Achieving A Dream In College

It is a strange thing indeed to be participating in a dream.

For my undergraduate senior thesis project, I am writing and illustrating my very own vampire short story. Ideally, I will extend this project into a full length novel or adapt it into a graphic novel, but for now I am condensing my imagination into roughly 40 pages.

There are many things I've done in university so far that I never thought I would be able to achieve. Memorizing Catullus, learning how to code, and writing horror to my hearts content are three of those things. Humbly speaking, they are nothing groundbreaking or world changing, but they have certainly enriched my own life to an extent worth expressing.

Living as an artist and majoring in literature has often been criticized by others who find those practices to be less worthy than other careers. While hearing that still always hurts a bit, I find it amusing too as many people who work in medical professions, the hard sciences, business etc. unknowingly rely on artists and writers to create the tv shows, videogames, books, and media that they consume. Production for these projects requires massive teams of people, all of which have to have advanced experience in the arts or literature. As someone who closely interacts with a variety of people from different backgrounds, I do not feel like a hierarchy of work is appropriate in any situation. We are all humans. I'm just a human that wants to entertain others with the skills I have.

This thesis project is my first true step towards achieving my dream. I was ecstatic when the department agreed that not only was I permitted to write a vampire short story, but I was also allowed to make illustrations for it! I get to combine my two greatest passions in one package! It has been an enormous undertaking so far but one that I think will be worth it in the end. I am incredibly grateful for my mentor, Professor Zimlich who has always encouraged me and supported me through my writing and in life. I have needed her insight and learned so much from her already. My story is morphing with every revision into something I cannot wait to present on Lit Day at school and share this work with others in general.

Sometimes I think back to my younger self and all of the doubts that I developed throughout the years. They hindered my self-confidence and I never thought I would amount to anything. Stories have always replenished hope and courage when I have needed it. As a kid, I was obsessed with vampires, especially Darren Shan's. They represented strength, perseverance, and appreciated the dark inevitability that often accompanies us in life. Creating my own vampire story has been instrumental in paying homage to my childhood while also providing possibilities for the future career I hope to build as an artist and writer.

~Nikolai Sergei Razumov