<human>: Can you provide a brief rundown of the text in within 3 sentences?

I graduated with a degree in graphic design in may 2011. I immediately got a part time job working in a kitchen just to pay the bills, which became a full time job pretty soon. In the beginning I was applying for new jobs, but I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted, and it showed. Got nothing. Also important to note, at this time I had no car and no car access. My kitchen job was walking distance from where I was living.

After a frustrating and depressing lack of finding a job in graphic design, I decided to take some time off from job hunting. I focused on me. This meant really taking time off from what I did in college, it was a really nice break. I worked, I spent more time with friends and family, and really learned a lot about myself in this time. Also, I caved and bought a car! I've had a car since May, which broadens my horizons a ton. However, I haven't done anything professional or noteworthy in this time, outside of maintaining my hourly kitchen job. 

I think I'm ready to begin applying again now, with a more focused view of what it is I enjoy doing (I'm focusing mostly on exhibit design and toy design companies, something with a physical outcome rather than digital) and I feel confident that this new energy will help me a lot. I'm very glad I took some time off to regroup. 

However, my question for you all: How do I explain this to an employer without sounding like a slacker? Even 6 months after graduation, I was already hearing things like "You've just been working in a kitchen for 6 months? No design? Why would I hire you?" Now I'm a year and 3 months out, how can I do this?
<bot>: took a year off after going to college for design for some menial-job-soul-searching, how can I explain to employers in my field this gap in design-related things on my resume?