Hi next year’s designers,
I can tell you now that this will be your favorite class of the semester and also the class that gives you the most anxiety (generally because you care so much). So, to face this, here are three pieces of advice:
- Starting projects greater than a day in advanced is really helpful. I know we are all very talented procrastinators. In other classes you can wait until the day before to create your presentation, comparatively to others in the class it looks beautiful and tada. However, this class requires stepping up your game. Starting projects at least a week in advanced – even if it’s just laying out rough ideas and setting up your document – significantly helps with stress and decreases how much you might hate your project over the course of working on it.
- After you present and hear critiques, go back to your seat and write them down! This seems simple, and at the time you will feel like that’s easy stuff you can remember. Well, two months later when you’re doing all your revisions for your portfolio you will not remember every single detail, or a lot of the big things, that actually would have been very helpful.
- Remember that you’re a designer for a reason (I’m assuming your love of design) and these can feel like homework assignments (because they technically are) but step back and realize that these are actually really fun and you most likely love what you do – even if it doesn’t feel like it in that moment.
