Stephanie de la Uz

Where are you from and/or where are you based as a Memorisely student?

I’m originally from Miami, FL, but I’m a Memorisely student in San Antonio, TX 🤠

What inspired you to pursue UX/UI and become a designer?

I stumbled upon UX/UI while on the search for another job in psychology; I really enjoyed understanding people’s actions and thoughts...but wasn’t entirely sure I liked working with them in such a clinical setting. I’d been looking to work elsewhere and through the job search, I saw one of the other tech bootcamps on LinkedIn. In the job description, they mentioned UX and UI quite a bit, so I did some research on it. It sounded extremely exciting, and more aligned with what I was interested in (given my obsession with digital products). I spoke about what I had learned with my family and my uncle (who is a web designer) suggested that I look at potentially switching careers, as I would “absolutely love it!”

That peaked my interest, so I started watching different videos about UX/UI, researching different bootcamps, speaking to different designers. To me, it seemed like a dream come true: putting psychology together with digital products. This was the place I needed to be!

I uncovered Memorisely in my search, spoke with Zander via email, and LA on Zoom. They were both very encouraging and helpful, I knew that this was the way I could become a designer: with a passionate community that is there for its students! With each passing day in bootcamp, I’m so thankful for the path that lead me here and all the people that helped along the way. I am also inspired each day by my mem fam to continue growing and thriving as a designer. Cheers to them!!!

Which Bootcamp did you choose to enroll in, and why?

I enrolled in the UX/UI Design Bootcamp because I’m brand new to the design world! I wanted to ensure that I understood the basic foundations of the field, so that I may learn and grow accordingly. I’m actually enrolled for the upcoming UX Research Bootcamp as well!

What's it like to be a student in Memorisely's virtual classroom?

It’s truly a great experience! I’ve been working remotely for the past 2 years, and I’ve not been a part of such an interactive virtual classroom until joining Memorisely for bootcamp!

What has been your favorite part of Bootcamp so far? What's one learning that has surprised you in Bootcamp?

My favorite part of Bootcamp has really been being able to collaborate with other designers. I’ve been able to collaborate before, but the Bootcamp really took it to another level and it was so much fun!

Something that surprised me in Bootcamp was the amount of work that goes into a project, but at the same time, how much fun I was going to have along the way. Learning really never felt like a chore, which is saying a lot!

What is the biggest challenge you face learning UX/UI Design?

My biggest challenge while learning UX/UI Design would probably have to be auto layout in Figma 😅 Being that I’m just learning how to use Figma and all, auto layout took me a while longer to learn how to use than most of the other features in Figma!

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What does a typical day look like for you as a student?

I’ll usually wake up at 6am get ready and head out to work at about 7am till 3pm. While at work, I squeeze in some design work when I can. I’ll usually grab a little treat for myself at Starbucks and have something delicious for lunch.

After work, I’ll use a few hours to get some errands done. At 5pm I’ll either be hoping on Zoom for bootcamp, or will my design team to discuss whatever project we’re working on. Once all is said and done, I’ll wind down and play wordle (I’m truly addicted!), have some dinner, and get ready to start the whole process over again in the morning!

What is your current workspace setup?

I don’t have a ton of space in my apartment, so I set up shop at my local Starbucks and get to cracking there! If the weather is really nice, I’ll sit on the deck of the local coffee shop right next to my apartment complex. I use my MacBook Pro, and sometimes use my iPad (not pictured) as a second screen. I’m hoping to expand my setup one day soon. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work 👩‍🌾  #IYKYK

What are your go-to or "must have" apps?

SLACK. It’s so easy to get in touch with my mem fam by slacking them. Figma & FigJam, and Notion have a been my bread and butter for UX/UI Design. I use all of these on a daily basis 😅

What (digital or physical) product recently blew your socks off?

YNAB! Aka You Need A Budget. As a huge fan of budgeting, I began using their web and mobile apps to budget my life out in 2020. After becoming a designer, I noticed how with each update, YNAB becomes easier and easier to use! While their system does have a learning curve at first (after all, I’ve never budgeted this way before), I can safely say using their apps are as easy as 1-2-3! Check them out if you want to budget!!!

(don’t worry, I didn’t include any personal finance info 😜)

What tunes do you listen to while designing?

This’ll usually change, but I’m most likely jamming to my personalized Soft Rock Music playlist. And if I’m REALLY trying to stay in the zone, I’ll listen to Lofi Beats 2022 🧘

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Share three pieces of advice for fellow and/or future students?

1. Don’t be afraid to put yourself outside of your comfort zone! Whether that’s asking for help from your teachers, or volunteering to answer a question, or asking for feedback; doing all these things will put you in a better place from where you started 🙂
2. Schedule your time out, especially if you’re working or if you have family duties during bootcamp; make sure you’ve got time for your homework AND time to unwind and practice some self-care 😌
3. Connect with your fellow classmates in bootcamp! They know how you’re feeling and are an amazing resource as well 🫶

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