The Accidental Designer
Today marks just another page in my unconventional journey through academia and into the world of Visual Design. As I sit here, reflecting on the past 18 months, I cannot help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Three years ago, I never would have thought that a Literature major like me would find themselves knee-deep in pixels and Pantone colors. You might wonder how I got here. Well, many things led me here which I will write about another time.
It all started as a harmless curiosity, a stray thought that blossomed into a full-blown career change. Armed with nothing but a passion for storytelling and a knack for words, I bravely ventured into the unknown territory of design. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a rollercoaster ride of challenges, self-doubt, and unexpected discoveries.
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The transition from Shakespearean sonnets and phonemes to Adobe Suites and keyframes has been nothing short of comical. I have stumbled through tutorials like a lost puppy, trying to wrap my head around software I never knew existed. “Ctrl + Z” and a host of other hotkeys have become my best friends as I clumsily navigate through layers and vectors, leaving a trail of digital chaos in my wake.
But amidst the chaos, there is beauty. With each mistake, I have learned something new. With each hurdle, I have grown a little stronger. And with each passing day, I find myself ̶f̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ — pardon me, I meant — getting accustomed to the challenges that being a Visual Designer presents. Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. There have been days when the weight of self-doubt felt crushing when I questioned my decision to stray from the beaten path. The constant comparison to those honing their craft for years can be disheartening, but I refuse to let it deter me.
Graduation is on the horizon. I am in the twilight of what started by accident or a misjudgment (to be honest), and a looming cloud of uncertainty hangs over my head. ‘What comes next?’ ‘Where do I go from here?’ The future is indeed uncertain and scary. But, I find comfort in knowing that I’ve persevered despite feeling anxious and afraid in nearly every endeavor I’ve undertaken here. But one thing is for sure: I’m getting better at this. With each project and each critique, I’m inching closer to mastery.
So, I am embracing the chaos, laughing in the face of uncertainty, and taking each day as it comes. The future? ̶I̶’̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶y̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶,̶ ̶a̶r̶m̶e̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶a̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶f̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ — not me sounding all inspirational. All I can say is I am working towards that and will tell you all about it when I remember to scribble my thoughts. But until then, let me go back to being a designer. And if you missed it, you can see what I have been up to for the past months here.
