Getting to VisCom: Part I
Before getting into the specifics of my University of Arizona Design Program review, I should say this: College trumps high school. There are more awesome people, more freedom, no report cards to show your parents, no having to give excuses after missing class. But the further you get in college, the more you realize that high school had its perks. Home cooked meals were available pretty much on the daily. The work was probably easier, and it definitely came in lighter loads. You probably got more sleep.
On Choosing ISTA
I love college, but I’d be lying if I said it was always easy for me. Currently, I am a sophomore at the University of Arizona. In December of 2011, I submitted a portfolio of eight pieces to the School of Art and I was accepted as an Art major. My freshmen orientation was in July of 2011 and while I was there, I changed my major to Information Science, Technology & Arts (ISTA). I ultimately chose the major to make my parents happy, and because I was under the impression it would lead more easily to a job than Studio Art. This was a mistake.
My Issues with ISTA
ISTA was a brand new major when I arrived. It required a lot of computer programming, and none of it really clicked for me. I had no idea what I was doing most of the time. On a midterm, I put “noob status” as one of my program code results because I didn’t know what else to write. My grades were extremely poor, which was something I had never before experienced. It ended up not being for me, so I ultimately switched my major back to Studio Art in the Spring of 2012. Mostly I felt relieved after the change but—honestly—I regret having to do it at all. While I know these kinds of changes are normal, and that I should think of it as a “learning experience,” I still wish I’d never switched in the first place.
And Now…
I’ve decided I want to try and go for a BFA with an emphasis in Visual Communications. Doing is a whole other process, one that I’m still preparing for, and will be writing about here in the near future.