Graduating in the year 2020 may have been the worst year possible for me to begin my career. A global pandemic, canceled senior shows and internships, quarantining, civil unrest, and unprecedented unemployment have made it extremely difficult to find a job.

Change is hard. Yet change is something that everyone can take advantage of. I moved to a new city, signed up for advanced motion design courses to fill my quarantine time, and picked up a job as a Door Dash driver. By keeping myself busy, it helped keep my motivations and passions from falling away.

Throughout the whole time, I was searching for a job in graphic design. I spent many days scrolling through Linkedin. I searched for a job that met my qualifications (almost all required 3-5 years of experience) that also felt right for me. In my searches, I contacted my old TA and friend, Dellanee. I remember when she announced the start of Maltshop Marketing, and I put myself out there, asking if she needed any help. That was the best decision I’ve made since graduation.

Before college, design didn’t seem like something I could make a career out. Back then, I didn’t even know graphic design was a thing. After starting school, I began to understand the far-reaching potential of design in careers. With the help of professors and TAs (like Dellanee), I obtained a BFA in graphic design and studio art.

I began experimenting with motion design in my last couple of years of college. Motion design soon became my favorite form of graphic design because I can see my work come to life. In this internship, my goal is to gain motion design experience with actual clients and gain knowledge by having other designers as my coworkers and directors.

Maltshop Marketing has the benefits of being a successful agency as well as a personal one. Your directors and coworkers are your friends. The projects assigned to you are to better your skills and relations, and the memories made here will be good ones. Don’t be afraid of change; take advantage of it.