“My journey through college has been one of finding foundation. Each new skill I receive or challenge I take on adds to my journey, and I know PR Publications will be another stop along the way,” Myself, August 18, 2016.
The past 15 weeks have undoubtedly been a wild ride. I was right when I wrote this brief sentence at the beginning of my journey when I said PR Publications will be, “another stop along the way”; however, what I neglected to realize was what all truly went into this one, sometimes laborious, sometimes inspiring “stop”. Although the skills I learned in this class will stick with me and the tools I’ve picked up will remain in my tool belt, the part of this class that has the biggest indention is the grind.
Along the way I have seen projects jump off the page with excitement. The beginning of the semester was exciting and new. My business cards and letterhead were some of my best work, maybe ever. As a past designer, it was amazing finally receiving credit (even if it was just three-hours of it) for the content I created. I picked up tricks in Photoshop and InDesign and I was working hard and excited to learn; however, as can happen with semesters, I began to drag.
Assignments didn’t seem fun and instead they felt like what they were called: assignments. The newness had worn off and I was settling.
This grind is something I’ve grown to appreciate. This class has given me the experience of a rut. I should say that this “rut” or “grind” is by means a fault of the class. Regardless of the content we covered, it was me at fault for losing excitement.
No matter who you are or where you work, every individual is going to hit this rut. Whether it’s in school or at work or at home, eventually the newness subsides and it’s up to the focus and determination of the individual to make the work enjoyable.
That’s what this class showed me. It’s not about the work, it’s about the mindset.
After making that turn three-fourths through the semester, there was no more rut. The time I spent on projects directly reflected how much I enjoyed doing them. This short, online course provided me not only with tangible skills and instructions on how to use complicated and powerful design software, but also it taught me how to enjoy the little things. Even when the last thing I wanted to do was read “Designing for Emotion,” finding the tid-bit of wisdom motivated me to press on.
So, as I continue into the world of PR, this class has undoubtedly shaped my professional outlook. Even if I don’t pursue a career in design, enjoying the work and placing myself in the right mindset will always serve me well.
