As the year comes to a close, ‘tis the season of reflection.
Having a couple weeks off gives us the space and time to remember the work we’re proudest of, the teamwork we’re proudest of, and all the ridiculous sh*t that’s happened in between. But the view from second year looks entirely different than first.
This time last year, I had only a semester of Brandcenter under my belt. I had gone through the gauntlet that is Business of Branding, I had downloaded 700 fonts, and I had spent too many nights horribly singing karaoke with my newfound friends. All I had to show for it were a host of brand strategy lines I hated and some pitch decks that felt off but I had no idea how to fix. I remember telling my family that I feared I would never grow into the person I dreamed of when I started school.
Fast forward to today, I’m a different kind of afraid. I’m not fearful that I can’t do it, this place has given me every skill I need to succeed and then some. I’m worried that nowhere will challenge me to grow at the same pace.
Because in 45 weeks I’ve gone from work I’d never show anyone to winning pitches judged by creative directors at Adobe, from unsure what anyone would hire me for to having to turn down freelance projects, and from dreaming of a life in brand strategy to making it a reality.
Someone wise told me that Brandcenter is like “Jedi learning”–you don’t realize how much you’ve garnered in the present, it’s only in hindsight that you see how far you’ve come. They were right. This past year will always be the one that set my career in motion.
– Gabi Levi, creative brand management track, class of 2019