Believe it or not, the end of the term has come and gone. It's even harder to believe that it has been a full year since I started my graduate degree at Drexel.
Over three years ago I started my search looking to expand my education in the Digital Media field. I always have had an interest in the CG world but never really knew the specifics as to where I may fit in. It was crazy spending several months looking at schools all across the United States. This is also coming from a student who said, “I’ll never go back to school”. I’m glad that I changed my mind on that front.
Within a month of moving back up to New Jersey I toured Drexel University and took a look at their Master's Program. One of the biggest things they offered was an introductory year into the field. This was important since I didn’t have much experience with the technical aspects but have been exposed to some of the theory involved. Drexel was one of the few school's that offered this and also offered a program that was a mix of different digital areas. It really turned out to be the perfect fit.
I now sit here excited to see where the next few years are heading. I find my self saying this phrase a lot "We all reach the goal we want, but sometimes the path may have some side streets. Sometimes we may get lucky and hit that one way street but in my opinion, it’s those side streets that make you stronger". I found this to be the case for me over the past few years. I had worked at company that was a dream of mine and I’m still very fortunate for the opportunity it presented. Achieving this goal at a young age put a lot of perspective on what I wanted to do in life. I was able to focus on different aspects of the field and see what else also drove my passion to create new experiences. In the end, it’s passion that drives us to do what we want to do.
My first class at Drexel was entitled "Computer Animation 1". I was really excited but also really unsure as to how I can approach this class since I had no experience with CG at all! The morning of my first class I was walking to campus and received an email on my phone saying that class had been canceled and that the first weeks assignment was due the following week. I spent the week in a crash course in a program I never opened and only saw in behind the scene videos. In the end, I finished that assignment and my crazy journey involving computer graphics started. A year later, I'm now scheduled to teach this class and pass on the information I have learned from all the talented people in my program.
Teaching is something that I have really grown an interest in since my times working down in Orlando. There is so much that one can learn from working for a major corporation and also working as an independent contractor for them. I went through and learned a lot over those few years. It makes me wonder how entry-level artists would be if we all just "pay it forward". Therefore, I'm really looking forward to the challenge of teaching and hopefully passing along the information I have learned.
So what is the true meaning behind this post you ask? Well in the end, it really is about paths and how we choose direction in life. It's funny; I recently watched the film The Adjustment Bureau. This film threw me for a huge loop (I highly recommend it)! I thought it was going to be another Bourne Identity action thriller but it was something completely different. It's all about our paths and how we make them. This is the ending quote to that film (spoiler alert?):
"Most people live life on the path we set for them. Too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like you come along and knock down all the obstacles we put in your way. People who realize free will is a gift, you'll never know how to use until you fight for it. I think that's The Chairman's real plan. And maybe, one day, we won't write the plan. You will."
One last thing, (OH NOOO!), surround yourself with inspiration in whatever you do. For me, I can’t go a day without listening to music, watching an animated short or talking to family/friends. This past year was crazy for me traveling too or having family and friends visit. It made me realize how lucky I am to have such awesome people in my life. You know who you are, and I hope you are reading this; just want to say "Thanks". With that, we need more just general acts of gratitude in this world. On that note, I read an interesting chapter in a book recently entitled “Happiness Hacks” but more on that later.
Whew, that was a long post! This upcoming year is another big year in development and I look forward to sharing it with you all. See you in a week when things get back to the normal grind.
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