“Do more of what makes you happy.” I came across this simple phrase on a Johnny Cupcakes T-shirt. It hit me at a relatively important time in my life, as my high school career was ending and I had to decide what I would spend the next four years studying. The Advanced Placement courses I took had never caught my interest, but a half-year computer graphics elective did.
To be honest, there are still times when I am embarrassed to say that I’m a graphic design major (or art and design, or whatever name the department decides to change it to next). When you are surrounded by a sea of electrical engineers and biochemistry majors, you can feel inferior. Many students don’t even know that there is a graphic design department. I’ll even jokingly say to my friends that I’m taking advanced coloring this semester. However, many overlook the attention to detail and pursuit of perfection that graphic design entails. People joke about how, “You love fonts!” while an understanding of typographic terminology is critical to being a successful designer. I don’t care if people don’t understand my passion for design because I truly don’t see myself doing anything else. I’m going to keep my head up and think back to the sign in my Graphic Design 1 classroom that read, “Perfect is good enough.”
Aside from work, it is important to keep doing what makes you happy in your fleeting moments of freedom. There is a reason why I am writing this senior column at 2:47 in the morning. I spent the day cliff jumping in Ithaca, and the night laughing with a beautiful girl whom I was fortunate enough to meet in one of my classes. I don’t sleep because I simply don’t have the time. But more importantly, I don’t care. Granted, working as a designer for Pipe Dream has adjusted my internal clock to stay awake until the lovely 3 a.m. printer deadline, but I’d sacrifice sleep for the things I love every day of the week.
Your school work is important, and I hope you are truly passionate about what you do. But it is not everything. Employers are looking not only for high GPAs, but also real humans with personalities and passions. Go out for trivia on Wednesday, even though you have a test on Friday. Kiss her until the sun rises, even though you have a part-time job in a couple of hours. Read a book for fun in addition to your required readings. Join every possible extracurricular that piques your interest. Pick up your guitar and play at that open mic event, even though you haven’t played in years. Design 20 Snapchat geofilters for campus, even if they get rejected. Fall in love (yes, in college). Get inspired by the Mayweather fight and go hit that heavy bag in the East Gym. You might not be the next welterweight champion of the world, but boxing looks fucking fun, doesn’t it?
I recall one of those “life hack” accounts on Twitter that said to “Minor in what you love, and major in what will make you money.” Screw that. Major in what you love and kill it. Keep your head high, and always “do more of what makes you happy.”