When I think about why I want to be a graphic designer, I reflect on two paths that led me here. Growing up, I knew I wanted to contribute to something, and for a long time, I thought that meant being a neurologist. From the age of twelve, I was completely immersed in studying the brain. I bought books, went to the library often, and printed hundreds of pages of resources to study. Although, over time I started to notice a shift in how I looked at it. I caught myself paying more attention to the layouts of neuroscience textbooks, studying the structure, design elements, and vibe of the pages rather than the information. I started redesigning layouts and simplifying the information for my family, so that it’d be easier to share it with them. Once I saw it all put together, everything kind of clicked in my brain. I hadn’t known graphic design was a thing before that moment, but once I’d found it, I could see how it had always been quietly present in my life and creative processes.
For one, as a kid, I loved making handmade cards. I believed a message could be made stronger through its presentation. My family and friends received a ridiculous amount of glitter-covered, oddly cut creations, specialized to them. While I may not have been a designer then, I was already thinking about how form shaped meaning. However, this became especially important to me when I was around eight, and my dad was diagnosed with a glioblastoma— an aggressive and inoperable form of brain cancer. He was given a devastating prognosis of a few months to live. In the face of something so big, words especially didn’t feel like enough, and I knew I wanted to really learn how to translate my feelings into something physical for him. That became an important aspect of design for me. More than anything, I want to create work that means, or “says” something— whether its big, or helping bring someone’s passion and love to life in a small, meaningful way.
My dad was a huge inspiration for me, and a lot of it came from his curiosity and love of learning, even about the disease that was affecting him. This really changed how I saw the world, understanding that there is no one way to look at something, even if it feels universally negative or positive. I believe this is the same for design, and there is so much to learn from trying to look at things from other perspectives.
In many ways, learning design at the University of Central Oklahoma has been an adjustment, and a real challenge, but an exciting one. There is something so engaging about always having to readjust with each project, and to have to take a step back from what I’m familiar with. However, most of all, I love how Graphic Design has required me to step outside of myself. I’m not just expressing my own voice or feelings anymore, but I’m learning to understand others, and translate their needs into something visual, meaningful, and communicative to them. This is why I want to be a graphic designer: to connect with all kinds of people, help them express their feelings and voices, and explore visuals I might have never imagined on my own. I hope to gain a wide range of experiences in this field, and to never stop exploring new ideas, or learning how to express them in different, creative ways.