Happy New Year! Yes, I realize I’m somewhat late in wishing everyone that, but it’s okay. I apologize for my lack of updating, both in deviations and journal entries... along with comments. The past few months have been kind of... blurry in a few ways. I’ve been going through quite a bit, however I refuse to sit here and complain about the past. We must look forward, into the future; and I am. I’ve set some goals for myself, not only ones that concern art, but also ones that concern life in general, in other ways. There are certain and particular things that I want to accomplish this year, and of course in the years following this one also. I won’t get into my personal goals, though I will share my artistic goals.

I received a great deal of art supplies from my grandparents for Christmas. I’ve added all of those to my pre-existing art supplies and I’ve finally realized just how much is in my collection of materials. I must put them to use, all of them. I want to begin by keeping a daily sketch book like we were supposed to in high school. As you can probably tell, I didn’t do that then either. Actually, now that I think about it, Jonathan was the only one who ever did that sort of thing regularly... and it shows so much too. I want to make a habit of doing this... sketching any and everything that comes to mind. Any and everything that I possibly can. If I do this continuously, I imagine that my skills and talents will improve a wee bit, maybe even more than that. We shall see.

Not only do I want to sketch, but I also want to work more in other mediums. I want to become comfortable with them, I want to feel as though I truly know what I’m doing with them. And once again, those things should evolve and develop over a period of time through practice. There’s so much more that I want to do, that I want to learn, that I want to master. Hopefully all of these things will happen if I truly dedicate and devote myself to art entirely. This is after all, what I want to do with my life... so it’s totally worth it.

I graduated from Pleasant Valley High School on June 13, 2003... and due to circumstances beyond my control, I wasn’t able to attend college right away like the majority of my peers did. Please don’t get me wrong... I wanted to, I wanted to more than anything. I just couldn’t do so. I’m more than lucky that I even graduated on time with my class. Things have changed for the better. I’m going to go to college... no matter what. There isn’t anyone or anything that is going to stand in my way this time. It will happen... I guarantee it, I promise it.

It’s unfortunate to say this, however I believe that well over half of the students attending college directly out of high school don’t realize what an opportunity they’ve been given. They’ve been given a chance to better themselves, to obtain experience and knowledge and above all else, conquer and succeed at their hopes and dreams. But... they take that for granted. They spend more time partying; drinking alcohol and doing drugs... having random and casual sex just because and so on and so forth. They’re being careless and irresponsible... and in some aspects, selfish. I think that since I haven’t been able to attend college yet, I realize how lucky I’ll be once I’m finally able to do so and partake in all that it has to offer me. I’ll appreciate it more this way, much more. I don’t want to be the typical college student, I won’t be that person; I want to go above and beyond. I must make something of myself. I’m not saying that I’ll do that entirely by attending college, but ultimately it will happen, and college will have been a significant part of it... for me that is, this isn’t true for everyone.

I recall being in kindergarten... we had to do a presentation about ourselves at some point during the year. We had to tell about ourselves, who we were and who we wanted to be. I aspired to be a teacher then... just a teacher, I had no specific type in mind then. As years passed, this held true until seventh grade. We had to do a similar sort of project that year... though on a more educated and mature level. Something changed from kindergarten to seventh grade. I had this fascination with undertakers. I had decided that I wanted to be a coroner though; they seemed more important or something. I was curious about death and the things that went along with it. Dissection also interested me much. Perhaps it was a combination of those two things that intrigued me, I’m not sure. As the years went by though, that decision didn’t feel right.

It was in tenth grade when I realized that I wanted to be an art teacher. It seemed perfect... and it still seems that way today. There’s something about the thought that I’ve always loved. I enjoyed art in high school... much more than any other elective or subject. Those were the only classes that I looked forward to each and every day. I skipped classes very often, especially during senior year, though never once did I skip an art class. In fact, when I did skip classes, I’d spend the duration of the period in one of the two art rooms, always sitting at the same table and usually with the same people. — [My art buddies. ... Oh, I miss them so.] — I love art and I have a passion for it within me. I can’t picture myself doing anything else in life... I don’t even want to try.

To this day, I still remember my art teachers and the effects that they had on me vividly. I remember what they taught me and I remember how they helped me... with so much. They honestly had an impact on me and left behind a real impression. I want to have the same effects on students someday. I want to be the one who introduces them to art; I want them to see the things that are before them, but more so, I want them to look past that and find a deeper meaning and purpose within the artwork... I want them to find the real value of it. I want them to walk away with something... something different and unique, something all their own. I want to open their eyes to these things... and should they need me, I want to be there to help and teach them along the way. I want to make a difference somehow... even if it’s just to one individual.

I’m torn between three colleges as of right now... each appeals to me in its own special way. If I were able to make the perfect college, it would definitely come from the combination of these three. Haha. I’m determined to get into at least two out of three of these colleges though... and from that, I’ll hopefully be able to figure out which college will be best for me. Before I write about the colleges, I must explain my situation. I’m twenty years old and have been living in the same tiny town my entire life; I’ve barely ventured out of it and its surrounding areas. I’m afraid and scared to do so, more than I’d like to admit, however I know that I must... and that if I don’t do it soon, the chances of it ever happening are diminished greatly. The colleges are as follows:


The University of the Arts
320 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA. 19102

Tuition: $22,910
Room and Board: $6,600
Books and Supplies: $ 2,000
Estimated Personal Expenses: $2,000 - $4,000
Total Approximate Cost: $32,910 - $34,910 per year

Ever since I realized what I’m meant to do in life, this has been the college that I’ve dreamt of attending. I fell in love with it immediately and still do love it to some extent. My feelings for it have lessened slightly... I don’t know why though. Maybe my nerves have just gotten the better of me when it comes to this or something. The location makes me happy, for various reasons. It honestly is an unbelievable art school... it’s awesome in every sense of the word. The only thing that bothers me about it is what you see above; the cost is... expensive to say the least.


Temple University’s Tyler School of Art
7725 Penrose Avenue
Elkins Park, PA. 19027

Tuition: $9,102 - $14,130 [Depending on campus and course of study.]
Room and Board: $8,000
Books and Supplies: $800
Estimated Personal Expenses: $2,000 - $4,000
Total Approximate Cost: $10,902 - $26,930 per year

Hum... I’m not exactly sure what to write about this college. Of the three, this is my least favorite. I say that, however I can’t list reasons of why this is. It’s not that I don’t believe it’s an awesome art school; I’m positive that it is... perhaps it hasn’t touched me like the other two have. The thing that I like best about this college, and of the three colleges is the cost of it; it’s by far much more affordable than they are. I don’t want my decision to come down to money, though it may have to. We shall see.


Moore College of Art and Design
The Parkway at 20th Street
Philadelphia, PA. 19103

Tuition: $21,250
Room and Board: $8,013
Books and Supplies: $2,000
Estimated Personal Expenses: $2,000 - $4,000
Total Approximate Cost: $33,250 - $35,250 per year

Let me say it right away... the thing that annoys me most about this college is the fact that it’s all-female. I have nothing against females, I’m one myself, however I seem to get along with males more often. Another thing that annoys me about this college is the cost of it. Why must it be so expensive? Despite all of that, I like this college a lot... quite a bit. I have a feeling that I’d be comfortable there... that I could be myself there. I think that I could create and experiment there... and maybe make amazing things. I don’t get these feelings when I think about the other two.


Goodness... I don’t know what to do! Any advice would be more than appreciated. I’ll thank you in advance. Hehe. I’m so sorry for the length of this entry, but it was necessary that I vented about all of this... I needed to finally let it out. I’ll have updates on everything soon; submissions, journal entries and comments too. Please take care... and have a happy and healthy new year!