This is about the journey not the destination
If you thought first year was a breeze, you best believe air does not exist for you this year.
#sorrynotsorry
But all jokes aside, this year is meant to challenge you. It is certainly nothing like first year at all. See this year as a clear slate, you are really learning everything from scratch, except this time it counts to a small percentage of your degree. It will be like diving into the sea when its winter, cold and a shock to the system.
This year is all about taking bigger leaps, you need to make the most of every minute you have in the studio. What is really important is that you need to put in a lot more hours, to get better at all those fancy and basic software that makes things easier for you to explain your ideas. The more time you spend on them, the better you get at them and when you are comfortable you become more efficient in using them. That is the key here, you want to learn as much as you can. And the only way you do this is if you put in the time earlier during the year.
You will struggle at some point, but don’t worry, keep at it. Even if you have no idea how to execute something, ask for help and ask for it quickly.
Don’t find excuses not to draw or make something, do it and do it to the best of your ability. Don’t be limited by what you can do, push the software or skill you are using until it does what you want it to do. So many times I didn’t do things because I found it difficult and skipped on the occasion to get that much better. At no point is this acceptable. At all. Now is the time to learn to do every and anything you want, trust me when third year comes around, you’ll have a set of skills that make it easier for you to do more of your best work. This is so important, you want a portfolio that you are comfortable and proud of.
There is no secret to a great portfolio, only one that you have invested your time and creativity into.
You will be demanded to do a lot more work than you initially anticipated (most of the time) but don’t be so tough on yourself. That is the job of your tutors. Yeah well if they weren’t tough on you in first year your in for a lovely surprise.
You’ll have many moments to present your work for feedback. In these moments, you may feel personally attacked if your work isn’t as great as you thought. Don’t be disheartened, criticism is key in steering you onto a clearer and sometimes safer direction.
Make the most of presenting your work, and don’t skip on these occasions even if you feel like you are not ready yet. It is always an opportunity to strengthen the plot of your story within your portfolio. If there is one thing that presenting (in whatever way it is done ) will teach you is whether or not your work speaks for itself. When your portfolio is filled with visuals that clearly represent what you are trying to achieve in your projects you know that you are progressing and doing something right.
This year is going to teach you the best way to go about explaining your ideas in a visual sense. One way to look at it is that through your portfolio you will be telling a story and if it doesn’t sound right, you’ll need to refine things to make them fall in tune with what your trying to tell everyone. Remember you’ll only be able to do this if you have put the time in. There is no shortcuts whatsoever, you need to put in more than you might get out and eventually it will show in your work.
This year isn’t about marks, in fact it never will be so do not dwell on these numbers. ever. As long as you keep getting better at explaining your ideas visually you are progressing. This is year is about progressing. And with progression there is growing pains, you will be in uncomfortable situations creatively but this is part of the learning curve.
Everything matters this year. I know that is scary to hear but it’s true. If you put in the work and time this phrase won’t scare you as much because you are doing the right thing. You are learning, and it is not a linear and straight path but by the end you will be far resilient in what you do know. You will realise that there is so much to learn, and it is going to take this year for you to realise that this is just the start.
I hope that you grow in all the places you thought you never could. I hope you do everything that makes you feel uncomfortable because you aren’t good at it. But I also hope you find excitement in all the things that you enjoy doing.
Someone once said if you can or you can’t you are right. Have faith that through your struggles, late nights and design submissions that you can do it. There is no limit to your potential, only what you execute.
Hold on tight, keep hydrated and on top of your assignments, you are in for one crazy ride.