A Love Letter to Offsite
2.16.26
Dear Offsite,
Thank you for the last five years of memories, friendships, and growth. I so vividly remember receiving the email offering me a spot in the second ever cohort. After receiving a rejection a couple weeks prior I was so excited for the opportunity. It was one of those moments where you don’t think, you just say yes and I am so glad that I did. Little did I know that Offsite would change my life. I know this sounds dramatic, but I truly don’t think I would be where I am today without it.
In that first cohort I learned so much. From how to use sketching to communicate to Keyshot skills far above what I learned in school (I didn’t even know how to change the background or rotate an object when I started). Looking back I still don’t know how I managed both school and Offsite, but what I do know is that I loved my Offsite classes so much more. In Offsite I was seeing what it was like to feel truly supported by your instructors and classmates. I was receiving actionable constructive criticism and new perspectives beyond the bubble of my school program. It’s what fueled my passion for addressing the problems within traditional design education. In school industrial design was framed under this lens of competition, but Offsite framed it as community and leveling up no matter your starting point.
One of my biggest takeaways wasn’t in the hard skills, but in finding myself as a designer. Between school and Offsite I was being inundated with a combination of feedback and criticism, so much so that it broke me. One Offsite office hour I found myself tearing up to my instructor and I realized what I had been missing. That year in school I was receiving consistant C’s on my portfolio and was starting to lose confidence in myself as a designer. It was so refreshing to have someone who wants to see you succeed. It made me believe that I didn’t have to fit into this box of what an industrial designer should be and allowed me the freedom to inject more of my personality into my work. I ended up “leaving” Offsite with a new portfolio, a new community, and a new sense of confidence.
The next year I traveled to Chicago on my first solo trip to attend Square One and the first Offsite reunion. This was my second time attending this conference, but this experience was something completely different. This time I knew people, even though we had only ever seen each other through a screen it was like a big family reunion. I’ve been asked countless times what my favorite part of Offsite is/was and my answer has always been the community. It is something so unique and special. A community of designers from all over the world with different perspectives and experiences. When I joined our Slack was at 120 people and now it's over 900. Over the past five years I have spent countless hours on studio zooms sometimes far into the night and they are some of my favorite memories. I have this running joke that the studio is my second home, but it truly feels that way.
Since that first cohort I have taken two electives that left me just as grateful and inspired. After graduating in 2022 I told myself that I wouldn’t take a class for a long time, but then came along a brand new Offsite elective called Breaking In. When I read the description I knew it was exactly what I needed at the time. I once again came out of Offsite with a brand new portfolio that better reflected both me and the next stage of my career. The thing I remember most from this class was my change in mindset. In school I would leave reviews feeling like I wasn’t good enough or that I would never make it in the industry. What I realized is that when in an environment that is supportive and encouraging it doesn’t have to be that way. You can come out of a review feeling inspired to improve and like people can see your potential. As I am sure everyone knows by now the second elective I took was CMF last summer. The obvious takeaway was that I loved CMF so much that I am pivoting my career in that direction. I was once again in class filled with students asking insightful questions and was given feedback that didn’t sound like criticism but curiosity. With each class or social event I’m reminded why I love Offsite so much.
After three years of constant involvement, welcoming new students, promoting Offsite and continuing to join studio calls I was asked to join the experience team. I did all these things simply because I loved Offsite and so deeply believed in the power and potential of this program. I won’t lie getting recognized for my dedication felt good and I was and still am so proud to represent the organization. The experience team was built to help foster community, make sure everyone has the best experience possible, and help Offsite grow and evolve. Being on this team really hit me at Square One in 2024. I was walking around San Francisco with the team, leading students into the spaces, and helping anywhere I could. It was a moment of reflection from the second year student in 2019 attending her first Square One knowing no one to 2024 being on the team.
So this is my love letter to Offsite. Thank you for making me the designer I am today. I’m so grateful for every lesson, every piece of encouragement, and every person who made this community feel like home. I can’t wait to see what the next five years bring.
Love,
Julie
