Tips for Student Designers and the Small Businesses Who Love Them: OrangeSlyce Life

It’s that time again.  Time to buy all of your textbooks, start getting up early, and prepare yourself to actually do well this semester.  But let’s be honest, after about oh I don’t know say the first week the newness and excitement of a fresh semester wears off and keeping up with our assignments is a slippery slope.  So what can we do to make Dean’s List this semester?  Well, this is what I’m doing:

1.)   Write Everything Down!  I know I’m a broken record if you read my blog “College Got you Stressed? Five Tips to Help You Relax” but seriously this does help.  I detest having to open the PDF of the course syllabus, scan through the various sections and finally (after five minutes) find what’s due the next day.  If you write down all of the assignments in a planner, you can simply flip to a page and see what’s due in seconds.  It really is a beautiful thing!

2.)   Highlight Your Text Book!  I’m going to tell you what no professor ever will: taking notes is a waste of time, paper, and effort; all you really need to do is highlight important information.   Highlighting is so much more practical because then you don’t have to worry about losing your notes or finding them on your computer if you type them.  Give it a try, I promise you’ll never go back to note taking again.

3.)   Go to Class!  I know you hear this ALL the time, but do you actually listen to it is the real question?  Probably not.  I know how it is, when no one is making you (Ahem, your mother) and in a lecture when there really aren’t a lot of consequences if you do skip, temptation to ditch is high.  My advice?  Take classes with friends (or better yet make a friend in your class).  In my own experience, I am much more likely to attend a class if I have a buddy to suffer through with…I mean learn with!

4.)   Don’t Over Do it!  Last semester I enrolled in a whopping 21 credits!  I know; I have no idea what I was thinking, but regardless learn from my mistake.  If you are taking a class that seems unnecessary and is extra drop it!  If there is no immediate value from taking the class then don’t bother.  Why solicit the extra stress?

5.)   Take Breaks!  You know how nutritionists preach everything in moderation?  Well the same rule applies to school.  Make sure you’re studying and doing your assignments but also plan time away from the books and away from work to do things for fun.  Ultimately, if you are working hard and doing all that you can for your classes your grades will reflect that.  So go ahead, take a break.

What do you do to succeed in school?  Let me know.  Leave me a comment

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Though our college years are a fun time (especially if you go to ASU) they can also be a very stressful time.  Many of us balance school, work, family, friends, internships and other things that complicate our lives.   With this juggling act it’s easy to get stressed out.  Here are some things that I do to help me calm down and ease my stress.

Write Something: There’s something calming about typing away at my little desk so any time I’m really overwhelmed  I like to write.  I write about anything really; sometimes it’s how I am feeling sometimes it’s what I did that day, sometimes it’s even a little story.  The point is, writing is a really good way to reduce stress.

Get Active: Going to the gym, playing a sport, going for a walk, any of these things are guaranteed to pump you up with endorphins and help you clear your mind of any worry.  In this hot Arizona heat, swimming is another great way to be active and relax.  No matter what activity you like to do, it will definitely help you stay healthy and stress-free.

Try a Healthy Snack: I know eating your feelings is never good, but the moment you grab an apple or banana from the fridge and take a bite, you’ll know exactly what I mean.  Healthy foods just instantly make me feel better so when I’m really stressed about a deadline or project, having a little snack of fruit is a great way to get me focused and calm.

Organize Yourself: The first week of classes I gather up all of the class syllabi and write down every due date in my weekly planner.  This way I can see exactly what’s due on what day and I can avoid the panic of flipping through the class schedule the night before trying to find out if anything needs to be turned in.  Note:  the ASU bookstore on College gives out free planners!

Take A Deep Breath: Simple right?  But seriously, more often than not things aren’t as stressful as we think.  So just calm down, take a breath and move forward.

So next time you’re feeling stressed, try these out.  I know they work for me.  Do you have any stress-relief tips?  Leave me a comment

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By Lizzy Rice

As students, we sometimes agonize over what we want our major to be.  Do you ever think things like, “well I like history, but can I actually get a job with that degree?”  Well don’t worry; you’re not alone.  We all question what we are studying at some point in our academic careers but one of the most foolproof ways to maintain a balanced degree (and by balanced I mean studying something that interests you but still learning marketable skills) is to add a minor.   Here are just a few good ideas that Arizona State University offers that are bound to add some depth to any major.

Business: This is probably the mother of all minors.  A minor in business gives you a great base for any given career path.  As a business minor, you will take courses in economics, accounting, management and other skills that can easily be transferred from one industry to another.

Communication: Some people may disagree with this selection, but I think a communication minor can add a lot to a degree.  As any book, teacher, or professional will tell you, the number one highly sought after skill for potential new employees is strong communication skills.  Therefore, I say, add this as a minor and you have a seriously marketable skill listed directly on your resume.

English: You know in a group project how someone always has to be the writer?  Well the work world is no different and most people cringe at the thought of writing a report or composing a memo.  Do you enjoy writing?  Then why not add English as a minor, so that your employer can breathe a sigh of relief at potentially hiring somebody who isn’t afraid to write.

Psychology: The ability to understand different types of people is an invaluable skill for any potential employee.   Adding a minor to your degree like psychology gives you this added value plus it also is a great way to discuss in a cover letter how being a psychology minor helps you relate to clients and/or customers; always a definite plus.

Spanish: If you plan to continue living in Arizona, you might want to think seriously about minoring and becoming fluent in Spanish.  To list this minor on a resume automatically gives you a leg up in any industry.  So if you love Spanish or foreign languages in general, you should consider making this your minor.

Agree or Disagree?  Leave me a comment 

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As I approach my last semester of college (just filed for graduation two days ago) I find myself super excited but also thinking “There are so many things that I want to do before I graduate!”  Here are my recommendations.  Sadly, some of the things on the list I didn’t get a chance to do, but hopefully you’ll learn from my regrets and complete this whole list.

1.)   Study abroad: Ah, my biggest regret.  Sadly I never got to do this but I seriously recommend it!  The chance to live and go to school abroad may never come up again, so take advantage of a student visa and pack your bags!

2.)   Get an internship: This is Orange Slyce, of course I recommend that!  But seriously, if only one is required for your major do another one.  They can only help you in the future.

3.)   Buy computer software: This one’s a little bit random but for the design student, essential!  Take advantage of your student discount and buy all of your favorite design and other computer products.

4.)   Get a mentor: Is there a professor that you really enjoyed learning from?  Talk to him or her.  This is a great way to network and also learn more about your field.

5.)   Take a random class: Do you secretly love theater?  Or maybe you want to learn the basics of criminal justice?  Whatever your guilty pleasure, take a class on it.

6.)  Use the gym: Being a student comes with lots of benefits but one of the best is the great fitness center.  Start working out now while its free with your tuition.

7.)   Craft a Killer Resume: Go to the career center and have one of their experts help you out.  It’s totally free and you walk away with a great resume ready to send out into the job market.

8.)   Go to a Career Fair: This is a great way to find potential employers and also build your networking skills in a familiar and unpretentious environment.

What do you think?  Is anything missing?  Leave me a comment!

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