This year was full of personal and professional growth. I started my first cooperative education search this past Fall, full of anxiety and self-doubt of whether my work was good enough. I was fully involved in my sorority, Theta Phi Alpha, which took up a big chunk of my time in addition to my on-campus job. I was worried my school would fall behind.  After some reflection and creative strategy, I decided to take a step back from my sorority to focus on school. I used the resources within Theta Phi Alpha, our chapter president and chapter advisor. I went to them with my worries, and they reassured me that school comes first. I was officially on special status for the Fall semester, which entails less requirements and time spent. This decision panned out exactly as I thought, I was able to balance my social and academic lives with harmony. When portfolios first went out, I was lucky enough to have my first co-op secured within the first week. I was ecstatic! I continued my school semester excited for Spring and ready to begin my career in design.

I proceeded to spent my Spring semester at The Live Well Collaborative as a Design Research Intern. It was an amazing first 9 to 5 experience, full of beautiful relationships and knowledge. I am currently still working part-time there! I was granted countless resources through this co-op; I was on a team of fellow DAAP students that have all had four or more co-ops under their belts. I utilized their knowledge of the design field and cooperative education system to decipher what my decision would be for the next co-op semester: return to Live Well or search elsewhere. After long weeks of their guidance in addition to my own personal contemplation, I decided to not return to see what other forms of design experience I could get under my belt. In my gut, I knew I wanted to try something different but the welcoming work culture at Live Well made the decision difficult. I am currently battling the self-doubt that plagued my Fall semester, constantly comparing my work to my peers convincing myself I am not enough. I am attempting to rebuild the resilience to move forward with confidence by opening to my friends separated from DAAP. They have opened my eyes to what I am doing and how I am digging myself into a mental hole. They are currently encouraging me to find what made me chose design in the first place, whether that is drawing or taking time to only be with myself. It is hard for me to realize that I need a charged battery to present as myself and produce good design work. I am currently on the journey of fueling this realization.