By Flavia Ventura

Rollercoaster

And just like that we have reached the end of term one. Quite the emotional rollercoaster if you ask me. The newbie excitement of the beginning has faded away big time, dragging the ‘don’t know what this will be like’ attitude with it. Now shit has gotten real (sort of as according to Marc this is only 30%)

At this point the ‘I have just started, my work is going to be shit’ doesn’t count anymore, we know how to produce shitty-but-not-absolutely-shit-ads, so we better make them and deliver them right on deadline. The pressure has gone higher, the work load has grown and we are now expected to produce work, real work. No more imaginary animals, products or thank you cards – shit has gotten real.

As the time progressed I have felt all sort of ways, there were times when I have felt on the top of the world and times when I have felt buried under the ocean – projects have become the only thing that really matters. Caring about ‘work’ so much, I have found to get in the way of good ideas. I am slowly learning, with the help of masterclasses and of my other fellow penguins that stress won’t help. What kept me sane this entire time was the thought that no matter how unhappy of a project I might have been, there would always be another one, another opportunity to shine.

I have, maybe a bit too much, immersed myself in the school/advertising world and I am now not really able to ‘do’ life without it. In other words, I have become socially awkward. Half the times I meet new people, I am not sure what to talk about…they’re not in advertising, they just don’t get it. How can they understand something I don’t fully understand myself? And also, why would they care?

My socially ‘awkwardess’ didn’t come as a surprise, mentors have warned us ‘Collect dots, do things outside advertising’ yes sure, I am trying my best but the more times goes on the more tired I become. I am excited to finally be able to do new things and starting new projects during break, and hopefully going back to my normal self. I believe in fact that I have reached a point where if I don’t want to become full on psychopathic I need to distance myself from London.

By looking around the room this past week, I believe I am not the only one, we all look like we need a break (you guys still look beautiful when tired, not to worry). It is time to recharge the batteries and come back stronger for a fantastic second semester.