ceremony is in December, and now it’s January.

Between January and December lies an entire spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

..........

note 1:

Australia has eight five-star universities: University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, Monash University (also in Melbourne, but a suburban school), Adelaide University, and University of Western Australia.

note 2:

Climbing the vine is a somewhat "professional" term, referring to the process of an individual applying to and being accepted by an Ivy League school in the United States. Key to climbing the vine, in addition to academic performance, is having a very impressive resume.

This can include having participated in famous international volunteer organizations, having spoken at various United Nations conferences, or possessing a uniquely exceptional skill.

It might become part of the reason for a successful Ivy League admission.

Rumors say that some students, known for their exceptional knowledge of instant noodles from various countries, have received admission letters from multiple Ivy League schools.

This rumor is partly true. Admissions officers may consider this unique skill when issuing admission letters, but only if the other academic and resume criteria meet the standards of the institutions.

Merely being an expert at eating instant noodles isn’t sufficient to climb the vine for anyone.