Tag Archives: 2014

#Nepal

Hey everyone,

With all the devastating occurs happening all around the world recently one that hasn’t been publicized as much as the Baltimore riots but should be is the earthquake that affected the people in Nepal. You may have seen it on Facebook recently that you can donate to the people there. Did you realize a lot of our students and staff at FIT are affected by this tragic event?

Coming from a small town in New Jersey you don’t always realize how many different people from all over the world you surround yourself with everyday when you are at FIT. More and more i have been noticing this walking through the hallways, sometimes you become so wrapped up in your own situation you forget that the people around you may be hurting.
So in the upcoming days i would like you to take a minute and think of a way you could help. It could be the smallest gesture by just saying a prayer or donating a dollar to the relief fund, or even giving someone who you see often in class some kind words of encouragement.

As for me i will be donating to UNICEF who vow to help the children of Nepal before, during an after this crisis.

“A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu has claimed more than 5,000 lives, caused thousands of injuries, and destroyed homes and infrastructure. Some 1.7 million children require humanitarian assistance, and UNICEF is on the ground working to provide critical aid to children and families.” You can donate today too! Just follow my link below.

https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/nepal-earthquake-help-children-now/24226?ms=sem_dig_2015_misc_20150425_google&initialms=sem_dig_2015_misc_20150425_google&gclid=COroycGWn8UCFWoV7AodpS8An

#helpnepal

Kailee

#Motivation

So being a college student just about anywhere can be pretty difficult. Being a working student is even harder. Did you know that nearly 80% of todays college students work and go to school and most cant even get a loan or finical aid?

My first semester at FIT I was working nearly 30 hours a week and was a full time student. I was in the interior design program, the work load is defiantly a full time job in itself. I was taking one day at a time trying to get through the program and wondering how I was going to pay for next semester. Needless to say my grades really suffered because I wasn’t putting in the time I should have been. As I got further into the program I was able to work less and learned how to manage my time much better. It was probably the hardest two years of my life, But I cant tell you I have ever felt more proud of myself then when I received my first diploma in the mail the other day.

Before this day I was struggling to get motivated again, I felt like my hard work wasn’t paying off. I had nothing to show for it. I was run down, tired, and mentally exhausted. Until I received this and it made me think of what motivated me all along. Sometimes all you need is to see your hard work pay off or remind yourself how you got where you are. After reevaluating all my hard work I thought of three things I normally do that make me motivated again.

1. Refocus. Take a day to yourself, do something you love try and remind yourself what got you to this point in your life.

2.Set Goals. This will help you see your dreams in a real life setting, you can set them for every week what you would like to accomplish or every year it all depends on what you think will work for you. Personally I set them for every six months , not to long where it feels like you will never get there and short enough to make you push yourself.

3. Speak with someone. Sometimes all you need is a kick in high gear , it can be anything from talking to someone you look up to , or your parents, an advisor, someone who knows you well enough to tell you how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved.

So to all of you that think its not possible it is! You will make it through the good and the bad days. So for now… “Wake up early. Drink coffee. Work hard. Work really hard. Be ambitious. Keep your priorities straight, your mind right and your head up. Do well , live well and dress really well. Do what you love, love what you do. It is time to start living”

XOXO

Kailee

How to get a job, quick!

Hey everyone! So it’s the third week of classes and your finally getting settled in. At this point in the semester you kinda realize if you can take on a job , or internship with your work load. Or it may even be time to find an internship for the summer if you plan on staying in New York for the summer. If you can theres more than enough opportunities here at school, and everywhere in new york city! Whether its striking up a conversation on the subway, or going to one of the email blasts at school, there are jobs everywhere!

Below is an actual email from the Career center at FIT. Did you realize you get at least 5 a week at the minimum? Most of the time they only require you to meet in the A lobby with your resume and interview with them right there. Sometimes they will even give you an answer on the spot.

Most internships don’t do this anymore but just to warn you for the future DO NOT take an unpaid internship. Even the best jobs with the best experience will pay you. No one works for free anymore, it’s absurd for someone to think that you can or will for that matter.

Happy hunting!

Kailee

A day in the life of a commuter student!

It’s Monday 5:50 am and my alarm is going off, sleepy I roll over and hit snooze for another ten minutes. I just went to sleep a few hours ago if that, because I was waitressing the night before. My class starts at 9:00 and since I live in New Jersey that means I have to take the 7:17 to New York Penn Station. It’s now 6:25 I didn’t hear my alarm go off for the 12th time and my mom is running in my room “Kailee get up! You slept to late again!” So I quickly get up rummage through my closet and find a cute outfit to start my week off right. I then go over to my dresser and put on my makeup and throw my hair up. Gathering my things it’s now 7:00 my train leaves in 17 minutes. I go outside to turn on my bright orange beetle to warm up because today its only 7 degrees out. I quickly go back inside grab my things, make some organic flaxseed oatmeal with blueberries, grab the little snack bag of fruits and veggies my mom packed for me and finally I am off.

Turning left onto broad street I am trying to find a good radio station to listen to a good song on the short car ride. Nothings on the radio as usual because its 7am and everyone’s having a talk show. I finally reach the light before the train station and some kid cuts me off almost every morning because the high school is only a few blocks away. I pull into the parking spot at the train station, check the number on the spot and run to pay its 7:14 I only have a few minutes left until my train arrives. After paying I am running to get onto my train that just arrived.

Walking each car carefully looking for a sit that is empty so I can sit and read in peace. I sit down in the same car everyday. The man collecting the tickets gets to my seat his name is Jim. Jim sees me all the time, has seen me since I first started FIT, when I went on my first interview, has seen me crying, happy , just about all emotions I have had for the past 3 years. He says hello to me I wish him good morning as he checks my monthly pass. I then reach for my oatmeal and start eating slowly while admiring the view out the window. This morning I dosed off shortly after, I wake up and we are at New York Penn station. Its 8:43 and I am now running up the stairs by the LIRR , while putting my scarf and gloves on. I get outside and put my head down and walk quickly from 34th to 27th, it feels like the longest walk of my life in the cold and wind.

I get to FIT and the security guard greets me in the D building lobby while I show him my ID. I go through to the B building and go down to the basement for my French class. Few lecture hours and a break later ,I am heading back home. By this point my brain and body are exhausted, Monday’s are always the longest since I work the night before and then work again once I get home. I get home it’s now 1:45 I have to be at work by 4:00. I sit down for a few minutes, eat a quick snack, start some homework and then its time to get changed for work.

It’s 3:55 as I am walking into the building, I am always a few minutes early. Monday’s are kids night so its usually pretty busy. Before I know it, its 9:00 time to go home, I quickly finish my side work so I can go home. Its been a pretty long day its now 11:10 and I am finally getting ready for bed. A few hours from now I will be waking up to do it all over again.

What’s a day in your life? Are you a commuter student? Do you live at school? I would love to know 🙂

-Kailee

“Major” Changes!

Hi everyone ! How was your first week back?

For me this week was very nerve racking. As I mentioned another post I changed majors! It was almost like starting a brand new school. Even though FIT is one school your departments or major dictates where you mostly spend your time. As an interior design student I was always in the D building and rarely ventured out unless it was for another liberal arts course, which usually fell in the same surrounding area every time.

In interior design we had to chose blocks from day one, so for the most part I was always with the same people. I knew almost everyone in my major, people who were ahead of me and behind me. Since its a small major its very close knit, everyone is always working together.

But this week I took my first step in the A building and just like everyone on there first day I was nervous. My first ITM class I was actually shaking because I knew nothing and I knew a lot of the other students had some kind of background in this and I was from a whole different world. I am usually not the nervous type, I am very outgoing and I can make friends with just about anyone but not today. But soon enough I realized all my fears were totally wrong. I walked into international transactions and immediately knew I was finally where I belonged. My professor spoke about the class and the major with such passion all my excitement came flooding back. His stories about the trading world, the traveling, the food, the people it made me fall in love with what I had hoped on doing all over again. I didn’t get a chance to speak to anyone in my class, and he plans on doing introductions next week. But I cant tell you how excited I am to go back to that class next week.

I had felt this love for a job once before with interior design but then I worked in the industry and when I met the sales people that came from all over selling us fabric and carpeting solutions I saw a side I never knew existed and suddenly my passion for design slowly faded away. Every chance I got to speak with one of the representatives of companies I did. Asked tons of questions and wanted to know how much they loved what they did. Finally one day I sat down with an admissions staff member and I was advised this was for me.

“But how could it be?” I thought to myself talking to him. I have loved interior design since the moment I could start moving furniture around. Even before then I would beg my mom to change my room around. I never thought in my life that I would be doing anything but design. But sometimes working in your dream job teaches you one of two things either your going to stay or your going to leave it behind. I was so nervous all this time that I made the wrong choice, but I honestly couldn’t be happier.

As students we face this challenge everyday. Are we making the right choice? will this help me get a good job ? Will I be able to live comfortably after school? is it worth the loans? Trust me I think about it everyday too. But just know it is ok not to know, it is ok to try new things out and see If you like them. You can always go back to what you were already doing.

If I didn’t try something new I would have never found my dream job, and be as happy as I am right now.

So how was your first week? Did you make any changes this week?

-Kailee