Embracing Change: Senior Year, Portfolio Pieces, and What’s Next
8/19/24 - First Day of Senior Year!
I am currently a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At face value, this sounds really exciting– Yay, only 1 more year of school left for the rest of my life!
Until I think about it for a second more...
No more seeing my best friends every single day. No more early morning lifts and late afternoon gymnastics practices. No more nights studying for exams. No more living with my teammates who have the same schedule as me. No more looking forward to syllabus week (AKA the easier week of the semester).
Don’t get me wrong, I am ready to finally begin my career after going to school for 17 years straight, but the thought of how different my life will look a year from now is extremely daunting and overwhelming. I feel like just yesterday I was setting up my freshman year dorm room at Brown University, and this time next year I will be in a different city, with new friends, a new apartment, no longer a gymnast, and a salary. (The last two are what really get me)
Aside from my anxious thoughts for future-Taylor, I know I have to put those aside and proactively put myself in a position to be successful. For me, this means refining my resume, updating my LinkedIn regularly, applying to jobs daily, making networking connections, and adding pieces to my UX portfolio.
I have made great strides in all of these categories, except for my portfolio. To be completely transparent, this is where I am lacking the most. I feel like my lack of portfolio pieces has gotten me turned away from numerous job opportunities since this is where you can showcase your work and design thinking process to employers to stand out.
In other words, right now I'm perfectly blending in with everyone else with my current portfolio -- not somewhere that I want to be when applying for jobs.
Going forward, I am working on building up my portfolio from projects I do in class but also ones that I do on my own time.
One in particular that I am currently in the beginning phases of is an app for student-athletes across all sports and divisions. This app serves as a tool for student-athletes to organize their busy schedules and help them reach various goals. Tentative features of the app include:
Workout Tracking (including reps and weight)
Schedule Management (Lift, Practice, Rehab, etc.)
Goal Setting and Tracking
Nutrition and Hydration Tracking
Recovery and Injury Management
Sleep and Wellness Monitoring
Habit Tracking
Team Progress Sharing and Leaderboards
Integration with Wearables (Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc.)
Mental Wellness Tracking
Customizable Data Sharing with Coaches/Trainers
Performance Analytics
Coach/Trainer Dashboard
Injury History & Rehab Tracking
As a current student-athlete, I have a unique perspective on the importance of an app such as this. Not only can my perspective help guide the initial stages of the app’s design, but I also have access to a wide variety of perspectives from my teammates, athletes on other teams, coaches, and athletic trainers.
This app represents more than just a portfolio piece – it’s a reflection of my own experience as a student-athlete as I juggle multiple priorities while also trying to stay healthy, motivated, and in the best position to reach my personal and team goals. I’m excited to not only build something that could genuinely help athletes like myself but will also showcase my UX design skills in a meaningful, practical way.
As I navigate my final year, my focus is on growth – both personally and professionally.
The idea of entering a new chapter is intimidating, but it’s also exciting knowing it is filled with endless opportunities. With every networking call, job application, and portfolio project, I’m taking steps toward a future that I have wholeheartedly worked hard for. It’s daunting, yes, but it’s also motivating to think about the potential of what comes next.
So, here’s to embracing the unknown, to refining my craft, and to facing the future head-on!
🌟 Taylor
P.S. Ideas and input are 100% welcome for my app for student-athletes.
