Design Students! Are you ready? Are you prepared?

It's that time of year again; course registration is done, fees are paid, new backpacks are carefully selected, all the latest fonts from PangramPangram are downloaded and ready to go and you're probably wishing you had at least one more week of sunny weather to enjoy before it all starts up again.

One more week to relax, enjoy time with friends, and get ready for the semester ahead. Or, maybe you are ready and can't wait to get started. Possibly, but are you prepared, really truly prepared?

Prepared is different. It has a different feel to it than ready does. It's more significant, more serious. Maybe they sound the same and maybe their definitions have a lot of overlap but I think there's an important difference. Anyone can be ready for anything, or at least say they are. Preparedness implies a deeper level of consideration, planning, investment of time and effort — a more concerted approach to what lies ahead.

So how does one prepare oneself for the next semester? Where do you start, and which things matter? And, how many things can you deal with at once? I think the single best way to prepare yourself for your next semester may simply be to know yourself, or know yourself better.

Know your strengths, weaknesses, goals, aspirations, tendencies, habits, or any other thing that may help or hinder you in your progress. Are you an anxious person? Do you procrastinate? Do you remain calm under pressure? Are deadlines impossible obstacles? Is a checklist your guide? Are you afraid of the effort it may take to get where you want to go? Are you terrified of presenting your work? Are you organized? Do you over think every decision? Do you think you only need 4 hours sleep a night — I bet you do.

Great! Now you know —?it's better to know these things than not. It's very difficult to fight the invisible monsters. So what are you going to do about it?

You might want to make a plan to accentuate the positive and manage the negative, to leverage your strengths and take steps to mitigate those factors that hold you back. Consider creating a work space that allows you to focus and be productive. Maybe you need to establish that consistent sleep schedule that lasts for more than 6 hours a night. How are your eating habits? Exercise much? I'm pretty sure a well rested, energized, and healthy designer outperforms the listless fatigued one every time. Put your phone away for an hour and see what happens —?it's liberating. Then put it away for 2 hours, then 4 hours —?crazy! It's not your friend.

Preparedness is doing those things that will best position yourself to realize your potential and reach your goals. Without preparation that addresses foundational factors for success (by whichever definition it is for you), and establishes consistent habits and routines, you are limiting what might be realized. It won't matter that you know every Figma shortcut or how to write magical MidJourney prompts, if the foundation isn't in place you have confined what can be realized.

So maybe start with that list. Start with your strengths (this is sometimes harder to acknowledge) so you know what skills and habits you can lean on and trust. Then list those things that you think are holding you back or distracting you from your goals.

Be honest with yourself and check to make sure you didn't leave out the good stuff.

Then, make a careful and realistic plan that will set you up for success. It won't be easy, at least at first, and it will take some discipline and a little bit of time. But after a while the benefits will add up, and will likely be easy to see. And it might simply start with something as simple as a good nights sleep, it could be life changing.