5 Tips on How to Make the Most of Your College as a Designer?

Jhasonali10
6 min readSep 29, 2021

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Universities are full of opportunities, and designers require special exposure to the industrial working norms. Although it’s hard to find oneself an opportunity to grow and that fits your expectation.

However, just like preparing NIFT entrance exam, you got into the basics primarily so is the case here. Initially, you could just list down the basics question like what seems important for your career? Will it be getting into a new field or strengthening your powerful skills? It is similar to getting to know the syllabus of the NIFT entrance exam. The basic essential requirement for preparing for the exam or exposure.

There are examples and scenarios where students have found themself on the crossroad asking questions like where do I go now? How should I bag some opportunities? What am I good at? How will this opportunity benefit my career? The focus should be on short-listing your core skills and working on them initially.

Being confident and ready to take challenges has to be the very first. That is the very first step that coachings like Academy of Fashion and Art always teaches student preparing them not just for NIFT entrance exam but life.

The university life of any student is a golden period that could be used in so many ways. It could be to know oneself, learn about the infinite courses, skills, and hobbies one could indulge into and expose one to the ladder of success and growth.

As a designer or architect from any university, the focus has to be optimizing the time to network as well. How are you going to brand yourself on online platforms? You need to showcase what can you provide and it begins right from your college days. The main reason students who prepare for the NIFT entrance exam at the best coaching institute like the Academy of Fashion and Art are a step ahead to bang these opportunities and not waste time thinking about how to begin. The Academy of Fashion and Art provides professional help as well while preparing for NIFT or PEARL entrance exam. Besides the best courses for the NIFT entrance exam across the nation.

While universities teach their students with the best course module, it becomes important for one to include and start a side hustle. It helps one be productive, get a sneak peek of the industry ethics and basics work culture.

To begin with, the 5 most important tips for design students to use the time of university are as follows,

  1. Proper Sleep Cycle

It might sound bizarre, to begin with, but is as essential as practicing mock test papers for the NIFT entrance exam for better scores. It helps you think better, get creative, and not letting you look and feel tired all the time.

A basic and healthy sleep cycle is essential to help you start your day fresh. It includes not missing your lectures and doing the assignment late at night and repeating the same cycle of being behind the class. It saves your time and gives you energy to the things at the right time.

Also, as a professional designer, you would have a hectic schedule and thus a good sleep will keep your mind and body cooperating in the right way for the work you were working hard. So, sleep well, attend the lectures, eat well, and never stay behind the class.

2. Don’t Miss Out on Any Workshops or Seminars

The best part of being a student is to be able to avail of infinite opportunities for free and at a larger scale. The student title itself is entitled to opportunities in and outside the college. You are free from the responsibility for everything except the part of growing and using the time effectively.

We often see students missing out on workshops, volunteer work, seminars, and field visits. They consider it boring, not adding to their career opportunities, or doesn’t look reproductive to them. Never! Never miss out on such opportunities coming your way. Go attend meet people, build a network, and grab certificates.

The course module on designing universities is arranged in such a way that students grow and learn better in a limited time. These workshops and seminars add to your knowledge and give you more scope for your career. Be active in taking time to attend these and see if it aligns with your expectation. It could help you grab an internship or some referral for a job or future opportunities. As a designer networking is essential.

Academy of Fashion and Art is one such coaching that prepares the student for NIFT and providing them with workshops, orientations, and seminars to get acquainted with the industry and choose the course mindfully.

3. Connect to Your Professors

Yes! Networking starts right from your classroom itself. Professors are the best friend that could be your mentor for life. It starts right from your coaching center like AFA has top designers and prestigious universities alumni preparing students for NIFT and other designing entrance exams. Start right there. The reason is they know the norms and the changes coming. The experience they have is immense if you connect right it might open the right path for you.

Not just professionally but as an individual as well. Professors have a high number of networks that could help you with getting along with your higher studies or as designing work opportunities.

While you are equipped with the tools and resources the right utility will always come from the person who has experience in it. And, better than your professors? Connect and know about every workshop, conference, work opportunity to optimize the time and skill in the best way possible.

4. Be Collaborative

It’s time to accept the fact that now there is no competition. It is now time to collaborate and learn from people and gain everything that is required for growth. The people you surround yourself with your personality. But it also affects your goal.

The point is to make friends and contacts that push you to learn and gain skills to succeed. You could indulge with classmates in any project under a professor or in any industry for work, or could start freelance teamwork. Maybe not now but in the future.

Now there is no competition for seats. Instead, it is now life and career unfolding that requires you to be a good team member or leader with will communication and approach. So do that, build yourself and collaborate with the future designers that are sitting right beside you in your class or the coaching center. It could also be your juniors or seniors.

Be mindful that collaboration is a two-way process. You need to be sure of what you can offer your friends and colleagues in the future so learn to be cooperative and see if you expect meeting correctly.

5. Take Back More From Your University

To succeed students who optimize a great the resources available instead of looking out always are ahead. You should try to explore your university’s free resources. Go to the library, labs, industries coming, or any exhibition. See what people are doing. Ask if you can help them in any way?

It could build a network, you would know about other options available and might get to work in your college projects itself, to begin with. As a student, you need to be thoughtful and aware of the opportunities. Look at the posters, competitions happening in the college or any speech to know more people from the industry and begin.

The least that could happen is if you might get rejected or things won’t work out. But participating is one such thing.

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Jhasonali10

Literature graduate with a great learning appetite in the field of languages, education, technology advancement.