Hello, My Name is Gia.
My Journey to Design School and What I Love and Dis(Love).
Hello Friend! I see you have stumbled upon my article. Welcome, my name is Gia and you’re about to embark on a reading expedition to know a little more about me, my journey to and in CMCI’s Design Studio. Every week I will be adding a few articles on Medium so please feel free to follow me and to stay up to date. Are you ready? Let’s begin!
What led me to CMCI’s Studio is my interest and curiosity towards People problems. I am interested in knowing how to use Design Thinking to solve those problems using non-traditional methods and approaches or use these problems to find creative design opportunities. What attracts me most about the program is its right balance between complex problem solving through its reliance on science and technology and open-ended creativity such as working hands-on to create art. As an introvert myself, I am intrigued and fascinated by human behavior and thinking. Thus, I am convinced that the CMCI studio will enlighten me on how to put humans at the center of my learning and design journey.
My question is not one, but a plethora of interconnected inquiries that I wish to write many papers (or articles) about. However, in favor of this post I will keep it short and sweet and list a few which I hold in high regards.
-What is the role of AI in the evolution of Design?
-In what ways do designs evoke social commentary?
-What is the role of personality in Design?
-How can we enhance meaning through User Experience?
-What is the role of culture in design expectations?
-The difference between fun and meaningful aesthetics?
-Are apps replacing the Desktop designer?
Although I am still learning, I have some knowledge of Web development, Video Production, Video Editing, and Graphic Design. I am more than excited to learn about App Development, Animation, Machine Learning and AI, VR Hardware and Software, and finally Robotics. Furthermore, I am looking forward to learning ways to leverage my ideas into something physical and technological.
By the end of the program, I see myself still curious and hungry for knowledge. I want to pursue academic research in academia on how design impacts that lives of people. This program, the faculty and collaborating with my peers will provide me with the right amount of hands-on experience and practice in the field of Strategic Communication Design to start my journey in academic research.
Coming from an underdeveloped country, talking about sex is as taboo as talking about money. However, I am a sole believer that Sex Education is a human right. Accurate information about healthy relationships and sex leads to greater gender equality worldwide, no matter what nation one belongs to. All the more, sex education leads to better sexual health, as well as less sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and unintended pregnancies. Technology offers a superb opportunity to bring such vital pieces of information to the masses. Thus, If I could design and build anything, it would be a Sex Ed platform, possibly an App aimed at people in not so open, conservative cultures in underdeveloped/developing countries. I hope to provide access to everyone regardless of whether they have internet or not.
Now that you know a little about me and why I am here, lets switch things up a little, please keep reading to get a glimpse of the the things I love or Dis(love), and I say Dis(love) because saying hate is too harsh to say…
The Love List :
Lola, The Poodle
Besides my family, Lola has been one of the biggest support system in my life, she has helped me fight through my Anxiety and Panic attacks. As an introvert too, I find it comforting and comfortable to be alone sometimes, But Lola has made that impossible. Walking with her is like walking with a Rockstar. Strangers want to stop and talk, ask about her, fuss over her. Because of her I have had the chance to meet people from all over the world. She has shown me that making friends is far easier than I imagined. Apparently, all she does is smile and wag her tail. Lola is my wise teacher, I have been lucky to have some great teachers in my life. But Lola is among the best. she has taught me the meaning of faith and trust, patience and hope. Because of her, I set out on a whole new life path, and along the way, learned that I’m capable of more than I ever thought possible. and finally Her happy attitude in the morning — sets the tone for the rest of my day.
Gil Evergreen’s Pin Ups
If you know me at all, and maybe if you don’t know me, you may have noticed my slight obsession with all things vintage, retro and pin-up from the 1930’s up to 1960’s. I love the fashion, and aesthetics of those eras. I love the hair and most of all, I love the delicate balance of sexiness and modesty which this kind of style is all about. I admire Evergreen’s Pin ups most because his of how he paints women, embracing their womanly curves, their thighs might even touch, and she is still too hot for words. I love the confidence she exudes, and her extreme comfort within her skin. Beauty isn’t always a 5'10" 100lb super model, and I love that the Pin Up world gives women an alternative beauty role model. I am an active participants of the Pin Up scene in Los Angeles.
My Marilyn Monroe Collection
Marilyn Monroe is my Idol. She was considered the most beautiful woman of her time. But she was more than that: she is a role model who showed young women that they could triumph over a troubled past and still grow up to be anything they wanted. Even though she was the sex icon of her time, she was never a Barbie. She wasn’t especially skinny; she had a good sense of humor, and she seemed always to be trying to be herself. She wasn’t a perfect person either. She had drug problems and alcohol problems and man problems too. But the woman who died at 36 had survived a horribly dysfunctional family. She changed forever the way we look at women, sex, and acting. For generations of young women — Marilyn is an icon and a role model. And I love her as much now as everyone did 50 years ago.
The Dis(Love) List :
Social Media
I don’t use social media as much as people want me to, I only use it to gain insight, other than that it is pretty much useless for me. I could disconnect from social media at any moment, that just shows how much I’m capable of living without it. I don’t want to connect to people through a social platform, I want to connect to others in real life. Instead of commenting on other people’s pictures every once in a while and only knowing how they’re doing, who they’re married to or how many kids they have through their posts, I would rather see them face to face. I crave this human connection that seems to diminish slowly. I miss talking on the phone for hours, deep conversations, star gazing, meeting people out and about around town. Sometimes I think I’m an old soul trapped in a young woman’s body.
Swimming Pools
Yes — swimming pools disgust me. I believe it all started when I plunged deep into the water and saw all kinds of human hairs levitating in the water. Ever since that horrific experience I stopped swimming in pools. As fun as they seem and yes I may have been tempted numerous times to “just jump in”, unfortunately I can no longer muster up the courage to. All in all, I Despise the hairs, oils made worse by people not showering off their sunscreens, skin oils, and sweat before entering.The filters eventually get most of the hairs and fibers, but there’s not much they can do about the residual lotions and oils. Not to mention the crowd and the noise too, yikes!
Parties
I dread parties (period) — if there is anything my mind cannot stand is very loud noises and strange people jumping around everywhere, and not to mention the alcohol too, double yikes! Parties can be terribly loud and long — 7pm ’til 2am you say? That’s almost the equivalent of an entire working day, where my activities would have normally been broken up by tea breaks, reading some poetry and conversing with friend or playing with my dog. Unless it’s your wedding my friend, I just can’t commit to those kinds of hours. Then there’s the expectation. When you get invited to a party, it’s basically somebody asking you to arrive promptly at a time and place which suits them, often in accordance with a dress code, and to start having fun on-the-double. Nothing sounds better than relaxing at home with the much loved Netflix and a course of customary peaceful family/friends dinner to getting drunk in a club with a bunch of strangers. Its perfectly fine to appreciate the myriad colors of nature and find comfort in golden jazz classics rather than the blinding night lights and heavy edm. Did I mention I was an introvert too!
