IE Rewire Magazine
With proud roots in the Philippines, Judith San Juan is a digital marketing professional pursuing her Master in Visual & Digital Media at HST. She enjoys a good cup of coffee, playing with her dog, and creating videos of her travels. She proudly serves as Audiovisual Guru at Rewire Mag.
I loved being in the water as a kid. I would spend hours just splashing around in the pool; something that eventually led to years of competitive swimming. I learned things in the water that I would never have learned in the classroom. When it comes down to it, I believe these lessons are what brought me here to IE School of Human Sciences & Technology, and to my position as Audiovisual Guru for Rewire Mag.
The lessons have framed how I see the world. So, I thought they would serve as a fitting introduction to you.
Lesson 1. No one else can swim the race for you.
Swimming has taught me that no matter what I do, I cannot control how fast or slow my competitors will go. But I can control how I swim my race.
When the time came to take on my first professional role—as a digital marketing officer—I had little background knowledge and had to learn everything as I went. But the role opened the door to an interesting and dynamic career in digital media. While I gained a lot from the people that I encountered and appreciate those that supported me along the way, it was up to me to make the most of the experience.
Lesson 2. It’s what you do in the dark that puts you in the light.
Come competition day, there was only one dive, one swim, one chance to give it my all and every millisecond counted. Often, people only remember the culmination of hard work. They do not see the hours spent training in the pool, the sacrifices made, or the frustration that comes with falling short. Swimming taught me to take pride in knowing that I put the work and effort in regardless of the outcome.
Entering university, I did not get into the program that I was aiming for. Despite this rejection, I worked harder than ever before, and eventually found my way to get into the program and graduate from it. Later on, it also took me several tries before I could finally pursue my master’s degree—I needed more work experience, more extracurricular activities and so on. I did not let that stop me, and now here I am at IE’s School of Human Sciences and Technology with arms wide open to the challenges that may come.
Lesson 3. There is always room for improvement.
Finally, whether a race goes well or not, there is always something to learn from it—we should be humble to accept it and fearless to chase after it.
Rewire Magazine is like a new race for me. It’s something I have never done before. I have always been fascinated by telling stories in creative ways. Serving as the magazine’s Audiovisual Guru is also another chance to apply my skills, push beyond limits and grow with an awesome team.
Most of all, I see the magazine as an opportunity for HST students to show what they’re really made of. The wealth of talent on offer is something that needs to be seen to be believed. This is where I come in. I want to take all the stories, articles and insights and breathe life into them, creating a visual experience that represents who we are. If I can leave you with something, let me share with you the words that guided me through my life, the words of a little blue fish: “just keep swimming.”
Wanna create audiovisual content for Rewire Mag? Get in touch with me: judith.sanjuan@student.ie.edu.
Headshot photographer: Bayan Daou, MVDM Student. IG: @bayandaou