Freaking Out

Every year, when school starts, I start to freak out. It's been a tradition since when I went to my first day of Kindergarten. I was never nervous about leaving my family or spending the day away. What made me nervous were things like "What will the teachers be like?" "How difficult will the material be" or "Will it be challenging?" Wondering what the year would be like - all that mystery - made me anxious beyond belief.


I'm graduating in May and I'm actually asking myself these same things. For the first year, I'm more nervous at the end of the year than I was at the beginning of the year. I'm asking myself "What will my employers be like?" "Will I like my job and will it be challenging?" Even the dreaded question: Will I get a job? I hope I get a job. I hope I like my job. I hope my job pays well. Before I can leap off that bridge to employment though, there's a lot of things I need to do first. Completing this semester of classes is a must, and I'd like to do it with a 4.0 again. I need to touch up projects from my years here and compile them into an official design portfolio. I did design myself a logo and build my resume already, so those things are good to go! I also still have to design myself a website. This will be an important self-marketing tool because I can direct future employers there to see my work before I meet them in person. These days, a design graduate must have a website if they want to be seriously considered for any job applications. I also have a portfolio show on April 13. As you can tell, there is a lot of work to be done. The deadlines are fast approaching and everyone keeps reminded about them thanks to the many professors who like to stress us out (which really just ensures that we enter panic mode and get our things done in a timely manner). 


As you might guess, I enjoy over-achieving because not only does it give me a sense of pride in knowing I did well, but because it also puts me ahead of others who might not work as hard. Because of my relationships with my professors here, I've been able to learn about some subject matter that isn't covered in the classrooms and I know that will set me apart from other graduates. Graphic design is a competitive field and I want to be successful upon my graduation from La Roche. As I continue to work, I will also continue to be stressed out about what the future holds. The funny thing is: no one knows what the future holds. While I almost wish I had more time in school to delay this unknown future, I am glad to be almost done with my formal education and rely on self-learning after graduation. Wish me luck in my endeavors!