For inspiration, my go-to is always designspiration.net. It's a great resource to explore virtually all facets of design and form collections (similar to pinterest, but with less recipes, make up tutorials, and D.I.Y. crafts).

The grocery store is also a prime locale for design work.

P.s. yes, that is my freezer. Steve's cold brewed cinnamon coffee. Try it.

I'm typically most inspired after working with others; after class, I come home with renewed enthusiasm for projects. I think I work best alone, but being around others to discuss ideas is beneficial for me. Sometimes I listen to music, but a lot of times I listen to comedy. Aziz Ansari, the late Mitch Hedberg, and Demetri Martin are favorites.

What is Graphic Design? In a really abstract way (stay with me here), graphic design really is everything. It's the magazines we skim at the check-out line, the branding on our headphones, laptops, and tablets, and the packaging of our favorite products (is Steve's really that good, or is it just the packaging? We may never know. Just in: we know. It's that good.) It's billboards and commercials, the membership magazine from the museum we once belonged to, our doctor's business cards, everything.

Contemporary designs that inspire me:

I'm not even sure if this counts, but ban.do is awesome. They make agendas and all sorts of paper products, gifts, real tchotchke-like stuff. Half of it is probably useless but it makes me smile.

I also really love this series Sinem Erkas has been doing: