Hello, all. My name is Cailey Birchem, and I’m a designer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, currently pursuing my masters degree in MCAD’s MFA program in interdisciplinary design. My works serve as a mode of communication whose purpose is not only to visually provoke thought, but to also articulate complicated situations and provide a method of documentation, better known as storytelling. Since the start of my college career, back in 2015, I’ve been freelancing on a professional level. When I count the years, it doesn’t seem real; however, the business-related lessons I’ve learned have multiplied over time, in only the way time can do. I made the conscious decision to work as a designer all these years ago while simultaneously learning how to be a designer. Might seem it a little backwards to some, but it really paid off in the long run. From recurring invoicing to tax forms, it feels like a second language at this point. When I was first deciding whether to freelance through college, I had been romanticizing in my mind, making myself believe it wasn’t going to be a distraction from my educational path. Quickly, I discovered I was spending more time freelancing for clients than I was designing/studying for class when I compared myself to my fellow peers who were working stable, predictable jobs. After grappling with the idea of quitting all together, I decided to try a few schedule-design techniques, and now here I am today: still freelancing successfully in college. Planning has been something I’ve always enjoyed doing. Blocking out my schedule in a grid, and giving myself a set number of hours in a day designated to a specific set of tasks was the most successful form of schedule design I’ve found. Making lists and crossing items off, regardless of how big or small, gives me an adrenaline high — that’s the designer in me, I think. My passion for design, from trade show exhibits to digital/print collatorial, attracted clients from the fields I was networking in. Up until recently, I used to have a steady flow of clients, always shifting and changing, but they were always the amount I needed to make sure my bills were paid. Until COVID-19 hit the economies of my clients, it all seemed like a fool-proof plan of attack. Lately, things haven’t been as bright and cheery in the world of self employment, but the news channels could have told you that. I’ve been coping by burying myself in class work to distract from the lack of influx in my checking account. Luckily, I’ve gained a few new clients, including With the Wind Winery, but it can feel like one step forward and four steps back if I think about it too long. Oh, another joy of self employment. Sometimes there isn’t enough class work in a day to make my block schedule look diverse enough to commit to. I’ve been filling the time with writing — writing for pure enjoyment and nothing less. Before this point in my life, I’ve never been able to explore this branch of my work, and I’m looking forward to finding ways to tie it into my practice. All things have a silver lining. Categories Student Profile