Charlene

Squarespace Design Course Graduate 🏆

In the height of the pandemic, we’ve had to transition our courses in university online. The only thing that was motivating me to attend classes are the scheduled times, because otherwise I’ll miss the lecture. For the ones that only have recorded video lectures and a more self-directed learning, I usually would wait until exam period before I even begin to watch the lectures and “study” if ya know what i mean. This course had a more fun and different approach that even university institutions can learn from to make learning both fun and rewarding for students. A DIFFERENT AND FUN APPROACH TO SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

Even if it’s a more self-directed learning and there’s not really any deadlines for each level, you’ve designed the course in a way that actually motivates people to finish a level and eventually reach that 🏆 !! It was so satisfying to see whenever a new level unlocks tbh and to see how far from the finish line I was. And on top of that getting 🍪 rewards when we do so honestly was another factor for me because I’m somehow rewarded with cookies I can later on redeem for MOOORE helpful tips on the course. (Will redeem design critique in the futuuuure wink wink)

THE ACCOUNTABLES CHANNEL 🌈 It’s also very difficult to stay accountable for online courses especially with ones with no due dates like this one, but joining the accountables channel on discord did play a biiig HUGE factor for me to finish the course in a span of 3 months. I don’t think I’ll be able to finish the course in that duration if I didn’t put the deadlines I made for myself out there. Chelli even followed up on my progress when the dates I mentioned have passed (more accountability buddies!!) Telling others somehow makes me accountable to other people too and motivates me to keep my word. I think you also mentioned to stick with those dates and treat it as if we were actually dealing with a client for the projects (might have been in the course or during one of the old recorded office hours not sure). That stuck with me A LOT. It 1) made me respect my time even more, 2) made me start creating that discipline in this line of work, and 3) actually follow through with the dates I’ve set out. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT ITS FINEST I learn best through experience that’s why I loved how even in level 1 we were already doing a website with you walking us through each step. It was a good way to get us familiar with Squarespace’s interface at the same time to start off strong 💪🏼 in the course. After that level, I was so motivated to carry on with level 2 right away, where we learned that different templates belong in one family and thus have same features. (Sidenote: I think you mentioned the templates for 7.1 in level 3 that they all have the same features, but i think it’s worth noting in level 2 as well. Personally, more eager to use 7.1 since they have newer updates.) ROAD TO MAKING WEBSITES WITH CONFIDENCE ✨ In total we did 4 websites in the course. With Brine into Pedro website you showed us the step-by-step process. That helped me in navigating level 3.1 Halcyon with written instructions and introduction to custom css, which was soo fun yet challenging to learn btw!! After that was the level 3.2 Inspo site. It was a good transition from having just written instructions (level 3.1) to just figuring it out ourselves (level 3.2). I became more and more equipped as I progress through the levels to create a new website and eventually have the confidence to make my own from scratch. It didn’t feel like I was tasked to make a website I was not knowledgable to create. I think I just got confused in the process, whether level 3.2 shoud be pixel perfect like the first 2 websites or not, but it was clarified in the #level-3 discord channel though!! DISCORD COMMUNITY GOT YO BACK Whenever I did have questions or confusions, I would ask in the channel and they were very prompt to respond. It usually was either Erin or Crissy that responded in the channel 🫶🏼 Having this platform was very helpful, and tailored to what we were particularly struggling on. Even when I was struggling to decide what website to do in level 3.3, whether to work with an existing brand or do my own website, Erin gave good recommendation to work on an existing one so I'm not working completely from scratch and now I can even use that as spec work. SO MANY HELPFUL RESOURCES There’s so many other resources made available to us. There’s a lot of old recorded office hours that I’ve watched and still learn a lot from, especially with freelancing, or finding clients, or more website specific stuff in ilovecreatives!!! MY DESIGN AESTHETIC SIMPLIFIED At the beginning of the course, you asked what was our aesthetic and back then, it was hard to articulate why I gravitated to those designs. With the 1st round of feedback you gave, it helped me narrow down and proceed with a design direction that I like combined with some personality that’s true to me! Now I can confidently say that I gravitate towards a more editorial and sophisticated look with some playfulness and color in the imagery to make it pop more! The second round of feedback you gave for my site prompted me to even create a site that’s portfolio ready and can kick start my freelancing journey! Might be a long way to go but it’s a start! Your design critiques I really take to heart, gives me an idea of where I can take it a step further. Thank you thank you!!! LEARNING FROM PUNO 🙈 You’re one of the people I look up to in the creative field, so having this course available to many aspiring creative professionals like myself that can follow in your footsteps and can learn from you directly is honestly an opportunity i couldn't miss. (Sidenote: Can there be a creative slashie course package??? LOL) What makes this course different is you’re the one teaching it (wow so cheesy✌🏼)!!! In fact in level 4, you went through how and why you even got into Squarespace Web Design with the circumstances you had before, and I’d say I’m in that same position now - figuring out the career that’s equally fulfilling and stimulating to me at 26, pays the bills of course, and allows me to enjoy life (talk about quarter-life crisis 🫠). Level 4 is probably the one I’d rewatch -- the more I get into freelancing. (Another sidenote: Looking forward to your freelancing course!!!!) The Squarespace Design Course is honestly the most fun and rewarding yet intensive online course I’ve done to date. It allowed me to build on my skills and gradually have the confidence to make websites myself -- with a discord community that has yo back, keeps you accountable to finish the course, and you, a creative slashie and mentor, guiding us each step of the waaaay!! This opened new opportunities for me (I sh*t you not!) I just have to keep on following through and like you said not lose that 🌈 momentum 🌈 !! Thank you again Puno!!! I’ve learned so much from you, really!!! ✨ Thank you for reading my ted talk on why i love the SDC course