Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want to learn?

Why did I choose to study on this programme? 
Leeds was always going to be a place I considered to study in as it is close to home, and I wasn't too bothered about moving away. It is also a city that I am familiar with and feel comfortable in so I researched the course, and came to an open day. I immediately fell in love with the college. It wasn't too large, and the course seemed to tick all the right boxes for me. I really didn't have a clue what to expect from a university, and previous visits had really made me doubt whether I wanted to go, but there was something about Leeds that was different. I felt very comfortable in the college and excited to study there.

What do I want to learn during my time on the programme?
Without trying to sound too vague, I would love to learn as much about animation as I possibly can. In particular I would like to learn more about the computer programmes that animations can be produced on. For example, Maya. I have already explored more traditional methods of animating, and I would be interested in broadening these skills.
I also want to learn about the history behind animation, and look into how it came about. I'm also looking forward to learning about different artists/animators and people who are influential in this field.

What skills do I think are my strengths?
I'd say my main strength would be pencil drawing. It has always been my preferred medium as I feel I have been able to produce some my best works whilst using it. However, I am open to change, and have been experimenting with different media, and in my own opinion I have gotten rather good at using fine liners and biros.
In the summer I had bought a graphics tablet, and to start of with I wasn't too great at using it. As I was determined to become better at producing digital drawings, I continued to work with my tablet, producing sketches on Photoshop. I am slowly becoming more comfortable and confident with using it, so I'd like to say that was one of my strengths too.

What things do I want to improve?
Honestly, I would like to touch up on all my skills. I am happy with what I can do with some of my strengths already, but I am always looking to improve, and get better at what I do. But if I were to choose examples, I would say digital painting. In relation to this I would like to strengthen my knowledge on programmes such as Photoshop, and learn how to use them more effectively.
Another thing I really want to improve is the speed at which I work. I used to spend hours and hours on just the one drawing, but I have started to work at a much quicker pace now I have this new mind set of "it doesn't have to be perfect". Having said this, I am not yet working at a speed which I am completely happy with, and would like to become even quicker with my sketches.

What ways will I evaluate my progress?
By maintaining my blog I will be able to see how well I improve over the weeks, and how quickly I do so. Also by doing this, I will be able to evaluate each piece of work/session individually and pick out what I did well and what areas I can improve on. Another good way to seek advice on what I can improve on, would be to show my peers on the course. They might be able to pick out things I have missed, or offer ideas to help me progress.