M'sian Designer Goes Viral For Earning RM7K A Month After People Said She'd Have No Future
"I was diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder and I struggled with my mental health when I started my first job," said the web designer.
Growing up in Asia, we frequently hear people criticise the arts industry, and many parents continue to tell their children that doing arts will not pay well
One designer, Edd, was also chastised once for studying Graphic Design at the local public university, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
Edd shared in a tweet that people around her told her that she would have no future in the arts because the industry does not provide many jobs or a promising future.
She then mentioned how much she makes now as a web designer, proving her critics wrong by earning up to RM7,800 for just one project.
Edd also offered some advice to freelancers looking for work online, encouraging other artists to share their work with the world
The 26-year-old said that using social media in this day and age is critical for artists to get jobs, pointing out that platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and even WhatsApp can help boost an artist's profile.
"I have a friend who is also a designer, and she promotes her work on WhatsApp, which lets everyone know that she is offering the service," said Edd.
Aside from promoting creative work online, she also encouraged other artists to be authentic and unique in their work in order to stand out from the crowd.
Despite hearing a lot of criticism while studying Graphic Design, she still encourages others to continue their studies in the field of their choice
"If you are able to afford to go to university, then go for it. I know some people say that you can skip university and just study online to avoid debt, but university life is completely different from learning online," Edd told SAYS.
She added that by attending university, students can get to know their peers, make connections with industry players, and learn from lecturers who know the ins and outs of the industry.
Even though she has achieved success, Edd pointed out that it has not been an easy journey for her.
"I was diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder and I struggled with my mental health when I started my first job. I also struggled with the stigma that came with being a person with a mental illness," said the web designer.
"But I am much more open these days. I don't care if people know about my illness. My illness doesn't define who I am."
Edd's tweet went viral and Malaysians shared their thoughts on the arts industry
One user pointed out that there are still many people who believe that creative design jobs are low-paying.
"Meanwhile, the creative industry is one of the major contributors to the country's gross domestic product (GDP)," they said.
Another commented that UiTM produces the best designers, as well as the most resilient graduates.
"I received an offer to study the same course at UiTM but my parents rejected it," one user lamented.
