15 Tips for design students

If you are a student or recently graduated take a look at these 15 tips:
1- First is not always best.
The design market is competitive and it may be frustrating, feeling like all the ideas have been taken.  This may be true, but remember that first ideas might not always be the best option. You can improve it and make it your own.
2- Accept there are people who are better than you.
It doesn’t matter how good an individual may be, there will always be someone better.
3- This is not a race.
Compete only with yourself. If there must be competition, compete with the lazy or negative person inside oneself.  This will always be more difficult than competing with others.
4- Start freelance jobs as early as you can.
This is the best way to understand what the real world wants from you.
5- Success is different for each designer.
Making lots of money sounds successful.  However, monetary success is not the only reward that can be focused on.
6- Excel in one or two areas.
You need to have enough information about different design fields to accomplish the job, but it is impractical to try to excel at everything.
7- Build your website portfolio as soon as you can.
Having an online portfolio will not only showcase your best work, but this is also important for a job search as it helps you recognize your strengths.
8-  Be a true judge of your own work.
If the work you have created doesn’t make you excited, it won’t make others excited either.
9- Never work for free.
If a client is unable to pay, they can offer other resources that you can benefit from
10- Failing is good.
Accept the fact that we won’t win all the time. Without failing early, you won’t be able to succeed later.
11- Respect and attention has a price tag.
If you want to get respect and attention for your work, you need to pay for that by spending time, work and effort on your projects.
12- Awards are not everything.
Enjoy when you get award. However, the best award comes from word of mouth.
13- Don’t take the fun out of design.
You can work on the most serious project but still have fun with it. Fun opens the path to creativity.
14- Leave your desk sometimes.
Changing your environment makes a difference in your creativity, so occasionally relocate to a park or a coffee shop for a new perspective.
15- Creative ideas always get rejected first
Source: http://www.arterruption.net/articles/15-tips-for-design-students/