First Year Reading Experience

Research and Process

As I started this project, I knew there was a lot at stake and jumped right into finding imagery in the book to use in my design. The one metaphor that kept popping up was The Trolley Problem. Schur mentions The Trolley Problem in almost every chapter of the book, even having an entire chapter dedicated to this metaphor. 

 

Knowing I would use this imagery, I decided to build a trolley out of construction paper to mimic the playfulness and childlike energy that Schur uses in his language and writing style. The point of the book is to “dumb down” philosophy in a way that even young people can understand. While providing texture and visual interest, the use of construction paper also allowed me to capture this youthfulness. Additionally, the imperfections in both the wrinkled paper as well as the trolley itself represent the theme of imperfection that Schur highlights in the book.

 

Creating type out of paper also reflects these imperfections as well as creates tension with the hand-drawn “perfect” in the title. This represents the constant tension that we as humans feel while trying to be good people, but also making mistakes because we are human. 

 

The bright colors and sans serif typeface allowed me to capture the energy that Schur brings to the table as well as encapsulate his own personality and are eye-catching for freshman students who will be reading this book. From watching interviews with Mike Schur, to reading his text and watching his shows, he is playful and youthful, which is the very essence of my design.

 

Outcomes

A poster and book design that placed third in the design competition involving 15 students.

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Personal Reflection

The competition for the redesign of How to Be Perfect was the first design competition that I placed in which elevated my confidence in my skills and abilities as a designer. It was also one of the first times that I strayed away from just using typefaces and included cutouts as well as my own calligraphy, which helped pull me out of my typographic comfort zone.