With the start of my final semester coming up I am having a “come to Jesus” moment about the bodies of work I have created and the direction of my future career. It can be tough as a student to have a solid plan for your future when you plan to freelance. You must learn to market yourself and your work to several audiences, while keeping your content true to your theme. As I begin my senior year, I am keeping these few tips in mind to keep me sane and balanced.
1. It is okay to be in a rut, all good things grow after a storm passes.
Not everyone will understand or relate to this, but my best work has come after I have experienced a substantial creative block. I see something that inspires me and the flood gates open to all of the ideas that had been waiting for my fog to lift. When I experience creative blocks I try to remind myself that the light is coming and the darkness is only temporary. With this upcoming semester and my advanced design courses, I am prepared to deliver the highest quality work I can and continue to build my portfolio.
2. Not all bad work, is bad work.
This is something I have had to relearn over and OVER. When I create work and it does not reach my standards, it can be frustrating. However it is important to take a step back and learn from each and every piece I create. I have to always ask myself, “Why do I believe this is bad work?”, “What can I learn from this to create better work?”, and “How can I use concepts from this to create improved work?”. With these three questions in mind, I can use any of my pieces as building blocks towards better work and improvement of my craft.
3. Constant practice is good, but constant work is not.
As humans in this day and age it can be easy to believe that if you are not working then you are behind or in danger of falling behind. This mindset can lead to overworking yourself and eventually burnout. As a designer, or anyone working in the marketing/advertising field, it can be hard to slow down when our literal job is keeping up. I find that if I set a list of goals for the day/week and complete them I allow myself to then have time to myself for a movie or brunch. Something small to take my mind away from work can make a large difference in my output when I do begin working again.
In the upcoming weeks as I work to secure an internship and begin my course load for my final two semesters, I’m making sure to keep these tips in mind to keep me sane and keep my work in tact while building my future.
