Starting a DA can feel huge: too many options, not enough time and plenty of second-guessing. In this roundtable, myself and four other students share what's helped us, so you can move faster, stay motivated and build something genuinely useful.

Bowie Betschwar – WAYFARE
Next-gen travel agency powered by an AI agent that creates tailored itineraries.

Edie Koller – Curated by Edie
An Instagram page for small business marketing content.

Valentina Todros – Char Nutrition + Fitness
Building a digital home for her mum’s online coaching business.

Bellah Piscioneri – The Discomfort Diaries
A TikTok/Instagram series stepping into uncomfortable challenges to inspire confidence.

Taylah-Jane Quinn – @taylovesmusic
A TikTok account sharing human-curated playlists in response to algorithm fatigue.

View the discussion replay below.

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Lessons

1. Start sooner, not later.
We spoke about being overwhelmed at the beginning with too much freedom and too many choices. The advice: don’t overthink it. Get an early prototype out, whether it’s a rough TikTok, a draft logo, or a test website. You’ll learn and be able to pivot the whole way through.

2. Motivation comes from passion.
The projects worked best when tied to personal interests. In our case, music, marketing, travel and self-growth. Choosing something you genuinely enjoy makes it easier to post consistently and push through busy weeks. You might end up with something portfolio-worthy at the end for your future career.

3. Feedback and community matter.
Discord kept everyone accountable. Sharing drafts, comparing struggles and swapping advice helped overcome blocks and reminded each student they weren’t working in a silo.

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So start now; refine as you go. Align the DA with what you already love, you’ll stick with it. And use peers for ideas, accountability and clearer framing.