Growing up, I had no clue about who or what I would become. The uncertainty of it all used to worry me, even though I knew I had a deep love for art. I can still recall those elementary school days when, one sunny day in the hallways, someone sketched Articuno (the Pokémon), and I was completely captivated by how they made that Pokémon come to life on paper.

Deep down, I knew I wanted to do the same, to breathe life into characters through my art. But back then, I wrongly believed that you had to be born with some kind of innate talent to pursue art.

At that point, I began drawing more and more, and my passion led me to set my sights on an art high school program. It's worth noting that this desire arose when I was already in the 9th grade. Through dedicated practice, I managed to secure a spot in the art school I had my heart set on, and my journey officially started in 10th grade.

As I continued my artistic journey into 11th grade, I began to solidify my dream of becoming an artist. It was during this time that I gave it my all and started envisioning a career as a League Splash art illustrator, inspired by the artists I had long admired (and still hold in high regard to this day).

The pandemic made its entrance right at the end of my senior year in high school. As a result, my first year at an official art university was entirely online, which, surprisingly, wasn't all that bad. However, during that initial year, I couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. Doubts crept in, and I began to question whether it was worth my time.

It was during this period that I started considering a different path: teaching myself art and redirecting the funds I would have used for schooling into my own artistic journey. I'd like to highlight that I was pursuing a degree in Illustration, a field distinct from other forms of art like animation or graphic design. Interestingly, many jobs in these fields require a degree, but with Illustration, it's a bit different; a degree isn't always necessary, which played a significant role in my decision.

Once my first year came to an end, I had a heart-to-heart with my parents. I expressed my desire to take a year off, travel, and see how I felt about my artistic pursuits after that.