Hi, I’m Dontai. I was born and raised in Chicago and am currently majoring in game design. By the end of this semester, I’m aiming for a GPA of 3.0 or higher. When I graduate from IIT College, my goal is to finish with a 4.0 GPA and secure a job right out of school.
In my free time, I watch a lot of movies, including *The Great Gatsby*, Marvel films, and horror movies like *Incantation* on Netflix. I’m also a fan of the found footage horror genre. Besides movies, I enjoy working on and listening to music, as well as writing lyrics. Though I don’t play games as often because I’m busy studying, music is a big part of my life.
This past summer, I worked at a family landscaping job in Colorado, which I really enjoyed. I learned how to dig trenches, lay grass, and handle various aspects of landscaping. The team I worked with was great, and I made some good friends and memories. Plus, the pay was a nice bonus!
Back in middle school, I had a Chihuahua. I loved him, but I was a reckless kid at the time. Once, I threw him down the stairs, thinking I was experimenting with something—looking back, I realize how awful that was. I regret it deeply to this day. Sadly, he passed away later, not from that incident, but due to a seizure caused by old age and health issues.
As for my dreams, I want to make good music and earn money from it. I’m not after fame, just financial success. My biggest aspiration is to become an entrepreneur. I’m interested in IT, graphic design, music, and even starting a car rental business. My father’s an entrepreneur too he started a trucking business in Colorado that’s doing really well. I’ve had the chance to go on a few trips with him, and my favorite was driving through Aspen. The mountains were stunning, and it felt like something out of a Disney movie. We even passed by the house Kim Kardashian rented there.
Since the past, my creative practice has evolved because of my personal growth i have become more resilient, adaptable, and open to constructive criticism. This process has taught me how to balance my passions with discipline while also learning the value of having determination. I practiced things like web design, creative writing, music, and graphic design. By asking my family or friends as well as getting a public reaction about what I have created, has helped me master my skills along with making new challenges for myself. But most importantly, helped me understand that art is subjective.
Taking a web design class in 2023 was a great step for my journey on becoming a graphic designer. It gave me experience working with tools like Abode Creative suite, HTML, CSS, AND JavaScript, All these tools are highly necessary when creating a website. The projects my teacher assigned helped me understand the importance of balancing beauty with functionality, Making sure that my web page is not only appealing, but it's user-friendly. I did not have the chance to work alongside my classmates when working on these projects because it was a Zoom class, which bums me out. I would've liked working with a partner, but if I did need help I always went to the tutoring center or I emailed my teacher. All in all, this class has given me the proper tools to progress towards my career plans, giving me a strong base for my future.