Designer, author, and educator Jessica Helfand has published "An Open Letter to Design Students Everywhere" on Design Observer. In it, she refers to a "series of paradoxical propositions." For example, "If you're graduating in the middle of a recession, it's likely that an arc of despair trumps the impending thrill of your newly-liberated station in life. Conversely, though, I can't imagine a better time to get out of school. Nobody's hiring, but why let that stop you? While the mechanics of, say, having a roof over your head suggest that a little modest income might be a good thing, the actual economics of making work no longer depend on an actual employer. The portfolio no longer means a big black suitcase schlepped around from studio to studio. Get your work online, put your videos on YouTube, and get busy."

It's an inspiring read. Check out the full letter on Design Observer.