Budapest Metropolitan University turned 20 years old! With this series, we would like to honor the events and amazing memories of these past two decades by looking back at stories of our students, alumni, professors and staff members who have been with us on this journey. 

 

Meet Noémi Bráz, alumna of our Fashion and textile design MA program. 

 

 

How did you end up at METU? Why did you choose to study at the university? 

I ended up at METU thanks to my teacher at the Secondary School of Visual Arts, Zsolt Tóth Yoka. He was our fashion illustration teacher, and he recommended the university to me. This is how I ended up visiting the university to meet Krisztina Sárosi, who was then head of the fashion design specialization. She showed me around the workrooms, and it was love at first sight - I immediately knew that I wanted to study at METU. 

I could get into the university thanks to the prolonged admission deadlines, as I only applied to MOME first. I remember that at the day of the entrance exam, I turned back at the doorstep because I realized that I didn’t want to go to that university at all.  

What's your first memory of METU? 

My first memory is of how impressed I was with the workrooms and how badly I wanted to create in these. At the day of the entrance exam, all I cared about was getting accepted, no matter which program it was. 

Tell us about your most determining experiences (the kindest, funniest, most exciting or most important) connected to the university! 

Fortunately, I have many such experiences that I could share a lot about. I will try to highlight a few of my more exciting memories. 

 

1. I used to sneak in puppy to the university. At the time it was forbidden to take animals inside the buildings. My puppy was still very young, and I went to the workroom every day, so he basically grew up on campus. If I wasn’t working on one of the assignments, then I was either working on a project or simply developing myself. There was always something to do! So, the puppy came to me to the university every day until he was old enough to stay at home on its own, or rather, when he became too big to fit into my bag. He slept through both my psychology and my art history exams, and his favorite spot was in the workroom, just in between the piles of leftover fabrics and yarns. 

2. I have met one of the most important people in my life at the university. Csenge Lantos was also a student at METU, and how we met is quite a funny story. Csenge was running around on campus looking for an old Windows computer, as for some reason that was the only way she could submit her application to a student exchange program. There was only one such computer, and this was in our workroom. Luckily for her, I was there at that time. She rushed into the room and told me that she needed to use the computer immediately. Of course, I let her use it. She started cheering loudly once she finally succeeded, and when I asked her if everything was all right, she hugged me and told me that I saved her, and it’s thanks to me that she will be able to go to France. Our friendship has been going strong ever since, and we have many precious memories together connected to METU as well. 

3. I was always there at the university just when it opened in the morning, and I stayed there until it closed in the evening. The janitors knew me well. If it wasn’t for them, I would have gone many days without eating. They were kind enough to bring me sandwiches and chocolate because they knew that I forget to eat when I am working. One day there was a huge storm blew a fuse. However, I kept working by the light of my phone. The janitors came looking for me because I was the last one in the building. 

 

Can you share any experiences at METU that had a great impact on your professional career? 

If I had to sum it up, I would highlight all the people I have met at the university. I am not just talking about my professors here, but also about my fellow students. There are many people I still collaborate with until today. I wouldn’t have reached my goals if it wasn’t for their friendship and professional knowledge. 

Which word would you use to describe your experience at the university? 

Diligence. I was pretty young when I realized what I wanted to do, and METU gave me a strong foundation to become a professional with outstanding knowledge and skills in the fashion industry. 

 

What would you tell your university-student self? 

I think everything I did was good as it was, I wouldn’t really change a thing. Perhaps it could have been nice to extend my university years with an exchange program abroad. But I believe I took in everything I could, and I use these skills and knowledge ever since. 

 

If you could use a time capsule to go back to your university years, is there anything you would do differently? 

No, I loved and enjoyed every minute of it (apart from the administration). Coming to study at METU and not attending the entrance exams at MOME was the best decision. 

 

What do you think, what is the superpower of METU? 

Budapest Metropolitan University is capable of continuous development and always provides space for new perspectives. The world today is changing and evolving at a pace where what was true yesterday, might be outdated by today - but I believe METU is able to keep up with even this tendency. 

 

What superpower did you gain thanks to the university? 

There are plenty! For example, how to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. At METU I learned that anything can be used to build upon and develop. With such positive attitude, you can come up with an idea for any theme, and you can create something from every idea. This is the approach that I also try to pass on to my own students as well. 

 

What is the most important lesson METU has taught you? 

I believe I am a pretty competent person by nature, but I have become much more resourceful at METU. I have learnt that that there’s never only one path or perspective leading to your goals. At METU I learned how to think and find solutions globally.  

Where do you see METU in 5-10 years' time? 

I hope that METU will grow to become the leading art university in Hungary and that it will upskill many more outstanding creative professionals. 

 

Discover METU art programs by clicking HERE. 

2021. 10. 11.