For my logo design project, I decided to create a circle with lettering on the inside. I chose the circle because it is very scalable and can go on business cards, be used for stickers, can be put on big and small things, along with multiple other uses. This logo relates to my topic because the “S” stands for Seattle and the “P” stands for Pullman. The arrow in the middle is used to represent the move from Seattle to Pullman. 

My design process was pretty simple for the most part. I researched the different types of logos that companies use and read reviews as to what designs they said worked best and which ones did not end up working so well. After reading some reviews and browsing through different logos, I came to the conclusion that using a circle as the main portion of my logo was the best fit. 

I used pretty basic tools in Illustrator to complete the look of my logo. I started by using the ellipse tool to create the outline of the circle. I decided to thicken the stroke in order for the circle to have a more powerful look to it. I set the stroke at a 10. I then used the text tool to type the “S” and the “P.” The font was initially very small on the letters, so I had to adjust it to fit the circle. The final number I came to for the font was 225. I also changed the font to give my logo a little more style. I then used the paint brush tool to draw the arrow separating the two letters. I chose the color red because I thought it was fitting for the Washington State Cougars. I ended up changing the arrow from a straight arrow to a looped one because I thought it looked better and more professional; it also added a little extra something. I actually didn’t experience any problems while using Illustrator; everything was pretty self explanatory and easily accessible. 

The topic I chose to focus on this semester is how college students cope with living away from home and being home sick. I chose this topic because almost all students at some point in their college career become homesick or struggle with living away from their families. Personally, this topic was relevant in my life when I first moved went off to college and I think touches almost everybody in some way, shape, or form. I wanted to set myself up for success when choosing a topic I would be focusing on for the entire semester. To collect photos, audio, and video footage, I plan on using pictures taken showing homesickness during my first semester away, cards written and received from family and friends, evidence of FaceTime and regular calls, and many other resources helpful for this topic. For unit 3, the Adobe Audition unit, I plan on interviewing some of my sorority sisters on whether or not they have ever felt homesick and what they did to cope with that sadness. For unit 4, the storytelling portion, I plan on asking more in depth questions as to how people truly felt about moving away from their families and living on their own. I would like to share some of my inspirations as to why this topic attracted me, so below are some links to other blogs and articles I read regarding the situation. The first blog spoke to me because the author talked about how moving away was extremely difficult, but also the best thing that has ever happened to her. That is exactly how I felt, so I thought the article was very inspirational. The second article is a list of five tips on how to cope with living away from your families, which I believe everyone should take a look at if you ever need advice. The last blog discusses the top worries college students have on their minds when heading off to school. After reading it, I know those fears were ones that were constantly on my mind when I was getting ready to move away, so I found the article very useful and I am sure most people will as well.

https://www.evangel.edu/campus_blogs/2013/01/08/moving-away-from-home-was-the-hardest-and-best-thing-ive-ever-done/

https://www.readyeducation.com/blog/5-tips-for-students-away-from-home

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-the-class/201808/homesickness-and-first-year-college-students