Kismet [kiz′met, kis′-] noun. destiny; fate.

If you asked me three months ago what I would be doing today at this moment, I would have said something like, “driving from Playa del Rey to Compton, CA, to go design some clothes and print some tees at work.”

If you asked me the same question two month ago, I would have told you, “once I return from backpacking around Central America I’m moving to San Francisco to attend California College of the Arts; studying graphic design and transmedia.”

Now, the same question, one month ago, you would have heard, “well, I had to come home early from Central America because of some unintended events and the fact I got into an ATV accident. A few days after returning, I went to a coffee shop I used to go to in high school, and happened to sit at a table which was frequented by a local writer. We got to talking over the fact I stole his table and, hours later I was convinced, I somehow needed to find a way to attend the school he was in the founding class of and now writes for. He nominated me even though applications were closed. I’m now going through the application process and I have no idea where I will be living in two weeks.”

Now, here I am in Chicago, IL, attending Experience Institute with thirteen other like-minded individuals who left their previous lives behind to reach out into the unknown to, as my classmates, Kali Lewis, puts it, “be in control of our own happiness.”

I came to Ei knowing I wanted to incorporate creativity, transmedia, and social impact, but I didn’t know where I was going from there. On a Thursday, during meetup 1, our Programs Director, Aaron Wilson-Ahlstrom, asked everyone what their biggest fear was. My response was an answer that surprised even me

“My biggest fear would be starting a magazine which focused on artists around the world.”

This idea was something I have always longed for deep down, but considered it a fear because of finances, resources, and the act of actually doing it. It didn’t take me long to realize I needed to run with this fear of mine.

I have one year.

One year to design my own education.

One year to break the rules, travel the world, and do the things I’ve only done in my dreams.

One year to use as the building block for the rest of time.

So, in the wise words of Shia LaBeouf, I’m just going to “DO IT.”

I came to Chicago with an idea in mind of what Ei would be like, but it is so much more than that. I could use this time to try to explain it to you, but I don’t even know where I would begin. The community and possibilities have left me breathless.

If you asked me a year from now where I might be and what I might be doing; well, I can’t dare to answer now. Whatever may happen though, I can tell you it will be Kismet.