August 2020

15 weeks of DPS preparation opened a view-through for me into the ‘real world’ as a creative. 

I’m a big procrastinator and therefore the DPS sessions have been a great anchor for me amongst the changes that Covid has brought along. With every session I was able to take something away, either that be a quote, a laugh or a piece of advice; here are just three main things which the sessions have helped me with-

1. Making me realise the power of my creative worth when pricing as a freelancer.
2. Unleashing my story-telling skills when talking about my projects.
3. Always nudging me to start thinking about my own brand, by firstly allowing me to understand the current creative world around me from a range of creative speakers.

Transitioning straight from college to university made sure my mindset was pretty much still in an education environment mode, which was great in keeping my momentum going. However, this set mindset didn’t quite allow me to step outside that box in order to start asking questions about myself as a creative. So being able to take a step back and figure these things out has been a very proactive use of my time; helping me to move forward in my DPS journey as well as my own reflective process. 

Editing marathon with my portfolio 
Working on my portfolio has been quite an editing battle but also such a rewarding time to see it grow in such a short time. I find keeping tabs on all my drafts a nice way for me to continue to witness the journey of my portfolio, so here’s the start of it-

Small steps forward with my proposal 
My proposal for this year has been slowly shifting to adjust to the uncertainty that Covid is spreading. I’m aiming to keep my proposal flexible at the moment and to try and actively be aware of new opportunities as they come.

My aims for this year are to explore, refine and challenge. 
- To explore design fields
- Refine my skills set 
- And to challenge myself to not be afraid of the unknown but to try

I’m trying to see this year as a time to learn more about myself and to allow myself to make mistakes now  rather than later. My tutorial conversations in the last few weeks have really supported me with my self-reflective questions on what type of designer I recognise myself to be. I now see myself as a social designer, an editor and a social media story-teller.

Truth be told I’ve been pretty anxious to start sending out emails because I kept thinking my portfolio was not ready. I have since been trying to set myself little deadlines to slowly move forward with my search, keeping in mind that my portfolio is ever growing.

​So my aim for August is to continue with the small steps; to send more emails, keep my fingers crossed and to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

@alexandra.virlann
Graphic & Media Design