This is Part three of a three part series. See all other post here

Running an In-Class Creative Team Introduction

Part I – Meeting Your New Team

Part II – Becoming the Leader

If there’s one thing you have to leave here with learning, its that DUE DATES ARE GOLDEN.

Due dates are more than just a marking on a calendar. Its a promise to a client (or a professor) that the work will be done. No matter how many hiccups, errors, and accidentally deleted files there are, no one cares about the excuses. All that matters is that its finished with and ready to go.

But we all know nothing ever goes smooth. That’s what makes all this so entertaining. Some loss of sleep is definitely required to get your projects completed. Well, more like a lot of not sleeping goes on around here. So here are some tips in order to reach that golden date…hopefully successfully.

Plan Ahead

Make sure you try to set a schedule up to the due date. See how much time you have from now and until then. Allow time for research, sketching, development, and some time to critic and edit. Try to finish a few days before just to give you extra breathing room. But in all honestly, chances are your going to drift away from you plans but its always nice to know what and when you need to do things.

Glitter from Gold

If you see yourself trying to BS your way through your project, don’t. Its clear as day who really put in the effort and who didn’t. People like to protect themselves with fancy images and pretty presentations, but anyone who can break down ads and see its potential can definitely tell when you just did work to get it over with. Don’t be that person. There’s no excuse as a student to create work just because you’re a student! Work you’re proud of is easier to present and to show enthusiasm for. Show up to swing the hammer hard. Bring your best on presentation day ready to destroy everyone else’s stuff.

Learn to Settle

I’m going to keep this short and too the point. Prioritize what you need to do. Focus on the big picture. If you’re running out of time know what needs to be done as opposed to what should be done.

This was my final installment for Running an In-Class Creative Team. I hope you all left with some useful information and tips. Just know this a difficult road we all chose.

And like one of my great mentors, Professor Davis once said “Those who sacrifice unlike others, receive rewards unlike others.”