Jump-Starting from Hiatus
Hello All,
When I graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2018 with my degree in Visual Communications Design (Graphic Design) I was very hopeful I was going to run out of the gates, ahead of the pack and just find success everywhere I went. With my degree in hand and proven success as an illustrator I assumed the world was my oyster. Luckily, I was fortunate to find work as a photo editor at a large photography studio that specialized in class photos/ senior photos. Although the job was seasonal, it was by far (and still to this day) the best job I had ever had. But the whole time I was there, I was looking for something better. Instead of cutting my teeth and sticking it out at this job that was going to advance me to places I would want to be, I was looking for more. I was looking to see if the grass was greener on the other side and started to look for work as a full time graphic designer. When it was time for the next season to come around at the studio, I had put in my letter of resignation and had accepted a job as a graphic design lead at a local print/postal shop. Hindsight is 20/20, and I should have known what I would be in for when a company was willing to hire a fresh college graduate and place them in the position of design lead. This would prove to be one of the most tasking and degrading jobs of my career. I would be asked to do the work-load of a full-time designer but was only compensated minimum wage and worked 20-30 hours a week at most. I knew I had made a mistake when I was then pulled from my job for half of the day to help in the postal section of the store and was still expected to fulfill quotas of a full-time designer with 1/4 of the time. The final nail in the coffin was when the owners of this shop had quietly pulled me aside and admitted they were throwing money "hand-over-fist" into this business and they may have to shut down operations. I knew I had to get out and I needed an out quickly, regardless of where I was going. I got a job shortly after, working for the government and it was then that I did two things. I went on autopilot, and I started to question my position in life. The optimism and confidence I felt just a year before was quickly fading, and logging into sites like Linkedin and Instagram and seeing the success of my peers just shot me down even further. When a year at the county came and went with no changes of my portfolio or direction in life, my confidence in myself was completely obliterated. When I realized the life of a Judicial Assistant or a Paralegal was not for me, I felt the squirm to jump ship yet again. So despite the cries of my family and friends advising me not to leave my "safe" job, I did knowing I had to start re-evaluating my life. I either needed to find a new career, or reignite my passion for design/ illustration. For the time being, I got a job at the recommendation of one of my life-long friends as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, this is where I currently work. Again, I cannot help but feel I have slipped back into autopilot. This job pays for my bills, but that is the extent of what I can say about it. However, on occasion my Hospital Manager will ask me to design promotional material for the store and my latest piece of promotional material is what sparked this personal essay. I realized, I am happiest when I am designing. I am happiest when I am drawing and creating. I can't call this an awakening or epiphany, but I can say I feel more direction writing this essay than I have in a long while. I would prepare my followers and loved ones for a potential creative comeback. I will find my place in the creative world, it may take time, but it will happen. I just need to be patient and confident in my abilities and I will make magic happen.
