Inter-year (or summer) limbo
It's been quite a while since I've posted anything exceeding a few words. To put it simply, I've been scrambling to find work so that I can make enough for next year's tuition and rent. The recession isn't great for design interns (except graphic design), especially those with the relatively little experience I have. I've found a job, albeit one that isn't in design and one that is unstable -- it doesn't guarantee a steady position even for the rest of the summer. So, I'm stressed, and I'm exploring ways of making my profile and presence more visible in the design community (i.e. start up a portfolio website; start selling my sketches and charcoal drawings in coffee shops, etc.). Some of my fellow students and I have started to work on getting firms to commit to hiring student interns (if even part time) and to make that hiring process visible; so far all I've encountered are the faint flashes of a hidden job market. How does the profession expect to increase its stalk of the creative and willing when it makes life so hard for those just starting out?
Of course, I recieved some scholarships for my work this year, and I'm proud of it because I worked my arm off. Although, with them I got a slap in the face: they are valued at over $3000, but I ended getting only $600, simply because the University's endowments have dried up this year. Can't get a decent job, and now can't even rely on awards. Thank goodness my parents are in somewhat of a position to help me out, but they can't contribute that much.
Anyway, all of this stress has allowed me to reflect on how to relieve it. Reading and drawing seem to be the main things keeping me from having a total breakdown. And I read what interests me: space, astronomy, astrobiology, landscape architecture in space, etc. Currently, I'm reading up on O'Neill cylinders (like Arthur C. Clarke's RAMA habitats), and I think that space habitation may prove to be the ignition for a new space age. A very many problems we face as humans on earth could be solved by moving to space and using resources found there. It beats wrecking the planet and then going to space out of desperation.
I'm going to be writing a lot more, now that I have time. I supose I should make up for the time unspent here?