Hi guys!! First of all, congrats on finally getting to your first major-only course — its going to be a fun one! Get ready because although this class is tons of fun and you learn a lot, it can also be very stressful at times. Luckily, we have some tips for you before you get to0 far into the course:
- TAKE NOTES — Although lecture classes can be somewhat dull, make sure you take notes during these classes because not only will it help you on the final exam, but it’s also super important information that would be helpful to reference at later times in your college career. So, even if you enjoy the class critique days more than the lectures, be sure to pay attention and take good notes because you never know when you’ll need them next.
- GET TO KNOW YOUR CLASSMATES — The people sitting around you will be in every graphic design course with you until you graduate, so make sure to get to know them. Not only can they help you with feedback on designs during the semester and future design courses, but they may be your colleagues at some point as well! Professional relationships aside, becoming friends with the people in your class makes the constant stress and designing much more enjoyable, so get to know everyone as soon as possible!
- START YOUR PROJECTS EARLY — Although this has probably been covered by every student in last year’s class, it is a super important tip that I couldn’t pass up. The key factor to being successful in this course is starting each project as soon as you get the assignment sheet. Whether it’s just researching your topic or drawing sketches, a head start on every project can only help your final product. I’ve found that doing this puts the project in the back of your mind early so you have more time to create drafts and get to your final version.
And with that I wish you all the best of luck in both this class and your future design endeavors! See you around Newhouse!
~Katie
