Reflection Letter:
And here it comes, I find myself writing again. Not for an application, but as a moment to look back. It brings me back to when I first typed my motivation letter. I wrote about RAW as a living classroom but to be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what that would look like in practice, but I hoped it would be something honest.
During my first few days here, everything felt unfamiliar, not in a bad way, but in a way that made me feel I had stepped into something truly truly real. Here, everything seemed to have its own weight. I once asked myself, Why do people here work so hard? Why do they go home so late? And then I realized I was no longer in a space where performance mattered more than process. Here, the process was the performance.
My first task was very simple, but I still felt pressure. I pressured myself to understand end to end design process. Slowly, I began to adjust and then, things became unexpectedly enjoyable. I found myself feeling excited and curious and each small lesson felt so personal to me, because I could already imagine how I might apply it to my own studio work back in college and it made my daily routine feel meaningful.
There was something about the way people moved, talked, and shared space that made it feel lived in. Everyone had their own pace, but they also made space for mine through casual check ins, a quiet nod, or a simple discussion. There were days I made silly mistakes, forgot small details, or sent the wrong file. But no one made me feel like I had failed. Instead, their reminded me that growth is meant to be a little messy sometimes.
Thank you to everyone who made space for me, not just at a desk, but in your thinking, your routines, and your process. To Kak Rick and Kak Yudith, thank you for giving me the chance to be part of this house, even just for a while. And to every kakak kakak who helped me not only professionally, but also personally, your kindness stayed with me in quiet ways.
See you in another time.
My Mayonnaise Jar 