The few days before TRF 63 graduated, emotions were running high. Some of my batch-mates often had an outburst of something I”ll simply label as the “waterworks” (and I hope no one is embarrassed to remember how a few of cried as we said our goodbyes). There we were, a year had sped by, particularly the last four months and some of us seemed hesitant leaving campus and this big fun family we had become a part of. And just to allow ourselves a little comfort, we often joked with our faculty that TRF 64 didn’t sound half as neat as TRF63. Silly right? But seriously…TRF 64! 😀
Of the many pundits who will give your their wisdom on how to cope with your year ahead, here are some cardinal rules I would stick to :
— No matter how stressful your classes get or how demanding the course seems, stop for a while! Breathe and remind yourself the priority of your assignments. Each course has its own unique work load and you can’t always be perfect in every thing. So push yourself to do your best but don’t have a meltdown if things go wrong as they often will. NEVER hesitate to ask for help. And know that the people who stand by you today in school are the most reliable ones out there in the professional world tomorrow
— Interact with various faculty well ahead of each semester to understand if a course is tailored to match your requirements from it. How much writing or practical work is involved in one and more importantly is it worth your time and the credits. If you are an IA, you can even take advice from our mentor/brother figure Jason Kohlenbrenner to understand how you could assist faculty on some classes that you are interested in but perhaps don’t want to take as a student
— This one mirrors Jeff Graubart’s comment. Involve yourself on other people’s projects not just when it helps you help them (which I don’t blame given how crazy our schedules get) but because this one year never come back and neither will the fun projects and teamwork you will learn from. I almost still regret not having pushed myself to act for a friend’s short film or write more than I did back in school
— Interact with other departments outside Newhouse and establish a rapport with VPA students if possible. Especially, if you see yourself taking film production classes where you need to cast actors. VPA students are often contacted at the last minute or so before projects start, but if you establish a communication channel now, you”ll have a better turn out when holding auditions in the months to come.
–Read more, socialize outside Newhouse! As I see it, TV and Film truly represent the zeitgeist of our times so it pays to be social, well read and cultured so to speak. Learn more about foreign students and try including them into your projects. Play on each other’s diverse unique cultures while learning more about them. I am so glad my friends asked me questions about my country, shared my meals and allowed me to be a part of their events. Who knows you could end up partnering with someone across the globe on an exciting project years down the road but you’ve got to start here. Get out of your comfort zone!
–This one may sound trivial but trust me it helps to be healthy. Feed yourself well! Most of us fall back on junk food and quick snacks but take the time now and then to take care of your health. Falling sick through the course is no fun so prioritise your mind and body over the course workload sometimes.