Liquid Death

In my class, I try to lead with vulnerability. If I don’t know how a new Figma feature works, I say so. I don’t think anyone benefits from the belief that senior roles make you all-knowing, or that your favorite designers don’t struggle with the same issues as newbies. That’s why when I decided it was time to get sober, I was transparent with my students about it.

This isn’t the place to talk about it at length, but I’m not the first designer, tech professional, or human being to struggle with drinking, depression, and mental health. I don’t want my students to think that breaking into the market will fix those parts of themselves, that they can simply work their way to happiness.

A few weeks after I let me students know how our weekly happy hours would be a bit different for me from now on, two cases of Liquid Death showed up at my door. It was more than a kind gesture – it was proof to me that I was right.