It's been quite an enjoyable experience blogging for La Roche. Hopefully my entries have been at least a little helpful to at least a few people. The most important thing to sum up all of my blog entries is probably the topic of communication. Communication is necessary in everyday life, but it also helps you succeed, take new chances, gain opportunities, and get further ahead in life. Communication can range from asking someone at La Roche where to find something to networking for an internship or job. While you want to be sure to have fun in college, remember that the day after graduation, you're thrown out into the real world. If you don't have a job lined up or at least some kind of plan, it can be very daunting. So for a long lesson turned short: play hard and work harder because the harder you try to succeed, the more things will go your way.
For anyone with questions about La Roche, graphic design, or life in general, who may have been reading this blog or just caught one post, please feel free to contact me. My student email is sarah.egolf@stu.laroche.edu and I would be more than happy to talk with you.
To those who have just finished their first week at La Roche, good luck and best of wishes for a fun and successful school year!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
First Week on Campus
In the first week of college, it's important to get involved and get routines down. More than ever it's important to meet new people and make as many friends as you can. La Roche may be a small school, but at lunch time, the cafeteria is almost always packed. If you always recognize a friendly face, you'll always have a place to go at lunch or dinner. Breakfast is a good idea, but not many people take advantage of it. Not only will making friends help with seating situations but it will also give you someone to hang out at events with, to talk to in classes, to ask about homework, to get a ride somewhere for groceries or other supplies, and to just generally hang out with so life isn't boring. The first week on campus is also a good time to figure out when the dining hall is least crowded, when your friends eat, and when the best time to do laundry is. Of course, the first week can also be for more mundane things like getting a schedule established. Make the most of your first week and be sure to have some fun.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Caffeine
Caffeine is an unfortunate necessity of college life. I went into college hating coffee and I came out with an addiction to it. It's extremely important to keep good hours in college in order to stay healthy. However, at some point, most of us realize that it just isn't going to happen that way. A lot of people's immune systems take a beating while they're trying to establish a schedule and they end up getting sick. If you're surviving on coffee and energy drinks, there's a strong possibility that this could be you. Try not to depend on caffeine too long. Set a limit for yourself of one energy drink and two cups of coffee a week. The important thing is to not become dependent on caffeine to keep you awake and functioning, although most of us make that mistake at least once. Caffeine can also cause serious health problems itself. Some people are caffeine intolerant. For my aunt, consuming too much caffeine affects her vision. Caffeine can also affect your heart rate. Because it is acidic in nature, too much coffee (or too many energy drinks) on an empty stomach can result in not feeling well. If you suddenly cut back on your caffeine intake, you can get bad headaches. For some people, it doesn't take much difference to start experiencing caffeine withdrawal.
That being said, coffee is useful and it's good. The cafeteria and cafe at La Roche have coffee and the cafe keeps stocked up on energy drinks and canned coffee drinks. There is also a coffee machine underneath the library that offers coffee, hot chocolate, and cappuccino. If it's late and you're in your dorm room, you might have your own coffee maker. Another quicker alternative is instant coffee. There are many brands from the expensive Starbucks Via to the inexpensive Nescafe. Additionally, there is a Starbucks on McKnight Road. With all of these options, you're sure to always have quick access to coffee and other forms of caffeine when you need it most.
That being said, coffee is useful and it's good. The cafeteria and cafe at La Roche have coffee and the cafe keeps stocked up on energy drinks and canned coffee drinks. There is also a coffee machine underneath the library that offers coffee, hot chocolate, and cappuccino. If it's late and you're in your dorm room, you might have your own coffee maker. Another quicker alternative is instant coffee. There are many brands from the expensive Starbucks Via to the inexpensive Nescafe. Additionally, there is a Starbucks on McKnight Road. With all of these options, you're sure to always have quick access to coffee and other forms of caffeine when you need it most.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Work Study Jobs
If you need a work study job while you're at La Roche, don't fret. Many of them are really easy and can be really fun. A work study job is a form of financial aid and it entails that you do a few hours of work each week. Every semester there is a work study job fair in CC Square. This is a great place to go and learn about all of the opportunities that are open. However, if you don't want to wait that long before you get a work study job, you can go see the people at financial aid. They will give you a list of departments looking for work study students. Depending on your aid, a work study job can consume 2 to 12 hours or so per week. The library has work study positions available. Here you do typical library duties such as checking people's books out, assisting people with finding library items, and organizing books. The interior design department has a work study position available where a student organizes all the resources in the resource room and does other small tasks, especially like helping to set up for events. Several of the offices (like Registrar) have work study positions where you go and take phone calls and file things to fill your hours.
Probably one of the best jobs, in my opinion, is to have a work study job with the I.T. department. Especially as a graphic design student, this position gives you a lot of useful experience. If you prove to be responsible, you will be trusted with jobs like fixing paper jams in the printers instead of having to call I.T. You learn how to change the toner cartridges and do basic printer and computer maintenance. Making sure the printers are always stocked with paper and the supply cabinets are full is probably the most important part of the job. One of the other great things about this job is that you get to do your homework while you supervise the lab as long as no one needs assistance and you've performed all of your other duties. Again, especially in graphic design, this is very beneficial.
Another important part of a work study job is to make and maintain relationships. I was able to keep the same work study job for all four years because my supervisor liked me so much. He gave me a lot of room to hand pick my hours and was always there to talk to. He even enthusiastically agreed to be a reference for me when graduation approached and I was sending out resumes. All in all, a work study position is really what you make of it and it can be boring and useless, or it can be fun and even pay off in the long run.
Probably one of the best jobs, in my opinion, is to have a work study job with the I.T. department. Especially as a graphic design student, this position gives you a lot of useful experience. If you prove to be responsible, you will be trusted with jobs like fixing paper jams in the printers instead of having to call I.T. You learn how to change the toner cartridges and do basic printer and computer maintenance. Making sure the printers are always stocked with paper and the supply cabinets are full is probably the most important part of the job. One of the other great things about this job is that you get to do your homework while you supervise the lab as long as no one needs assistance and you've performed all of your other duties. Again, especially in graphic design, this is very beneficial.
Another important part of a work study job is to make and maintain relationships. I was able to keep the same work study job for all four years because my supervisor liked me so much. He gave me a lot of room to hand pick my hours and was always there to talk to. He even enthusiastically agreed to be a reference for me when graduation approached and I was sending out resumes. All in all, a work study position is really what you make of it and it can be boring and useless, or it can be fun and even pay off in the long run.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Back to School Packing
Regardless of whether it's your first trip or last trip off to college this year, it's coming quickly and I'm sure you still have Back to School shopping to do. Walmart has a lot of great items for dorm rooms and apartments. Each year there are sets of colors they use for all of the major Back to School items. The colors are generally suited to guys and girls, so it's easy to find something you like. The only bad thing about these cool colors is that they change every Back to School season, so don't count on being able to find replacement towels or additional storage containers in the same colors as you already have. Walmart was definitely my favorite place to shop for Back to School items. Target is known for having a comprehensive Back to School packing / supplies list, but there are generally a lot more extravagent items on it, as well as items that may not even be allowed in most dorms. One thing about places like Target and Ikea is that they seem to be more apartment focused than dorm room focused.
You'll never really figure out what all you do and don't need for school. Though La Roche doesn't have a Walmart in the immediate area, there are other nearby stores and there's always Cranberry in a pinch. There's no secret master list of items to bring to school, but there are a lot of base idea lists out there. Because your needs will probably change throughout your 4 years in college, you will likely always be needing different supplies. So best of luck in your shopping endeavors!
You'll never really figure out what all you do and don't need for school. Though La Roche doesn't have a Walmart in the immediate area, there are other nearby stores and there's always Cranberry in a pinch. There's no secret master list of items to bring to school, but there are a lot of base idea lists out there. Because your needs will probably change throughout your 4 years in college, you will likely always be needing different supplies. So best of luck in your shopping endeavors!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Social Media
I'm sure you've had a lot of lecturing about social media and representing yourself on the web. As a graphic designer, I can say that it's a good idea to have an online presence. It definitely helps in networking and finding a job. However, it is true that you should control what is out there on the internet about you. If any of your social media profiles are "open," any of your professors and future employers might stumble upon them and then have a less than favorable opinion of you because of a photo your cousin's friend's boyfriend posted and tagged you in. I'm not saying you can't have any fun or post any crazy pictures, but I do think you need to be careful who you allow to see them. Also, keep in mind you need to be careful who and what you complain about because things can be misinterpreted online.
A good idea prior to going off to college or graduating from college is to "clean up" your profiles. Go through and see if there are any incriminating photos of you or swearing from your friends on your profile. These things definitely WON'T help you get a job if your potential employer happens to stumble across them. Of course, like I said earlier, you have less work to do if you just keep everything private. Speaking of keeping things private, there are some things you should keep public. You SHOULD advertise your name, any school or education you have achieved, and perhaps your hometown or current area (which you can generalize). You do want people to be able to find you online because that's what social media is for. Just remember that anything you have set to public should be flattering or used to identify / clarify your online identity without exposing too much personal information. In summation, you don't have to be paranoid about what you put online, but it does pay to be thoughtful about it.
A good idea prior to going off to college or graduating from college is to "clean up" your profiles. Go through and see if there are any incriminating photos of you or swearing from your friends on your profile. These things definitely WON'T help you get a job if your potential employer happens to stumble across them. Of course, like I said earlier, you have less work to do if you just keep everything private. Speaking of keeping things private, there are some things you should keep public. You SHOULD advertise your name, any school or education you have achieved, and perhaps your hometown or current area (which you can generalize). You do want people to be able to find you online because that's what social media is for. Just remember that anything you have set to public should be flattering or used to identify / clarify your online identity without exposing too much personal information. In summation, you don't have to be paranoid about what you put online, but it does pay to be thoughtful about it.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Preparing For an Interview
There are many things to do to ensure you have a successful interview. You can find interview tips everywhere, from books to the Internet to your parents and teachers. The company I am currently working for recently interviewed for a freelance position. We had several candidates come in and that led me to remembering my interview pet peeves.
1. Dress up. Wear your Sunday best for an interview. Girls, wear a nice business suit or blouse and skirt with dress shoes. Guys, wear a suit and tie with dress shoes. You would be surprised at the number of people who can't make this initial impression a good one.
2. Show up before "on time." Take a test drive out to the location of your interview if that's what it takes. Know for a fact how much time it should take you to get there and what kind of traffic there should be at the time you're heading there. Showing up 5 minutes early is better than showing up exactly on time and both are better than showing up even one minute late. Yes, things happen, but you should be responsible enough to take that into account. Twenty minutes early is a good goal to aim for. You don't want your interviewers to be looking at the clock in frustration because you are wasting their time even before you get there. Don't be lazy. Be early.
3. Your chosen career field may have a specific jargon, but remember to gauge your audience as you speak with your interviewers. If they look bored, perhaps you are being too technical and need to tone it down a little. You want to show your expertise, but it's important to know how to relate yourself to your audience.
4. Always follow up. After an interview, ALWAYS write a thank you letter or email to thank your interviewers for taking the time to meet with you. It highly impresses your interviewers and is more than worth the short amount of time you should spend on it.
These four things are guaranteed to leave a good impression with your interviewers and give you a fruitful interview experience. Good luck to everyone!
1. Dress up. Wear your Sunday best for an interview. Girls, wear a nice business suit or blouse and skirt with dress shoes. Guys, wear a suit and tie with dress shoes. You would be surprised at the number of people who can't make this initial impression a good one.
2. Show up before "on time." Take a test drive out to the location of your interview if that's what it takes. Know for a fact how much time it should take you to get there and what kind of traffic there should be at the time you're heading there. Showing up 5 minutes early is better than showing up exactly on time and both are better than showing up even one minute late. Yes, things happen, but you should be responsible enough to take that into account. Twenty minutes early is a good goal to aim for. You don't want your interviewers to be looking at the clock in frustration because you are wasting their time even before you get there. Don't be lazy. Be early.
3. Your chosen career field may have a specific jargon, but remember to gauge your audience as you speak with your interviewers. If they look bored, perhaps you are being too technical and need to tone it down a little. You want to show your expertise, but it's important to know how to relate yourself to your audience.
4. Always follow up. After an interview, ALWAYS write a thank you letter or email to thank your interviewers for taking the time to meet with you. It highly impresses your interviewers and is more than worth the short amount of time you should spend on it.
These four things are guaranteed to leave a good impression with your interviewers and give you a fruitful interview experience. Good luck to everyone!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Who is Your Roommate?
Roommates are a fantastic college experience, whether your friendship with them ends up working out or not. If I recall, it's about time to be getting your rooming information in the mail. This is an exciting time! With the popularity of social media, as soon as you get your rooming information in the mail, you can go on Facebook to learn more about your roommate(s). I would highly recommend getting to know your roommate(s) before you arrive at school in the fall. It's good to learn a little bit about each other so that you can be friendly before you have to live together. Good questions to ask are if the other person is a morning or night person, what time they go to bed, if they're a light sleeper or not, and what their study habits are. If you're planning on rooming with a good friend of yours, always be advised that ALL of the college advice books tell you not to do this. Living with someone gives a different perspective on your relationship with them.
Let's say you are planning on rooming with a good friend or two. It's a natural decision because you know them and are comfortable hanging out with them. You then don't have to worry about not knowing your roommate(s) prior to living together. However, things you may not have known about your best friend:
-Maybe they're a loud snorer and it makes it impossible for you to sleep at night.
-Maybe they refuse to clean or take out the trash.
-Maybe they spend 3 hours in the bathroom each day.
-Maybe they borrow your clothes or shoes without asking.
-Maybe they want their boyfriend or girlfriend to stay over all the time.
The point is, a lot of things can go wrong with roommates whether or not you are best friends and it's always best to keep things civil. Go into each rooming year with some idea of who the person is. Take a genuine interest in them and that will lead to civility if not a new friendship. It's always good to compare what you're planning on bringing to your room in the fall so that roommates don't end up with duplicates. It's also good to come up with a sort of Roommate Agreement or Roommate Contract. This is something you and your roommate(s) can do between yourselves to determine what kinds of things will and won't be tolerated as you live together. Things to include may be a trash schedule or a bathroom cleaning schedule, noise conditions, and even bedtime routines. As long as everyone can agree on what goes into this contract, everyone should be able to follow it and maintain a happy rooming situation. If anything goes awry from this contract, your Resident Assistant can help you sort things out. Most times rooming disputes are fairly easy to handle. If your RA intervenes but it does not help, you can go to Resident Life and they will help you. Sometimes, if a more serious issue is the heart of the roommate problem, the college counselors will be brought in to help you sort through things. If the issue is completely unable to be resolved, you may receive a new roommate or be moved to a new room. La Roche is really good about roommate situations and trying to resolve them to the benefit of everyone involved. The majority of the time, you really do become good friends with your roommates. So good luck with your new roomies this fall!
Let's say you are planning on rooming with a good friend or two. It's a natural decision because you know them and are comfortable hanging out with them. You then don't have to worry about not knowing your roommate(s) prior to living together. However, things you may not have known about your best friend:
-Maybe they're a loud snorer and it makes it impossible for you to sleep at night.
-Maybe they refuse to clean or take out the trash.
-Maybe they spend 3 hours in the bathroom each day.
-Maybe they borrow your clothes or shoes without asking.
-Maybe they want their boyfriend or girlfriend to stay over all the time.
The point is, a lot of things can go wrong with roommates whether or not you are best friends and it's always best to keep things civil. Go into each rooming year with some idea of who the person is. Take a genuine interest in them and that will lead to civility if not a new friendship. It's always good to compare what you're planning on bringing to your room in the fall so that roommates don't end up with duplicates. It's also good to come up with a sort of Roommate Agreement or Roommate Contract. This is something you and your roommate(s) can do between yourselves to determine what kinds of things will and won't be tolerated as you live together. Things to include may be a trash schedule or a bathroom cleaning schedule, noise conditions, and even bedtime routines. As long as everyone can agree on what goes into this contract, everyone should be able to follow it and maintain a happy rooming situation. If anything goes awry from this contract, your Resident Assistant can help you sort things out. Most times rooming disputes are fairly easy to handle. If your RA intervenes but it does not help, you can go to Resident Life and they will help you. Sometimes, if a more serious issue is the heart of the roommate problem, the college counselors will be brought in to help you sort through things. If the issue is completely unable to be resolved, you may receive a new roommate or be moved to a new room. La Roche is really good about roommate situations and trying to resolve them to the benefit of everyone involved. The majority of the time, you really do become good friends with your roommates. So good luck with your new roomies this fall!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Getting Involved
Getting involved is an important thing to do while you're in college. La Roche has many different clubs and activities to help you be involved. La Roche also makes it pretty easy to start your own club based on your own interests. It's almost impossible to get through college at La Roche without being involved in at least one thing.
After college and even during the summers it's harder to stay involved. While you can stay inside all day and play video games, it's not advised. When you have a full-time job, you very well may come home from work and be absolutely exhausted. You might be very inclined to sit down and watch tv all evening after you get home. I'm in this predicament right now. I hate to waste time but at the same time, I'm worn out at the end of a long day. This makes me realize that I need to get involved. There are opportunities everywhere...it's just a matter of finding them. My local library has a program called Chicks With Sticks which is a knitting group. Other places to look for social opportunities are churches, hospitals, soup kitchens, humane societies, nursing homes, girl or boy scouting, Habitat for Humanity and community centers. It can be very rewarding to be involved and it also gives you something to do.
After college and even during the summers it's harder to stay involved. While you can stay inside all day and play video games, it's not advised. When you have a full-time job, you very well may come home from work and be absolutely exhausted. You might be very inclined to sit down and watch tv all evening after you get home. I'm in this predicament right now. I hate to waste time but at the same time, I'm worn out at the end of a long day. This makes me realize that I need to get involved. There are opportunities everywhere...it's just a matter of finding them. My local library has a program called Chicks With Sticks which is a knitting group. Other places to look for social opportunities are churches, hospitals, soup kitchens, humane societies, nursing homes, girl or boy scouting, Habitat for Humanity and community centers. It can be very rewarding to be involved and it also gives you something to do.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Maintaining Relationships
Maintaining relationships of any kind in college and after college can be difficult. With technology today, you would think it would make things easier: FaceTime with your mom, texting your boyfriend, Facebooking your best friend...the list goes on. However, technology makes things harder for a lot of people. Mom won't be able to give you a hug on a bad day. You will miss your boyfriend's voice. You'll miss those silly moments with your best friend. It's important to manage your time well so that you can spend time with those people that mean the most to you and not get behind on school work. College is about working hard to ensure a happy, successful future, but it's also about having fun with the people that mean the most to you.
Just when you settled into a comfortable routine of maintaining relationships from home, you're about ready to graduate. After graduating, you miss the people you became friends with at school. It's important to keep in touch with professors that helped you throughout school. As a recent graduate from La Roche, there are several professors I want to keep in contact with. One of the best ways to do this is by email since I live about 45 minutes away from school. There are several professors that are curious about what I'm up to since I was lucky enough to find a job right before I graduated. It also pays to keep in touch with professors if you're having a hard time finding a job. This is especially applicable with majors that rely on networking to get jobs, such as graphic design. Many of my professors started to recommend people in my graduating class for jobs in the spring semester. Of course, it's not just professors that you want to keep in touch with from college. I have both a friend and a boyfriend an hour or so away from where I live, in opposite directions. Worse yet, they have opposite work schedules.
Being busy is a thing that happens naturally and when you get busy, people tend to drift apart. There is such a thing as balance and it's important to use college to start to find it before you get even busier upon graduation. Remember to keep in touch!!
Just when you settled into a comfortable routine of maintaining relationships from home, you're about ready to graduate. After graduating, you miss the people you became friends with at school. It's important to keep in touch with professors that helped you throughout school. As a recent graduate from La Roche, there are several professors I want to keep in contact with. One of the best ways to do this is by email since I live about 45 minutes away from school. There are several professors that are curious about what I'm up to since I was lucky enough to find a job right before I graduated. It also pays to keep in touch with professors if you're having a hard time finding a job. This is especially applicable with majors that rely on networking to get jobs, such as graphic design. Many of my professors started to recommend people in my graduating class for jobs in the spring semester. Of course, it's not just professors that you want to keep in touch with from college. I have both a friend and a boyfriend an hour or so away from where I live, in opposite directions. Worse yet, they have opposite work schedules.
Being busy is a thing that happens naturally and when you get busy, people tend to drift apart. There is such a thing as balance and it's important to use college to start to find it before you get even busier upon graduation. Remember to keep in touch!!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
A New Kind of Time Management
Everyone always says you need to learn the skill of time management (if you haven't already mastered it) by the time you get to college and that if you haven't learned it already, college is the perfect time to do so. Since graduating, I'm finding it more important than ever before to be good at managing my time. The bad part is...I'm not doing so well at it. In college, you have breaks between classes, evenings, when you're supposed to be sleeping, weekends, and the morning before class to get any school work done that you put off or haven't gotten done. If you've had a job during college, you're probably getting pretty darn good at managing your time.
I can honestly say since graduating, it's harder than ever to manage my time. I knew when I graduated that I had a job using my degree, but I wasn't really prepared for what that meant. I was definitely used to being busy and cramming things that needed done into the small time frames I had during the school year. I had an internship and was taking summer classes in addition to doing 10 hours of work study a week during the summer '10 semester. I barely managed that. My La Roche days were Monday and Wednesday from 7:30 to 5 and it was a 45 minute commute from home (each way). My internship days were Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 to 5:30 or 6 with a commute varying from 40 minutes to almost 2 hours sometimes each way. In addition, I had massive amounts of homework. There's something to be said for finding ways to get things done when you're busy. All through college I had worked hard to keep myself busy and constantly learning. Thus, I ended up having very little free time. Now that I work Monday through Friday, 8-5 with only a half hour commute, I have from 6pm-11pm free as well as the entirety of the weekend. Of course, I have things I need to do like cleaning my room and other small organizational tasks. I have things I want to do like reading and teaching myself more things that will help me keep on top of new happenings in my industry (graphic design). There are also the things I just want to do for fun like play Super Mario Brothers for Wii, hang out with my friends from college, and take walks with my dog. I'm not sure why, but it feels like work lasts all day. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my job, but it does take away all my daylight hours during the day. I also know I need to go to bed by 12 at the absolute latest if I'm going to be worth anything the next day at work (especially because it's a creative job, which can be mentally taxing at times). Unfortunately, I'm still at the point where I wake up in time to get ready for work and not do anything else, leave for work, work till 5, come home, eat dinner, and sit around all evening. If I try to meet up with people after work, even if I get home at a decent hour, I'm exhausted when I get home and into the next day. As of right now, weekends are spent out and about at least half the time because it's summer and there are many activities to do. As a result, I have a bunch of small things I need to catch up on and I never end up leaving time for them! I would say time management is hands down the biggest adjustment from college to the real world. Well...that and maintaining relationships and friends from college, which I will get into more next week.
I can honestly say since graduating, it's harder than ever to manage my time. I knew when I graduated that I had a job using my degree, but I wasn't really prepared for what that meant. I was definitely used to being busy and cramming things that needed done into the small time frames I had during the school year. I had an internship and was taking summer classes in addition to doing 10 hours of work study a week during the summer '10 semester. I barely managed that. My La Roche days were Monday and Wednesday from 7:30 to 5 and it was a 45 minute commute from home (each way). My internship days were Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 to 5:30 or 6 with a commute varying from 40 minutes to almost 2 hours sometimes each way. In addition, I had massive amounts of homework. There's something to be said for finding ways to get things done when you're busy. All through college I had worked hard to keep myself busy and constantly learning. Thus, I ended up having very little free time. Now that I work Monday through Friday, 8-5 with only a half hour commute, I have from 6pm-11pm free as well as the entirety of the weekend. Of course, I have things I need to do like cleaning my room and other small organizational tasks. I have things I want to do like reading and teaching myself more things that will help me keep on top of new happenings in my industry (graphic design). There are also the things I just want to do for fun like play Super Mario Brothers for Wii, hang out with my friends from college, and take walks with my dog. I'm not sure why, but it feels like work lasts all day. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my job, but it does take away all my daylight hours during the day. I also know I need to go to bed by 12 at the absolute latest if I'm going to be worth anything the next day at work (especially because it's a creative job, which can be mentally taxing at times). Unfortunately, I'm still at the point where I wake up in time to get ready for work and not do anything else, leave for work, work till 5, come home, eat dinner, and sit around all evening. If I try to meet up with people after work, even if I get home at a decent hour, I'm exhausted when I get home and into the next day. As of right now, weekends are spent out and about at least half the time because it's summer and there are many activities to do. As a result, I have a bunch of small things I need to catch up on and I never end up leaving time for them! I would say time management is hands down the biggest adjustment from college to the real world. Well...that and maintaining relationships and friends from college, which I will get into more next week.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Entering the Real World
Since graduating on May 7, I can say for a fact that I wouldn't be where I am today without having attended La Roche College. At the portfolio show for Graphic and Interior Design seniors, I was approached by several professionals. One of these professionals contacted me for an interview. The interview went very well, thanks to the advanced and unique opportunities that I sought out through my education at La Roche and was able to talk about in my interview. Because of my unique experiences, I ended up being offered a position as a Graphic Designer at Media Frogg Marketing and Communications in Zelienople before I graduated. I started working at Media Frogg on May 16, 2011 and I can honestly say I enjoy going to work every day. I'm doing what I love and working with great people.
Two important lessons:
-If you want to learn about something specific that's not covered, find out more information and take an independent study with a professor who's willing to learn about the same thing. It will definitely put you ahead in your chosen career field and La Roche makes it very easy.
-Give your all in an interview. Let the interviewer know that you're passionate about the job and don't be afraid to stick your neck out for it (without being obnoxious). Interviewers want to know that they're hiring someone who really wants to be there with the intention of making an investment in their company.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Portfolio Show Follow-Up
The Graphic and Interior Design Portfolio Show was held April 13 at the Steel Building in Pittsburgh. Both of these majors are required to make a portfolio of their work before graduation. These portfolios are then taken to interviews and shown as a demonstration of skills. Many professionals from both disciplines are invited to the portfolio show. The professors hope that this show will be a good opportunity for networking and potential jobs.
I think we all worked very hard to get to the milestone of the portfolio show. It was a long road of choosing our best works and revising them to make them even better. It meant countless dollars spent, countless nights staying up late, and countless cups of coffee. In the end though, I can say it definitely paid off. The portfolio show was a great success and there were several potential employers there to look at our books. All the students were set up with half of a long table covered with a white tablecloth. I put out my portfolio book, a logo book, my letterhead and business cards, a booklet with some samples of work in for potential employers to take, and a few hard copies of projects I had done. Friends and family as well as prospective students are invited to this capstone event for the seniors. I had two prospective students stop by my table and admire my book and ask questions about the project. It was really nice to see the students that eager to learn about the program that they would come to this event. I think that's one of the great things about the Graphic Design major specifically, is that there are several events and presentations that really summarize what the program is all about. These are fantastic things for prospective students to see: graphic design graduates succeeding, even before graduation. At the portfolio show there are also leadership awards presented to the most successful of the graduating classes for both graphic and interior design, which is a big honor. This year, Andrew Graham and Mark Cancilla got the leadership award for graphic design. All in all, the event was very nice, the food was good, and it even led to a few job possibilities!
Now for graduation, only a mere 11 days away...
I think we all worked very hard to get to the milestone of the portfolio show. It was a long road of choosing our best works and revising them to make them even better. It meant countless dollars spent, countless nights staying up late, and countless cups of coffee. In the end though, I can say it definitely paid off. The portfolio show was a great success and there were several potential employers there to look at our books. All the students were set up with half of a long table covered with a white tablecloth. I put out my portfolio book, a logo book, my letterhead and business cards, a booklet with some samples of work in for potential employers to take, and a few hard copies of projects I had done. Friends and family as well as prospective students are invited to this capstone event for the seniors. I had two prospective students stop by my table and admire my book and ask questions about the project. It was really nice to see the students that eager to learn about the program that they would come to this event. I think that's one of the great things about the Graphic Design major specifically, is that there are several events and presentations that really summarize what the program is all about. These are fantastic things for prospective students to see: graphic design graduates succeeding, even before graduation. At the portfolio show there are also leadership awards presented to the most successful of the graduating classes for both graphic and interior design, which is a big honor. This year, Andrew Graham and Mark Cancilla got the leadership award for graphic design. All in all, the event was very nice, the food was good, and it even led to a few job possibilities!
Now for graduation, only a mere 11 days away...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Oh! The Places You'll Go!
Four years ago, I had no idea how the title of this Dr. Seuss book was going to describe my time at La Roche as a graphic design major! In a figurative sense, I’ve grown immensely as a person and as a designer. In a literal sense, graphic design at La Roche has introduced me to many new places.First, I learned about places to get supplies. I wrote about many of these a few weeks ago. In addition to the physical stores, I learned how smart it was to sign up for mailing lists. Borders, JoAnn Fabrics, and Michaels routinely send you useful coupons, often as much as 40% off an item. Also, if you’re going to buy food, it’s smart to have a Giant Eagle advantage card or have a duplicate of your parents’ card. It not only gives you sale prices, but you also earn fuel perks, a discount on gasoline at Get Go stations. If you have a car, this saves you money on your gas. If you don’t have a car, your parents will appreciate that you save them a bit of money. Buying gas at Get Go also gives you more discounts on food at Giant Eagle.Second, certain graphic design projects led me to do research at various places. A redesign of Primanti Brother’s website led to dinner at the Cranberry location so that I could absorb the atmosphere and take some photographs. This one was great, as I’d always wanted to eat at Primanti’s! Another project on produce signage took me to Trader Joe’s, Right by Nature, and Whole Foods in Pittsburgh. As I’m a foodie by nature, this was a great excursion. Along those lines, a cupcake website design led me to CoCo’s Cupcakes in Shadyside (now closed) and Dozen Cupcakes in Lawrenceville and Oakland. A catalog of fly fishing reels took me across Pittsburgh to International Angler in the Robinson area, and later to the Allegheny Sport, Travel and Outdoor Show at the Monroeville Convention Center. For a photography assignment, I went to Mount Washington for an evening. Different assignments took me to Pittsburgh’s South Side, which was also where I completed an internship.These adventures have had other benefits as well. I’ve learned my way around Pittsburgh quite well. I’ve navigated major highways, tunnels, narrow one-way streets and parking garage ramps. Though maps and GPS aren’t a bad idea, I find my way around pretty well without them after four years. I’ve even proven my ability to change a tire in the rain!Graphic design research may take place in the library or on the internet, but the best research is done out in the real world!Groovy Pop Culture Emporium, Carson Streetstairs that have a street sign, South SideSouth Side Local Development Company muralcupcakes from CoCo's
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Senioritis
With April beginning in just two days, I'm sure senioritis has made an appearance in every high schooler's mind by now. I, myself am starting to look forward to allowing senioritis to enter my life (in about 15 days, after I finish all of my important work and can look forward to graduating college). It's a fun time in life and you get to look forward to and concentrate on the future and all that's ahead in life. For some it is scary and for others it is exciting. It's all too easy to emphasize on the scary things like: "What will college bring?" "Will I make any friends?" and other "what if..." questions.
Make sure to take time and enjoy your summer before entering college, but one thing that it is good to focus on is getting a summer job. For the average person, college is only moderately expensive. You'll need the average school supplies, plus living supplies and a laptop and printer if you're lucky. The more intense majors like Graphic Design and Interior Design will require a lot more funds though. Not only are laptops and printers must-haves, but you'll need art supplies as well. Art supplies can get quite expensive and they are required. There are also expenses for each project, at least for graphic designers. For one project I had to buy kitchen utensils (garlic press, cheese slicer, pizza cutter, egg slicer, melon baller, etc.) at the dollar store. The assignment was to make cheap products look expensive with packaging and an enhancement of some kind to the physical product (I bought cherry spray paint to make them look like they had wood handles). Some people bought more expensive products to start so they could focus on the packaging itself. For a different project, I know one person who spent about $50 on printing alone. My point is: this program takes you great places, but you'll need a little spending money on hand.
Keep an eye out for my next blog post about where all graphic design has taken me!
Make sure to take time and enjoy your summer before entering college, but one thing that it is good to focus on is getting a summer job. For the average person, college is only moderately expensive. You'll need the average school supplies, plus living supplies and a laptop and printer if you're lucky. The more intense majors like Graphic Design and Interior Design will require a lot more funds though. Not only are laptops and printers must-haves, but you'll need art supplies as well. Art supplies can get quite expensive and they are required. There are also expenses for each project, at least for graphic designers. For one project I had to buy kitchen utensils (garlic press, cheese slicer, pizza cutter, egg slicer, melon baller, etc.) at the dollar store. The assignment was to make cheap products look expensive with packaging and an enhancement of some kind to the physical product (I bought cherry spray paint to make them look like they had wood handles). Some people bought more expensive products to start so they could focus on the packaging itself. For a different project, I know one person who spent about $50 on printing alone. My point is: this program takes you great places, but you'll need a little spending money on hand.
Keep an eye out for my next blog post about where all graphic design has taken me!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Location, Location, Location!
Probably one of the best things about La Roche that doesn't have to do with education is that it's right off of McKnight Road. While there isn't a Walmart, there's just about everything else you could need right on McKnight. (If you really need it, there's a Walmart on Route 8 in Gibsonia and one in Cranberry.) For a graphic designer, La Roche is situated very well. It's a 15-20 minute straight shot into Pittsburgh from school. This is nice because a lot of AIGA (professional graphic design organization) events are in various parts of Pittsburgh. Research for projects has led me into Lawrenceville many times and I know my way around there almost without GPS. Speaking of GPS: though you don't need a car when you come to school, you might want to make friends with someone who does have a car or learn to use the public transportation systems so you can venture out and about. There are also lots of resources for designers on McKnight and in Pittsburgh. Here are some places you'll want to keep in mind:
McKnight Road
-JoAnn Fabrics: craft supplies, art supplies, paper, sign up online for coupons
-PaperMart: party store good for inspiration/boxes/bags
-Michaels: craft supplies, art supplies, sign up online for coupons
-Target
-Dollar Store: located in Northway Mall, good source of materials for some projects
-Borders: best selection of design books around, sign up online for coupons (and on Facebook)
-Half Price Books: how-to books and design books
-Giant Eagle: located in McIntyre Square, open 24 hours, has a RedBox
-OfficeMax: located in McIntyre Square, cheapest printing on McKnight
-FedEx/Kinkos: printing (there's a 24 hour one in Cranberry too!)
-Ross Park Mall: good for research and inspiration on some projects
-North Park Lounge: best lounge fries, the one on Route 8 has pool and games too
Pittsburgh
-Copies on Carson: printing
-Alpha Graphics: printing
-Print Tech: paper, printing
-Dozen Bake Shop: fantastic cupcakes, desserts, and food in general
-xpedx Paper Store: specialty paper, envelopes
-Gallery Crawl: networking, viewing art and entertainment
-MinuteMan Press: printing, also on Route 8
-Utrecht: art and graphic design supplies, student discount
-Artist & Craftsman Supply: art and graphic design supplies
-CMU Art Bookstore: art and graphic design supplies, hard to find items
McKnight Road
-JoAnn Fabrics: craft supplies, art supplies, paper, sign up online for coupons
-PaperMart: party store good for inspiration/boxes/bags
-Michaels: craft supplies, art supplies, sign up online for coupons
-Target
-Dollar Store: located in Northway Mall, good source of materials for some projects
-Borders: best selection of design books around, sign up online for coupons (and on Facebook)
-Half Price Books: how-to books and design books
-Giant Eagle: located in McIntyre Square, open 24 hours, has a RedBox
-OfficeMax: located in McIntyre Square, cheapest printing on McKnight
-FedEx/Kinkos: printing (there's a 24 hour one in Cranberry too!)
-Ross Park Mall: good for research and inspiration on some projects
-North Park Lounge: best lounge fries, the one on Route 8 has pool and games too
Pittsburgh
-Copies on Carson: printing
-Alpha Graphics: printing
-Print Tech: paper, printing
-Dozen Bake Shop: fantastic cupcakes, desserts, and food in general
-xpedx Paper Store: specialty paper, envelopes
-Gallery Crawl: networking, viewing art and entertainment
-MinuteMan Press: printing, also on Route 8
-Utrecht: art and graphic design supplies, student discount
-Artist & Craftsman Supply: art and graphic design supplies
-CMU Art Bookstore: art and graphic design supplies, hard to find items
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Positive Space
Positive Space is La Roche College's annual student art show and it's coming up this Thursday! I mentioned in a previous post that in Senior Seminar, two groups of senior graphic design students compete for a client and that one of those clients is always Positive Space. The group that won Positive Space last semester designed the fliers above, as well as the entire Positive Space campaign. As I mentioned, Positive Space is La Roche College's student art show, which means that anyone who has taken at least one graphic design course at La Roche can enter something in the show. The work students submit can be from classes at La Roche or from outside school.
This particular piece lists all the categories of Positive Space: Typography, Illustration, Multimedia, Green Design, Package Design, Interior Design, Drawing / Painting, 3D Modeling, Graphic Design, and Photography. Typography is essentially anything with lots of words (type) and the focus of anything submitted in this category would be the design of the type itself. Illustration is hand-rendered or computer-rendered drawings. Multimedia encompasses both video production and web design. Green Design is a new category this year and can include entires that have an environmentally sustainable purpose whether it's in concept or execution (environmentally conscious in ideas or actual design). Package Design is the design of products to be sold. The Interior Design category was added a few years ago to expand the show into a graphic and interior design show where the two departments could work together more closely. Drawing and Painting is exactly what it sounds like. 3D modeling is mainly focused at interior designers as well and their use of programs like AutoCAD and their scaled mockups. Graphic Design encompasses anything you can't pin down into a specific category that combines words and imagery in a unique way. Last, but not least, Photography can include black and white as well as color.
All the students get excited about Positive Space because it's a juried art show. This means that there is a specific drop off day for entries and then a few days later, a team of jurors (professional designers that don't know any of the current students submitting work) looks at all of the work in all of the categories and decides what is good enough to make it into the show and what is not good enough to make it into the show. They also judge a first, second and honorable mention within each category. The night of the show -THIS THURSDAY!- we will all find out who got accepted into the show.
Positive Space takes place at La Roche College, in the Cantellops Art Gallery from 7-9PM. There is also an awards ceremony in CC Square. If you're interested in the work that the students produce here, this is definitely a great chance to see the best of it! There will also be free food and a chance to mingle with all the current design students and even some professionals! Visit La Roche's website to learn more about the event. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Freaking Out
Every year, when school starts, I start to freak out. It's been a tradition since when I went to my first day of Kindergarten. I was never nervous about leaving my family or spending the day away. What made me nervous were things like "What will the teachers be like?" "How difficult will the material be" or "Will it be challenging?" Wondering what the year would be like - all that mystery - made me anxious beyond belief.
I'm graduating in May and I'm actually asking myself these same things. For the first year, I'm more nervous at the end of the year than I was at the beginning of the year. I'm asking myself "What will my employers be like?" "Will I like my job and will it be challenging?" Even the dreaded question: Will I get a job? I hope I get a job. I hope I like my job. I hope my job pays well. Before I can leap off that bridge to employment though, there's a lot of things I need to do first. Completing this semester of classes is a must, and I'd like to do it with a 4.0 again. I need to touch up projects from my years here and compile them into an official design portfolio. I did design myself a logo and build my resume already, so those things are good to go! I also still have to design myself a website. This will be an important self-marketing tool because I can direct future employers there to see my work before I meet them in person. These days, a design graduate must have a website if they want to be seriously considered for any job applications. I also have a portfolio show on April 13. As you can tell, there is a lot of work to be done. The deadlines are fast approaching and everyone keeps reminded about them thanks to the many professors who like to stress us out (which really just ensures that we enter panic mode and get our things done in a timely manner).
As you might guess, I enjoy over-achieving because not only does it give me a sense of pride in knowing I did well, but because it also puts me ahead of others who might not work as hard. Because of my relationships with my professors here, I've been able to learn about some subject matter that isn't covered in the classrooms and I know that will set me apart from other graduates. Graphic design is a competitive field and I want to be successful upon my graduation from La Roche. As I continue to work, I will also continue to be stressed out about what the future holds. The funny thing is: no one knows what the future holds. While I almost wish I had more time in school to delay this unknown future, I am glad to be almost done with my formal education and rely on self-learning after graduation. Wish me luck in my endeavors!
I'm graduating in May and I'm actually asking myself these same things. For the first year, I'm more nervous at the end of the year than I was at the beginning of the year. I'm asking myself "What will my employers be like?" "Will I like my job and will it be challenging?" Even the dreaded question: Will I get a job? I hope I get a job. I hope I like my job. I hope my job pays well. Before I can leap off that bridge to employment though, there's a lot of things I need to do first. Completing this semester of classes is a must, and I'd like to do it with a 4.0 again. I need to touch up projects from my years here and compile them into an official design portfolio. I did design myself a logo and build my resume already, so those things are good to go! I also still have to design myself a website. This will be an important self-marketing tool because I can direct future employers there to see my work before I meet them in person. These days, a design graduate must have a website if they want to be seriously considered for any job applications. I also have a portfolio show on April 13. As you can tell, there is a lot of work to be done. The deadlines are fast approaching and everyone keeps reminded about them thanks to the many professors who like to stress us out (which really just ensures that we enter panic mode and get our things done in a timely manner).
As you might guess, I enjoy over-achieving because not only does it give me a sense of pride in knowing I did well, but because it also puts me ahead of others who might not work as hard. Because of my relationships with my professors here, I've been able to learn about some subject matter that isn't covered in the classrooms and I know that will set me apart from other graduates. Graphic design is a competitive field and I want to be successful upon my graduation from La Roche. As I continue to work, I will also continue to be stressed out about what the future holds. The funny thing is: no one knows what the future holds. While I almost wish I had more time in school to delay this unknown future, I am glad to be almost done with my formal education and rely on self-learning after graduation. Wish me luck in my endeavors!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Adventures in Printing
Whether or not you look at the time of this post is up to you. As you might guess, I try not to stay up until 3 in the morning, but it's becoming my normal bedtime. This isn't because of partying or completely poor time management either. I'm actually working on developing my graphic design portfolio because I'll be graduating in May. Graphic designers use portfolios to showcase the best work that they've done in their college careers (freelance and internship work too!!) and they show these portfolios to potential employers. Preparing a graphic design portfolio takes a lot of hard work and time and requires you learn a lot. Loosely, this brings me to the point of this entry.
Today (well, technically yesterday now), I went to OfficeMax to get some revisions of projects printed for my final portfolio. As a young graphic design student at La Roche, you will probably be assigned to find at least 5 local printers. This is a really useful assignment because it teaches you how to find resources and how to talk to people professionally. Here's a heads up though: OfficeMax and Kinkos are two of the most frequented printers in the area. OfficeMax is on McKnight and has a nice selection of both paper and print staff. There's a 24 hour Kinkos in Cranberry which is convenient for last minute prints, though it's a bit more pricey. When you go to get your first project printed, you really don't realize how many choices there are to be made. Yes, you probably know going into it that there's regular paper, card stock, and photo paper, but it's more diverse than that, even at an office store. You will soon learn that you need to ask questions and pay attention to details. Is the paper shiny? Is it too shiny? Is the paper too thin? Can the paper be folded easily? These are only a few questions and they all have to do with the type of paper you're using. Additional things to consider when printing are whether or not you want it double sided or whether you want to assemble it yourself. Not to take all the fun out of it, but double sided prints are never completely lined up, so you really have to learn how to prepare your files for print. Preparing files for print is covered thoroughly in your time at La Roche. Sometimes you can even pick up tips from the staff at the printing places. Before you get too far into the printing process, one of the most important things to remember is: Always bring your computer with the original files! When you're a beginner, when you're tired, or on any given day, you might accidentally forget to do one step in the preparation for printing and it's always easier if you have a charged laptop with your files right there to fix it.
Getting away from the overwhelming nature of first-time printing, you'll quickly realize that you need to pay attention. When your print comes out, you should look at how vibrant the colors are and see if you're happy with it. If not, you'll need a different type of paper (perhaps a smoother one or one with some type of coating). You should feel how thick or thin the paper is when you're handed your print. Ask questions too! If the staff is busy, try to keep it short, but asking questions like "Do you have anything just slightly thicker than this?" will help you learn a lot. Also, if you pay attention to your receipt, you'll see there are weights listed for the paper(s) you purchased. By learning what the paper you use is called, you can directly ask for it again instead of jumping through hoops. This will make it easier on you and the sales associate both.
Another important thing I've learned from a professor at La Roche is to never take or pay for a print job you're not happy with...as long as it was the printer's fault and not yours. Sometimes it's busy or they didn't turn the paper when they double sided your piece. Things happen, but it's important to catch them early on so you can have corrections made.
At the end of the day, you'll be truly satisfied because it's always nice to see your work in it's real form and not just on the computer screen.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Pittsburgh Gallery Crawl
La Roche is taking a bus to the Gallery Crawl in Pittsburgh at 6 p.m this Friday. If you've never been to a gallery crawl before, you should really try to make time for it. Whether you go with parents or friends, through La Roche or on your own, you can have a truly good time. Each gallery crawl event is different, so if you have been to one, don't be afraid to go to another! You'll find the most information on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust website: http://www.pgharts.org/education/gallerycrawl.aspx. The site has a full listing of the events going on each time. There is live entertainment and open art galleries with different collections (from paintings to sculptures depicting ice to comics). Handmade Arcade sponsors a craft night during each gallery crawl where they reuse something (for example, t-shirts) to make something else (for example, totes) and they also have button making available. Le Cordon Blue Institute of Culinary Arts is a gallery crawl participant and features sugar and tallow sculpture pieces created by the PCI faculty. They also have hot food and beverages prepared by PCI students. One time when I went in the fall, there was cinnamon hot chocolate and very delicious and very chocolatey brownies. If you still manage to find yourself hungry and walking along the streets of Pittsburgh during the gallery crawl, I definitely recommend you stop in Dozen Bake Shop or Crazy Mocha because they are two Pittsburgh places you can't miss!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Big Day
Well, today was the big day. Or one of them anyhow. It didn't seem like a big action at first, but I submitted my application for graduation today, along with the fee and my completed program guide. It didn't hit me until later when I was in my Portfolio Preparation class (for graphic design) and my professor gave us a timeline of when we should have the various steps of our final portfolios ready. Speaking of which, the senior graphic design and interior design portfolio show is April 13, 2011 at the USX Tower in downtown Pittsburgh. It's a great chance for prospective students to come and see what they will be spending their college career in preparation for, as well as a good environment for professional networking. It then hit me again later in another class when my professor told me there were 15 weeks until graduation. I've spent four years learning how to design and constantly bettering my skills and this is it. It's my chance to prove that I've got what it takes to be a designer and jump into the deep end of the big kid's pool. While I'm very nervous for what the future holds, I'm also a little excited.
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