The Good Feels But...

Today is such a wonderful day. The weather was absolutely gorgeous.
The sun was beating down on my skin, the wind blowing through my hair, and the birds singing their sweet nothings into the air. Like many other people, my mood is very closely tied to the weather and today I was just full of bliss.
I was also inspired. My design teacher brought us to her house to show us how we can be sustainable with almost everything we encounter. All her countertops, floors, windows, and even chairs were sustainable and recyclable. She redesigned her home to allow as much sunlight to come through and as a New Yorker, your air conditioner is like your holy grail- but she just pulled hers out and opened up the windows. To see this gorgeous house, full of story and life was awe-inspiring. (Just think about all those Pintrest and Tumblr pictures you see of just gorgeous natural furniture and times it by ten. That's her house.)

However, thinking about all this... It really put the question of the future on me.
Coming to an art university is like putting on foot into the real world. You understand (all too well) the value of money, the struggles of finding a job, and being stuck on a project for weeks only to have an end result that fell too short of your expectations. Sure, people will tell me, "But we all go through that in college. We all have to find jobs and blah blah blah." That's true. I'm in no way downgrading what students at normal university goes through (or even ivy students). However, going on Facebook or Instagram and seeing my friends going out during the weekday (or even weekend) and being able to party or spend hours at a time during the day makes me feel a little jealous.
The moment we start art college, teachers expect so much out of you. They expect you to be 'the next big thing'. We have to be if we want to make it in the art industry. You can't slack off cause you will fall behind, and the norm is now no longer good enough. (If you're Asian, you can definitely relate to this) Remember when you were in high school and your parents thought you were a genius and they wanted to cultivate that talent? So they made you go through hours of piano, hours of tutoring (you know, just to get ahead), and little playtime with your friends? That's essentially what it felt like to be here. Except your parents are now your teachers (but with less care, because its up to you), and your hours of piano and tutoring are in your sketchbook or in the woodshop. They expect you to excel farther than you are possibly capable of.

Still...
I will try hard. I will propel myself forward. I will excel. I will succeed. (That's the good weather for you, it becomes uplifting).

Until next time,
Miah x