I have had so much on my mind lately. I feel like I need a few more years to figure out everything and at least two life times to do everything that I want to do!
- Interaction design. I know that sounds cheesy because I’m studying it, but I have been obsessing about interaction design and user experience designer this semester. What does it mean to be an interaction designer? What does it mean to be a student of interaction design? How do you learn interaction design? How do you do it well, how do you do it poorly? How do you explain it. How do you create experiences? What do you need to know? I want to know everything! I want to be able to do everything! I was talking to an MBA student today and I was encouraging him to take a design course because he seemed interested and the things he was interested in are things they teach in the design school. But he was like “but that’s why I want to build a team of experts, because I can’t be my own startup.” I think he has a point. You know me. I learned how to design and loved it, but then when things went to the web, I wanted to learn how to do that, how to code. When things went to phones and interactions, I wanted to learn how to program. And that’s where things got sticky. I realized the mindset used for coding and designing are completely different and its so hard to stay up-to-date with all the coding technologies. So I wanted to find and expert in coding.I digress. The point is, that I want to be good at what I do and I want to understand thoroughly what that means. I read this really great article today on Medium about this guy’s journey and the insights he made along the way. I feel like I share so much of his perspective and it was great seeing it all compiled in front of me. This has been on my mind so much I have been thinking about creating a series of ‘rules’ I’ve learned about interaction design.
- My thesis. Somewhat related, somewhat not. I’m really excited about it. Right now I feel really passionate and interested in the subject matter (bringing together Language and Design), and I think it’s what been feeding my quest to understand interaction design. You’ll have to remind me of my enthusiasm next year when I am dreading all parts of my thesis ;).
- My classes for next semester. My year, for that matter! That’s my very last year–last classes–and I want to make it count! I have been running through my head, thinking about my priorities and what I want to do, what will help me in the future, and what I would regret not doing. It’s a lot to think about. I must resist the urge to over extend myself. But I want to do everything! I agreed to help out with a campus-wide event next semester…eep.
- Knitting/Crocheting. Ok, less significant impact wise, not less significant obession-wise. I alluded to discovering that i could read while I knitted, but then I finished my scarf immediately (so much reading!) and started a blanket last weekended. It’s a little harder to crochet while reading, but that hasn’t stopped me from wanting to work on it all the time. It literally has this gravity pulling me towards it and beckoning me to work on it.
- This summer (Zurich!) and beyond. It’s coming up and I’m getting excited, and yet, it’s like I have no idea what it will be like so it’s really hard for me to think about in the ways I’m thinking about the other things. Like, it’s just this thing in the back of my mind more than anything…odd, right?
Me with my ‘finished’ infinity scarf and the start of my blanket…
Noticeably absent from list: my numerous final projects. I’m already wayyyyyy beyond thinking about them, though this is probably not the beset mindset to be in because there is definitely a lot of work ahead of me. But I can only fit so much in my head.