Expanding into graphic design felt like a natural evolution for me, as the course offered the perfect creative umbrella to pull all my artistic skills together. Plus, its strong career prospects gave my parents some peace of mind! With that, I jumped in headfirst and began my BA in Graphic Design at Norwich University of the Arts in 2018.

The first year of student life was brilliant. Partying all the time, rushing to lectures with a headache from the night before, but also learning so much about the essence of a brand. I thrived, surrounded by like-minded people who cared about design as much as I did. I was taught by specialists in their fields and attended guest lectures from the best in the business. I felt like I was finding my feet and I loved everything the course had to offer.

Then came the start of my second year in 2020, when COVID-19 threw a massive curveball into both my studies and social life. Almost overnight, I went from a bustling studio of over 40 students to working from my bedroom at my parents’ house, relying on brief 15-minute check-ins with lecturers. Planned internships were put on hold, leaving us unable to gain the industry experience we were advised to get. It definitely wasn’t the university experience I had envisioned, but knowing that everyone was in the same boat made it easier to adapt and we powered through a hybrid third year. Despite all the chaos, hand sanitisers, and face masks along the way, I was thrilled to graduate with First-Class Honours.

Things ramped up fast from there. Just a day after graduating, having done my interview while still recovering from the post-grad party the night before, I landed my first design job as a Junior Graphic Designer, a huge win I definitely didn’t see coming so quickly. The shift to agency life was a real eye-opener. I went from having weeks to work on a brief to having mere hours to turn around finished work. Without prior industry experience, the tight deadlines and direct feedback made me question my abilities at first and ‘get my shit together’ fast as a designer.

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