Member Spotlight: Seville83

Meet Sam of Excess Baggage Solutions!

Sam specializes in handmade totes and scarves, as well as photography (check out her photography shop here).

1. What school do you attend?

I attend William Rainey Harper Junior College in Palatine, Illinois. But people here mostly just call it Harper, or the University of Southern Palatine as a joke, lol.

2. What are you currently studying?
I'm currently studying interior design. I should be done this semester actually.

3. What types of classes do you get to take? Which one is your favorite, and why?

Since the interior design field isn't all science and calculations, there aren't really any set tests that can be given, which leaves a majority of the classes required set up more like studio lab classes. So I get to take a variety of classes from 3-D model building to perspective & rendering to classes on AutoCAD. Out of the two I'm taking right now, both have the same teacher and I'd have to say that the AutoCAD for Interior Design class is my favorite, because I already took it so I get to do kind of an independent study thing.

4. What do you want to do when you get out of school?

It sounds bad that I've spent so much time (is 5 years at a community college too long? lol) on these classes even tho I have no desire to do anything in the interior design field. I've always loved being challenged mentally and creatively, so my Etsy creations are what I'll be doing when I get out of school.

5. What are some of your interests and hobbies?

I love photography, and mixing that love of photography with the lowrider car club I belong to. I ended up being voted the club photographer and I run the website for them. So I love hanging out with everybody else in the club and attempting to keep my car running. (Apparently old Cadillacs are finicky, who knew, lol). I also enjoy sewing, which is how I started up with Excess Baggage Solutions. I added some of my photography to my shop, but I'm debating whether I should just start another one for all the photographic stuff or not.

6. What is your favorite thing about college so far?

I think the same thing it's been since I started, the fact that now being told and expected to act like an adult because "I am an adult" that I finally got treated like one.

7. How do you manage your school work and Etsy shop?

I got into Etsy just over the summer, so this is the first semester I've had to multitask with it and I think I got really lucky that I only have to take two classes this semester so the work load is considerably lighter than it could be. Although while I was going crazy with projects last semester I think Etsy would have provided a nice creative release and allowed me to take more productive and structured breaks from schoolwork.

8. What is the best advice you can offer to a fellow college student crafter?

School comes first. Don't use your crafting as an excuse to avoid schoolwork, but do feel free to use it to give your mind a much needed break from time to time.

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