Because Grad School

Grad school is a ton of work. It’s stressful and hectic, and there never seem to be enough hours in a week to complete everything. Grad school is also a ton of fun, and I know that it might be the last time in my life that I have the full freedom to explore whatever sparks my interest.

Over the past seven months, that interest has manifested itself in some surprising ways. This list is a celebration of my favorite weird things I’ve done in the name of learning, because…grad school.

1. Getting friends drunk and then filming them while they talk about their taxes.
This was part of a guerilla marketing and branding campaign for a company called Brass Taxes. The founder of the company is a former stand-up comedian who started a niche tax preparation company for “artists, freelancers, and other nice people.” In addition to filing taxes, Brass Taxes also helps educate its clients about freelance taxes. To launch his company in L.A., my group came up with Drunk Taxes.™ We got some real artists and freelancers drunk and then talked to them about their taxes, which was both funny and poignant.

2. Publishing a collection of love letters I received in eighth grade.
I wrote about back in Feb, check it out here.

3. Going to a party store at 9:00 a.m. on a Monday morning and buying a bunch of balloons.
This was part of prototyping for Joy Dept. We were testing whether or not people would interact with something that was clearly public but altered in some way.

4. Buying 144 friendship bracelets — for $8.79!
Yep, more Joy Dept. shenanigans.

5. Calling everyone from the State Forest Service to a local tree-trimming company to inquire about the price of logs.
Yes, logs. They roll down stairs alone or in pairs, and over your neighbor’s dog. They’re great for a snack, and fits on your back, and when you’re getting ready to build an interactive camping experience, you need logs.