Corey Kindberg

I thought I knew what stress was. Then finals week hit, and it hit hard. This weekend I have never felt like more of a loser. I didn’t go out, I didn’t see any of my friends, and I basically hid in my room all weekend.

Monday was probably the worst day. I had my math final in the afternoon, which was basically a make or break deal for me. If I did well on the final, then I would pass the course. A 10-hour cram session and other countless hours of doing practice problems really helped. The biggest help was the review session LIM College offered. The review packet they gave out at the session was basically the final, only with different numbers. I’m not sure if other colleges do this, but they all should! Not only does it give students an upper hand, but it also gave me a boost of confidence.

My second final on Monday was Computer Applications. I’ve always been pretty good at computers so I wasn’t really worried about it. Tuesday I had a whole Intro. to Visual Merchandising project due for my final. I had to create a whole store, with a floor layout, color scheme, logo and tagline, promotional ads, and examples of clothing that would be sold in the store. Thursday is my Retailing final, which is going to be hard. Another 10- hour cram session is needed.

After that my semester is over and it's Work Project I time 'til Dec. 24. At least I don’t have to go to any classes. There’s always a silver lining...

When I started thinking about college in my junior year of high school, I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a school that offered interesting classes, intriguing professors who care, and, most of all, acceptance. I didn’t want to be in a place where I would feel uncomfortable. I knew that by slimming down my choices to mainly fashion schools that my being gay wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Little did I know how accepting the college I chose actually is.

LIM College has few boys, and because many of them are homosexual, acceptance is a big part of our student life. During LGBT Month the student body has really shown that to me.

First by starting an anti-prejudice campaign known as LoveIsMore! The campaign promotes acceptance in and out of school by letting students take photos with the LoveIsMore Logo and then we can make them the profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter and other social networking sites.

Acceptance is not only shown through campaigns. It's also done by having guest speakers and recognizing days devoted to the LGBT community. One of them is National Coming Out Day, which promotes greater acceptance and awareness of the LGBT community and recognizes just how big we are.

The Student Life Office also knows about the high risk of HIV in our community and offers students HIV testing services that are free and confidential. After this month, I knew that LIM College was the right choice for me.

In high school I was able to wake up at 7:30 and roll out of bed and drive to school. Now, going to school in New York City, it is a completely different situation. Especially going to a fashion school, where every day is an opportunity to show your creativity. "Dress to impress" is the hidden slogan of LIM College. You never know who you’re going to meet at school, or even on the street or when you’re out on your lunch hour.

I get up at 6 on the days I have 8 a.m. classes. I always want to look my best, especially during rush hour. Instead of driving to school or taking the bus, I run to catch the subway and try to squish myself and my bag in a subway car filled with people in suits. Next, I wait in line for my Iced Venti Vanilla Latte, this way I can get through my day, (and this will probably be the first of many lattes).

All of my classes are fun and interesting, and they are in subjects that I want to learn about, so I don’t mind taking notes and reading the textbooks. Then the best part of my day comes, and it’s lunch hour. I get to chat with friends and finally eat a real meal!

The rest of the day is filled with classes, a quick nap, and then, most likely, an hour or so of homework. 

The greatest thing about LIM College is our location. New York City is the powerhouse of fashion in America. Even better than that is the fact that New York City is also the site of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. For the past week I have been sneaking in and out of Lincoln Center and witnessing some of the best S/S 2011 Collections known to man. I’ve seen designers like Ports 1961, Betsey Johnson, Parabal Gurung, Davidelfin, Toni Fransenc and many others.

I now live in the center of where fashion takes place. I know that if I want to get ahead in the fashion industry that I can’t live anywhere but here. Throughout Fashion Week I’ve made so many valuable connections. I’ve met the Creative Director of Vogue, Grace Coddington, an editor from WWD, and people from many PR firms.

The even better part of Fashion Week is the free stuff. I’ve gotten swag bags from Betsey Johnson, Gurung, and Fransenc. Who doesn’t love free stuff? This whole week has probably been the most hectic week I’ve ever had to deal with, but I loved every single second of it. I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. This week only assured me I made the right choice in deciding where to go to college.