In the begining...

First week of design classes were a success. I can't believe I am actually here when just 2 years ago my new journey with design began. Since then I have encountered several discouraging people that would tell me things like "You know that the Graphic Design program is impacted right?... It's impossible to get in." Honestly, each time I heard a comment like this it was like a kick in the gut...but just for about 10 seconds. Something inside me would scream and say "why not me?" I KNEW that I could do this, not only that but I HAD to do it.

Since learning of the Graphic Design program offered at Sac State, I knew that it was for me... I knew I would get in. I did not KNOW because I am conceded or because I think I am an amazing artist. I KNEW I would get in because I knew the hard work it would take and I was willing to do the hard work and then some. On this journey I have learned about hard work and sacrificing but most of all what I am capable of when I have the right mindset and goals.

"Every human has four endowments: Self Awareness, Conscience, Independent Will, Creative Imagination. These give us ultimate freedom.....The power to choose, to respond, to change." -Stephen Covey

• Self awareness basically describes a situation where the light of awareness is turned onto ourselves. While awareness is our ability to take note; self-awareness is our ability to take note of ourselves. Staying in tune with our selves will helps us recognize bad habits and the need to change for the positive.  The motivation for breaking bad habits, for example, comes from an awareness of the detrimental effects the bad habit is having in our lives. The self-motivation to change also comes from a vivid awareness of what we want for ourselves and our future, and a lucid recognition that we simply won't be able to have it if we don't leave our bad habits behind. - evolutionarypathways.com
• Conscious The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong. The part of the superego in psychoanalysis that judges the ethical nature of one's actions and thoughts and then transmits such determinations to the ego for consideration. - freedictionary.com
• Independent Will thinking or acting for oneself: an independent thinker. not relying on another or others for aid or support. - http://dictionary.reference.com
• Creative Imagination the faculty of imaging, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses. the action or process of forming such images  or concepts. - http://dictionary.reference.com
   

Reading about Steven Covey helps me organize what I kind of already knew and puts my thoughts into words that make sense. As pre graphic design students we were introduced to the idea that learning a "Process" for design is essential. I really had never thought of design as a process and as scarey and intimidating as the process seems, I feel relieved that becoming a graphic designer is more than just being an artist or having the ability to think creatively. I do have parts of those qualities but I know many more qualified artists than myself. Knowing that if I can master the process and be a successful graphic designer is huge! The quote by Stephen Covey can serve as a reminder that I must always be aware of the way that I am thinking and that I need to clear a path for NEW good habits that will filter my creativity in a positive direction with purpose. As a student I have realized I am in this program to LEARN a new way of thinking so I must be aware and willing to mold my self awareness.
Conscience is important to me for a few different reasons. One for myself so that I feel like I am in the right and don't have to work too hard to explain my actions. If I believe strongly in something then it should be easy for me to defend. Another reason conscience is important is that it will affect other people. For example if I am designing for a client, their ethics and conscience are also a factor during my process. This can also be tied into Independent will. I will admit as a design student at the bottom of the totem pole there is a huge urge to look for the right solution some where else since I don't have process locked down yet. As we are being taught to trust the process, I must do just that and trust and gain confidence that I am capable of creating solutions on my own.
A creative imagination is something I believe everyone is born with but depending on how you are raised and schooled we are taught bad habits that cause us to repress our creativity. As designers it is much easier for us to access that part of our mind but we still must learn to condition it and train it to follow a working process.

"Be universal. remember it is not about you"

It's a graphic Designers job to bring a solution to a very specific problem. That problem has boundaries, rules and facts about it that must be researched, studied and held at a very high importance. We must bring our creative imagination and knowledge of a process that works to find a solution that fits that problem. We can't only bring our preconceived ideas and knowledge and give a solution on the spot. The solution is NOT about making something that we find beautiful and just producing art that we feel like making. We are working for someone else and need to bring our way of organizing and filtering information to/for them to create THEIR solution! Reminds me of Paul Rand in his video; "don't try to be unique, just try to be good!"