up next: co-op and...thesis

Now that the chair quarter is over, the next- and last- step of my industrial design education (at least at the undergrad level...) is the thesis. Pretty much starting with the first of the year, I will embark on my thesis project. The thing to think about now is...what will that be? It's a big and daunting question that is best thought about now, before the real pressure is on.

The senior thesis is supposed to be your piece de resistance, the way in which you propose to save the world, or at least get a job offer. It should be interesting enough to focus on for two quarters, or twenty weeks, and it ought to be big and innovative. It is the cherry on top of the bachelor of science sundae.

I figure a good way to start is to think of categories-

1. FOOD! It sounds ridiculous, but I really love food, and not just for eating. I like the way it looks, the process of cooking, the history behind food, and cultural practices revolving around food. I love diners more for their patrons than for their cuisine. There has to be a thesis in there somewhere.

2. TOYS! I have tried to deny it for awhile, but I feel a great affinity towards kids and toys. I think its the fact that toys make people happy, and I think that is a valid cause to work toward. The only thing is, it is hard to get anyone to pay attention to you and recognize you as a valid, talented designer when your portfolio is full of toys. I think there is an opportunity in this category to create something with meaning- maybe overlapping toys with medical products, or proposing toys with a positive environmental impact.

3. ORGANIZATION!/STUFF MINIMIZATION! This is something that I am not always great at, but I recognize that as an opportunity. Moving (in my case for different co-op assignments) is always a chore because it is a constant juggle of loads of stuff. It has gotten better with practice and a better understanding of what you actually need, but its still rough. How can I help others and myself streamline living? Get rid of the excess? And do that without increasing landfills?

That's where I am for now, and I am always open to suggestions. I would love for my thesis to be a real home-run, and I believe the best way for that to happen is through collaboration.