The Past 3 Months...

...have been a positive turning point for me, mainly because I've returned to school for a second degree. After graduating from UF last May, I was frustrated (like everyone else) when I couldn't find a real job. I'm a very ambitious person and I expect a lot from myself, so it was hard to swallow what I saw as a failure in not entering the workforce. Harder still when friends around me got hired because it was a mixture of being happy and proud of them vs. the frustation of wondering "When Is It My Turn?"

My other main problem was that I lacked direction. I'm always busy trying to learn so many things that I can't seem to focus at being really good at one thing. That's why I shy away from that ominous question of "What do you want to do with your life?" To which I secretly want to say, "Everything."

What eventually helped me get over my depression was my mother. She'd gone back to school to study paralegal. At almost fifty, my mother was finally doing what she was really interested in after spending the past two decades raising me and my sister. It was inspiring seeing how excited she got about her classes and how hard she worked to get the top grade. It had been a long time since I remembered becoming that motivated over an assignment. That usually only happened when I was doing something creative...and with that thought in mind, I considered returning to school for something design-related. It was sheer luck/coincidence/impeccable timing that I found a banner ad for the Art Institute of Jacksonville and become enrolled in January.

It seems so long ago but really it's only been 10 weeks since I first started at AIJX. Since then, I discovered how much I enjoy the assignments (even this blogging thing!), the design challenges, and seeing how good other students are. I haven't felt this motivated (or competitive) in a long time and that's what turned it around for me. Knowing now that this is a field I can focus on, (hopefully) excel in, and ultimately enjoy in the long run. And meeting crazy/funny/brilliant students and teachers from all walks of life reinforces my belief that these are the type of people I want to work with in the future.

So while my first quarter ends this Friday, for me it's just the beginning.

Of everything.