Hello, designers! Prepare yourselves for a busy semester, but most importantly, a semester of tremendous growth. This is your first course as design majors and the beginning a beautiful journey. After finally having completing this part of my own journey, here are a few pieces of advice for you:
- Take advantage of the resources around you. And that doesn’t just mean Professor Strong (even though she is an excellent resource). Your peers in this class are going to be your peers for the next few years, and you guys can do amazing things together. Get to know them, bounce ideas around with each other. Newhouse is full of creative minds that are all here to help you, don’t forget to use them!
- Manage your time wisely. You’re going to hear it a million times, but it’s one of the most important lessons you can learn as a designer. There is nothing worse than submitting a design that hasn’t reached the full potential of your vision. Set some time aside everyday to work towards your deadlines, even if it’s just sketching or looking for inspiration right after you’ve been given an assignment. Just do it, you’ll thank me later when you’re able to get more than 5 minutes of sleep before a deadline.
- Don’t be afraid to let go of an idea. It can be hard to let go of something you’ve been working on for so long, but you have to be open to criticism and change in order to see growth in yourself and in your work.
At the end of the day, just remember to have fun with this class. It can seem intimidating at times, but you can do it.
