My name is Yogita and I am a Communication Design major. It’s been a rollercoaster journey for me throughout the first year course. I started off by expecting nothing and just went on with flow with an open mind to learn everything possible. I was shy, quiet and was scared of sharing my opinion. During the Fall semester, I had all digital based classes. I learnt various programs like Photoshop, Indesign and different aspects of formatting and editing. From making an animated video to a revised magazine, I realised that even though these projects taught me a lot about design, I never enjoyed doing all of this which not only showed in my work but also in my personality. In the Spring semester, I had all classes that worked with materials studies and had more of Hands-on projects. I had Space and Materiality, Product promotion and packaging as my elective and sustainable systems. In the month of February, I was introduced to my five week long project for my space and materiality class in which we had to make a collapsible toy out of polyhedrons. Simultaneously, in my product promotion packaging class I was learning about how materials interact with each other and how do they have an impact on our planet. During these five weeks I started to realise that I actually enjoy working with my hands. I enjoy feeling the materials and am curious to know who can they be manipulated. I discerned that what I actually want to do is Product Design and not Communication Design. This year has became the turning point of my life as shifting from a small city in India to New York has given me an overall experience of life. It taught me to stand on my own feet and solve all the problems. At the same time, studying at the New School has exposed me to various opportunities in and outside Design due to which I am able to overall develop my personality.