post-grad food for thought
recollecting my past four years at Parsons and counting my blessings.
hello there! after months of sitting on my “to-do" list, tucked away behind the chaos of graduation season, this newsletter finally seeing the light of day. to be real here, i didn’t wake up a few hours ago with a lightning bolt of inspiration—just enough solitude to let the writing flow 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝
the desire to start a newsletter can be traced to a simmer of sorts—it was quiet but undeniable. Maybe it began with reading are.na editorial, or tenderherbs on Instagram (now also wonderfully featured on Substack), or whenever a new Common Discourse newsletter was published. these newsletters felt so intimate and personal, almost as if the writers spoke directly to me. they were a solace in times when i felt lost, inherently guiding me to write this today. hope you enjoy.
a brief of my undergrad experience:
I started Parsons in the fall of 2020 and spent my freshman year online. Yes, it wasn’t the best financial decision, but taking a gap year wasn’t in the picture either.
I majored in Communications Design. While I loved my concentration, many of my electives were unrelated. For instance, during my last semester, I took Intro to Social Psychology and Translation Lab, both within my areas of interest (culture and language). As a generalist, the pro is the curiosity to learn and the willingness to be “bad” at a new subject. It allowed me to adapt quickly and apply soft skills to my own field. The con was that I missed out on certain design courses and creating close connections with my peers.
Looking back, I knew this was the right path for me. I never regretted any of the electives I took; each one has gifted me something valuable for now or the near future. Why would I force myself to fit in when I knew book design didn’t spark joy, and coding only came as far as the basics for me? I have a good eye, so my typography is strong. I hold a sharp intuition, so my art direction choices speak to the narrative. Most importantly, I rarely feel stuck because being a generalist means having many cards to pull from. It’s a blessing to find your own path and walk it with ease.
Some tips I hold near and dear
Be a Generalist 👩🎓
Communication design is essential in nearly every industry. Whether promoting a service or product, graphic design is integral. Designers are taking up more seats at the table than ever before, especially in a world full of distractions. More positions now demand strong typography skills alongside the basics of marketing, strategy, copywriting, and art direction. Your comfort zone is shrinking.
Make it Your Oyster 🦪
The best practice I had at Parsons was using as many resources as possible. Art school is incredibly expensive, so make everything count. Take classes you might never have the chance to take again—letterpress, bookmaking, poetry, cinematography, machine knitting. The design lab and making center are the bread and butter of your education, so take the orientations early. Make friends with the technicians. Use your student email! I contacted several designers for interviews or coffee chats through my New School email and received responses. Don’t be afraid to stay a bit longer after class and chat with the professor. As a post-grad, I continue finding resources in the city that support creatives. Check out local venues and studios at book fairs and zine fairs. Go to AIGA events; it's even better to volunteer and meet other designers. Cooper Union, RISD, and Parsons CD offer lectures that are uploaded on YouTube. Public libraries have many great online archives. Being resourceful is a strong suit.
Beautiful Things Grow in the Sun! 🌱
This is something I wish I had acknowledged earlier. Until my last year in college, I held my work too closely to my heart, afraid to show others and insecure about their reactions. This led to little growth in my creative process and missed opportunities to exchange ideas. Letting go of perfection in every piece of work I do was true liberation, spreading into other areas of life as well.
A few shoutouts!
Below are some wonderful faculties I had the pleasure to meet and whose dedication to a better design education should not go unnoticed. Thank you all.
Pascal Glissman → Visual Archive (2021) | Your method of teaching brings new perspectives, leads discussions, and sheds light on how design education should be. Thank you.
Minhwan Kim → Core 2: Typography (2022) | Forever grateful for your guidance from sophomore year to final thesis. Your work will always inspire me.
Ross Gendels → CD Studio: Systems for Brands (2022) | Thank you for your generosity and transparency. Base rules!
Charlotte Von Hardenburgh → Type Design: Punches to Pixels (2023) | The most spirited and kind-hearted professor with impeccable style. Thanks, Charlotte <3
Torin Blankensmith → Digital Development: Touchdesigner (2024) | Thank you for preaching the importance of being a generalist and sharing your stories. You are inspiring.
Prin Limphongpand + Ingrid Chou → Core 4: Thesis (2024) | The best thesis faculty duo I could’ve asked for. Your passion and dedication in design education will always stay with me.
Reads and listens
Many more are collected over years in this are.na channel.
Range by David Epstein
The Design Method by Eric Karjaluoto
This really old blog by Eric Hu (it’s full of gem)
Common Discourse newsletter by Alex Tan and Alice Otieno
Any CD lecture series from Parsons
Thank you for being here!
My name is Cynthia Huiwen Tan and this is a work in progress as I navigate around this new routine of writing and sharing. I am a designer based in New York City, originally from Toronto. You can see me running around the city or making a nice cup of cortado at home. You can find me on Instagram or are.na.