I got new business cards this week. I’ve had the same ones for two years now and since it’s time to network and look for the next opportunity, I figured I would freshen them up a bit.

Also, I was just out of business cards.

It’s weird to see your name on a new card. It can say a lot about you and can have an impression upon the people who take the card from you. You start to wonder, just who did I give all those business cards to this year and to whom will these new ones go to?

Granted, business cards may soon be a thing of the past but it can be exciting when you give a card away; it leaves you with a feeling of optimism. As I conclude my final courses at Columbia, I feel my mind and the minds of my classmates swimming around in a pool of anticipation for what is next. We’re scared and excited. We’re exhausted and burnt out. We’re all ready for whatever is next and for the most part, I’d say we’re optimistic.

Through the last two years, our cohort has grown to know each other and all the different talents and skill sets that we bring to the table. Now that we’re all handing out business cards to new colleagues, we’ll be following those cards to new directions, down new career paths.

For me, I am looking forward to graduating, taking on a new independent project, and possibly teaching along the way. Many of my classmates are to remain in Los Angeles and others will head back to Chicago, or elsewhere. The reach of our cohort extends internationally and the possibilities ahead of us are endless.

For my classmates and future graduates, I urge you to:

• Continue taking on new experiences that help you to keep growing.
• Keep exploring and discovering where filmmaking can take us.
• Use your degrees well and share your knowledge with others, who like you, also want to know “how it all works.”
• Don’t take yourself too seriously.
• Do take yourself seriously enough to create meaningful work that can create change.

I leave you with Seven Inspiring TED Talks About Filmmaking. If you haven’t watched these before, watch them now. If you have watched them before, watch them again.

You are all capable about of being an inspiring filmmaker. I hope you kept my card. I’ve kept yours.