AdaMarie Ambassador: Mahika Sethi
Thesis, Grad Apps, and a Side of Adobe: The Chronicles of a Undergrad Senior Survivor
A year ago, if you had told me where I'd be today, I would have laughed it off as pure fantasy.
Last year, as I neared the end of my junior year, I faced frustration and demotivation. My plans for a summer internship kept unraveling; one opportunity after another fell through. The setbacks left me unable to add substantial experience to my resume, especially crucial as an international student navigating the challenging job market.
Faced with this uncertainty, I made the decision many seniors do: I turned to grad school.
While grad school initially presented itself as a pragmatic fallback, it soon blossomed into an exhilarating prospect. Throughout my junior and senior semesters in 2023, I began to carve out a design niche inspired by valuable teachings of sacred professors. From fashion to cosmetics to UI, I had explored various fronts in product design school, but it was community-led design research and strategy that resonated deeply with me. I’d never connected with ideas so deeply before, and the sense of curiosity that I’d developed could only be satiated by the possibilities of knowledge I’d have access to during my graduate studies.
By December 2023, I was fully immersed in assembling my applications. Reflecting on this process, I encourage fellow design students to create portfolios that authentically represent themselves, emphasizing critical thinking and skill sets over industry standards. In my experience, people reviewing portfolios are more interested in seeing the way you think than the shiny work you produce.
As I awaited responses, anxiety crept its way in - reminiscent of my high school days awaiting undergrad college acceptances. However, if you’re lucky like me (and applying during your senior year), you’ll have your thesis to distract you!
For my thesis, I’d decided to venture further into my community design interests; exploring playful tabletop game design as a solution to start conversation and healing towards intergenerational trauma within South Asian communities. It was both a challenging and rewarding endeavor - one that I’m still trying to get to its finish line. My thesis months were marked by frustrating nights staring blankly at my lamp waiting for inspiration as well as invigorating days spent immersed in Adobe for hours on end.
Ultimately, I’m incredibly grateful for my thesis, because not only did it provide me the opportunity to showcase the identity I’ve developed so far as a designer but indulge in industry skill sets like I’d never done before.
And the greatest reward came in the form of my grad decisions - imagine my utter joy when I got accepted into both my reach schools! The decision-making process was difficult, but ultimately, I chose the path that resonated most with me: Harvard Graduate School of Design. A place I’d never imagined myself a year ago, and definitely not when I was a 17 year-old applying to art schools dreaming of having a cool design job the moment I graduated. But in the unpredictability of my future, I ended up finding a remarkable and prestigious solution.
Looking back, I realize that senior year is structured as a time of self-discovery and consolidation. Regardless of which pathway you pick, it's a year of finding one's place and purpose. Amidst the uncertainty, there are moments of clarity where we feel called to destined paths and find belonging with like-minded individuals.
About Mahika
Mahika Sethi is a graduating South Asian product designer from Parsons School of Design, who focuses on public-centered design research and strategy. With a passion for crafting meaningful experiences, she has dedicated her recent thesis project to developing a table-top game aimed at fostering intergenerational bonding and healing within the South Asian community. As she prepares to embark on her next chapter at Harvard GSD in Boston, Mahika remains committed to leveraging design as a tool for cultural and social impact.