If I were a pencil, my last semester at Cornell Engineering was the meanest, harshest sharpener I've ever met. Wore my self-esteem and confidence down to a sad little nub.

I've been seeping in an emotional and creative slump the past several months. I felt like I just couldn't do anything. I felt helpless and pathetic. Like no matter what I did, I'd probably just end up disappointing myself anyway, so why try? Good lord, depression's awful!

Happily, though I think I'm finally climbing out of that dark place. I'm hoping to start an art journal to work my way through the rest of it. I made my first spread last night! And I've made three legitimate pieces in the past two weeks. Considering where I'm coming from, that's a huge accomplishment.

I also just ordered a new digital camera! That should certainly help with referencing and resourcing. I've been doing without one for ten months now, and when you're so busy, it's crucial to be able to capture something inspiring in a snap. And I just got finished reformatting my PC, so I can actually run Photoshop and Painter again without having my computer crash - literally - every five minutes.

Hopefully the next few weeks will see ten times more productivity than the past three months. I've got my determination back, and stronger than ever.

--Kat