This year marks a decade since I stepped into a university classroom—not as a student, but as a professor.

I was 26. Fresh out of my second degree in Graphic Design, I was invited to teach Editorial Design and Print Production at UJMD, my alma mater and the place where I had just finished a beautiful double academic journey in Communications and Design.

My first job was as a correspondent for a magazine from La Prensa Gráfica. Looking back, it seems writing has always been there for me. I did it for two years, until the format evolved and I started working with one of the most famous cooks in my country. That project didn’t last long, but it showed me how much I loved cooking.

In therapy, I kept circling back to the same kind of crushes. You know the type: sharp, magnetic, well-put-together. Emotionally compelling and intellectually charged — almost like looking into a mirror, in the best (and worst) ways.

For a long time, I believed in the saying that "there's no accounting for taste." However, I have realized this is more myth than reality over time. Taste is not purely arbitrary or entirely personal. Criteria, theories, and principles define what looks beautiful or unattractive, luxurious or inexpensive. While personal preference does play a role, it is not the sole determining factor in how we perceive design, aesthetics, and value.

Life is a journey filled with experiences that shape and challenge us to evolve. Along the way, we face situations that test our strength and offer opportunities to learn and grow. Recently, I found myself reflecting on these moments after experiencing a personal loss. In November 2024, my beloved dog Milo passed away. His absence made me think deeply about the experiences that connect us all—grief, change, and personal challenges. Though difficult, these moments are universal and remind us of our shared humanity.

They say companies don’t exist to fulfill your dreams, but every once in a while, you let yourself imagine what if?…