This semester was all about failure. As a graphic designer and student, I’ve heard it all types of ways and multiple times, “failure is okay, it’s part of the process”. I know this, I have lived this, this was my life this semester. To picture it, it is as if failure was a ninja. Surprise attacking me at every turn, tripping me up when I thought I was in the clear. Needless to say, this has been the hardest semester in my whole entire school career… thus far.
As far as content learned it has been amazing! I will forever be grateful for this opportunity to be in the Graphic Design BFA program in the School of Art of the University of Arkansas. It has pushed me as a designer and as a person. It has opened my eyes to what is possible not just for me but for the world. I have truly appreciated the journey we have taken through design thinking and the philosophies of design. My experiences working on group projects are nuggets of gold! Not to say there weren't any difficulties. But it was amazing to see how much more creative we worked and how ideas merged together. Even experiencing working along other groups as we did in my Human-Centered Design class; working with TASC helping them put together the block party. To see how design can impact communities for the good, it was another great door of design opened to me. It was also great because my family was able to attend, and they could see my work applied to a real life setting. I am overwhelmed and amazed at how much there is to learn!
I knew it would be hard while battling depression. I knew it would be hard having to commute every day. I knew it would be hard taking so many classes while balancing home-life that consists of an amazing husband and two wonderful kids. I knew it would be hard for them, to go from having me there all the time to who knows when. I knew it would be hard not getting to see and talk with friends and family every week… I knew it would be hard. Though for some funny reason I didn’t think it would be this hard, nor did I anticipate the failures along the way!
However, what I didn’t know was how much I would still love design even after all the hardships and failures. I didn’t know how close I would get to my classmates as we all journeyed this hard road together. I didn’t know that I might be interested in teaching? I didn’t know how awesome and understanding people can actually be when you drop the ball big time! I didn’t know that I could survive and make it to the end. But I did and after some much-needed TLC I’ll be ready to face it all again and ready to put in practice that I can learn from my failures.
Corner of the Graphic Design Senior Studio, Fall 2018