YEAR 1

This past year was a significant transition period for me: from Illinois to Cincinnati, from the family arrangement to independent living, from high school academia to the rigorous design curriculum, from familiarity to new discoveries about life. DAAP was my primary teacher. The late nights spent at the college facility nurtured a spirit of resolve and dedication to my work. I learned about effective prioritizing, planning, and resistance to all forms of procrastination. My planner became one of my most helpful companions, and I learned to take time to think ahead about what was due even two weeks from now. By trial and error I found the perks of working on a project prior to the night before it’s due, even if it meant giving up doing something more entertaining. Sharpening my concentration skills, I understood how to get a project right the first time. Inside the classroom, I learned both how to help and how to be helped by others. Confidence and correction go hand in hand during peer critique and throughout idea generation. By taking and interpreting suggestions from my teachers and classmates, I became a more flexible and capable designer.

Foundations year not only prepared me for the next four years at DAAP, but also planted the skills of teamwork, dependability, creativity, organization, efficiency, and dedication that will be significant in all areas of my life. The demanding work schedule prepared me for my student career at UC and my professional occupation beyond in that I will be a habitually hardworking and responsible individual. Next year I believe I will be able to put out superior quality work in less time as my confidence and experience as an industrial designer grows. Improving upon the techniques which I have already learned, I will be able to give better suggestions to my classmates and earn the respect of my professors.

During my first year at DAAP I found out that the design community is very small and tight. My social activity will have direct impact on my ability to get a job and establish a place for myself in the design sphere. I developed particularly close relationships with several of my fellow industrial design students and did my best to have positive interactions with staff. My best friends and I routinely checked up on each other, looking out for one another emotionally and making suggestions for our projects. I shared supplies with many of my classmates and participated in the community life of college. We were always there for each other during times of stress and technical difficulties. As a result my designs improved, I became more socially confident, and I came to love the spontaneity which is possible in campus life. My social sphere expanded as I met and connected with people from different backgrounds and viewpoints.

If I could set back the clock and change anything about my first year of college, I would encourage myself to get things done early instead of pulling an all-nighter to get a project completed before class. I would strive harder to go above and beyond teacher expectations to emerge with a truly innovative and stellar project. I think I would also take time to practice and expand my abilities outside of the classroom. In addition, I would put more emphasis on getting to know people more closely both in and outside of DAAP. All of this will prepare me more effectively for critique, enhance my knowledge in other fields, and make me become a more interesting and diversified person. Jumpstarting my creativity in this way will make me a more desirable applicant for employment. Most importantly, however, I would ask myself to stay true to my values and direct my focus towards that which is actually meaningful in life.

As I step in to my sophomore year, I want to tell myself to work ahead. Don’t be afraid of doing several drafts of a project until results improve. Go the extra mile. As far as my personal life goes, I want to stay true to what I value, resist the call to make compromises, and stay honest with others and myself. Where academia and my personal life intersect I would like to spread out and build stronger and wider relationships as I get involved in more activities and step outside my comfort zone.