Growing up, I was always told by the people around me to pursue these lucrative careers that were expected of a person like me. Family, friends, and strangers alike fed into this idea of becoming a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. At the end of the day, it all boiled down to whatever job paid the best and whatever got the bills taken care of. Being a child of Asian immigrant parents, I felt an obligation to do as I was told and to follow the path laid out for me.

Somewhere along my journey, however, I wandered off path and explored new avenues that I had never previously even considered. I became a hobbyist of sorts, experimenting with all types of interests and niches until I found what was right for me. What started off as a way to kill time quickly became a burning passion. This newly lit flame in me was no other than art, specifically graphic design. I found myself spending all my waking hours, working late into the nights and waking early in the mornings, creating and polishing works that I’d consider my masterpieces.

I was obsessed with the process of planning, drafting, perfecting, and sharing my art. Prior to this, me being this overly enamored with anything was unheard of. I had always lived my life being a master of none and just doing things for the joy of it. Creating art, on the other hand, was different. It was a feeling that I’ll never forget; it was more than fun and more than just an obsession; it felt as if I had found my purpose. For the first time in my life, I truly felt like I had something to obsess over.

“This is it; this is what I want to do with my life.” I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and I knew how competitive being in an art career was, but I didn’t want that to stop me from doing what I wanted. Through trials and tribulations, heartaches, and hard-to swallow pills, I finally decided to fully commit myself to my craft and to pursue art at a university. With the goal of becoming a creative/art director and leading a team of my own in mind, I grit my teeth and bear with any challenges and obstacles that are soon to come my way.