Tosin is in the Lagos State University (LASU) Accounting class of 2024 but she already has work experience and a clientele in tech product design.
While many students might celebrate freedom from the shackles of academia, Tosin’s shackles were of a different kind. In her freshman year, Accounting just didn’t spark joy. But a twist of fate, a supportive cousin, and a lockdown led her to discover the world of product design.
Having only graduated this June, Tosin already boasts a portfolio of impressive projects. In this interview, we chat with the UX/UI enthusiast about her journey, and the exciting path that lies ahead.
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First of all, congratulations on your convocation. How does it feel to be finally out of the “shackles” of Lagos State University (LASU)?
Tosin: Thank you!!! The shackles have fallen off for real. Truth is I didn’t have a particularly difficult time in LASU but the relief of being done with it regardless is incomparable to be honest.
How many years did you have to spend because I know there were strike actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)?
T: I started in February of 2020, wrote my last exam in November of 2023 and graduated on 5th June 2024! I can’t exactly explain it but we were lucky because somehow LASU wasn’t under ASUU so we never went on strike besides the COVID lockdown of course.
Look at that. How great! Any fun memories that you’ll miss now that you are out?
T: I miss my friends!!! I miss seeing them everyday and being with them. We chat and text but it can never be the same.
That’s cute. But you all will be alright 😂 You studied Accounting but now you are a UX and UI designer, how did that change come about?
T: At the end of my first semester in university, it was no news that I had lost the passion I thought I had for accounting. The classes bored me, everything was new and an extreme struggle and don’t even get me started on the theories and standards I had to learn.
To be honest, making it out with a good CGPA was the grace of God. Anyway, during the lockdown I was very idle. All I did was eat and watch tv and as a young person who had the dream of “enjoying uni,” everything was going downhill.
My cousin suggested that I took up a tech course as he worked for a tech company and was doing well. I did my research and knew from the start that I didn’t want to have anything to do with coding so I picked up UI/UX and the rest they say is history.
So online classes at school continued right, as per COVID lockdown? How were you able to juggle studying Accounting while also learning UI/UX design?
T: We had very few online classes.
Classes rarely held and when they did, the lecturer would just drop all the materials and explanations in the group for us to read. You know lockdown lasted for a while. We resumed uni in February and didn’t write first semester exams until like October. So I spent most of my days taking my design courses. When school resumed fully, I’d do schoolwork through the day and then take my design courses at night. I used to be such a resilient learner. 😂
How did you approach the learning phase as a newbie in product design? What courses did you check out and how was it like for you?
T: I’ll just say that I am one of those people who expect to be perfect at anything the minute I start. My cousin had sent me a list of courses when I selected UI/ UX design and I picked the Google UX design course on Coursera. At this point, I had not joined any communities or interacted with other designers so I was on this journey on my own.
The UX design course took me about 5 or 6 months to complete because my laptop had developed a fault during the time of the course. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos (me and YouTube are bae at this point). The learning experience was good. I stayed up late watching videos and trying to meet the deadlines from the course and I started following designers on social media to get a view of their experiences as well. The course was really in-depth in the user experience (UX) aspect and not so much the interface (UI) aspect so the YouTube videos helped me with that.
Towards the end of the course, I started to slack off to be honest. It was long and heavily theoretical and I wanted more hands-on action so I started following YouTube tutorials and trying to replicate designs. I’m still learning everyday and that’s how I’ve learned that it never ends.
That’s amazing. I’m actually intrigued by the fact that you just graduated but you have a portfolio of amazing designs that you’ve done for some brands. Walk me through your professional career from the beginning.
T: I’m honestly very grateful I was able to start at the time I started because there’s nothing as exciting as seeing my progress. It makes me happy about what I can do in time. I got my first job in February of 2023 and I’ve been a product design contractor with that company since then.
I have also done a series of freelance projects here and there over time. Some e-commerce, some agency websites and all of that. That really is about it. Sometimes I sit and think that I haven’t done anything but when I compare that to how little time I have spent in the industry, my shoulders rise and my head swells all over again😂
Love it. Please let your head swell! I’m curious, how did you land that first job?
T: Referral my dear! My cousin recommended me and they hired me. A lot of the projects I’ve worked on, if not all, have come majorly from recommendations.
Hmmmm, looks like referrals is the way. Where can we find some of the work you’ve done?
T: https://oluwatosin.framer.website/
This is my portfolio. I designed and built it in ‘framer’ and I’m updating it as we speak. More case studies would be added as time goes on.
Now that you are out of school. What’s the next step for you?
T: Going to serve my motherland😭
Do I want to go? Nope. But it’s the next hurdle I have to jump over so that I never have to do it again. Asides that, I’m on the job market. And yes the end goal is to get a good job and I am looking forward to the interview experience that comes with it.
Sounds like an interesting plan. What’s your dream company as of now?
T: For now? I genuinely don’t know. However, I really admire the work that wearecheck.co does as a design agency and would like to get experience there some day.
If UI and UX doesn’t work out do you have a plan B or is this a lifetime situation?
T: My plan B is to become oga’s wife and I’m not even joking. But on a more serious note, UI/ UX isn’t set in stone. Nothing really is. I’m open to exploring different career paths and mixing and matching to get what makes me feel fulfilled. Now it’s product design and my short videos I post on social media, tomorrow it might be something entirely different.
Lastly, is there any podcast or book you have read that has helped with your career? Please share with us.
T: I haven’t read as many books as I should’ve (in general but most especially career related books). I prefer to watch videos and listen to podcasts. I’m not sure they’ve helped with my career but they share experiences of people who work in this field and help me feel less alone.
‘Designstration with Ufot Ubon’ has been a good listen for a few weeks now and to be honest, if you’re struggling with most product design tools, there’s a high chance ‘Flux academy’ on YouTube has made a video about it.
Also, follow and interact with communities on social media. I have been in the ‘Design with Rooks community’ for over a year now and that’s family at this point. It also helps greatly to have a community with people growing in the same career as you. That’s probably the most helpful thing I’ve come across in this journey.
Thank you Tosin!