Tag Archives: projects

An End and A Beginning

For One Last Time… Hey Everyone,

Two days ago, I officially graduated from FIT. The ceremony could not have taken place on a more perfect day. Now that I have finished college and can look back on my four years, I want to share a few of the most valuable takeaways I have from attending FIT.

Your Hard Work Will Be Rewarding: One of the most important things I built at FIT was my work ethic. With every project I had, I set aside time in order to put 100% of my heart into my work. My work ethic grew stronger and more secure as the years went on. By putting hard work into everything I did, I came out of school with an internship I learned from, a GPA I am proud of, and a portfolio I am excited to work with.

It Is Okay To Make Time For Yourself: Do not forget to make time to relax and enjoy all Manhattan has to offer. There is nothing wrong with slowing down and taking a break from the hours of hard work. Sometimes, breaks from projects give more room for ideas and brainstorming.

Failure Is NOT a Bad Thing: Not every project or assignment is going to go as planned. Now is the time to take chances and make mistakes. It is the time to try new things and learn how to make something better for the next time around. Do not let failure discourage you, but rather inspire you!

Always Be True to Your Passions and Aspirations…and Most Importantly, Yourself: Never lose sight of why you are here or your passions. Be yourself unapologetically and take the time to come into who you really are. Now is the time to learn, grow, and blossom into the truest version of yourself.

It has been an incredible journey here at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I have learned so much and grown immensely; this chapter will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to the next chapter ahead. Best of luck to all you soon-to-be graduates!

Thanks For Reading,
Annmarie X

All The “To Dos:” Staying Organized

Hello Everyone,

This has been a big week of organization for myself. At the beginning of the semester, I am always given a handful of dates to remember and assignments to be done. On top of work and daily routine, it can be a lot to keep track of. There are a few steps I like to take to make sure I stay organized and can tackle my projects bit by bit.

The first thing I always do is, whenever I am given an assignment with a due date, or just an important date to remember, I write it down in a weekly planner. Right after I mark it “to be done” in my planner, I mark the actual due date. This way, i already have a reminder in two different places! After, I may turn to my calendar and mark it up too. My calendar really plays the biggest role for me during finals week; being able to map everything out for the last few weeks allows me to organize my time accordingly.
After I have the assignment documented somewhere, I start to decide how to plan the following weeks until it is due. Often, I’ll make myself progressional due dates. For instance, if I have a painting project due in a month, first I’ll plan when to do the sketch, then when I should have the first layer down, and finally the dates that I will work on the finish.

I often keep a couple of different “to do lists” as well. I’ll keep one list of everything I need to get done in a day so that nothing gets left until the last minute. Then, I’ll have a list of all the upcoming due dates so I do not miss a beat. If there is something I have to do on the same day every week, I’ll pre-set a reminder on my phone that reminds me on that day, every week. By keeping track of my daily, weekly, and monthly progress, I am able to plan my time efficiently, while still leaving time to relax and unwind.
How do you keep track of your busy scheduling and due dates?

Best,
Annmarie x

What Works… and What Does Not: Finals

Hello Everyone,

Approaching my last semester of college has left me both reflecting and reminiscing. One of the most crucial times of the semester boils down to finals. After seven semesters of trial and error, I have found what personally works best for me during finals season… and what does not. Being in the art and design field means a lot more assigned projects. And lot more projects means a lot more cumulative time spent working on a finished product, rather than preparing for a test in many different classes. Throughout my years at FIT, I have discovered how to make the most efficient time of my semester, while still being able to enjoy it as much as I can. Here are a few dos and don’ts I can confidently recommend after my semesters at FIT:

DO: Plan, Plan, and Definitely Plan-
It is no mystery that FIT’s students are hardworking, devoted and passionate. With this devotion and passion comes a certain commitment to the assigned workload. Classes and due assignments become a lot more manageable and able to be completed to a level of satisfaction when the work is broken up. Creating a timeline for yourself so you can chip away piece by piece can help your stress levels and the finished product…which brings me to…

DON’T: Last Minute is Never a Fun Minute-
No matter how much we all want to convince ourselves, saving a project or assignment to the last minute is not fun. Even if you think you can finish the project in a day, why not give yourself the extra time? You never know if something may come up or go unexpectedly. Giving yourself the extra breathing time just incase is never a bad idea. Plus, allowing yourself the extra time gives a grace period for mistakes, or improving the project/assignment to your liking.

DO: Expect the Unexpected
No matter how much we prepare and how hard we try, not everything goes according to plan… and that is okay. There is only so much that is in your control. Give yourself that extra “just incase” time, but also do not worry if there are a few bumps in the road. Some of my biggest struggles helped me grow and become a stronger person; it is all apart of life’s journey. Embrace it!

DON’T: Let Stress Get the Best of You
With the occasional lack of control comes stress. I think every college student (and probably every human being) can relate to a time where stress and anxiety felt a bit overwhelming. I have learned throughout my college career that the best way to deal with stress is to manage it and not let it consume. Sometimes a bit of stress is healthy. Stress can help motivate us to work on a project or get something done. However, do not let it take over. We are all human so the feelings of stress and anxiety, to an extend, are natural. Always remind yourself that in the end, it is going to workout.

Lastly… DO Your Best!
If you can put your head on the pillow knowing you gave something your all, then that is the the most fulfilling kind of accomplishment. Take pride in knowing that you put the effort and hard work into making something great. Be proud of your successes and embrace your failures. College is the time to try and fail and succeed… it is all part of your journey!

I hope that these dos and don’ts provide some words of encouragement! What are your tips and tricks for making it through finals?

Until next time,
Annmarie x

Back to School: Course Highlight

Well, hello there Blogosphere! Remember me? 🙂 It feels good to be back and writing for the FIT Admissions Blog. It’s almost been a full year, can you believe it?

School has swung back into session, almost like we never left. Students have refilled every crevice of FIT’s campus and the spirit of a new school year is among us. In between classes, the quad is covered with students basking in the warm sun of September’s indian summer. Friends perch on the ledges surrounding each building, as they laugh and reconnect over their lunches. There’s a wonderful energy to campus at the beginning of Fall semester. Excitement, passion and creativity – qualities of each FIT student that kickstart the semester.

I personally feel wonderful being back in the city and on campus again. I am now a college Junior (what?!?) beginning my bachelor’s program in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Which means I now have an Associates degree in Advertising and Marketing. I feel super cool being able to say that 😉 I’m excited for these next two years at FIT and what it has in store for me.

With new semester’s come new courses, DUH! Moreover, with a new program comes new courses. Some student’s decide to try a new major when they enter their bachelor program. However, I’ve really enjoyed my major over the past two years. The courses that are offered in the bachelors program really excite me! For today’s post I’m going to focus on one of the courses that I’m very much looking forward to this semester – Video Studio Production.

You may be thinking, “but he’s a marketing major, why is he learning how to be a camera operator?” Well, it takes more than a camera operator to produce a television show. In this course we learn professional studio techniques for video, journalism and communications. We learn to understand what it takes to put on a show not only behind the cameras, but in front of the cameras as well as in the control room.

I’ve actually be interested in the “behind the scenes” of television production as a career for awhile and this class is the perfect introduction. FIT actually has a state of the art TV studio and control room in the A building, and those two rooms are my classroom! The TV studio has three cameras, a set, proper lighting and everything a legit studio would have. The control room does exactly what it says, controls what’s going on in the studio. It’s complete with multiple monitors, sound boards and computer systems.

I’ve had three classes so far, and in each one different students are able to take on different roles. For example, one class I was the Technical Director, camera operator and director and in another class I was the host of our mock talk show. Working my way from behind camera to in front! It’s very interesting to me to learn how talk shows are made (obviously on a much smaller scale and less pressure.) This semester we will be producing and filming a talk show, an instructional video and a PSA! With each project, the students in the group will be able to rotate roles so that we can learn different aspects of the process.

This class is different from others I’ve taken here at FIT because we’re not just sitting listening to a professor for 3 hours. It’s very hands on and exciting, and the perfect start to my Monday morning. I am able to see a different avenue that my major could take me down and it’s very informing.

Sometimes when we’re in the midst of a program, we may have our sights set on one specific job. Or we may have no idea what we want to focus on. The great thing about FIT, and my major specifically, is that it covers all bases. When you leave a course at the end of a semester, you’re able to check one more aspect of your industry off your imaginary list. I’m definitely learning where my skills could be applied in the future job market. I personally like to see where my major is applicable in the real world because I’m still not certain what industry I will enter after I graduate. I know I’m not the only one!!

I can’t wait to update you readers on this class as it progresses this semester! I hope you all have had as a successful back to school as I have. Go out and enjoy this beautiful weather!! Finally feeling like fall 🙂

xx, Brendan

Student Exhibitions

Hey guys, sorry I’ve been AWOL but moving back home for the holidays is one lengthy process (specially when you only have two suitcases to pack your entire life).

One thing I really love about FIT is that your work gets showcased throughout school (yep, we get to show off how amazing we are ALL the time). Countless hours, sleepless nights and all that effort you put into creating that final piece or project takes center stage during the last weeks of the semester. Even though FIT is always dressed up in our incredible students works of art at the end of every semester the School of Art and Design puts up several exhibits open to the public (where you can completely brag about your awesome invention).

This time I visited the Fashion Design AAS Exhibition Inspired by the American Folk Art Museum, which was up for four days at FIT’s John E. Reeves Great Hall. Unfortunately we weren’t able to take pictures (even though I sneaked a few shots, in respect to others work I decided not to post them) but I found a teaser video by Prof. Michael Cokkinos of the Advertising and Marketing Department at FIT. Click here to watch.

Carpe Diem, (even if it means having to jump three times on your suitcase before closing it, due to holiday shopping)

Sadie