Feet Planted, Head in the Clouds
WRITTEN BY KATHERINE DIAZ VILLEGAS | ILLUSTRATED BY DASHA EGUDKINA
Dreams can be many different things to different people. They could involve changing the world or simply breaking a tedious habit. They may be attainable — most are even if they seem ludicrous. Though sadly no, your dream of marrying Harry Styles is not going to happen.
In a loose definition, dreams are seen as a goal so out of this world, it’s impossible to think they would come true — almost. See, the secret to achieving your dreams is a little bit of luck and an unimaginable amount of hard work. It’s the hard work that gets people and crushes dreams because it is a sacrifice and life gets in the way.
The biggest debate, in general, is education vs. experience. Because our generation found quick success on several social and entertainment platforms, formal education appears unnecessary. Yet, many stars who enjoyed their six seconds of fame are in limbo.
The fact is, education is just as important as experience. Until you’re an absolute master of your craft, you have to keep working towards your dreams. For some, that means investing more into their education and finding a perfect program. Allison Bolt, B.F.A. Writing (2019), is going straight into graduate school. “Pursuing a masters degree was always in my plan,” she explained. “My family always stressed the importance of education while I was growing up. Although it wasn’t just about the degree on my resume for me. During my undergrad at SCAD, I was so lucky to learn about craft, experiment with style and find my voice as a writer. After graduation, I had my voice and wanted to push my craft even farther and graduate school was the perfect option.”
Getting a degree in the field of your dreams is a solid step in the right direction — if you take advantage. It’s not enough to just go to class and get good grades. Colleges and universities have an abundance of opportunities to partake in. Whether it be networking events with alumni, scholarship competitions, mentorship programs, volunteering — participate in as much as possible. This is what makes the difference between students — specifically when searching for a job after graduation. Kula Pang, B.F.A. Fashion (2019), believes in learning from those around you — especially at SCAD. “I think the only way to truly understand what the industry is about is to ask the veterans,” said Pang. “To me, the best advice I got about the fashion industry were from faculty members. Talk to as many of them as you can (even the scary ones) — they all have different experiences, backgrounds and advice to give.”
Though in a creative world that’s so saturated with talent, how do you stand out? First of all, stop comparing yourself to others. You are singular and unlike anyone else. Regardless if you have rawtalent or if you work harder than anyone else, you have something to contribute. But here’s where experience plays a vital role after education. “What was most important to me when finding a job in the arts was taking my internships seriously,” said Jason Scholtz, B.F.A. Sculpture and Printmaking (2019). “Art can seem like a giant field but even in New York, everyone knows everyone else. Do a good job at your first internship while still in school then ask if they know anyone else that needs help. It will lead to bigger things.”
After graduation, after those all-nights and years in school, is this when your dreams come true? Madison Umbaugh, B.F.A. Fashion (2019), just accepted her third fashion internship — this time with Free People. “When you find a company you love, you have to be persistent and show them that you are confident you’d be a perfect fit,” Umbaugh explained. “It is important that you truly believe in yourself and your work. We have all spent so much time in school, so it would be silly to not believe in yourself and settle for anything that isn’t exactly what you dream of.”
Student-media veteran and SCAD alumna Molly Moran, M.A. Luxury and Fashion Management (2018), believes in the power of persistence as well. “After graduating, I had ambitions and a plan to move to New York City,” said Moran. “I applied furiously for about two months through LinkedIn, brand websites and networking. It wasn’t until I took a leap of faith and moved to New York without a job to freelance that the interviews and job offers came flooding in.” Moran’s best advice? “To be persistent. Job offers don’t just show up on your doorstep, you have to work hard to get the job you want. After you apply for a job, follow up with the recruiter, manager — anyone you know that works for the company and reiterate your interest.”
Pursuing your dreams in a creative field is difficult — especially when trying to turn those dreams into something attainable. There’s a lot of prejudice, but our generation is quite dissimilar from previous ones. We want to be different; we want to be unique. And we’re quite lucky we can embrace those qualities while pursuing creative careers.
