adjust, readjust.

I’m learning more and more about how much of life is about transition. And not just transition itself, but more specifically about how we handle transition — big or small.

Change.

Adjustment.

Upheaval.

Revision.

Whatever you want to call it, our lives are strung together by inconsistent shifts in our routines, and it is through our desire for control that we even create personal routines in the first place. Being human, we are creatures of habit — some more than others. Regardless, we all thrive on some form of stability in order to make our way through each passing day.

So, how do we handle the constant readjustments that we are involuntary signed up for upon entering this world? I don’t know the answer to that fully, but I’m figuring it out alongside you.

Being back in Vancouver this year has brought along a handful of new transitions for me, the most noteworthy being that I went back to school.

I’ve always been someone who loves learning, and I’ve known since completing my undergrad degree a few years ago that I would like to return to study again at some point in my life. Now, the challenging part was deciding which area of study I wanted to dive into. There are so many subjects that interest me, and If I could, financials aside, I would continue going to school forever (with intermittent travel breaks) in order to continuously acquire knowledge and challenge my perspectives.

So, here I am in a full-time, condensed design program. And here, is exactly where I am meant to be. I’m not sure why the faculty of design didn’t call out to me sooner, but I won’t dwell on the past since it is apparent that each and every happening has lead me to this moment in one way or another.

Being a communications major as well as an enthusiast of words, those of you who know me know that I feel strongly about the importance of conversation, connection and emotional contact. Being in design school has only begun to widen my understanding of communication and it’s meany complexities. With my focus being primarily on verbal and written communication in the past, I am learning so much about the way you can create things in order to convey meaning through a visual language.

I love expressing the ways in which I see the world and the life I am lucky enough to live. And although I have always thought that I do this mainly through words, I have come to realize that for the entirety of my life I have been creating and designing and communicating through the art and visuals I have constructed without necessarily being aware of it.

Each artistic conception is a way of understanding the intricacies and inner-workings of the way we exist and coexist with each other.

And I think that is a beautiful truth; a truth I never want to stop exploring and seeking to comprehend.

The transition of moving back to a new but known city, as well as into the role of a full-time student took time to adjust to. It did not happen easily nor swiftly.

Now, with the first term complete and a heart full to the brim with quality time from loved ones, it is time to shift gears. A much-needed holiday comes to a close and I am thankful for the break and ready to be thrown back into a schedule of lecture/labs and deadlines.

With that, I will leave you with this. I know readjustments can be draining and transitions can be frightening. I know that growing pains can feel like all pain and no growth, but trust me when I tell you that as long as the earth is spinning, change is inevitable.

So, be patient with yourself as you learn from each season, and find peace in knowing that it will not last forever. Seek out the positives and remember that you are strong enough to face upheaval, despite the fatigue it may put you through.

- A