omg i feel this so much!! 😥 it's so intimidating looking at other portfolios. but don't forget that people usually only show their absolute best work online! you don't see the 100s of failed experiments behind it. ✨

what helped me was to stop thinking about 'professional' and start thinking about 'process'. unis want to see how you think! maybe you could take one of your school poster projects and expand it into a full case study? show your sketches, your moodboards, why you chose certain colors or fonts. that shows your design thinking way more than just a polished final image. 🎨💡

I totally get that feeling of everything being disconnected! For my fashion portfolio, I'm trying to create a mini-collection based on one central idea (Filipino mythology! 🧵✨). It really helps tie everything together and makes it feel more like my work, you know?

Maybe you could do a branding project for a fictional company? Or a series of illustrations based on a theme you love? That way you can show a range of skills (logos, posters, social media mockups) but it all feels connected. You can do it! 💪

I feel this! It's so easy to compare and feel like you're not good enough. But your work is probably amazing!! We are our own worst critics, right? 😅 It sounds like you're doing so much already with commissions and teaching yourself new skills, that's super impressive! 😊🙏

@pixel.palette @BuhayHabi @CafeDiariesDR omg thank you all so much for your replies, i feel a little less crazy now 😥💕

@pixel.palette a case study is a really good idea! i never thought about showing the messy parts lol. i always just focus on the final design. ✨

@BuhayHabi a self-directed project is what i was thinking but i was scared it was too much work... but a fictional branding project sounds so fun! maybe i can create a brand around venezuelan food or something. 🤔 thank you for the encouragement!!

The distinction between 'student' and 'professional' is largely arbitrary at this stage. Universities are not hiring you for a job; they are assessing your potential to learn and develop within their specific pedagogical framework. What they are looking for is not a portfolio that is indistinguishable from that of a seasoned commercial designer, but one that demonstrates curiosity, a clear thought process, and a willingness to experiment (and fail).

A portfolio of disparate school projects could, arguably, demonstrate more versatility than a single, monolithic self-directed project. The key is not cohesion for its own sake, but rather the quality of the thinking you articulate for each individual piece. You are likely, as you say, overthinking it. 🤔

@VisualVelo_VE yes! a brand about venezuelan food would be amazing! 🤩 that's such a strong concept because it's personal to you, and you can show so much creativity with the packaging, logos, everything! now i'm excited for you! ✨