Buzz of Brighton and BIMM draws students from all over world

It's always awkward trying to start a conversation with somebody you've never met before. Connected by one thing and one thing only: a love and passion for a subject.

The natural instinctive self-preservation residing within all of us is in conflict with the possibility of comfort and safety in numbers.

This emotional warfare goes on inside the heads of most university freshers: new city, new house, new life. In a place like Brighton, however, I think it intensifies.

I'm a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Liverpool and - being a fresher at BIMM (the British and Irish Institute of Modern Music) - I'm going through this dilemma as you read these words.

But something feels distinctly different. Something about this city creates a buzz, a murmur among the crowds, a storm brewing.

I've never experienced the feeling I get here anywhere else - and that is primarily why I chose to study at BIMM Brighton.

My first taste of BIMM life came when I was in Year 7 and our high school had been visited by BIMM staff who brought with them a band of wonderfully-talented musicians who first sparked my interest in the institute.

Since that day, I have always been curious about what BIMM entailed. I've been frequently involved in the music scene back up north since the age of 10, but something just didn't feel quite right for me. It was almost as if I was treading water while others were whizzing past on jet-skis.

This brings me back to the "buzz" I feel every time I am out in Brighton; the place is filled to the brim with a cornucopia of talent and opportunity. A perfect example of this can be taken from the first time I visited Brighton to view the institute.

Having spent the day looking round, I decided to find an open-mic night to attend in the evening. I ended up playing at Medusa Bar (where I now play every Thursday) - and it was an amazing night of both musical talent and spoken word.

When I played, my set was well received by the audience and host alike and resulted in further musical work for me. I was amazed by how many opportunities became available to me because of one gig, on my first night in the city.

I've come to realise now that I am living here just how much live music dominates the city. I think that would be the main pull for other musicians to travel from all over the world to study here. During my induction day alone, I met students from Norway, America, Ireland, and Hungary. All drawn to Brighton - and to BIMM. I think it would yield the same answer if you asked any student of BIMM, past or present, why they chose to study here

This place is unique - and I want to be a part of the reason why.

To listen to Miles Goodall's music, visit: www.soundcloud.com/miles-goodall. Alternatively, visit: www.facebook.com/milesgoodallmusic.

For more information about BIMM, visit: www.bimm.co.uk/brighton.