2. 1. Technology matters, and access matters, but
that’s not what you need to learn. Technology will
change. The principles of design and of rhetoric,
the thought processes, and the ability to see in a
new, nuanced way is what matters. Given a long
day and an equipped computer, you can learn
Photoshop. Learning to know how to make
something in Photoshop that is amazing takes so
much more thought than editing.

3. 2. Talent is talent, but nothing says
success like practice. Don’t EVER
stop, if you’re doing what you want
to be doing. You will get better.

4. 3. Failing doesn’t mean what you
thought it did when you got here, to
Oxford, OH. You’re going to try and fail
and try and fail and try and fail your
entire life. You have to understand that
NO ONE succeeds without first failing.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is a
filthy liar.

5. 4. You need to make stuff to know the world and
to be valuable in the world. Anyone can buy stuff.
Anyone can talk about the quality of stuff. YOU
NEED TO MAKE STUFF! MAKE STUFF! Tear
stuff up. Redesign stuff.

6. 5. While it might not seem like it right now, in the
end, there’s no real value with being “like
everyone else.” Know what it is you’ll stand for,
and STAND FOR IT. Work for it. Be someone. Make
moves that matter. Use the education you’re being
blessed with and the talents and skills you’ve
honed to go out there and make stuff happen.

7. 5. While it might not seem like it right now, in the
end, there’s no real value with being “like
everyone else.” Know what it is you’ll stand for,
and STAND FOR IT. Work for it. Be someone. Make
moves that matter. Use the education you’re being
blessed with and the talents and skills you’ve
honed to go out there and make stuff happen.