Advice from Zo transcribed by Hol

We are sitting in Holly’s kitchen working. The sun is shining and we are working. We are glad we are not alone.

This is my last ever SCAB so I want to say thank you. Thanks for letting me into the school Marc. Thank you to Holly for writing this SCAB. Thanks to everyone else who has carried me through the year. You won’t make it through the year without some good friends. Thanks to Philly for letting me live with her. Thanks to Helena for letting me live with her, too.

What advice would I give to the next intake? Fuck around in the first term and the second. Don’t worry too much about the pressure – that’s your chance to have fun and you should take it.

Use the mentors. They are there for a reason. They’ll help you with your work but also with your morale. You’ll find ones that get you. Dusty gets me and what I like to do. Sometimes it is good to have an anchor to the things that make you happy. Don’t try and be something you’re not.

Scamp more. Your ideas will change so often that it’s important for your sanity. If you spend hours mocking something up, you’ll be pretty gutted when someone tells you it’s all trash.

Don’t worry about other people. The studio can be an intimidating place. The level of talent, placements flying about. It’s hard to stay focused on yourself when you’re worrying about everyone else.

Don’t worry about book scores. They don’t mean anything and sometimes do more harm than good.

Perspective is a really helpful tool for happiness. Remember that this is just ad school and everything will be okay. We will all get to where we belong. As long as you have your health, the rest is manageable.

Don’t worry about friends or weight. You will lose one and gain the other. Everyone’s in the same boat. It will all balance out once the course ends.

Okay Holly’s fingers are tired now so got to go. Have a great year!