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A Day in the Life: Ruben Tapia
Ruben works as Videographer and Photographer in Audio Visual & Media Services. Originally from Mexico, Ruben came to Cork in 2020 and studied a MA in Film and Screen Media in UCC. Ruben joined the Audio Visual & Media team in 2022 as student staff and commenced his current intern role in January 2023. Ruben shares what a typical working day is like for him.
06:00 - My day starts with 30 minutes of reading to keep improving my English. This daily habit has really helped my communication with my AVMS and UCC colleagues. After this, I do a quick check of my personal tasks for the day including some online course work related to video editing.
08:00 – I start my commute to work by foot, which takes about 20 minutes. I usually listen to a podcast, and I am currently listening to a The Mindset Mentor.
09:00 – My working day officially starts by checking my email and I chat with my AVMS colleagues on the priorities for the day. I update my schedule for the day accordingly.
10:00 – I attend a meeting with the Media and Communications team to discuss upcoming projects and plan some UCCTV filming.
11:00 – I meet my colleague Max Bell for a coffee and a catchup. We sometimes end up talking about our work and today we chatted about meeting and working with actor Jared Harris, on his recent visit to UCC. This was a real pinch me moment and career highlight.
11:30 – Time to get ready to film! I check all the equipment including camera, lighting, and audio to make sure everything is working properly. I go over the filming schedule with my colleagues Michael Tobin & Max Bell. Once we have checked everything, we head to the location and start filming.
13:00 – I make time for lunch. With the nature of my work, I find it really helps my energy and creativity to eat a healthy & balanced meal. I particularly enjoy the spicy turkey sandwich from Elements Café.
14:00 – Onto the next location to film. Today we are filming on campus with Dr Maria Kirrane, Head of Sustainability and Climate action, on a project Dr Kirrane is working on around sustainability and the UCC Green Campus.
16:00 – After a busy filming day, I save all the files and create backups to ensure I do not lose any of the material before I start the editing process.
16:45 – I write down a plan for next day before grabbing my gear and head to the gym in the Mardyke Arena.
19:00 - I arrive home and make some dinner. Since moving to Cork, I discovered Lennox’s fish & chips and have grown to love it but for tonight I made some spicy bean soup, and I paired it with some fresh soda bread and butter, Irish butter of course.
20:00 - I have a call with my family in Mexico to catchup on what is happening at home and update them on the news from Cork. I enjoy reading for an hour to relax and unwind from the day.