Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end for me at Florida State University. I cannot believe how fast these past three years have gone & knowing that I have only six more months left in Tallahassee makes me think about how much has changed within that short amount of time.

When I was a college freshman, I picked my major because it was something I was passionate about but I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. When I started, I was leaning towards becoming a buyer but within my first year toyed with the ideas of styling or working for a magazine. It wasn’t until after I launched FSU Fashion Girl & started interning that I realized that I wanted to get into more the the PR/marketing & social media side of fashion. I still believe that it is so important that college students pick a major that they are passionate about. There is not a doubt in my mind that I picked the right major for me.

Throughout the years, I have met so many different people that I have been lucky to call my friends. My advice to incoming freshman is to embrace these new friendships & try to meet as many people as you can. It is truly amazing what you can learn from those who are different from you. You can also learn a lot about yourself by looking at the people you may not get along with & really trying to figure out why. After college, stay in touch with everyone. A lot of my friends graduated last year & it has been really fun for me to see where they are all ending up – where they are living, working, etc. We are so blessed to live in the Facebook generation which makes it entirely too easy to keep in touch – utilize this.

My last piece of advice for incoming freshman is to embrace the new. College students are handed opportunities that a lot of others would kill to have. Experience everything you can. If someone invites you to something that isn’t necessarily “your thing,” do it anyways. You may surprise yourself. If you get the opportunity to intern in another state or country, do it! I cannot even begin to express how much that experience will teach you about yourself, both on a personal & professional level. Most importantly, have fun! These next four years will fly by faster than you know.

More critical reads for incoming college freshman:

How to Save Money on Textbooks
Interview & Resume Tips from BCBG
Intern Queen Inc.
Gameday Fashion
How To Furnish Your Home (Or Dorm!) for Less

I have been interning for Lauren Berger, the CEO of Intern Queen Inc., for the past six months. Next week will be my last week interning so I have been looking back and reflecting on everything that I have learned – both personally & professionally.

1. The Power of a Follow Up – Since interning for Lauren, I noticed how often I was following up with people whether it was planning the CLUTCH Magazine release party, applying for an internship, or simply asking a question. You wouldn’t believe how many people are actually thankful – not annoyed – that you are following up with them. Especially when it comes to internships, ALWAYS follow up to make sure that they actually received your materials. They might just be bombarded with resumes but the act of the follow up will give you an edge over your competition.

2. Network with EVERYONE – During college, don’t be selective. Keep in touch with ALL of your contacts. You never know when you might need them or vice versa. This is especially true if you are still not 100% sure of what career field you would like to go in. Organize your contacts into an excel document including their name, company, position, email address, phone number & their preferred method of communication. It’s also important to not abuse this relationship. Keep in mind that this is a give-take relationship – ask what YOU can do for THEM.

3. ALWAYS Call to Decline an Internship Offer - I got the opportunity to listen to Lauren speak at this year’s Teen Vogue Fashion University in New York City & she has mentioned this same advice before. Provided you are only applying for internships that you actually want, always say yes to an internship offer. If you get another internship offer which you feel is the better fit, pick up the phone & call the first company. You will be able to convey your genuine apology for declining the internship over the phone rather than an email.

4. Personalize your Cover Letters & Tailor your Resume - You won’t believe how many people we see apply for internships with “Dear Seventeen Magazine” for a Lucky Magazine internship. This is a sure sign that you are sending out the same cover letter for multiple internships. Personalize both your cover letter & resume for the job and company you are applying for. Also, keep your resume to one page. Anything that wasn’t covered in your resume, bring up in your interview and/or cover letter.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions - If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to ask! If you can get away with asking another intern, do that first. In general, your boss will be thankful that you had the courage to ask a question rather than try it out on your own & make a mistake.

All in all, I have had an amazing time interning for Intern Queen Inc. If you are interested in interning for Lauren, go ahead & apply for her summer 2011 internship program. You can also join the campus ambassador program (no FSU students please, we already have two!) – email me if you are interested & I will let you know what all you need to do.

Only one more week until the first football game of the season which means it is time to start planning the perfect game day outfit! I have selected four gameday outfits which are perfect no matter what your style is.

1. The Sporty Girl. The first look is a classic college football gameday outfit. It pairs short shorts with my favorite mesh football jersey for girls made by Victoria’s Secret PINK. They added this item to their collegiate line mid-football season last year & hopefully they will be launching a new mesh jersey for fall.

2. The Girly Girl. A lot of girls like to wear dresses to football games. It is an easy way too look cute while also staying cool on a hot afternoon. I searched the internet and found this gameday dress made by Natalie Kim to by my all-time favorite. Absolutely perfect outfit when paired with the FSU collegiate clutch  by Oatmeal Lace Design. You can also make your own gameday t-shirt dress to really be unique & show your spirit!

3. The Prep with a Twist. I love this look for night games, cooler games, & most importantly, the FSU blackout game! Pair the VS PINK cardigan with lace leggings & either black or garnet shorts for a preppy gameday look. Pair with the Lady Vanderbilt for Her Campus FSU necklace & you are good to go!

4. The Free Spirit. I love this look for hot afternoon football games. Throw on a garnet tube top (try the one size fits all Niki Biki tube tops from Repeat Possessions) and cut up a gold FSU t-shit to make a muscle tank. Cut the armholes large enough so that the pop of garnet shows through. Pair with your favorite pair of shorts & gladiator sandals & you are good to go!

More accessories featured above: Beaded FSU Bracelet & FSU Ribbon & Pearl Necklace

What will you be sporting for the first football game of the season? I have been selected to be the official Victoria’s Secret PINK gameday style spotter so make sure you are looking cute & you just might get featured on the VS PINK website!

Want a new way to study? Then try StudyByte.com.

Study Byte is a brand new site that just launched this summer. It allows you to create flashcard sets for all of your classes. You can choose to study the cards in order or have it pick randomly. It won’t stop flipping through the cards until you have answered them all correctly. Best of all, it is FREE and very simple to use. Perfect way to force yourself to study, even when you really don’t want to. I love the fact that it is online so I can literally copy and paste the questions and answers straight from my notes or the professor’s Power Points.

New features to be added soon – including the ability to share your flashcard sets with your friends & classmates! You can follow @StudyByte on Twitter to keep up to date on everything that is going on with the website.

Registration is now open to everyone so make sure to bookmark Study Byte for fall semester!

If you are moving out of the house and into a college dorm room in August, this site is for you! Design Your Dorm’s website gives you the most realistic view of how your dorm room will be set up. Just go to the site, create an account, select your school and the dorm you will be living in then start designing, decorating & shopping. While you decorate, Design Your Dorm will keep track of everything that you have added to your dorm room so that you can easily purchase the items you have used. It’s that simple! You can also use their move-in checklist to make sure you have everything you need for college. I first featured Design Your Dorm back in June of 2009 but since then, they have added over 140 schools to their database. One of the best additions though is the Meebo bar – it allows you to chat with friends via your social media accounts directly on DesignYourDorm.com. Great way to connect with your new roommate and discuss your ideas for your dorm room. You can also check out their blog for great tips & advice for college students. This summer, they have been giving away a lot of amazing prizes. They are now hosting a YouTube video contest in which you can win a giftcard to Organize.com for sharing your disaster dorm story. To enter & for complete rules, check out their blog.

Head on over to Design Your Dorm today!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tammymanet/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

Vincent Duran, a recruiter for BCBG, came to speak in one of my merchandising classes about BCBG, their internship, program, how to apply, and what is expected from an intern. He also gave us yips on interviewing as well as what to include in our resumes and cover letters. His advice was very beneficial and I hope you will agree.

Cover Letter

• Find out who you are sending it to. Using “Dear Relevant” should only be used as a last resort. Research and find out who you are sending this to. It not only makes the letter more personal but it also shows them that you did your homework.
• No more than 3-4 sentences per paragraph. Your cover letter is meant to inform the company on who you are, why you are applying and what relevant experience you have. Vincent told us that often times recruiters have only a few seconds to decide whether they are going to keep your resume or throw it away. You have to be precise and find a way to stand out in order to be selected.

Resume

• List as many activities in college as possible. Companies want to see that you are involved on campus. Joining organizations, clubs and sororities/fraternities are among the most common ways to get involved. Another thing that they are looking for is leadership. Don’t be afraid to run for office and be active. Being a member of an organization is great but running for office is a great way to stand out and show that you have all of the qualities that a recruiter is looking for.
• We don’t care what you did in high school. Most high school students were in many different clubs, played sports and were on student government. That is great but if it is not relevant, try to keep it off your resume. If you do not have a lot of experience, become as involved on campus as you can be so you can eventually get rid of your high school activities.

Interview

• It’s all about the handshake. You can learn so much about a handshake. If you want to leave a great first impression, always use a firm handshake.
• Wear what you would wear on the job. The beauty of the fashion industry is that not all companies want you to wear a suit to work everyday. Some might but it really depends on the company. For instance, if you work for Abercrombie & Fitch, you can expect to wear jeans, a casual top and flip flops to work everyday. Try to research and find out what you are expected to wear on the job and dress accordingly. If you are unsure, wear a suit. It is better to be overdressed than too casual.
• Show me energy. During an interview, it is the interviewers job to decide if this person is the right fit for the company. BCBG is a high intensity, fast-paced job. While this might be great for some, it is certainly not for everyone. Show the interviewer that you are able to survive and posses the energy they are looking for.
• Prepare for behavioral questions. Be prepared to answer questions such as: “Describe a time when you worked in a group and didn’t see eye to eye.” or “Describe a time when you took initiative.” These questions help you to prove that you are capable to handle whatever they throw your way.
• NEVER say fashion is your passion. You will almost always be asked “Why did you decide to get into fashion?” Almost like a reflux, the majority of people say “Because I have a passion for fashion.” Avoid this at all costs. This answer has become a cliche. Honestly tell the interviewer why you want to work in fashion since very few people in this industry do not have a “passion for fashion.”
• ALWAYS come prepared with a question. At the end of an interview, when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions, your answer should always be “YES!” This shows that you are very serious about this company and internship/job. It also shows that you are very brave since asking a question in an interview can be intimidating.
• Relax. The important thing to remember is to relax. Whether you get the job or not, interviews help you to grow. Take away the good and the bad from every interview in order to better yourself for future interviews. Also, keep in mind that the person interviewing you is a human. They are not out to ruin your life. They are simply just doing there job.

For those of you applying to internships this summer, good luck. I have been applying for internships this week and have found these tips to be extremely helpful.

VS Pink is offering two great back to school deals on their Collegiate Collection.

The first offer is buy one, get one 50% off for one week only, starting tomorrow! Print out the coupon and bring to select VS Pink stores to redeem.

Click here for the coupon. For a list of schools and stores, click here!

You can also take $10 off per item for the VS Pink Collegiate Collection. This offer can be used online with offer code: PINK10. Valid through September 17th!

So hurry to Victoria’s Secret for all of your back to school shopping!

Biggest complaint from college students? How expensive college textbooks are! How can you avoid paying this high price of education?

Research. Check your college’s bookstore and see how much you would have to pay to get the book both new and used. You might find that some books (especially if they are used) are actually pretty cheap while others are over $100.

Search Online. Check Half.com to quickly find the best list price on Ebay, Craigslist and Facebook’s Marketplace. If it is a book that you don’t think you will need much or you don’t mind reading online, check Google Books. You might just find your textbook on there for FREE.

Another Option. A lot of college bookstores are now offering a textbook rental option. You can save as much as 50% and you do not have to wonder what to do with it once the class is over. I have not yet tried this option because I can usually get better deals online but still, a nice option.

Don’t Forget About Your Friends. Know someone who has taken the class already? Then ask them if they still have the book. Plus, if they are really nice friends, they won’t charge you much for it or maybe even nothing at all!

At football games, guys really have it easy. Throw on your teams jersey and you are good to go.

Girls? Not so much.

Although many sports clothing companies have tried their best to cater to women, I have found that the VS Pink Collegiate Collection has the most form-fitting and flattering college wear at the moment.

For over a year, they have provided select colleges with clothing that allows girls to show off their school spirit while at the same time, looking cute. Before VS Pink came out with the Collegiate Collection, many girls were stuck with trying to pull off over-sized trash bags as “sweatshirts.” Now they can easily buy a college sweatshirt that fits them thanks to the collegiate collection. Ahh! Now VS Pink has gone one step further by coming up with another much needed college item, mesh football jerseys. T-shirts are nice to wear to football games but there is no better way to show that you are a TRUE football fan then by wearing your schools jersey. Local bookstores in Tallahassee carry a mesh football jersey for women but they always seem to be out of stock. Also, the VS Pink jersey only costs $42.50 where I have seen others for as much as $55.00. Definitely seems worth the money to me!

You can purchase your Florida State Jersey here!

I just found a great site that I wish I would have known about last year when I was staying in the dorms. This site is called Design Your Dorm and it allows you to create an online 3-D dorm room which gives you a great idea of what to bring to college and what you should leave at home. You can also have your roommate join which makes it very easy to collaborate especially if you don’t already know them. Best of all, it is free. When you register, you will select your university and residence hall from a list. You can then pick from several different types of dorm rooms. If you are going to be a student at Florida State University and will be staying in the suite style dorms (or hope to), make sure you choose the double with bathroom setup. I have stayed in both Wildwood and Gilchrist halls and it is the exact same setup. Another great thing about this site is that on the right side of the screen, it has a shopping list that helps you keep track of everything you have put into the room and how much it will cost. This site really helps take some of the hassle out of moving!