Alicia, a Term 2 IxD student, is still figuring it all out — and she's refreshingly honest about it. From chaotic sleep schedules to mid-concert existential crises about homework, she paints a picture of ArtCenter life that's equal parts overwhelming and oddly freeing. What does it feel like when the panic of Term 1 finally fades? She has thoughts.

Alicia:

I explored a lot of art-related majors early on — fashion design, jewelry design, I even took portfolio classes for those. But in high school I took computer science and really enjoyed it, so I started looking for something that could combine both sides.

As I worked on my IxD portfolio, the process just felt really natural. I've always been into digital products — not just as a user, but I'm genuinely curious about how they work. I'm not the best at drawing, but I've always been decent at graphic and visual work, so a screen-based discipline felt like a good fit.

Shanna:

I feel like a lot of us ended up here the same way — not quite pure art, not quite pure tech, but somewhere in between.

You're in your second term now. What has surprised you the most?

Alicia:

The curriculum is really trying to keep up with the times — web coding this year, AI agent projects. It's confusing sometimes, but now that I'm more used to the rhythm of school, I can look at my work more critically without the panic I felt in Term 1. Whether it all works out perfectly or not, there are a lot of new experiments happening

Shanna:

What does a typical week look like for you?

Alicia:

Monday is a full day of class. My sleep schedule is chaotic, so I usually nap when I get home and start homework later. Tuesday is free — first time I've had a midweek day off — and I actually go out more on Tuesdays than weekends. Grocery shopping, or just wandering around. Wednesday and Thursday I have morning classes, and Friday starts in the afternoon.

Alicia:

ArtCenter's workload makes everything revolve around school. It becomes almost the only standard I judge myself by, and I feel too dependent on that evaluation system. My mindset has gotten better since Term 1 — I don't panic the way I used to — but the time it takes up is still hard to change.

Shanna:

Have you had a moment where you looked at your own work and thought "okay, I'm actually getting better"?

Alicia:

Sometimes I'll stumble on something I made before and realize I now have a more systematic sense of aesthetics. Before, I could tell if something looked "off" but couldn't explain why. Now I have the framework to actually break it down.

Shanna:

What do you imagine yourself doing after ArtCenter?

Alicia:

I don't have a firm plan — I'm taking it as it comes. I might explore other disciplines, or dig into a specific niche within IxD, or experience another country. Right now what we learn feels very practical and tool-oriented. I think combining it with other fields could make things a lot more interesting.

Shanna:

What do you do to recharge when school gets overwhelming?

Alicia:

A lot of catching up on sleep, honestly. Many of my hobbies have faded since I started. But the best thing I've found is concerts — LA makes it so easy, you can even go right after class. I used to treat them like big special occasions, but now I just go whenever I feel like it, purely for the joy of it.

Shanna:

Is there a design tool you've discovered here that you can't live without now?

Alicia:

Figma. We use it for almost everything — it's fast, the real-time cloud storage is incredibly practical. Before ArtCenter I only used it for portfolio work, but now it's my default tool for everything, even personal projects.

You Need a PLAN:Suggestions from Your Peer

To begin with, I want to ask...

What made you choose Interaction Design?

It's so easy to let school become your whole identity without even realizing it.