Annya Coyle never imagined that music could be made with numbers and letters when she was filling out her CAO form four years ago.
Her journey into music and sound engineering began with uncertainty about the future and having to choose between her two great passions: music and sport.
Reflecting on her CAO journey, Annya admits, “I didn’t at all know what I wanted to do. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure if university was for me. I wasn’t really a very studious person, but I said I might as well just give it a go.”
Annya, who plays on the TUS rugby team and also for Mullingar, initially thought of pursuing a sports-related degree but eventually leaned towards music, making it her top CAO choice “at the last minute”.
“I’ve been playing sport since I was three, but I didn’t know if that’s what I wanted to do as a career, so I was like, ‘Ok, let’s just switch it out and we’ll see what happens’”.
Annya’s family, who are “very musical” were instrumental in her decision. “They were definitely a big influence. My uncle was the one who told me about the course originally, and when I saw it, I was like, ‘I’m very creative. I can definitely try that.’”
Looking back, Annya, who is now in her final year of the BSc (Hons) in Music and Sound Engineering at TUS Athlone, feels her choice was perfect. “Lecturers are so nice and I think the course just really suits me. I’m happy out with my choice.”
Annya’s advice to her younger self is to follow her own path. “Go with your gut. Don’t pick something just because your friends are picking it. Put yourself first and just forget about what everyone else is doing. If you end up in the same place as your friends, happy days, but I wouldn’t put that first. Put yourself first.”
Annya’s journey through the four-year degree was filled with unexpected learning experiences. “I did music in secondary school, but in university, I started doing coding and working with circuits. Who knew you could make sounds out of numbers and letters?” she laughs.
“I started off playing guitar, but now I like to mess around on my computer to make music. I enjoy everything from sad songs to techno.”
Annya also learned soldering, woodworking, and how to use industry-standard equipment in TUS Athlone’s state-of-the-art recording studio.
Despite the challenges, like a tough coding module, Annya found support among her lecturers and classmates. “The lecturers were so helpful, and my classmates were great too. We had a strong class bond and supported each other.”
Annya’s biggest highlight came in her third year when she received a special academic award. “I got a call from the lecturers, and I got an award for getting the highest GPA in my course! I didn’t even realise. I think third year might have been my favourite year. I really started hitting my stride,” she says.
For the future, Annya is open to various possibilities. “I love the multimedia side of the course, like filming and marketing, but I also enjoyed the sound engineering aspects. I might take a year to try different sides of it and figure out what I want to do. I’m not fully set on anything just yet,” she explains.
Annya’s parting advice to future students is to embrace the experience. “Anyone that likes music even a little bit will find something they enjoy in my course. TUS’s smaller class sizes and the close bonds you form with your classmates and lecturers also make a huge difference. It helps you come out of your shell and build a strong support network.”
Annya Coyle is a Year 4 BSc (Hons) Music and Sound Engineering student from Lecarrow, Co. Roscommon. Learn more about her experience of studying at TUS below.