In this video, I break down how I became a UX designer with literally 0 design experience and no design degree. I start with my life right after graduating from the University of Georgia with an advertising degree—moving to California, trying email marketing at a beauty skincare startup, then switching into project management at a creative agency. Somewhere in there, I hit a full-on quarter-life crisis and realized I was unhappy with where I was headed, especially because I felt like I was just trading time for money with no real growth. So I got really honest with myself and narrowed down what I wanted from my next career: (1) creative fulfillment, (2) working with people (I’m a super extrovert), and (3) higher pay and long-term financial growth. That’s when I learned about UX design through a coworker, and then discovered UX bootcamps through a friend who was enrolled in Designation (which doesn’t exist anymore). I also talk through my bootcamp research process (Course Report and SwitchUp), why I didn’t trust myself to self-teach at the time, why I chose a longer program with in-person + real client work, and how I paid for it (including my warning about private loans).