Jonas

Q%How did you come to pursue your design studies?

A%I’ve always been interested in design and art in school, but during my mandatory internship in 9th grade, I worked at the German Sport University, and I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. I completed my training as an emergency paramedic and then went on to study medicine in Poland. During the COVID period, I realized that it wasn’t the right path for me, so I dropped out. Struggling to find purpose in my career path I fell back on my Design interest and decided that it was time to give that a shot. Since I wanted to stay in my hometown after studying abroad previously, the only option for a design degree was KISD. I applied and was lucky enough to be accepted. I transitioned almost seamlessly from one degree to the next, as I still had to complete my internship. In hindsight it wouldn’t have hurt to take aa little time off in between.

Q%Does your current studies cover all of your interests? Or do you pursue them in other forms outside of your studies?

A%I’m not sure if I would say my interests are fully addressed in my studies. Especially in the first semesters, it’s hard to find courses that are specifically tailored to oneself, which I don’t necessarily see as a bad thing. For example, I’ve completely separated my interest in fashion design from university. Although I both sew and print clothes in my spare time, I’ve only visited the Textile Lab and the Screen Printing Lab once each. So, I’m currently pursuing my design interest separately from the university. 

Q%Do you work alongside your studies or dedicate all your time to it?

A%I do work on the side, but it’s not design-related. I work as a waiter in a restaurant – it’s a minijob. That means I spend about 80 percent of my time on my studies and 20 percent on work. I’m hoping to get a design-related student job or something similar soon, but I’m currently finding it difficult to apply.

Q%What is the thematic focus of your studies right now, or do you have multiple focuses?

A%Honestly, I haven’t fully discovered that yet. There are still courses and design areas that I get to try out for the first time because, for various reasons, I haven’t participated in a project or seminar in those areas before. For example, last semester, I had my first experience with service design, which I found really interesting. I’m noticing that I enjoy Design Thinking and Design Concepts – the kind of approach that Professor Großhans offers. I find the idea of learning design as a principle and being able to apply it across various fields really appealing. However, I haven’t found a specific area like graphic design that I’d consider my true calling or talent. My interest in fashion is more of a personal pursuit outside of university, and I had already worked with programs like Illustrator and Photoshop, which had a more graphic design focus. But I find that area a bit too simple or boring – even though it’s probably not. I just don’t really identify with it. So, I’m still searching for the design area that best fits me. We’ll see if I find it.

Q%Are there any specific projects or outcomes you’re particularly proud of?

A%My intermediate project has been a lot of fun in the process. I’m working on it right now. I did it with a fellow student – we filmed a documentary about dental jewelry. It’s been a really fun experience, and I’m curious to see how the final result turns out. I hope I’ll be satisfied with it.

Overall, I’ve most enjoyed projects where I was able to work in groups with other students and have a lot of freedom in reaching an outcome. Projects like building theater set designs or a collaboration with Kat18, the artist house in Köln Südstadt, have been some of my favorites.

I love these open-ended projects, where we can all collaborate, showcase our individual strengths, and organize ourselves, ultimately resulting in something tangible and concrete. These are the types of projects that have been the most rewarding for me so far.

Q%Are there any specific experiences or insights you’ve gained in your current studies that you could pass on to other students? Are there things you would do differently now, knowing what you know?

A%My advice would be, especially at the beginning, to just attend the courses you’re assigned. Don’t get too caught up in not getting the exact courses you chose. The opportunity to explore different design fields is a really valuable and unique aspect of KISD, and you should definitely take advantage of that and simply accept that it’s part of the concept. And it works – it has worked for the last 40 or 50 years, so it’s a good thing. I sometimes have to remind myself of that.

Other than that, just work hard to collect credits and write reports.

Q%How do you envision your career after graduation? What do you need to feel fulfilled, and where would you like to work?

A%Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea. I think the bachelor’s degree won’t be the last stop on my educational journey. I can imagine pursuing a master’s afterwards, or even a completely different bachelor’s degree – maybe something a bit more traditional, or even considering an apprenticeship. I spent many years in the healthcare sector and I feel that if I don’t spontaneously decide to study service design and start working on things like emergency routes in hospitals, then those years are kind of “lost.” I think this degree would make more sense if it were built upon something I’ve already experienced.

So, I honestly have no idea what I’ll do in the future. Right now, I’m just focused on finishing my studies and hoping that I’ll end up on the right path. Sometimes it worries me that I don’t have a clear focus or a specific goal in mind.