I didn’t plan on being a designer. In high school, I didn’t even know what graphic design was. I actually started out wanting to be a writer, and everyone I knew also thought that was the path I would follow. Maybe not my Umma so much. I know she secretly hoped I would become an engineer, but let’s say math and science were not my strong suit. However, one fateful day in yearbook class, the teacher was desperate for someone to learn Adobe InDesign (since everyone wanted to be a photographer), and I agreed to give it a try. Suddenly, I found myself trading paragraphs for page layouts and began my path from writer to designer.

As I went through college, I would have my moments of doubt about whether I was doing the right thing. I was surrounded by many talented designers in school, and my illustration skills weren’t the strongest. But where I lacked in illustration, I sparkled in research and presentation. A lot of the students, when they designed, it was mostly because they liked how it looked. When I designed, I designed with a purpose in mind and a story to tell behind it. Of course, I also want to like how things looked, but the design isn’t just for me; it’s for the audience I’m creating for.