Being a design student is great. You get the freedom to do whatever suits your fancy using whatever method you please.

But with this unbounded freedom comes unbounded stress and sleep-deprivation. Over the course of nearly six years as a graphic design student, I’ve had countless all-nighters, printing disasters, frustrations, regrets, lessons learned the hard way, and even—thoughts about switching my major (gasp!). Despite being in one of the best graphic design programs out there, and having made some pretty cool work that I’m proud of, I’ve acquired my fair share of bumps and bruises from figuring it out along the way. Design is hard. And design takes time.

To remedy all of this, there’s a ton of existing advice written for and by professional graphic designers. I’m appreciative to all those who’ve written on the subject—but I’ve felt frustrated that few of it is sympathetic towards students. Take It From Me came out of a desire to see more conversation and written material about what it’s really like to be a design student—from an honest, disarming, and non-exclusive approach. Because I'm not the only one who's ever experienced frustration, anxiety, and the fear of not being “good enough.”

Despite all the meltdowns due to school-induced stress, as I write this in my senior year, I can now laugh at all the trouble I went through to get to where I’m at. My goal for this project has been to write in a way that is serious and knowledgeable, but with an awareness of my own weaknesses. Because I’m most inspired when people talk about the specific ways in which they’ve struggled. Comparing relatable frustration is incredibly encouraging, so, in a way, this project has the similar function of an internet meme (but with practical applications, too).

Take It From Me is an attempt to open up a “living room” conversation about these unspoken frustrations, as I myself am no expert on anything. Rather than try to help students float through design school unscathed, this resource is intended to help them feel less alone by speaking honestly and candidly about the experience of it—bumps, bruises and all.