Going to Art College is many an amateur artist’s dream. But the reality isn’t quite as easy as you would imagine. Like all courses of study, being an art major involves dedication, practice, and far too much work than you think you can handle. So here’s some general tips to help you survive Art College and beyond.

Following only the teacher’s instructions won’t make you great
Simple enough. Your teacher will most likely have had years and decades to learn all that they have in the real world. The kind of practical experience they’ve learned during that time can’t simply be boiled down into a single class, or even several classes. All they can do is give you the simple basic principles. Where you take those principles is up to you. Which leads to the next point:

Doing just class work won’t make you great
Let’s face it, all that work you’ll be doing in class will basically be supervised practice. Which is good, since it will certainly show you what areas you should be focusing on, but just doing that won’t be enough. Many Art Colleges will host drawing workshops during the semesters. I recommend going to as many as you can early on, because as the semester roll on, you’ll find less and less time to do so, especially towards the finals.

Make contacts; get some friends as soon as possible and get involved
No matter what major you decide to be in, your best resources for the future are the people sitting next to you. If you show great work in class, your classmates will notice and perhaps call you up later in life if they need help on a project. The same can be said for yourself. Be outgoing, get to know the folks around you and establish good working relationships. You will never know when they will come in handy. Show your teachers the best that you can do and hopefully they can connect you to the right jobs after you graduate.

Try out new methods and mediums
The worst thing an artist can do is pigeonhole themselves into a particular mindset. “I can only draw fan art” or “I can only work with pencils.” Never be afraid to try new things, you might even use them better than your existing medium or subject. In a working environment, being flexible is a valuable skill.

Practice whenever you can
You never know when you’ll see something you really like, or just feel you have to draw something, so bring a sketchbook with you wherever you go. I’d suggest a pen too, instead of a pencil, so you won’t spend more time erasing than you do drawing. Good practice for draftsmanship too.

Focus, people!
Let’s face it; it’s easier to procrastinate than buckling down and doing your homework. Be sensible. Putting off your work till later will only mean more work later and less time to do it in. You can chat on the Internet later, your homework is due when it is due and good friends will understand when you are pressed for time. Turn off the computer, disconnect the phone, put on some good music and spend some quality time with your work. Distractions also exist when you graduate, so practice this focusing skill now.

Draw what you want!
It’s a tough world out there for an artist. Like all careers, there are jobs that you might take where you aren’t allowed to draw what you like so take the time right now to draw what you love. Put all of your effort in it and apply the skills you learn in class towards it. It could be writing and drawing your own comic book or painting scenes from your favorite book. Do what you love when you have the chance right now and more often than not, your true talent shines. A teacher once told me that the real sign of your ideal career is to discover what you like to do in your free time. If you discover yourself penning a story and drawing little illustrations for it, you could go into comic books, writing, or illustration.

And the final tip:

Get some sleep. You’ll need it.