I was a student a LONG time. I wasn't ready the first few times I tried, but got more ready each time. I think it took me 20 years to finally be able to finish my Associates in Fine Art from St Louis Community College - Meramec. I would later go on to get my first Bachelors in Graphic Design from Full Sail University (Online).
I mention 'online' because it was during the time online education was blossoming and I learned there is a difference between onsite and online and the quality of education you get, or maybe just the opportunity. Still I'm happy with what I learned and after having been a graphic designer for a number of years it helped me go back and learn foundations and consolidate everything I'd learned on my own.
Over that time and a lot of tries there were a lot of various projects.
A portfolio class had us some a flyer and collateral for a local event.
For a design class, I forget what this project was, but I titled it Picnic in the Middle of Winter.
For another design class he had us working with found objects. I broke down a wooden palette I found in the alley behind my house and broke a couple of panes of stained glass I'd been toting around for years. Using a hit glue gun I created a sculpture too big to fit in my car, so I had to take pictures.
I remember he asked me why I didn't take the pictures with the piece in front of a neutral background.
Honestly it was because I didn't think about it.
A design project that had us iterate the design and recreate it 4 times with colormatch paper, rubber cement, and foamcore if I remember correctly. The idea of being iterative with an idea and exploring multiples of it stuck with me.
A webdesign class had us doing a site mockup. This was before UX/UI was a thing.
Separate classes but all focused on product designs. I was particularly pleased with how the Crayola box came out.
A short magazine design.
Redesigning bookcovers and coming up with a repeatable concept.