IDesign: Starting Design School

So folks, I’m starting IDesign, the design series of ID — inadvertently domesticated, in case you didn’t make the connection, LOL! Yes, this is quite diametrically opposed to whatever path I am in now, but to be honest with you, this does not come as a total random thing to me. If you read my little About Me bio, I have always been inclined to pursuing something artsy. This was one of the greatest influences of my brother, which was amplified by Chef when we started going out together.

And so, a bachelor’s degree in biochem, a master’s degree in business administration, and 6 years in the biotech industry later, I now venture out to the world of arts, and pursuing what could be my passion (see the hint of confusion there?). I say it that way because as I am very passionate about design among a million things, I am in search for what I am truly passionate about, one that I would make a living out of, one that I wouldn’t mind waking up in the morning and work hard for, one that I am doing because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Yes, it may be too much to ask, but I believe it is something everyone deserves.

This Monday was the first day of this new phase of my life. Of course, I haven’t wrapped up the previous phase of working in biotech, and probably won’t for a while for practicality’s sake, so I’m basically testing the waters right now. I had an exciting first day. Also, who wouldn’t be excited after being required to go on a trip to an art store? I had the same enthusiasm for buying school supplies now as I did when I was in grade school. I never paid attention to pencils before, their softness and hardness. Our professor required 6 different kinds. So, I immediately started playing with them. Chef was very much excited for me too, as he even used my new black pens with such eagerness as if he doesn’t use them everyday at work.

I am very much convinced that now is the best time to be a student. I was in class with my laptop, taking notes on Evernote, which immediately synced on my phone (man I love the Cloud), looking up architects as soon as my professor mentioned their names. I wish this is how we learned back in the day when school was the only thing I was responsible for. I did pretty well in college and even better with my MBA but I’m thinking, if I’m only starting college now, I’d do even more remarkably. With all the tools available to make learning easier, efficient and useful, there’d be more information I can obtain and retain, I’d find more opportunities of converting knowledge into wisdom, and basically my whole method of learning would be entirely different.

I baffle at students who come to class lackadaisically, who see school as a nuisance to their lives. Perhaps it’s also because it’s been more than a decade since I started college that there’s some kind of maturity in how I see school, it being more than an institution, rather, an actual place where I can find out about what I do not know. Perhaps the cool gadgets that I have now allow me to enjoy school even more. Perhaps the existence of more responsibilities bring more value to learning something new because it’s so far from the mundane routine of work, paying bills, receiving a salary. Whatever it is, I know for a fact that I’m a lifetime learner. I love being a student (don’t get me wrong, sometimes I do play the master lol). But there’s something about learning from a teacher, understanding realities from a mentor, and being an apprentice to a master that renews and activates my soul in ways I can only achieve by being a humble student.

Wish me luck on this new endeavor you guys!