This concept highlights the shift from being a student who completes assignments to a creative who builds work with intention, growth, and career goals in mind. It’s about showing that strong portfolios are made through process, iteration, and learning, not perfection. The short form video would open with an unfiltered starting point. A rough draft on my laptop, handwritten notes from class, messy Photoshop layers, or an unfinished layout. I’d frame it as a real moment many creative students experience, having an idea but not knowing exactly how to elevate it yet. From there, the video follows the transformation of that idea using Adobe Creative Cloud tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, and InDesign. Rather than rushing to the final product, the focus would be on the middle. Refining typography, fixing mistakes, experimenting with layouts, and applying feedback. I’d use voiceover to explain why I’m making certain choices and how I’m thinking about this project beyond the classroom, specifically how it could live in a portfolio, pitch deck, or internship setting. This reinforces how Creative Cloud supports real world skill building and creative confidence. The story style static asset would act as a visual checkpoint in the journey. A clean before and after comparison or a progress slide showing the evolution of the work with simple text like “concept → craft” or “student work → career ready.” It would feel polished but still grounded in real effort and growth. What makes this concept stand out is that it speaks to ambition. It shows peers what it actually looks like to take creative work seriously, how industry standard tools shape that process, and how students can begin thinking like professionals before they even graduate. It’s honest, motivating, and rooted in progress, showing that careers are built through intention and iteration, not just assignments.

Yes, I’m a student in the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and I use Adobe applications very frequently through both my coursework and creative projects. I have hands on experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, InDesign, and Premiere Pro. I regularly use Photoshop for photo editing, retouching, and creating social media assets, and Illustrator for graphic design work such as branding elements, layouts, and visual concepts. I use Adobe XD for digital design projects, including website layouts and user experience focused assignments. InDesign has been a key tool for presentations, editorial style layouts, and written creative projects, while Premiere Pro is my go to for editing short form video content, especially TikToks, reels, and campaign style videos. Because of my Newhouse coursework and internships, I’m very comfortable moving between these platforms and using them together to create cohesive visual and digital content.

I feel strongest creating both video and static content, but I lean more heavily into video, especially on TikTok. TikTok feels more authentic to my personality because it allows me to share my voice, my routine, and my real experiences in a natural, unfiltered way. Through day in the life videos, get ready with me content, and styling clips, I’m able to tell a fuller story and build a genuine connection with my audience. I use Instagram more as an editorial space. That’s where I focus on curated photos, carousels, and polished visuals that highlight outfits, details, and styling in a more elevated way. I love pairing the two platforms so the same look lives in different formats. TikTok captures the movement, personality, and process, while Instagram showcases the final look in a more styled and aspirational way.