I have been interested in art and design since I was a child. However, here in Taiwan, if you can be an engineer or a doctor, you are encouraged to be one, and I was no exception. During my high school years, I was influenced by my peers, changing my career path to engineering. In 2016, I selected mechanical engineering

I have been interested in art and

design

since I was a child.

However

, here in Taiwan, if you can be an engineer or a doctor, you are encouraged to be one, and I was no exception. During my high school years, I was influenced by my peers, changing my

career

path to engineering. In 2016, I selected mechanical engineering as my major. It didn’t take me much

time

to realize that I was not good at the discipline I had chosen. Not knowing what I was capable of doing, nor did I know what I like, I could not be more lost and frustrated. Luckily, by the end of the semester, there was a

design

workshop that drew my attention. Out of curiosity I signed it up. During the workshop, I felt the passion lay within my heart for the

first

time

. In the following semester, as I dived down deeper it became apparent that

design

Suggestion

the design

was the field that I was good at.

However

, I struggled. Setting my

career

in

design

implies giving up the stable income and a smooth

career

path which staying in engineering guarantees. There was a voice inside telling me that I was supposed to follow my heart, but the people around me kept telling me

this

was absurd. The two forces were tearing me apart, and under

this

situation my course performance only got worse. One day, it dawned on me that only if I do the things I like can I optimize my

career

development.

As a result

, I signed up for our school

design

program to help me broaden my horizon.

Although

engineering was difficult for me, I consider it as a challenge and a complementary support for my

design

.

Besides

learning through courses, combining what I had learned, I designed new products and joined in competitions. To challenge myself, I became a teaching assistant tutoring students in

design

. As a freelance graphic designer, I designed the logo and packaging for a foreign coffee shop. Still, even with all these experiences, it is still not enough for me. I want to test the limits and break through. Attending graduate school is a perfect opportunity to help me integrate all my skills better. It took me a long

time

to get myself prepared. To have my own portfolio, new products had to be designed, and there are so many

design

tools that I had to be familiar with. After two years of preparation,

last

Christmas I submitted my application. I can still remember the day I received the admission letter from California College of the Arts. I woke up and check my smartphone as usual, and a notification popped up. For the

first

time

in my college years, I was

finally

relieved.

However

,

this

is not the end of the story, but the beginning of my journey, and I cannot wait to see what I can do.