This may seem cliché but the first day of your fashion education, really is the first day of the rest of your life. Going into the program lazy or unmotivated will start you off on a foot that’ll be very hard to get off of. Put on your A game and Katniss Everdeen your way through your career (find your Haymitch and don’t get distracted by a Peeta).

I’ll dive deeper into this in a blog post of it’s own however, bury your head in the BOF (Business of Fashion, Vogue Business, and more fashion current events platforms), try to watch the Couture fashion shows every season (they will be referenced a lot in all your classes) and most importantly… do. your. readings. They’ll teach you more than sparknotes ever can.

90% yes, 10% no… however, the 10% is probably my fault. Sometimes I feel like I didn’t get as many connections as I thought I would given the program’s prestige, but if you take advantage of getting an internship and remain in good standing with your professors, you should be well equipped to take the industry by storm (or tiny rain shower).

A fashion school degree opens up many career paths, from fashion design and styling to merchandising, marketing, and fashion journalism. You could work in-house for a fashion brand, start your own label, or pursue roles in fashion communications or retail. On my blog, I’ll discuss various career paths for fashion graduates and how to build a portfolio that will help you succeed in the industry.