Reboot
So I'm sitting in line for the last round of the omeganauts/closing ceremony of PAX East.
I wrote that last sentence earlier but got distracted by an awesome in-line game we were all playing. I'm now waiting in line for the bolt bus from Boston back to ny. I see a guy I recognize from okcupid, but I don't remember what ended up happening. I think we became friends on Facebook, but I think I recall unfriending him for being an arrogant toolbag. Anyway.
I'm writing this blog with the intent of recording what I've been up to since I got back from Japan and what's on my mind regarding both the near and distant future.
First, let's talk about PAX East.
PAX East was very awesome. I usually tend to feel a kind of strong sadness when leaving these amazing events and this one was no exception. I'm not really sure how I'm going to make it through the next five months. I can't wait to go back to school for a second chance at joining an amazing community of creatives and honing a skill I'm passionate about. It's incredible to be a part of something with so many genuine, like-minded people.
Okay, so I wrote THAT last paragraph on the bolt bus, like I'd said, which was ohh.. a couple weeks ago. See how bad I am at finishing personal projects? It's no good, I tell ya. No good at all. But now that I'm actually sitting down in front of my computer, I feel confident that I'll make some real progress.
The latest news is that I've been given a new title at my job (Information Architect), which comes with a raise, and it means that I should be spending 99% of my time doing wireframes. For those unfamiliar with web design terms, those are black-and-white blueprints of web pages which show where features and functionality will live and how they'll work. It will also involve more communicating with clients and more planning for websites. I don't like doing wireframes, but for whatever reason, I've been given a lot of them to do over the last few months. I think part of it has to do with my being the weakest web designer on the team, having the least experience. Another part is probably my skills analyzing how things should work, and what hasn't yet been considered. I guess I've finally found a practical application for my over-analysis.
Meanwhile, I'm in the process of getting set up to go back to school in the fall! I got into SVA (School of Visual Arts), and I start in the fall. Since I have a 4-year degree, and because of some specific courses I took, I was awarded 42 credits and exemption from a bunch of basic and gen ed classes. I'm CRAZY EXCITED, but equally overwhelmed. I qualify for about 15k in federal loans, but I'll need a lot of other loans to cover the rest of my expenses. (About another 35k, according to SVA's estimates.)
I'm also not sure which classes I'm supposed to register for, since I misplaced the paper that listed exactly which required courses I've been exempted from, and I'm as someone halfway through their 2nd year. But I can't register for classes until I get a health form filled out by a Dr. So many things to do!! I hope I don't get locked out of the best classes. :x
Back to the job stuff, I was told by my boss that if I kick ass, I could potentially get another raise in the summer. I plan on giving about 1 month's notice in mid-July and then stop working there in mid-August. So I don't imagine I'll be around for the 2nd raise, exactly, HOWEVER: I do plan on asking about freelancing for the company after I quit. Hopefully my more specialized responsibilities will increase my chances of being offered such an opportunity.
I was talking about this with my coworker/the lead graphic designer, and he told me that I probably won't have /any/ extra time when I'm a student to do freelance work at all. He also went back to art school, though he went to study graphic design. He's been in the industry for 12 years since then. If he's right, I may not have the time to work to bring in any form of secondary, part-time income, which would suck, and would mean no money but my loans. Eek! But I do want to be able to put as much energy as possible into this process and really gain from it.
Whatever ends up happening, I have 3 months before I announce my leaving and another month after that before I actually do. It's quite a bit of time to assess things.
I'm wondering about a potential dilemma. If when I announce my leaving, my boss offers me even more money to stay, what should I do? Should I try and stick it out for another year in order to save some extra money and have to take out a bit less in loans? That would be helpful, but it would also mean going back to school when I'm 25 instead of 24. Would the savings be worth a year of my life? The outcome of going back to school is supposed to be for me to be set on a whole new career path! Do I want to push that off one second longer?
What if I do work for another year, save a bunch of money, and apply to the graduate program instead, going for a MFA in Illustration, rather than another bachelor's? That would only take 2 instead of 2.5 years, and could potentially help in some way. For example, I would be able to teach down the line at colleges if I wanted. But I did want to start from the ground up with this second Bachelor's. Dilemma!!
I have a feeling that I want to go back to school in the fall no matter what, and if I don't have the time to do freelance work, screw it - I need to get the most out of SVA as possible!
I wrote that last sentence earlier but got distracted by an awesome in-line game we were all playing. I'm now waiting in line for the bolt bus from Boston back to ny. I see a guy I recognize from okcupid, but I don't remember what ended up happening. I think we became friends on Facebook, but I think I recall unfriending him for being an arrogant toolbag. Anyway.
I'm writing this blog with the intent of recording what I've been up to since I got back from Japan and what's on my mind regarding both the near and distant future.
First, let's talk about PAX East.
PAX East was very awesome. I usually tend to feel a kind of strong sadness when leaving these amazing events and this one was no exception. I'm not really sure how I'm going to make it through the next five months. I can't wait to go back to school for a second chance at joining an amazing community of creatives and honing a skill I'm passionate about. It's incredible to be a part of something with so many genuine, like-minded people.
Okay, so I wrote THAT last paragraph on the bolt bus, like I'd said, which was ohh.. a couple weeks ago. See how bad I am at finishing personal projects? It's no good, I tell ya. No good at all. But now that I'm actually sitting down in front of my computer, I feel confident that I'll make some real progress.
The latest news is that I've been given a new title at my job (Information Architect), which comes with a raise, and it means that I should be spending 99% of my time doing wireframes. For those unfamiliar with web design terms, those are black-and-white blueprints of web pages which show where features and functionality will live and how they'll work. It will also involve more communicating with clients and more planning for websites. I don't like doing wireframes, but for whatever reason, I've been given a lot of them to do over the last few months. I think part of it has to do with my being the weakest web designer on the team, having the least experience. Another part is probably my skills analyzing how things should work, and what hasn't yet been considered. I guess I've finally found a practical application for my over-analysis.
Meanwhile, I'm in the process of getting set up to go back to school in the fall! I got into SVA (School of Visual Arts), and I start in the fall. Since I have a 4-year degree, and because of some specific courses I took, I was awarded 42 credits and exemption from a bunch of basic and gen ed classes. I'm CRAZY EXCITED, but equally overwhelmed. I qualify for about 15k in federal loans, but I'll need a lot of other loans to cover the rest of my expenses. (About another 35k, according to SVA's estimates.)
I'm also not sure which classes I'm supposed to register for, since I misplaced the paper that listed exactly which required courses I've been exempted from, and I'm as someone halfway through their 2nd year. But I can't register for classes until I get a health form filled out by a Dr. So many things to do!! I hope I don't get locked out of the best classes. :x
Back to the job stuff, I was told by my boss that if I kick ass, I could potentially get another raise in the summer. I plan on giving about 1 month's notice in mid-July and then stop working there in mid-August. So I don't imagine I'll be around for the 2nd raise, exactly, HOWEVER: I do plan on asking about freelancing for the company after I quit. Hopefully my more specialized responsibilities will increase my chances of being offered such an opportunity.
I was talking about this with my coworker/the lead graphic designer, and he told me that I probably won't have /any/ extra time when I'm a student to do freelance work at all. He also went back to art school, though he went to study graphic design. He's been in the industry for 12 years since then. If he's right, I may not have the time to work to bring in any form of secondary, part-time income, which would suck, and would mean no money but my loans. Eek! But I do want to be able to put as much energy as possible into this process and really gain from it.
Whatever ends up happening, I have 3 months before I announce my leaving and another month after that before I actually do. It's quite a bit of time to assess things.
I'm wondering about a potential dilemma. If when I announce my leaving, my boss offers me even more money to stay, what should I do? Should I try and stick it out for another year in order to save some extra money and have to take out a bit less in loans? That would be helpful, but it would also mean going back to school when I'm 25 instead of 24. Would the savings be worth a year of my life? The outcome of going back to school is supposed to be for me to be set on a whole new career path! Do I want to push that off one second longer?
What if I do work for another year, save a bunch of money, and apply to the graduate program instead, going for a MFA in Illustration, rather than another bachelor's? That would only take 2 instead of 2.5 years, and could potentially help in some way. For example, I would be able to teach down the line at colleges if I wanted. But I did want to start from the ground up with this second Bachelor's. Dilemma!!
I have a feeling that I want to go back to school in the fall no matter what, and if I don't have the time to do freelance work, screw it - I need to get the most out of SVA as possible!