My first exposure to design came when I created a character card for my online persona—a playful way for my friends to learn more about me. The moment I opened that web design software, something clicked, and I was hooked immediately. At 15, though, I wasn’t thinking of design as a career. It was just an outlet at a time when everything else felt uncertain.

Years later, after navigating the highs and lows that naturally come with figuring out your future at 18, I finally sat down for a brutally honest conversation with myself. In that moment of clarity, I realized pursuing design felt like the most natural next step.

Looking back, many of my hobbies happened to be art, design, and aesthetic-related, whether that's (1) playing video games, which transported me to intricate worlds filled with rich stories and boundless exploration, (2) collecting trinkets, where each object held a story, sparking curiosity about how objects, no matter how small, can carry meaning and evoke emotion, (3) watching animations, which offered a window into lives and perspectives far beyond my own, and (4) making pottery, where shaping clay taught me the value of iteration, patience, and the beauty of imperfection.

Now, as a designer, I aim to create with that same intensity—crafting experiences that not only captivate but connect. UX design allows me to blend creativity with empathy, shaping human-centered solutions that resonate with users, just as these moments resonated with me.