I was working for a construction company. It was terrible. I had little time to myself because I was always tired after work. And to be completely honest, the money I made wasn’t worth the backbreaking jobs they gave me. The only good thing it did was help me realize I needed to go back to school to make a better life for myself.

I liked that it was easy to schedule my classes around work. The ability to work and make money without school getting in the way was great, and I was still able to come away with a great education, which inspired me to further my education.

If something ever stumped me, I learned to separate myself from any distractions and dive headfirst into whatever it was that I was doing. If you put your mind to it and add a little creativity, completing your projects will become second nature.

My advice is to get all that you can out of your time at Westwood. There is no truer statement than, “You only get out of it what you put into it.” If you are determined to get a great education, then make it so.

After Westwood, I knew I wanted to pursue higher education and further myself in the art world. To do that, I had to push myself to find the next great school. I am now studying for my master’s degree in illustration with a focus in conceptual art at an art school in San Francisco⁵.

If you are able to provide for yourself and the people in your life, then you are successful. The ability to go out into the world and do anything you want in today’s tough economic times shows that you have succeeded in life. It also shows that you worked hard to get where you are, and no one can deny you that fact.