It’s a little hard to believe that after wanting to go to grad school for three years now, it will finally all be a reality in a week’s time. It used to be just something I’d tell people I wanted to do, something I saw myself eventually doing but next week I will actually be a masters student, taking on new challenges and starting a new chapter. After what felt like a tedious apartment search which involved many sleepless nights and too many brokers (I’m told this is only the first lesson in New York survival), my roommate secured us a lovely place yesterday in Manhattan which I will move into next week.

Having lived on the East coast for four years already, I don’t think I will have as much culture shock this time, but it will still feel new. YSDN was a joint program, so we commuted between a large university and a technical college. We had the advantage of having two experiences in one, but some of my friends tell me I still don’t know what it is like to attend a real art school, where every student is the visual kind of artist (I’ve always imagined it to be kind of like Art School Confidential). SVA will be that sort of real art school where there will be many opportunities to collaborate creatively.

To be honest, I’m a little scared about going back to school with so little experience, having learnt so much yet not enough about being a junior designer. I’m worried about being the youngest in my class, among others that have had much more working and life experience. My last degree included 2 labour strikes (sadly, one from each school), 3 boyfriends and 9 roommates… I can only wait and see what my masters will bring.

My body has conveniently decided to shut down this week so I am sick in bed while I have an endless list of things to do and people to see. But I think maybe it’s a good thing, to sort of clear my thoughts and slow down a little between work and school so I don’t burn out by the time I arrive.

Everything I’ve anticipated and hoped for is actually going to happen very soon. And I think I’m ready to hit the ground running.