Bio, Revisited

January 10th marked the start of another great semester. To kick off the new year we were asked as a class to reflect on our goals for this semester, to acknowledge our strengths, and to enlighten our peers with our previous design experiences. After writing down and acknowledging our goals, strengths, and weaknesses, they were immediately put into practice as we were handed the first assignment.

The goals that I initially jotted down the first day have not changed. I listed that I hope to sharpen both my visual and spoken communication skills. I desire to learn new techniques, and become more acquainted with the history of design and what has been and is being produced. I also aspire to have better time management and learn not to settle on one idea before exploring others.

These first two weeks of class have given me a chance to assess my goals and see if they are reasonable. What I have discovered as I work on this current project is that time management is by far still my biggest obstacle. I often struggle with what to do first and how to allocate my time. I have been trying to come up with new methods to improve my time management, and I although I have noticed improvements, I still struggle with balancing my workload.

An additional goal that I would like to add to my list is to learn how to work fast and efficiently. In this first project, we were only given three weeks to design and model three retreat spaces. With such a fast approaching deadline, it required me to hit the ground running. It brought out my weaknesses of being a pragmatist as I struggled with weighing my ideas back and forth before producing anything concrete. This project however has forced me to make decisions, focus on hierarchy, and work towards what is most important. When this project is over, I hope to continue to work with the same sense of urgency.

In addition to listing goals I had to list my strengths as a designer. Having to pin point my strengths was difficult, because I know my strengths are not fully developed. With that said, I think that one of my strengths is that I am critical of my own work and only desire to improve. I am thorough, I pay strict attention to detail, and my peers additionally pointed out that I have high aspirations.

I have always had a love for design and architecture and the experiences one has when coming into contact with something that is designed well. I chose to become a designer so that I too can create designs that will inspire viewers and resonate in them a sense of awe. I am excited this semester to reach my goals, strengthen my skills, and grow as a designer to produce work that will create unforgettable experiences with those who come in contact with it.