“Hey Robin, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your class has been canceled this semester.”
My heart sunk when I heard these words from my academic department head. Being an adjunct professor, there was always the looming fear of losing my Graphic Design I class due to a sudden student registration decrease at the community college I teach at. Low student enrollment numbers means low class registrations and if you don’t meet the classroom quota, then out comes the axe.
I was super bummed by the news. I had been teaching pretty steadily for about three years now and I really loved it. The one-class-per-week obligation fit my lifestyle perfectly with having my own design business and being a mom. I also loved teaching the students! To have them tell me how much they liked the class and for some students to even move on and choose graphic design as their career path would have me on cloud nine, for days.
Teaching also helped myself. It re-sparked my love for graphic design which, in turn, helped elevate my own client projects within my business…
Sigh.
After receiving the dreaded phone call, I took a trip to Twitterland and immediately saw a post about an online drawing course that I had been eyeballing for some time.
I clicked the Like button.
I remember looking up this cIass, last year at the same time, and realizing that it would have been too much for me with teaching and running my business. So, I had placed it subconsciously on a shelf and thought if I ever got the chance to take this course, in the future, I would. Well, here’s my chance I was looking for…
I clicked on post link.
This 8-week intensive drawing workshop is taught by Steve Ahn. He had worked on various shows that I have loved over the years, such as; Voltron Legendary Defender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra. I thought if I am going to spend the time and money on something I really want to do well in, then why not learn from an artist pro?
I then enrolled.
So here I am, the teacher is now officially the student. I have traded my teaching pumps for my everyday Doc Martin knock-offs and my desk is prepped with all the drawing materials needed to start.
I’m ready for the lectures, assignments and critiques. I am ready for the “staying-up-late-with-a-cup-of-coffee-to-complete-the-projects-on-time” nights. I am even ready for the return of the “biting-my-nails-and-twirling-my-hair-hoping-I-didn’t-screw-up-the-assignment” nervous habit after a class project has been submitted. Yep, I’m ready for all of it!
Bring it on, Steve!