March – Not So Mad!

March Madness is an opportunity for you, sophomore student, to explore a subject you are interested in but, may not have the time to focus on normally. Your class schedule is minimized to one class a day for the first two weeks of March. You attend one class in the morning, then are able to utilize the rest of your day to work on your individual projects. From my experience, I used my time well, but I saw how others may not have had the best time. This is my advice for the process.

1. Pick something you will enjoy as your project.

I picked art as my subject because that’s something I feel as though I never have time to pay attention to. Think about the subject you want to work on then decide your specific topic. (I tried out two different projects until I picked my final one.)

2. Do not waste the two weeks before spring break.

You are literally given two weeks of constant working to do whatever. Just do the project. Putting it off won’t help anything, except it will increase your stress when you have to rush to do it all the night before.

3. Ask for help if you need it.

Although we like to believe so, we cannot always do everything on our own. Asking for help is normal and will be beneficial in the long run, your supervisor is there to help you!

4. Remember – you are financed!

Acknowledge that the school is investing in you! They are providing you with the money that could be necessary to carry out your project or just take it to the next level. I used the money the school provided to buy LED lights and created a light box behind my art pieces so that they could be back lit. My friend used the money to take an NYU course on sports management, and many others just used it for basic things like markers or printing. The money they provide is there so that you don’t feel restricted from learning about and completing your project to the fullest extent.

5. Again! don’t waste your time!

A lot of my peers wasted the time they were given and couldn’t explore something that they fully enjoyed. If you take advantage of the time you could create something great! People from my grade sold their projects, and some are even working to get them published. The time and effort is well worth it.

Good luck!