Author: Abrianna

  • Being Involved

    Being Involved

    Since college, I haven’t been involved with things outside of campus. But that is not to say that I haven’t considered doing it. But the main thing I got involved in mostly was the volleyball intramural they have here at STC. One other thing I can say that I was able to be involved with outside of regular classes was tutoring.

    My Senior Spotlight in volleyball in my high school yearbook

    I loved volleyball back in high school, so I jump whenever I get the chance to be able to play. It also allows me to stay active and not let myself go. Saying active keeps me in shape and supports my mental health. Also, being able to be involved in a sport is very fun. All while being able to meet and play with new people. Being on the same team really can build relationships, and that allows you to enjoy the game even more.

    The other thing I got involved with was tutoring. I was able to help out and tutor the first year of my degree. It was very fun and rewarding, and I even got paid for it. I was able to relearn some skills that I had learned when I was in my first year. I was able to get involved with the schools, even if it was just for one semester. But the experience and skills I was able to obtain from it were very rewarding.

    Even after college, I know how to get involved in things, but outside of college, to more community things. I have looked into many volleyball intramurals, and other things I could do that seemed fun. I am graduating very soon, so I wish to be involved and be more active for myself and my health. I hope to meet more new people on the way and hope to have just as much fun as I did in college.

  • Values

    I know I have done similar blogs mentioning what I value as a person. I do think that I will recap on some in this blog but also mention some other ones. I believe mentioning your values to future employers is a good way to build trust and community between them and you. I think that mentioning not just your skills in an interview but also your values can put you in a stronger standing than others in that interviewing process. In this way, you show character and who you are as a person. And I think employers will value that. And that even if you are experienced, if your values or characteristics don’t match with the company and you won’t work well with everyone, they probably won’t want to hire you.

    Some of the values that I have mentioned before are family and friends. I value my relationships with them and love to be with them. I think strong relationships help build a person’s character. I love every one of my friends and what they have done for me in my life, building my confidence and supporting me through my different stages of schooling. I value my family in all that they have done for me, they supported me growing up and built me into who I am today.

    Some other things that I value as a person are kindness, loyalty, and respect. These are also some things that I value with family and friends. There are other things I also value, but these three are probably the most important to me. First, I believe kindness is one of the most important things a person can have. Being kind to others is such a broad term, but that’s just it. I believe in showing kindness to someone and not being. Of course, you don’t have to like everyone, but never disregard and ignore them just because you find them annoying.

    Secondly, loyalty, I belive loyalty is an very import factor to have. Without loyalty, there is no trust. If you don’t trust someone that creates problems that are very tricky to deal with. Loyalty help create friendships and relationships that can be very benifical for you as a person and with company relationships.

    Lastly, respect also goes along with being kind to others. I know there are a lot of different beliefs and ways people think in the world these days, and because of that, people don’t get along. But I believe that being able to respect someone for what they think is very important. That doesn’t mean you automatically have to think they are also right and disregard your values and beliefs as a person, but to respect them in their decisions and not try to force them to change their mind to be like you and only have them change on their own if they want on their own accord.

    These are some of my many core values that I think are very important. Without these, I don’t think you can have very fulfilling relationships or even be a very successful or approachable individual. Not everyone needs to act the same, but I do believe people at least have a little. If you are always unkind, unloyal, and disrespectful, then you constantly push people away, and that is never good.

  • Last Semester! New Beginnings?

    As I begin my fourth and final semester at Southeast Tech, I feel very excited and nervous. It’s hard to believe that after this semester I am going to graduate and start my journey in the “real world” with a “real job,” not just a part-time job along with school. These past two years, I have been taught and have learned so much. I am so thankful for all my experiences and the chances I have been given during my college experience. I want to talk about and highlight some of the best moments and memories I’ve had over the past two years.

    What I loved most about my college experience was the volleyball intramurals they offered. I love volleyball and I play it whenever I can. I loved playing with all sorts of people. Another thing I loved was the classes they offered here. It offered everything I wanted and more. I was able to learn everything I needed to be successful in this occupation. I was worried that I wouldn’t be good enough to succeed in this industry, but I knew that with practice and time, I would improve, and I have. One last thing that I love about my college experience is the friends I made along the way. I was very worried at the beginning of this new journey that I wouldn’t be able to make new friends or fit in, but I was very wrong. I have met so many amazing people that I can confidently call my friends. They are all so very wonderful and I am very happy I was able to meet them and hope I will be able to stay in touch after graduation.

    Also, one last thing I want to talk about is the Portfolio Show at the end of the year. As I said earlier, I was very wary of starting my journey here, fearing I wouldn’t be able to be successful with my skills coming into college. But now more confident in my skills and excited to find joy in pursuing a lifelong career that I love. The Portfolio Show is used as a way to get connected to people and to show them our work. I am very excited to meet more people from the industry or those who want to hire for it.

    Overall I am sad that this part of my life is coming to a close, but I am also very excited. I want to be able to stretch out and get a good job. I want to be able to get a good, fun, and nice-paying job. I want to be able to live comfortably and not have to worry about money. And lastly, I want to always remember all the memories and experiences I had during this time. I am so very proud of myself for how much I have grown and hope to grow more in the future.

  • Resources

    I think resources are a very vital thing to have and use. They help aid you in a design, help you come up with ideas when you hit a blank, and help you design ideas, whether it be AI or using them to inspire your work. You can use resources for a lot of helpful things. These are three resources I recommend and like to use myself to help me. Either for ideas or for design, these resources have helped me a lot and I probably will keep using them to be able to create great work and writings in the future.

    This is my Package Design with my brand name that I was able to come up with.
    Conversation I had with ChatGPT to come up with the Grammarly example, to show how it works.
    Example of what Grammarly can do and help with.

    First of all, I probably say that I use AI the most, ChatGPT specifically, for a resource. I don’t abuse the use of it or ever use it word for word at all. I like to use it to come up with some ideas or prompts when I can’t think of something or to get product or brand name ideas for projects in my classes. One example of this is when we had to do a package design in one of my classes and I had to come up with a brand name. I had no idea and my only knew was that I wanted it to be a beauty sponge brand. I went to ChatGPT and typed in “makeup sponge brand name ideas.” It then comes up with lots of ideas on where you can base your name from. I then put two different parts of two different names I liked together and was able to come up with “Blendipuff.” This helped me come up with the name and allowed me to not waste any time just trying to think of a name for the brand.

    Another resource I like to use probably used just as much as ChatGPT, is Grammarly, which is also considered AI. Grammarly is used to be able to check grammar, punctuation, spelling, and much more. I am using Grammarly right now to write this blog. I use it for almost, if not, everything to be able to write effective and well-written work. Again it is entirely me writing it but it just checks and makes sure it is spelled correctly and professionally. I mostly used Grammery in my Media Writing last semester. I made sure everything I turned in was professionally written with correct grammar and spelling. This was always advised as a resource to use. One of my instructors would always say that one spelling mistake could cost you joy or the company lots of money. So being able to check and make sure everything is correct is very important, especially in this industry.

    The many option in Dafont.com that you can choose from.

    Lastly, one resource I like to use for my designs to either use or see how it would look in the design is Dafont.com. I use this as the main place to get free-to-use fonts for my designs. Of course not all of them are free but a lot of good ones are free to use and help in the typography of your designs, besides having the ones just from Adobe. Adobe has a lot of free-to-use fonts at fonts.adobe.com. They both are very good to use but I find myself using Dafont more because of the layout and all the different unique fonts you can find.

    But overall you still need to be wary and careful how you use them. Some resources, like fonts, are free but some do cost money. Also, some do have creative rights you need you need to look out for, to not get in trouble in the future. So you always want to be careful what you use and see if you can use it. But as long as you do, you are always free to use things to help yourself. One thing my instructors told me in college was to “use your resources.” They always said not to make things more difficult than they have to be. I agree with that statement and I think as long as you don’t plagiarize and follow all the laws that come with it, using resources is entirely ok.

  • New Connections

    The past semester has been enjoyable, especially in my Media Writing class. In this class we have done some assinments that I wasn’t very fond of the first time I heard we were going to do it. But surprisingly I enjoyed it. I have been able to meet some extraordinary people and learn so much about them and their thoughts. They have given me an insight into the real world and what it’s like. And I have been able to improve my social and confidence from doing these assinments.

    Christy Beving at our meeting at Zooks Coffee Bar

    The first assignment was when I met Christy Beving, she is the professional in the industry I had to interview. She is the owner and founder of Downtown Design. She was so fun to talk to and was very laid back. She was very inspirational and I learned so much from her. She is who I wanted to be, her business owner, and designer. She gave me a lot of pointers and talked to me about working in the industry. I loved talking to her and I respect her so much.

    Liz Erickson at our meeting in her salon

    The second person I interviewed and learned from was Liz Erickson. She is the small business owner of Atoley Salon and Spa in downtown Sioux Falls. She was my second choice when my first choice never contacted me back. I was walking back to my car from going into my first-choice cafe for the second. I then emailed her and the next day went into the salon. I got the date and time and was able to go in and interview her. She was so very nice when we started talking. She told me all about her hard work and what she did to get where she is today. If you are looking for a salon then I highly recommend Atoley, it is a great place to go. The atmosphere is beyond any place I have ever been, anyone would enjoy it.

    The last professional I had to talk to was for a promotional writing assignment. I had the privilege to talk to Caitlin Moen. She was so very kind and fun to talk to as well. She is the owner of Midnight Spark Permanent Jewelry. She told me how she started and what she wanted to do and achieve with her business. She is very inspirational and passionate about what she is doing and introduced me to a thing that I barely knew about.

    If you had told me last year that I would have enjoyed a assignments where I had to go and talk to people to complete it and enjoy it. I would have laughed and said you were crazy. I never thought that I would enjoy anything of the social aspect especially something like this. The college has prepared me for so much more than my degree. It is and has prepared me to be able to talk to professionals comfortably, and I am glad that I am here.

  • Coding (Second Year)

    Like last year I have taken a class entirely on coding. I still love coding so very much and I love learning more. I have learned so much from taking these classes, way more than I thought I would be able to. I learned how to create bootstrap html code and even a new Flexbox feature. This blog will mention my thoughts and process for making this website.

    Mockup of the website

    For the most recent and last assignment we made, Chef Jacqueline website. Just like the first website, we made we made a mockup in Photoshop then created it in Dreamweaver. It was very fun to make this website especially because it involved a bakery and coding. To start, I first needed to find a color pallet for a bakery website. I first thought of a more monotone pallet but then I thought of doing a bright and vibrant one.

    Top part of my website

    Next, I had to make a mockup. I wanted to use a basic and easy online that was easy to follow. I made sure to use the color pallet in a well-tough way and design. As well as fonts and graphics that will match as well. Next, I had to code the website. It was fun to figure out how to translate the look into code. I was able to do exactly what I wanted to do and more.

    Bottom part of my website

    This was a very fun and interesting assignment to do. I had fun and I hope to continue developing my skills. With that, I will be able to get better and be confident in my skills. I wish to someday get a job doing it as I know I will enjoy it. I hope to get a job that I will be able to get up every day looking forward to going to work every day.

  • Magazine Design (Part 3: Final Look)

    Magazine Design (Part 3: Final Look)

    This last part of this three-part post will show the final look and final thoughts of my magazine. I worked very hard on it and learned a lot, and I can’t wait to show you what I have done. Making this magazine has taught me a lot. I hope you appreciate I loved making it just as much as you will like it. I got to create so many meaningful designs that I think are some of my best so far. I also got to meet so many wonderful ladies in this journey collecting content for
    this magazine.   

    This is my product spread design

    The goal of Immersion is to keep you engaged and invested in reading my magazine. So I hope that when you look at these few pages, it will pique your interest. Like I said before, I worked very hard on this magazine. Figuring out every detail and putting it all together was a challenge. From the colors to the graphics, each was placed and decided carefully and thoughtfully. The final look showcases the final magazine, the culmination of my efforts. I am both sad and relieved it’s done, as there was a lot of work and time dedicated to this.  

    This is the lead in spread

    I learned to be patient and vigilant about everything I considered and placed in my documents for this magazine. It was so much fun to see just how well I could put everything together. I am so happy we had this chance to make an entire magazine and how each or most assignments were dedicated to this one magazine. Even some of our Media Writing assignments went towards our magazine, which is a whole different instructor. The crossover was very easy to manage so we weren’t trying to do an entire magazine in one class. I know that I have developed my design skills and I am more confident in my
    layout abilities.

    These are some ads I created especially for this magazine

    This magazine was probably one of the most fun assignments I have done. It was so involving and created a unique learning experience. I’m excited to see how I and my design will change as I grow as a designer. I appreciate my instructor for challenging us and providing this opportunity. I learned so much and I can’t wait for what my next, and last, semester has in store.

  • Family Insight

    Family Insight

    This time of year is my favorite. It’s the one time of year that all of my family can get together. We can hang out and spend time out of our busy schedules and lives and be together. Family is one of the most important things to me and I would never treat them for anything. Of course, there have been so many bumps for us but together we have gotten through it. Whatever life gave us, we were together. When we all moved to our separate things we were still as close as ever supporting each other.

    My siblings and I at my brother’s wedding

    I know not everyone is as lucky to have a great family experience, but I did. Granted it wasn’t always like this, but no matter what we were there for each other. For some history, my mother was abusive, physically and mentally, to each of my brothers and sisters. She didn’t provide for the family and only cooked when she wanted to. My dad mentioned it one time when we were talking about it one night and I quote, “I don’t know how all you guys were able to even survive.” That always haunts me, because it’s true, I don’t know either. But I do know one thing, it’s because we were there for each other.

    Even though the six of us didn’t grow up in the best environment, we still had each other. Of course, we didn’t have things that you would find in a typical “normal family.” Being together is all we had and needed. I didn’t need anything fancy just being able to have a family is enough. And just as much as I love my siblings, I love my dad. He is the hardest-working man I ever known. Even though he technically wasn’t the one to raise me, he provided so much for us and I love him for that. Our family of seven is all that I could ever ask for and I wouldn’t change a thing.

    I am so grateful that at least in my situation, family was very important. It kept me alive and able to have a semi-functional childhood. Some people grow up in bad circumstances, so I am glad that I was born into at least this one. It is good to always have someone to lean on in your time of need. So cherish your family especially if you are in a good home environment. They are the only ones you have that are your flesh and blood.

  • Magazine Design (Part 2: Making the Magazine)

    Magazine Design (Part 2: Making the Magazine)

    To continue with my magazine process, I had to first make a cover for it. This would then be the starting colors and style of the content inside. I experimented with lots of different layouts and colors but only one stands out. This blog will have my process of making my cover and show how it relates to the design of the rest of the magazine. This process was also quite long and difficult right up until it all clicked together.

    This is the early nameplate layout of my cover
    This is the original image for the cover, wholes background was too busy, this is also where the blue came from.
    This the final look of the cover of my magazine

    Finding the right font for my magazine and what colors to use took a little bit of time. I had to experience each of the examples, the image I had in part one, and find the right size and layout for it. Then put all the other information on the front in a way to makes it visually pleasing. I am very proud of what I came up with, it tested my patience and skill. This showed me not to rush my designs to make sure they look good, and not rush to get them done.

    The color was its whole problem. I had to find a color to put behind the picture because the background was a little too busy. I used a method on one of the videos my instructor had watched. This is where you take out the background of the picture and fill it with a color from inside the picture. I sampled from all over the picture, but it either didn’t look right or was too bright. Then I sampled from her shirt and knew right away that that was the color I was going to use.

    This then fueled the rest of the magazine. I stuck with that purple color and even sampled some blue from the picture for some different parts of my article, so it all connects. I also stuck with some line graphics throughout the pages of my magazine. I used them on the front page, the table of contents, and the featured article. These little things also help tie my magazine together and help it look like it’s all part of one magazine.

    This is the final table of contents and editor’s letter
    This is the first page of the featured article in my magazine

    Up until this point, I made the name and laid a basis for the design of my magazine. Of the two making the cover was probably the most difficult up until this point. This entire process was difficult but I was able to learn and develop from it. This Magazine taught me so many things. From the instructor to the book and the videos we watched, I learned from them all. I learned how to become a better designer and how to improve my work.

  • Being Grateful

    Since I missed a Thanksgiving post, I will do it now. I wanted to dedicate this post to all the things I am grateful for. There are many things in my life that I have and am very grateful for. I have a loving family, and great friends, and am going to a great college. That is just the tip of the iceberg, there are so many things but only so much to write.

    Picture of my family at my brother’s wedding

    I am so grateful for my family. My family is a critical part of my life, they have been with me my entire life, excluding my mother. My siblings taught me and raised me as a child while my dad provided for us by working. I always say that they are the reason that I am alive and well today. I am also very grateful for all of the friends I have made so far in my life and all the ones that are to come. My friends that are supportive and bring me up are the ones I value and cherish and I can’t image life without every one of them.

    Pic of some college friends, at Carforsale

    Also, one last thing that I must mention that I am extremely grateful for is my college, my instructors, and the environment that I have experienced there. My college is better than I could ever have imagined, it has given me the perfect environment and opportunities for me to excel and develop. It’s perfect and I wouldn’t have chosen any other college to be. My instructors are just as so, perfectly unique in their own way. They have given us great opportunities as well. They are great at what they do and I appreciate every one of them.

    My family, friends, and college all have impacted my life for the better. Each has supported me in its way, developing me as a person and for my future. I just want each of them to know just how much I appreciate them and how much I appreciate my college for all the opportunities it has and is giving me, and the instructors it provides. Life is hard and very stressful somethings but I know that with these things in my life, I will always be prepared and be ready for whatever life throws my direction.