My 1st Week at Lambda School

I am no stranger to design, I have been sorting and organizing things for as long as I can remember. When I was in the 4th grade I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I stated that I wanted to be an architect and a veterinarian. I wanted to design and build the animal hospital that I would then work at. I played with Legos, built astonishing things. When I reached High School I started working towards my goal of being an architect first by studying drafting. I ran into a slight problem with a project and it completely crushed my hopes at being the next Frank Lloyd Wright. I still have great respect for Architecture, however we had a rough breakup. My second love, being a veterinarian, never really panned out either. I still love and care for animals. The thought of not being able to save one is all too much of a burden to bear. So I thought the next best thing for me would be a creative type. I could draw, I could sketch and conceptualize, so why not. So I took up the challenge of Multimedia Production and Design, mainly because I was interested in creating Music Videos. Graphic Design wasn’t enough, sure I can draw, yet I don’t think of myself as a great artist.

Fast forward to now, I found Lambda School in an add on social media. The prospect of not having to pay tuition until I make almost double my highest salary was very appealing. I was coming off a high of doing a build project in Sharepoint. Sharepoint was my life for most of 2018, and getting a chance to flex my creative muscles at work was inspiring. Within my first week at Lambda I’ve come to realize why I failed in my design career back in 2003. I did not know how to explain myself. Yes, a creative designer/writer did not know how to explain himself. I have never done a case study. I have done presentations but never the in-depth type that we have done here at Lambda. I am also finding my voice again. I am a writer, I always have been. Finding words and nuances to stretch out a point was difficult. I have to look at my design work like a writer. Instead of “The sky was red.” word it like “The evening sky took on a hue of the deepest crimson while the blazing orange sun extinguished itself on the horizon.” Working as a temporary contract for many years, I feel like that experience readied me for collaborating with different cultures. The only thing left is to quiet that voice that says “you’re not good enough” and replace it with that quiet confidence that I know is there.