Tag Archives: writing

On my Mind: One blog to another

The best way to keep up to date with what is happening back at FIT is to constantly check our college’s website. At a simple glance this page seems to always be the same but when you look closely at the column on your right, under announcements, you can see updates about our school. My top pick from this week is the new FIT blog “On My Mind” by the one and only President Joyce F. Brown. This woman, Dr. Brown is an amazing and highly educated person with incredibly interesting and useful information to share with us (obviously like me haha, so don’t ditch this blog). The topics on this trending blog range from Education, Industry to Curriculum and more. This superwoman that is present at every FIT event I have attended has been blogging since May. For those of you who want to know more in-depth about her exemplary achievements should read through the About the President section.

A few insider things I know from attending FIT for the past three and a half years is that she lives on campus, the whole top floor of alumni belongs to her and her family (they own the cutest most fashionable pup), when you get to ride on the elevator with her you don’t have to stop at any other floor (feels like royalty), and she is very avid on sustainability and making FIT the best place possible. Reading through her blog, I noticed she went ahead and wrote about one of my future topics so I’m quite sure great minds think alike; learn more about our Green Roofs.

One very exciting news I also discovered was that FIT has a new Sustainability and Ethics minor! I’m very ecstatic (and incredibly angry that its right when I’m graduating) that there is a need in our industry to rethink and open up the sustainability conversation. I invite you all to reconsider what have been the norms for the fashion industry and what they can be. This ted talks video will have you craving for change in every single aspect on the way how we do business: CSR 3.0.

Carpe Diem,

Sadie

 

 

 

Fernanda De Superwoman

Fernanda 1

There are a lot of amazing, hard working, inspired people you can meet at FIT. I am constantly wowed at the passion for success that flows throughout the student body here. I think anyone who goes to FIT will say that if you are not prepared to work and really put in the time above and beyond what is required, you should think about attending another school.

Despite the high standard of work ethic here, there are, of course, those who seem to effortlessly out-do everyone else. And I mean that literally. Fernanda De Souza “out-does” probably everyone at this school. We met while playing tennis for the school team, of which she was named team captain for her senior season. Fernanda is also a member of the Presidential Scholars and consistently included on the Dean’s List. Beyond her academic achievements, Fernanda is also currently the editor-in-chief of FIT’s newspaper W27. Yet, somehow she still finds time to work as a nanny, write for The New York Observer, keep up an active amateur photography hobby and have a normal social life! (Can you believe I’m lucky enough to be friends with her? Me neither.) She even had the time to answer some questions I thought would be good insight for current or potential students:

E: You do a lot of stuff. I mean, Pres scholars, tennis, W27, you’re writing for the Observer now, plus your nanny job, not to mention regular school work – how do you find enough hours in each day and not want to jump off the roof of your apartment building?

F: When you put it that way, I realize I do so much. I’m not quite sure HOW I find time every day to go from school, tennis, Pres. Scholars, newspaper, internship, babysitting + working at Ralph Lauren on occasional weekends. I heavily rely on my Moleskine planner, it’s my Bible. I had a very scary spell though where I landed myself in the hospital from a severe anxiety attack because all this stress had built up and I finally couldn’t do it anymore. I’m learning to take better care of myself and pace myself during my day-to-day activities so I don’t drive myself back in the hospital. Thankfully, I have a great team behind me (especially at the newspaper) to help me. My time management’s horrific actually but I somehow manage. I’d rather be busy than sitting at home watching Netflix all day. I’d weight about 500lbs if I weren’t involved in everything I do.

E: How much of your time is devoted solely to W27?

F: W27 is draining. I can’t tell you an exact amount of time that is spent on it because it is ongoing. We have meetings for an hour every week which I’m leading, I’m constantly keeping in touch with the writers, editors, photographers via email and phone, then I’m dealing with the publisher and of course, our edit weekends where me and my art team come in once a month and sit there Saturday through Sunday getting the paper together. I also end up writing one or two articles each issue. It’s a lot of time and you’d think I’d get paid for this but it’s very rewarding in the end when it all comes together.

Fernanda 2

E: Hopefully all that time is worth it; does  your position at the newspaper relate directly to what you eventually want to achieve in your career path?

F: Yes, exactly what I do for W27 is what I want to do when I’ve graduated. I want to work in publishing, newspaper or magazine, and potentially, write my own stuff (short stories mostly). I love to edit people’s work, I LOVE to write, I love setting up a nice page layout that is pleasing for the eye (of course, with the help of my amazing art team!). The dream has always been to work at the New York Times as an editor or columnist–we’ll see! Definitely can’t be an editor in chief of any publication anytime soon, always have to start at the bottom, unless I end up starting my own publication, which I would love to do sometime in the future. They say the newspaper/magazine industry is dying, I beg to differ, I think it’s just changing is all.

E: Your own publication! That’s so exciting! Did you know you were going to be named as the next editor-in-chief? And do you like being in charge?

F: I was a candidate to be editor in chief of W27 two years ago actually. I backed out from the running because I wasn’t sure I could handle it my junior year because I knew I would be extremely busy. I was also not mentally prepared. So Caroline Nelson became editor in chief last year and I was her deputy, second in command. And from there, it only seemed like I was following this line straight to the EIC position. So I sort of knew I would land there eventually–I had been with the newspaper for four years and risen from an inferior writer to being in charge. Being in charge is great, having what you say go, but it’s also very dangerous. If you take this power to an extreme, it can really screw with your head.  I try to be the best editor in chief by accommodating my staff but still remaining a strict (but fun!) environment.

Fernanda 3

E: You have been known to be very vocal about your disinterest in fashion. Do you think it is worth coming to FIT if you don’t have any interest in the subject?

F: You’re right, I have no interest in fashion. I came to FIT thinking I’d be working for Anna Wintour at VOGUE eventually but that dream was quickly shot down the minute I came to FIT and realized that I was in for it. I think my biggest disinterest in fashion comes from the people who work in the industry. I’ve met some really horrible people and I go, “WHY must you act like that? There’s no excuse and you take yourself way too seriously.” I think FIT is a great school even if you don’t have an interest in going into fashion, because professors make sure to cover things BEYOND fashion. We are talking about businesses going public or bankrupt and political issues in the Middle East. A great range of subjects are covered in the courses at FIT but the major courses are very good with focusing on a career in each respective major that entails more than just fashion.

E: So do you think FIT’s student body has helped you in any way?

F: Being around the FIT student body has helped to reassure me of who I really am. We are all different here at FIT, not one of us is like the other. There are so many different characters at this school, which is great, variety is fantastic. But I can definitely tell you I don’t feel like I fit in AT all under the “FIT student” role. What I can say is that FIT students are go getters and hard working so being surrounded by this sense of competition pushes me to better myself in my work.

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E: Speaking of competition, you have helped the woman’s tennis team here to many triumphant successes. What are the best and worst parts about being a student athlete?

F: The worst part about being a student athlete is your weekends get taken away–completely. We were at matches every weekend, sometimes we were gone Thursdays-Sunday for tournaments. Your social life suffers a little. Best part was actually being active daily and being with on a team with women who were so dedicated to this sport, in every which way. Plus, staying at hotels and getting free food and tennis courts (which cost $200 an hour in NYC!) -it’s a treat. We work hard for all those things though.

E: Do you have a favorite professor or class from your time at FIT?

F: Best professor hands down was Michael Hyde. I had him for fiction writing class (also my favorite class at FIT) and I felt such a strong connection with him that he and I created an independent study for me to embark on the following semester. It was an advanced fiction writing course where I wrote longer stories and a novella + had short stories and two novellas to read each week. He has pushed me and my work beyond what I thought I was capable of, he’s inspired me in multiple facets of my life, and we remain good friends, even though I do not have any classes with him anymore. He has become a mentor, really, and I consult him with anything I’m writing presently. The best thing I ever did at FIT I think was do an independent study-I created the syllabus and chose what I wanted to learn and we went at our own pace. I recommend it for any student looking to have a more intimate connection to their work and have a professor RIGHT there at your disposal without 26 other people to compete for his/her attention.

 Fernanda 5

E: Do you have any more advice for incoming freshmen?

F: Incoming freshmen–how do I put this? Don’t come to FIT thinking you’re hot shit. Don’t come to FIT thinking you know everything and are the most fashionable yadda yadda. You’re in for a rude awakening. Absorb what’s around you, listen to your professors, respect New York (and it will respect you back) and utilize it as inspiration every day-don’t take it for granted. Don’t sit at your dorm on the weekends, EXPLORE! Don’t just go clubbing at night because you get bottle service-EXPLORE! And give FIT and the city a chance–they both grow on you.

E: So with that in mind, what is the best spot in NYC BESIDES Bushwick? [Ed. note: Anyone who knows Fernanda knows she is absolutely in love with her new Bushwick digs and talks extensively about how great her neighborhood is.]

F: Absolute best spot in NYC besides Bushwick–that’s a very difficult question – haha. Brooklyn is my hood and I love everything about it. BUT if I must choose, I’d say the Rose Main Reading Room inside the main public library at Bryant Park. Great place to people watch and unwind from the rest of New York.

E: And a more interesting question – what is the weirdest thing you’ve seen while living here?

F: Weirdest thing I’ve seen in NYC is this performance artist, if you can even call him that, who dresses up in the worst rag clothing and plays with his puppets on the subway platforms (normally on Bedford Ave.). He wears a cape sometimes and makes obscure noises and when the train pulls up he runs inside really fast making said noises and runs back out. He’ll never get a dollar from me.

E: Ok, well I’ll just avoid Bedford Avenue from now on haha. Lastly, just cuz we’re both literary nerds, what is your must read book of the moment?

F: Must read book at the moment is an anthology collection called Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York. This book is a collection of stories by writers who lived in New York City and their experience there. It was inspired by the famous Joan Didion’s 1967 piece, “Goodbye to All That”. Quick, fast, and interesting read, great for FIT students who moved to New York.

E: Ah, I’ll have to read it! And pretty appropriate for you considering you’ll be graduating soon! Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask if you know what you’re doing after college, I’m sure you’ll be fine no matter what!

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–Emily–

One of those days.

So just like everyone I’m under a tremendous amount of stress right now. It’s getting closer and closer to the end of the semester, projects, tests, I don’t know where I should go first. This has been just one of those weeks for me where I just feel like nothing is going right. We all have them it’s normal, it’s not my first and, nor will it be my last. There’s certain things you should know to do when this starts to happen to you. Last semester I was so stressed out and I didn’t talk to anyone I thought ” I’m strong I can handle anything” but sometimes you do need someone to help you through it.

1. Talk to someone – I know that sounds stupid, but it really does help sometimes just talking about things helps relieve some of the pressure on you. My mom is always the first person I go to, because she knows exactly when I’m about to break. I even talk to my pets sometimes, when I don’t want anyone to know what is going on in my life ( Don’t act like you don’t do it too).

 

This is one of my pets, fluff – He was trying to be studious that day

 

 

 

 

2.Relax- No one thinks they have time when its the end of the semester, but you have to make time for yourself! You’ll go absolutely insane if you don’t. Last semester I was working long hours at work to try and pay for school, I was staying up late doing my homework and falling asleep on my drafting board. I felt like I had no time at all for anything, but sometimes just taking a nice bath will help calm you down and clear your head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Take up a hobby – This semester on the train I was doing work on the train, then going to my classes. My brain felt like mush by the end of the day, so I found a hobby.  I started Crocheting, actually only about two days ago. I have an hour and fifteen minutes to kill on the train and to relax before my crazy day begins. It’s so soothing to me, and I already made a scarf, pot holder, and I’m starting a blanket on the way home. ( Look in my next couple blog posts for some tutorials!)

4.SLEEP! IT’S A MUST!-We’re college students, yes we stay up late, yes we work hard. But you need to make time to sleep.When I don’t get enough rest I go on my break at school and I sleep somewhere.(NOT LIKE THAT GUYS!) I learned I can literally sleep on a window sill if I have too. I keep a snuggie in my locker, and even a pillow. It helps to just close your eyes for a few minutes after a long night of working, and studying. But seriously try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night, it will help with your stress levels and increase your productivity. I promise you’ll see a difference in yourself and in your work.

5.Reward yourself-After a long week of working hard you deserve a treat, buy yourself something, eat something that you normally don’t. Just do something that makes you feel good about how hard you worked, or that gives you something to look forward to every week. I have a bad shopping addiction, I don’t always have the most money but each month I make it a point to buy myself something. I’m obsessed with Kate Spade , I bought myself gloves over the weekend as a reward for everything I’ve accomplished thus far in the semester. It doesn’t have to be buying something though it could be having a fun night out with friends, or just laying in bed with a good book and not doing anything for the entire day. ( Best feeling in the world). The reward is up to you, it’s whatever you want it to be!

Just remember everyone- YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT , I promise. Your not alone, everyone feels this way. So stay positive, and keep working hard.

-Kailee

Professors can change your entire school experience!

Greetings everyone! I know everyone’s always going on Rate my Professor to find out what the deal is with the professors’ there going to have for the up coming semester. So I interviewed my two FAVORITE teachers of all time! I picked these two because they motivate me to move forward even if at the moment i’m not doing so great in there class. Unlike most of my other professors they are always there to help and to help you understand better.

 

MAJOR RELATED PROFESSOR:

First I picked a major related professor,since I am an interior designer I picked my AUTOCAD II professor.  Her name is CARMITA SANCHEZ-FONG, and she teachers AUTOCAD I, AUTOCAD II, Methods and Materials, Working Drawings, and Building Regulations. She also is hoping to teach Professional Practice within the next year. Her favorite class has to be Working Drawings, because its the first time all the knowledge, learning, and abilities come together ( Busy woman right?).She has been at FIT for 17 years, and she loves it! Her students mostly include interior design students of all ages and of all different skill levels. She loves the variety that she gets in each class from the people that struggle to the people that do really well.

After talking to her I got to know all the amazing things she does besides just teach at FIT. She recently helped in building 16 homes for families affected by Sandy in Long Beach, you can actually see her hard work in the exhibit in the D- Building Lobby. She is also currently working with the Woman’s shelter in NYC, renovating 8 bed rooms with students. She is a Volunteer for HOPE FOR NYC, the list goes on and on. She does all of this and still has the time for her students!

When I asked Carmita what advice she would have for incoming freshman she responded with .. ” Fall in love with something, let your passion guide you and don’t give up …believe your capable, believe in yourself and if you don’t come see me!”

Obviously after reading this you can see why I picked Carmita for my favorite Major related professor. She is the definition of motivated, She’s caring and a very strong, intelligent woman. If you ever have the chance to, take her!

 

LIBERAL ARTS PROFESSOR:

I know for most ,your not interior designers so I wanted to help you with what English teacher to take. Just because I am a blogger doesn’t mean my grammar, punctuation, and spelling is or was always the best or that I always loved writing. But having CAROLE DELETINER changed that! She inspired me to express myself through writing! Carole has been at FIT for 9 years full time.

She teaches Freshman Composition, Creative Non Fiction, Honors American Lit, and Perspectives on American Lit. Her favorite class to teach is Freshman Composition, because it is one of the few classes that has students from every discipline and major. She loves working with young writers and inviting them to explore writing in a way they might never have before.

In Carole’s spare time she enjoys reading and writing(Even though she is an English teacher, she doesn’t spend that much time reading and writing), knitting, and playing her favorite Candy Crush Saga. I think we all have been addicted to playing that at some point.

When I asked her what advice she would give to incoming students she replied “Be kind to yourself, don’t feel like everyone else has everything under control and your the only one with stress”. Also that “Nothing prepares you for your first semester” ( I think everyone can relate to that one). And lastly ” FIT is a remarkable school but it isn’t for everyone, besides school New York City can be overwhelming but it is amazing at the same time”.

Carole is an amazing and talented woman, and is definitely a teacher that you would be honored to have. She will motivate you and bring out a side in your writing you never knew you had! Teachers make such a difference in your life.( I bet you are thinking about one you had right now, when you were younger).

Do you have a favorite teacher? Or a teacher you think I would like to take?

I want to hear from you!

-Kailee

A special thanks to my photographer, Nicole Eng for taking these pictures!

Notes From the 6 Train: Getting There

As you may have gathered from the name of portion of the blog, I am a commute student. I currently reside in El Barrio (Spanish for neighborhood) in Spanish Harlem, approximately 40 minutes from FIT. In order to get to FIT, I take several trains, the one on which I spend the most is the 6 Train. It takes me from uptown downtown to 42nd St., where I have to transfer. it’s also a local train, which means it takes longer than other trains because it makes more frequent stops as opposed to the express trains. (Express trains go less places, but get to their stops faster due to the infrequent amount of times they stop.) That being said, it gives me an ample amount of time to think, read, and write.  Often what’s written on this blog will have begun conjuring during these trips. See! One of the many good things about commuting. Below I posted my impression after the first few days at my new school. Enjoy

As a commuter student, making my way to campus is a bit like finding my way to the sequestered land of Oz. Except there are no yellow bricks, just golden MetroCards and yellow taxi cabs. Instead of some sketchy con artist posed as a wizard, we have our teachers. (I know that sounds super corny, but bear with me.) They aren’t classroom illusionists, but people who have labored in that field and know what’s necessary to be successful in such a competitive field in one of the most competitive cities. I can already see that my classes will be rigorous, but I prefer to be challenged now, so when I graduate I don’t find myself lost, clicking my heels, begging to go home.

Speaking of home, FIT’s campus is so different from my last school. My first week at FIT has been a world-wind of color and language. The campus is bursting with color. Ranging from the posters and displays in the building, it also comes in living, breathing color from my peers. Everyone’s style is so different and by the end of the week I can almost guarantee that I would have seen every hue, tint and tone of hair color wafting through the hallways.

I’m not just talking about hair color though, as a racial minority, true diversity is important to me. There are people on campus and in my classes from all over the world. FIT is a microcosm of New York City, just more fashionable. I could estimate that I’ve heard a dozen languages breezing through the Breezeway on the way to class. Maybe by the end of semester I will be a little closer to being multilingual. I wonder if knowing the terminology of textile development or learning the formulas in merchandising math counts as a foreign language… I hope so.

All things Color Love & Fashion,

Ayanna L.