TIPS: “In the months BEFORE school, I wish I had…”
The Daily Plan-it asked recent alumni to share tips about preparing for the school. Responses (some of them contradicting each other, some of them repetitive) are continuing to trickle in and will be added here throughout the semester, lightly edited for clarity. You’ll find them below, with the latest ones being added to the top. You can bookmark this posting separately by clicking on http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2008/04/20/tips-in-the-months-before-school-i-wish-i-had/ and adding it to your favorites/bookmarks.
Send us your tips to ss221@columbia.edu (subject line = school tips)
[See tips about the fall and spring semesters here.]
“In the months BEFORE school, I wish I had…
- moved to New York two-four weeks before the program started, and in that time familiarized myself with all New York media publications, websites and stations. This is particularly important if you’re an international student. You might be familiar with what’s happening, but seeing it from the inside out, rather than the other way is very important when understanding news judgment here.
- chosen a beat based on how many stories were coming out of there instead of any language difficulties I potentially could have (to do this, do a Google news search of the neighborhoods.. you’ll figure out which ones are more “hot” with stories than others.
- bought a TV. I thought getting all my news online would be good enough. Wrong, especially as I’m a broadcast student. It was a really stupid thing to not get a TV, solely from the point of studying the TV pieces are put together.
- thought less about what I wanted to do DURING school and thought more about what I wanted to do AFTER school.
- read the previous years’ Masters projects, if I could. As much as you may want to once the program begins it’s insanely difficult to find time to do any reading besides what you have to do for school, unless you are one who loves to keep the midnight lamp burning!
[Dean Sree’s note: The M.S. Master’s Projects and M.A. Master’s Theses are available in the library system - details here. You can see recent new media projects in full at this link; you can listen to some recent radio projects at this link.] - learned to accept that it is okay to be overwhelmed and feel like an under achiever. Amongst the brilliant minds and the larger than life personalities at the J-school, it’s easy to feel like an insignificant blip. But, remember — it’s more important to do your best, than to be the best. You don’t always win in life and that’s okay. You live, you learn.
- learned a new language. Besides being fun and adding to your sense of personality, it is an invaluable skill — especially when you have to cover stories in neighborhoods that do not have a huge English speaking population. Remember, these are the neighborhoods that you will find the most stories in. Don’t let yourself be impeded because of a language barrier.
- learned to cry. Trust me, it’s one of the best ways to get that stress out of your head. It’s priceless! (And if you are anal about cleanliness, it also helps to clean your room at least 5 times a day!)
- realized that I was coming from one big cosmopolitian city to another, but life was not going to be the same. However strong and well traveled you are, NYC is bound to shake you up a good number of times. So be prepared to feel lonely, homesick and confused over and over and over again. The sooner you accept that, the better you will be able to adjust to it when it hits you.
- learned to network. You may not realize its importance till it’s too late to mend your ways. Leave your conscience and selfless nature behind…there’s no place for introspection in the competitive and aggressive world of the media!
- (this one is for international students) compiled a list of all my family friends and relatives (and friends of friends) in the tri-state area and got in touch with them before arriving. They become your support system in a place that is not home. And of course, it’s always nice to visit and have home cooked food
- already prepared sets of my resume and clips for internship applications. It would have saved me from the anxiety attacks I got when internship application deadlines were breathing down my neck, less than two months into the program.
- accepted Columbia housing.
- had a better plan on how to get a job after J-school.
- I wish I had spent less time reading The Power Broker and more time familiarizing myself with magazines and newspapers based in New York.
- set concrete goals about what I wanted to accomplish while there, and what direction I wanted to go after.
- moved into my NYC apartment earlier in the summer. I loved every second of my time living in Manhattan, and if you can get there earlier and enjoy it before school gets busy, all the better.
- read more New York City news.
- read more fiction. When school starts, nonfiction takes over your life.
- not worried about reading The Power Broker. (It’s a helpful primer on NYC but not
necessary. And is too long.) - I wish I had actually finished reading The Power Broker.
- taken a long vacation in Tahiti or Bora Bora, done an hour of yoga a day, slept 8 hours every night, and caught up on all the latest flicks, plays, and new novels, then lost the 10 pounds which I soon wound up
gaining from all the junk food and quick fixes I consumed pulling all-nighters. - slept more.
- read more about New York City.
- moved into my apartment earlier and looked around more.
- read more of the faculty bios.
- I had already started brainstorming about what to do for my Master’s Project.
