The CSSSA Experience

When was there a time that I had found a new realization about myself? Think about this. At what time did I start to realize that my life was beginning to take a new course of direction? Last summer, in the year of 2008, I had attended a program at the California Institute of the Arts (Calarts) for one month taking a course in animation. This program that I was a part of was called the California State Summer School of the Arts (CSSSA). I was staying in a dormitory with two other roommates and three other suitemates away from home and figuring out how to take care of myself. The obstacles I had faced in this program had given me a wake-up call on what is expected for college and life. During this program, I learned how to prioritize my time in finishing all of my assignments, and I was able to adapt to the people I was “living” with. Every day, there was a new assignment that had to be due by the next day, and I would stay up until 2am to complete them. Therefore, I didn’t really get that much sleep every night. Luckily, I didn’t have roommates and suitemates that were a complete distraction from finishing my work. Having considerate roommates allowed me to have a good relationship with them and a better understanding of their different personalities. In the middle of the CSSSA experience, I had caught a cold that made me feel very weak and tired and almost prevented me from doing my projects. Even though I had a cold, I still kept on going and never gave up on the things I was attempting to accomplish. Keeping myself well and hydrated allowed me to recover from my sickness state much quicker. The advantage of my miraculous recovery helped me; as a result, create a successful Final Animation Project. After the CSSSA experience, I found out certain characteristics about myself. I already knew that I had the potential to become a future artist, but I realized something much deeper. I realized that I am an independent worker and I have my own ways of supporting my talent, such as taking art classes and experimenting different mediums to expand my artistic skills. I also realized that the things that I do in life can affect another person’s life. Recently, one the younger members of my Girl Scout Troop became interested in the arts just from watching and hearing the things I do to pursue my career in the arts. I didn’t realize this until now and I learned that everyone is watching you whether you notice them or not. What it matters is that you keep a positive image of yourself, so that you can receive a positive feedback later on.