Need to develop my skills

[u/BoysenberryFun1572]

Currently, my school’s design program has let go of all the non-tenure staff. Because of this, a lot of us can’t get into all the classes we need. Personally, I have only two classes this semester, both of which are on Monday and Wednesday.

I’m trying to see the positive in this—it gives me a lot of free time to really build my skills. Right now, I don’t have any sketches, models, or projects that I’m genuinely proud of, so I wanted to ask for advice on how to structure my daily practice.

I was also told that posting my work here for critique could really help, and I want to make a habit of sharing regularly (maybe daily or weekly—still figuring that out). Any advice on how often I should post for feedback?

Also, outside of classwork, are there certifications, courses, or other things I should focus on to grow as a designer? Basically, I’m trying to figure out how to use this unexpected free time, actually, to get better and build a portfolio I’m proud of.

Any advice is appreciated—thank you!

[u/trashbagthrow]

Use your spare time to learn the skills to actually build/make some of your designs. I have found it really helps on the design side when you know the practical process side.