So college…where do I even begin?

First off, I will never understand how some people truly believe high school years are the best years of his/her life. Although high school is a much simpler time, where you don’t find yourself constantly broke or struggling to make it through three hour classes, I can say with certainty (or I at least hope) it will not be the great climax of my existence.

This past Fall, I started my freshman year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. It has always been my dream to go to school in NYC, and it has always been my dream to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). I remember being a little girl in love with fashion/the media . I have always been obsessed with the idea of becoming a hardworking, persistent, and influential person. I’m a dreamer, wanting to achieve my goal of becoming ‘someone.’

So far, I have loved my experience at FIT. I feel inspired, I feel motivated, and I feel confident that I am being set up for the real world. I feel that I am being properly prepared to take on the business world, whether it be in regards to fashion, the media or anything else.

I’m currently majoring in ‘Advertising & Marketing Communications’ for my AAS degree. The way FIT works is that you get your Associate degree in one thing, then you can get your Baccalaureate degree in either the same thing, or you can apply for a different major. Currently, I love what I have been studying in my major, but for my Baccalaureate degree I’m thinking of going into ‘International Trade & Marketing for the Fashion Industries.’ Advertising and marketing are both extremely interesting to learn about, since they are both so crucial to the business world.

I’m going to breakdown pretty much everything there is to know about FIT, NYC, what to expect from both the school and the city, and some tips in preparation to take all of this on.

1. Classes

First semester I took seven classes. Yes, that sounds like a lot and it honestly was a lot. I enjoyed each of my classes, even though most classes at FIT are 3 HOURS LONG! At many other colleges, classes are split up throughout the week so that they’re not super long everyday. While FIT does have some classes like that, most of them are this long. So, if you’re a coffee addict make sure you have your cup in hand when waking up at 8 o’clock in the  morning for a three hour class (for the non-coffee drinkers like myself, I just made sure to have a lot of chocolate with me).

Also, be sure to get involved and join clubs! I’m currently an online writer for the school’s Blush Magazine and I’m apart of the AMA club.

2. Professors

You never know which way this part of college is going to go. I’ve heard some horror stories about professors at FIT, but this past semester mine were all pretty normal, except for one. Luckily, the class with the crazy professor wasn’t anything important, so I survived. The Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology  has really great professors full of enthusiasm and a true passion for what they’re teaching. Many of the professors come with real world knowledge due to experience in the field they are teaching, while many others are adjuncts who still continue to work in the field that they are teaching. Learn to become best-friends with your professors, because this school is all about networking. Also, make sure you know how to write a proper email to a professor  (I’m not sure if I even know how to).

3. “You go to FIT? I can’t wait to see the clothes you design!”

That’s right, just cause you go to FIT, you MUST be a design student. Well, this isn’t the case. This school is so diverse. There are so many business majors, many that don’t even relate to the fashion industry. There are so many different art majors, many who aren’t even fashion designers. This school is full of amazing and talented people who are filled with passion and drive for  many other aspects of the world, other than fashion. You know how they say “don’t judge a book by its cover,” well don’t judge this school by its title.

4. NYC ACTIVITIES

Many people who complain about being at school in the city either transfer out, or don’t even attend a college in the city just because they want the “normal college experience.” Yes, this school is about city block long, so there isn’t a football stadium, a common area for everyone to socialize, Greek life,or your typical college parties. Yes, the no college party aspect sucks, and the fact that you need to be 21 to get into any kind of fun club or party place isn’t so great either. But, if you’re not the type of person (like myself) who always feels the need to be drunk or partying, then you’ll definitely be able to make school in the city fun. The city in itself is beautiful. You can take a stroll through Central Park, sit on the red stairs in Time Square, ride the subway for fun, shop on 5th Ave ( if you can afford it), take a trip to a yummy café or restaurant , stalk celebrities (not really but kinda), stare at attractive business men as they walk by, etc. The city is your college campus, so make it feel like one however you can.

5. CATCALLING 

Ladies, get prepared to be catcalled while walking on any street in the city. You could be dressed in the most hideous outfit ever with your hair a wreck, and I am POSITIVE you will still be catcalled. It is amusing while with a group of friends, but when you’re alone it’s actually kinda scary. Some men are innocent and do it as a joke, while others are the creepers you must make yourself aware of. So ladies, make sure your pepper spray and eyebrow tweezers are always with you!

6. Prepare to be BROKE

The city is known to be very expensive and very tempting. I always tell myself ” I can’t go shopping again,” but then I end up leaving the Forever 21 in Herald Square with a lighter wallet. It’s also so tempting to always go out to eat. I was on the meal plan this past semester, but *WARNING* the FIT cafeteria is horrible. If you like eating literally the same thing everyday then you’re fine, but if not, get off the meal plan and head on over to Trader Joe’s for some cheap groceries. Basically, if you still want to have fun and spend your money in the city, then I highly recommend getting a job if you can handle both school and work.

7. Be ready to be best-friends with YOURSELF

People always used to tell me that it was going to be hard making friends at the school, and that is completely true. With that said, I do have an amazing group of friends. My roommates are  my best-friends, along with a few other girls who I’ve grown close to. If you find people that you click with then don’t let them go! Many people at the school are very selfish, self-absorbed, competitive, and anti-social. Since making something of yourself in the city can be overwhelming and hard, many people just tend to keep to themselves and focus on their end goal alone. It’s crucial to be an independent and self-reliant person while attending this school.

8. Single or Taken

Honestly, it seems as if it can be pretty lonely to go through FIT without a boyfriend, since the school is basically 99.9% girls. I have to thank my boyfriend for being an awesome boyfriend while I’ve been at college. He’s visited me in the city quite a lot, and has always been there for  me during my good/bad moments of  college so far ( love you if you’re reading this). Many of the girls I know at school do have boyfriends. I’m not sure if finding a guy in the city is difficult since I’ve never tried it myself, but the men in the city sure are beautiful. If you’re single, many people in the city that I know use Tinder. It’s at your own risk if you want to go on a date with a potential serial-killer.

9. The Homeless & Pollution

Since FIT is in Midtown Manhattan, the school is surrounded by a lot of pollution and homeless people. The air isn’t so fresh as the suburbs. I’ve never experienced asthma before, until I moved to the city. The air quality definitely takes time adjusting to. Passing by homeless people everyday is very sad, since many of them are truly helpless. The helpless ones you do really feel bad for, but then there are the aggressive ones  who you need to watch out for and the imposters just trying to make some extra cash quick. Walking behind men pulling down their pants ready to go the bathroom on the street isn’t something you see everyday, until you’re in the city (you’ll get used to it).

10. Celebrities 

Honestly, I never understand how people say it’s so hard to meet celebrities in the city. I don’t find that to be the case at all, since I’ve been able to meet so many. I’ve met Hailey Baldwin while walking to Grand Central, I’ve met various designers like Jeremy Scott & Alexander Wang at free store events, Olivia Palermo while shopping in SoHo with my suite-mate, and even Nev from Catfish while just grabbing food. I was able to attend an event where I saw the Kardashians/Jenners’ speak. Also, I was able to volunteer at NYFW in the Fall. FIT is great with providing amazing volunteering experiences! My suitemate and I love to go on adventures together where we know celebrities will be, just to have some innocent  fun. We even waited outside the VS Fashion Show to greet some guests. Some celebrities are nice and happy to meet their fans, while some aren’t. At the end of the day they are people just like the rest of us, but it’s really inspiring to meet them and see what some of them have accomplished with their fame.

 

All in all, living in NYC and attending such a world-renowned school is amazing.I can’t imagine going to any other school, and I certainly can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else other than Manhattan. Your college experience is what you make of it yourself, so be wise with your freedom, because usually your parents find out anyways!

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*P.S. all photos are mine *

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xoxo