To me, this was the most challenging Hack. I think I got too intimidated and caught up in my head, believing that it needed to be perfect—even though I wasn’t very familiar with video editing platforms. Part of the struggle came from not thinking creatively; I became fixated on one single idea and couldn’t move past it. As I mentioned in my Artist Statement, I was initially working on a TikTok about how happiness has been visually demonstrated throughout the decades, starting with the 1950s. I was almost done with it and had spent the entire afternoon on Tuesday “perfecting” the video, but in the end, I didn’t like how it turned out. I decided to delete the whole thing and start over from scratch.
That was the moment I realized I needed to do something I actually cared about—something that wouldn’t feel like just another assignment. Since we’re in the middle of another testing period, I wanted this to feel fun and meaningful, not stressful. I’m really passionate about my country, so I decided to focus on one of Bolivia’s most pressing issues right now. This also allowed me to meet the “recovery of ‘undiscovered public knowledge’” criteria listed in the rubric.
After presenting yesterday, I noticed a flaw in my project. I realized that the first part of the video—the section with all the beautiful landscapes of Bolivia—was too long. Or maybe the second part, which focused on current events, was too short. I think I could have included at least two or three more clips to better balance the two halves and create a more powerful contrast. Still, I’m proud that I was able to pivot toward something meaningful and personal, which made the process much more enjoyable and authentic.
