Making the most of your college experience as a designer
Happy back to school season!! Here are some tips on how you can make the most of your school year. Even if you’re not in school, we hope these tips also help you!
Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Wonder
The team at Wonder is launching today on X/Twitter! 🎉
Wonder is an AI-native design tool that amplifies creativity rather than replacing it. It’s a playground for ideas. A place where craft meets possibility, and curiosity leads the way.
Wonder can help you explore layouts, build your design system, and go from idea → beautiful screens while reusing your components in minutes.
Also, Wonder is hiring a founding designer! if you'd like a direct referral, please email me grace@designbuddies.community with your resume and portfolio
Build your foundations
Master the fundamentals before chasing trends. Learn typography inside and out like understand kerning, leading, and hierarchy. Study color theory until you can explain why certain palettes work. Practice drawing by hand, even if you plan to work digitally. It helps you process your ideas!
Diversify your skill set. Don't box yourself into one specialty too early. Take that ceramics class alongside your digital design courses. Learn basic photography. Try your hand at motion graphics.
Create beyond your class
Start a side project. Your class assignments are important, but they're designed to teach specific skills, not necessarily to showcase your unique voice. Begin a personal project that excites you whether it's redesigning your local coffee shop's branding, creating a zine about your hometown, or designing album covers for imaginary bands. You can add these to your portfolio
Document everything. Get into the habit of photographing your process, not just your final pieces. Save your sketches, iterations, and even your failures. Future employers want to see how you think and problem-solve, not just what you can produce. You’ll also have interesting things to talk about during an interview
Build your connections
Your professors are your first professional network. Most design faculty are working professionals with industry connections. Attend their office hours, ask thoughtful questions about their work, and maintain those relationships beyond graduation. A recommendation from a respected professor can open doors that your portfolio alone cannot.
Get involved in design organizations. Attend local design meetups and conferences as many offer student discounts. Volunteer for design events. These connections often lead to internships, job opportunities, and lifelong mentorships.
Connect with upperclassmen and alumni. They've recently walked the path you're on and can offer practical advice about everything from which professors to study with to how to land that first internship. Many schools have alumni mentorship programs, too
Seek real experience
Pursue internships. Don't wait until your junior year to start looking. Many companies offer freshman and sophomore internships. Even if you don't feel "ready," apply anyway. The worst they can say is no, and the application process itself is valuable practice.
Take on freelance projects (carefully). Small freelance gigs can provide real-world experience and portfolio pieces, but be selective. Work with established businesses rather than startups that might not pay. Never work for free unless it's for a cause you genuinely care about and you can also add it to your portfolio
🐰 Also, Apply to CoCreate’s 10-week design project cohort!
You’ll work on real product teams. Build real portfolio pieces. Get guidance from design coaches. And walk away with experience that makes hiring teams pay attention. Many of our students are also undergrad, grad, and career-transitioners
Next CoCreate cohort starting late Sep 2025, students accepted on a rolling basis, apply ASAP as we sold out this summer: https://www.cocreate.careers/post/apply-to-cohort-20---land-your-dream-job
Build your internet presence
Create a cohesive online presence. Your LinkedIn and personal website should all feel like they come from the same designer. Yes people, like hiring managers, judge you based on what they can find about you online
Learn to talk about your work. Practice explaining your design decisions clearly and confidently. Join critique sessions enthusiastically. The ability to articulate your thinking is often what separates good designers from great ones.
Upcoming events (online)
Thu Aug 21, 6 pm pacific time: Inside the Figma files of Product Design Teams from VC-Backed Startups https://lu.ma/ch20-insight2
Fri Aug 22, 11 am pacific time: Design Feedback Friday! on Discord https://lu.ma/d9900mh1
Wed Aug 27, 6 pm pacific time: Building Case Studies That Land Design Jobs (Alumni Success Stories) https://lu.ma/ch20-insight3
Stay tuned for an IRL design demo day on Mon Oct 6, in San Francisco during tech week!!
🐰 About CoCreate (Design Buddies/UXGO - we’re the same team)
CoCreate (Design Buddies/UXGO) is a community where you level up your design career. Land jobs, improve your design skills, and make friends. We have resources, events, design challenges, job boards, fun perks, and more.
👋 Visit our website and hop into our Discord community.
💖 Partner with us, or share your resources in our newsletter (email grace@designbuddies.community)
🌟 Watch our past events and connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more fun!
👩🏻💻 Subscribe to Grace Ling’s newsletter, Grace Pace!
Got anything else you’d like to see in our newsletter and community? Please email grace@designbuddies.community