students, eh? what are they like?

It's coincidence, of course, but one that neatly illustrates why students - and especially graphic design students - should be blogging.

First up is Ben, who has taken the bull by the horns and shoved his London College of Communication students into the glare of the spotlights. Which has probably come as a big shock to Katie and Masum. Especially when the feedback is me pulling their legs (and apologies Katie and Masum: I am only pulling your legs).

Meanwhile, over at the Cardiff School of Art & Design, Tom Harle poses the question of whether students should be blogging as part and parcel of the process of preparing for 'professional practice'. (Actually, Tom, it's a life of insecurity - that's what you need to prepare for.)

But Tom's tutor reckons that blogs are a little self indulgent. Well, yes, they are if you only speak to yourself (which, I admit, bloggers are prone to do). But perhaps, Tom, you could ask your tutor how else you are going to make the connections that constitute all of the links in this post, this post and this post? Consider that and suddenly you can begin to see that the rest of the world is there at your fingertips.

And if you're a student reading this, let me tell you a little anecdote. I happen to live right opposite a sixth-form college and I learnt very early on not to walk down the street at 8.45am or 3.15pm. To do so would be akin to trying to walk up the down escalator. Waves of students whose way of dealing with the fact that I was trying to walk in the opposite direction was to pretend that I didn't exist. I recounted this once to a friend who taught at the college, who remarked "Ah, you need to remember that they haven't yet learnt the social skills to be able to interact with anyone outside of their own age range." A lesson to be learnt there, if you're under 21.

So my advice to you today, dear student, is to get out of bed, get off of Bebo, get off of Guitar Hero, and start blogging*.

(*My wife once asked me "what's the difference between blagging and blogging?" I still haven't come up with an answer to that one.)

Comments

[Ben]

Ha! That's the feedback loop right there.

[Tom Harle]

I want to show this post to my tutor, but I'd better leave it till after he's marked my work...

It's the connections point you made that really wins for me - we (students) don't really have anything to lose, and a lot more to gain. really appreciate the mention, thanks

[Caffineabuse]

Bloggers use more kleenex in their spare time.