Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you :
I’m a 23-year-old student and junior graphic designer.
Your current job :
I’m currently working as a full-time graphic designer in a studio which specializes in food packaging and branding.
In which city are you located?
Currently my hometown, Montevideo, in Uruguay. (You may want to Google it, go ahead)
A word to define what kind of worker you are:
I’d say I’m easy-going. I’m a middle child, which means I’m a team player, I’m a great mediator, I know how to negotiate, I strongly dislike conflict, I can handle responsibilities and pressure (as I’m sometimes the oldest child) without letting them overwhelm me.
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
Notebook and pen to take notes. Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, (and I’m teaching myself Premiere and After in hopes that they’ll become essentials too). As for apps, Pinterest, Instagram, and Spotify.
What does your office space look like?
Clutter-free! But I can show you better than I can tell you…
What kind of music do you listen to when you are working?
My first design-related job was in an advertising agency and the art team was in charge of the music. We would listen to Latin music all day long and it was so much fun, from Peruvian cumbia to Argentinian funk to Uruguayan hip hop. Somehow, that stuck with me and now I hardly ever design without it being a party. That said, I also make killer playlists which include pretty much all genres and in three to four languages.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work?
Well, not really… I just work in order of priority and deadlines.
With school projects, I try to tackle the easier tasks on weekdays’ evenings and leave the more difficult or longer ones for the weekend.
What tips would you give to improve productivity?
Just get things done because procrastination may seem like a good idea but it’s actually the worst and your future self will despise you? Also, place your phone out of your reach.
Regarding college, I am lucky to have encountered some amazing and supportive people and we would all meet to work together even if it’s for individual projects. We help and give each other feedback and I just truly appreciate how productive we are when we get together
You’re better than your colleagues to:
I’m the one they ask when it comes to pop culture, slang meanings, and memes. I’m the youngest, that’s probably why.
What is the best advice anyone has given you?
I can’t recall any specific one being the best, but I like to think I internalize them all and they work from my subconscious if that makes sense. I guess I’m actually more about the unspoken example people both in leadership and peer roles have set in my life.
What is your best tip for saving time?
Take notes! even when you think you’ll remember, you probably won’t.
What is your routine start and end of the day?
I have a weird relationship with the concept of routine, in that sometimes it’s fine and necessary, and sometimes the comfortableness and predictability of it make me feel trapped. Things I do every day but not necessarily at the same time every day are: shower, have breakfast, meet my grandma (she lives in front of me), have some quiet alone time to read or journal.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?
Earphones!
Montevideo city guide x Alejandra Lamenza
Café
I feel like I failed as a millennial because I’m not so much of a coffee drinker and I don’t really go to cafes that often, but some of the places I’ve enjoyed the most in Montevideo are Café Doré, Escaramuza, La Tostaduría, La Madriguera, Ganache.
Restaurant
Best food in town is hands down my dad’s typical uruguayan asado, but if I had to pick a restaurant I’d say El submarino peral, a quirky and unpretentiouUruguayanlace in Malvín.
Shopping.
Sadly, malls in Montevideo mainly offer low quality and questionable origin goods, but luckily Instagram is full of great small local brands. Also, treasure hunting at Feria de Tristan Narvaja is always a great Sunday plan, you can find old books, pets, vintage clothes, home decor, fresh food, and pretty much anything you want.
Grocery Street markets!
In Montevideo, they take place every day of the week, as the vendors rotate along the neighborhoods.
The promenade!
By far, the most beautiful feature in my city if you ask me.
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