Tag Archives: Freshman

Production Management Semester 1 Review

The Production Management major is a complex multifaceted program that can branch off and lead to many different job types in the industry. This can make it hard to understand what your time here at FIT could look like, so I’m going to start going over the courses in the major semester by semester and review and elaborate on them.

 

Semester 1 – Very rudimentary and foundational to your general understanding of basic fashion industry structure and procedures.

MG 108 – Apparel and Home Textile Products Manufacturing

This was my first ever class at FIT. I came into this school not knowing anything about businesses or how they are structured, or how the fashion industry even operates. This class taught me about all the different processes involved in the making of products and who is responsible for them. We also talked about one of the most important pieces of information in the production industry, a tech. pack, which is a detailing of what the product is made of and how to make it.

TS 115/TS 015 – Textiles for Production Management

Again, I didn’t know anything about apparel coming into FIT. This class gave me the foundational understanding of the different types of fabrics and how they are all made. We learned about the difference between woven and knit fabrics, the different types of each category, and we even got to see the machinery used to make these fabrics in person in the textile labs. We also learned about all the different types of fibers and materials that make up the fabric and the qualities of them. One of the coolest parts about this class was when we tested different fabrics in our textile lab to see if they would meet industry standards. FIT has a fully equipped textile testing lab with machinery that tests things from the strength, to the color fastness, and even the flammability of the fabric.

MG 153 – Excel for Business

This class helps students build one of the most commonly used skills in the production industry, Microsoft Excel. I use Excel every day at work to analyze and identify key information for our team, and this class helped me feel comfortable in taking responsibilities like this on. Professors use textbook and online material for students to reference in their homework and projects to help build relevant and comprehensive practice. You’ll learn how to format files, discover all sorts of formulas, and even learn about Pivot Tables. Excel has since become one of my favorite programs for organizing pretty much any type of information. It isn’t just for numbers, though it excels in that field. (I’m sorry I just had to). 

Which class would you be most excited for in your first semester at FIT?

Welcome New Students!

FIT sent out their decision letters as of April 1st. Let me be the first to congratulate all of you who have been admitted to FIT. This is a very special moment and you should take a second to appreciate it. Attending college is a very rewarding experience that not everyone is lucky enough to be a part of. Your hard work and effort have gotten you here. Continue on with that and there is no telling where your life will take you.

Make sure that you confirm your spot within your intended major at FIT with the tuition deposit. You don’t want to be late with that, or else your spot might be taken by somebody else. Also, snap a photo of you with your acceptance letter and post it with the hashtag #FITwelcome to show off your pride. I remember receiving my admittance packet and being so full of happiness. I knew where I was finally going to go to college, and I was going to finally be living in New York City. This is definitely a moment that you should share with your family and friends.

Whether you’re staying close to home or heading across the country, FIT is excited to have you. You will make many new friends while here and will learn more than you could have imagined. This is what you have been dreaming about.

Moving Out Tips

After having moving in and out of the dorms several times at this point, I consider myself to be a professional.  Moving out is no easy feat especially when you’re moving out at the exact same time as hundreds of other students, but here are some of my tips and tricks as to how to handle moving out like a pro:

  • Pack as much as you can into a suitcase.  They’re easy to transport and they hold quite a bit, while still being compact.
  • Use your declining balance to buy snacks for the road and water for the security guards
  • Take a look at your wardrobe.  Donate any clothes that you did not wear often throughout the school year.
  • Start taking down your room decorations prior to the move out date.  It makes things so much easier when you aren’t in a time crunch to remove all of your string lights and posters.
  • Do your laundry before you move out.  Try to have as minimal dirty clothes as possible, therefore you don’t have to keep things separate.
  • Get rid of your shower caddy for sanitation purposes.
  • Thank your parents or friends who are helping you move.  

Happy moving day and best of luck!

Ashley

Tips for Finals

The end of the semester is here and with that comes beautiful weather, and sometimes a tendency to slack in the motivation department.  Here are some of my tips and tricks for preparing for finals:

  • Study outside of your apartment.  If you have a habit of studying on your couch and falling asleep, now is the time to kick that habit in the butt.  Head over to the library, coffee shop, or a place best suited for zero distractions and quiet time.
  • Keep your phone on loud.  This may sound counterproductive, however, I typically check my phone when I’m curious if I have a new notification or text message.  If you keep your volume up, you’ll know when you’ve been notified, rather than constantly checking to see if someone needs to get a hold of you.  If you’re studying in the library, put your phone on loud, but put headphones in.
  • Study with friends.  If you’re in a study group, someone most likely has some insight on a topic that you aren’t 100% confident about, and vice versa.  You become more knowledgeable about the topic when you have to teach it to someone else.
  • Plan out your schedule.  Set deadlines for yourself and allow yourself to go out to dinner or plan a cafe visit so that you have something to look forward to.
  • Sleep.  This step is often very neglected during finals weeks, but is so important that you are getting proper rest.  You wouldn’t want to be under the weather the first week of summer, would you?

Best of luck!

Ashley

First time at a Passover Seder

This last week was Passover and I was gifted with the opportunity to enjoy my first ever Passover Seder with some friends. Having surprisingly never come into contact with any Jewish families before in my life, I knew absolutely nothing about this holiday, but I can sure say I learned a lot.

Passover is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the liberation of the Jews from Egypt and lasts either seven or eight days (depending on your branch of Judaism). Passover Seder is a traditional feast lead by a Jewish text called the Haggadah which divides the night into 15 parts. These 15 sections of the meal include such things as: blessing of the food, retelling of the Exodus, the ceremonial breaking of matzah (unleavened bread), eating maror (bitter herbs), eating the main course, reciting the Hallel, and the conclusion of the meal.

Every part of the meal has symbolic importance behind it. The dipping of karpas (a variety of vegetables) in salt water represents the tears of the Jews during their slavery in Egypt. Exclusively matzah bread (unleavened bread) is allowed at a Passover Seder to honor the fact that the freed Israelites were in such a hurry to leave Egypt that they were unable to wait for bread to rise. It was amazing getting to hear the story of the freed Israelites and even hear my friend and his family sing and read Hebrew script as part of the ceremony of Passover Seder.

I am so thankful that I had the chance to experience a different culture like that for the first time, and I hope I only continue learning about other cultures. Have you ever learned something about a culture you didn’t know anything about?