Life is a learning process, and wisdom often comes from reflecting on our past experiences. The stories and advice we offer often reflect what we wish we knew in our youth but had yet to discover.

From Fall 2023 to Spring 2024, a collection of stories, advice, and wisdom was curated using SUNY New Paltz's graphic design community, including students, faculty, and alumni. This effort involved conducting focus groups, engaging in informal and formal conversations, and actively contacting alumni and previous faculty. To create an engaging repository for all the ideas, "The Kit" emerged as a physical box meant for the graphic design students at SUNY New Paltz.

By embodying the stories and advice of its contributors within all its components, The Kit serves as a conduit for graphic design students to gain a more authentic understanding of their design education. With its contents designed to support recipients throughout their academic journey and beyond, and its light-hearted approach, it broadens the concept of nurturing a community invested in storytelling, collaboration, and mutual assistance.