When a student from, Melbourne Australia, had reached out to an online virtual, event during her studies. This resulted in speaking to actors, from a favorite series Shadow and Bone Netflix. The online community, had been more than supportive, throughout the series and it’s growth. The French online event’s had attracted the cast during, the Melbourne lockdown and worldwide lockdown.

Which had a big impact on the city, not being able to travel a far distance or see family and friend’s, which made studying online, the only option for the design student. While being diagnosed, with Endometriosis, one of the most painful conditions, in the world accordingly and with no cure of actual treatment, during certificate training, the student was able to interact with, actors from the series through the event’s.

The meeting’s with the actors, discussed there favorite parts of the series, who was up to where in the books and other personal interests. This had lead to an exciting new experience, to be able to share her story in a new way. Longden, who was diagnosed with, DiGeorge Syndrome, also known as 22q at birth. The storyline of the Netflix series had grown on Longden and gave a positive outlook, while battling the design coursework, while in pain that did not have at the time a solution as to what was causing it.

The series had a connection to the topic of, depression, from what the author had mentioned, herself in her own talks. Battling hospital life while studying, came with some of it’s own dark hurdles, for Longden, when stitches being pulled out from a previous scar turned bloody or deciding to turn white from a canula being inserted had, it’s own moment’s. The distraction of a good series, was discovered early on and with making online friend’s in the fan base, was more than a plus side.

Leading to a positive outcome of a second graduation. From the support of the actors from, the fantasy series which has now wrapped on season two, parts of the series filmed in Budapest Hungary, based on books by author Leigh Bardugo. The Melbourne student, had developed strong skill’s from interacting with the cast    and also from her new design background. She had questioned herself, about making it as far as, she had and what is next to come. Starting out in photography, her interest in books and films, had been there since an early age, but adapting to a new world of online convention’s, over the last year, was something else, of it’s own to experience.

Even with the hospital hurdles not matching with her studies, during a time of lockdown, there was support out there when looking, in the right places and Longden was not about to give up on the coursework, without a fight to graduation. Bardugo, had been a big inspiration on, Longden, as she managed to go a whole year, without medical support in her studies, which did not happen for the student, instead just by watching a fantasy series and communicating with the actors themselves and using her current skills, along with a few of her teacher’s, she was able to succeed along the way.

Emma Claire Longden

25, Melbourne Australia.