My Third Year In University (2024-5): Reflection

Finally, my third year is complete. I'm excited, scared, motivated, and most importantly, driven. I do feel overwhelmed soemtimes, but I think all the feelings I have are good, and it's taking me on the right path. I am someone who leads with emotions for sure, but I have learned so much this year in my personal and academic life to learn more on how to react to those emotions better.

This year has felt one of the most impactful in my chapter in my life in university. I had some personal complications in he fall and decided to do an academic leave for the quarter. During that time, I was considering and trying to add a Spanish minor to my studies, but due to my academic pause, I'm not able to complete on time for my graduation. Fortunately though, I'm ahead on my Design major, so the break didn't impact my academic plan. That, I am very lucky with.

This year has cemented and affirmed my plans in becoming an art teacher. Even though I studying design, I truly believe teaching art along a design framing can be so helpful!

When I say "design framing", I mean the guidelines for design. What I believe design has taught me is the structre of clear and intentional actions to any creative project. I don't ever define design having rules because art and design should have no clear definition or output. Art and design is from creativity, and creativity should never be defined in specifics.

Now that I have these tools, I hope to share them and change the structure of an art class in public schools. In my experience, public schools didn't have the resources, or the care to develop art classes to push creativity and passion in students. Most of my classes where about art and crafts, and not about exploring the creativity that could capture students interest. I don't blame any of my teachers and schools because, these spaces are emberassingly underfunded and the teachers are overworked.

In my Design and Social Good Class, I was able to explore further what I wanted my classroom to look like, if I where to pursue a teaching career