Just Checking In
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I feel like I somehow always manage to forget about this blog. The last time I posted was in February, before my class started and before all this craziness came collapsing down on everyone (well, maybe not everyone but a lot of people have been affected by COVID-19).
I, myself was affected but I am trying to see this time as an opportunity to rebrand myself and to focus on the things that truly bring me joy. It’s been tough since we have pretty strict ‘stay at home’ orders here in Washington state even though, things are beginning to reopen. One of them being the most crucial thing - hiking trails in state parks. I know Olympic, Rainier, and North Cascades each have their own procedures to execute phased openings but it makes me remain hopeful that my backpacking trips planned for the later part of summer will still be happening.
Since February, I've been enrolled in UX Academy with DesignLab. I have planned on a career change for a while now. While I enjoyed doing catering and providing impeccable service to customers, I wanted to actually make a difference. I wanted to be in the process of creating a memorable experience when users interact with a website (or with a product or app). I enjoyed the instant gratification when serving coffee to a customer or providing all the help I can when it comes to a catered event. But I thought getting into User Experience Design was my true calling. I’ve obviously been learning a lot. The class is also helping me define my goals in a better way - do I want to become a UX Researcher or am I more interested in the UI side of things?
That was a question I used to not able to answer. I come from a front-end web development background as well. I’ve always worn the developer hat. But trying to become a developer was too much for me. I loved problem solving but I wasn’t good at problem solving with code. With UX, I feel like my input is more immediate (not necessarily quicker). Perhaps it’s because my background also lies in research (B.A. in Political Science), I’m more used to reading, observing, and analyzing data. To what extent? I have yet to find out.
Either way, I thought I’d provide a quick update. I haven’t been traveling to other places other than the local parks and religiously driving up Highway 20 ever since it opened. Like I said, I’m using this time to rest and to focus my energy on things that matter to me. It’s a stressful for a lot of people. There are times where I feel lost and everyday, I still feel uncertain of what the future might hold. But I’m learning to take things slowly and to revisit things that spark joy and positivity. Maintaining a healthy mindset is especially important during these uncertain times.
One of the many projects I’m working on is improving my photography. Unfortunately, I don’t have the capacity or means to purchase a new set of lens but I have been reading up about photography and looking at my favorite (Instagram) photographers for inspiration. I’ve also been spending a lot of time refining my skills in designing (I can finally master the pen tool the way I want it to) and I’ve really been enjoying taking on new skills while I’m completing the class. I hope I’ll have more exciting things to share in the future but until then, here are a few pictures I took while I spent some time in the North Cascades.