10 Things JWU Advertising Students Know To Be True

To the outside world, we're the modern day Don Drapers and Peggy Olsons. This goe out to all the students that grace the halls of Xavier's 4th floor, on the grind to make the next big brand, viral video, or SuperBowl ad. Cheers to you!

1. Decks are the new term papers

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For the most part, you can say, “sayonara” to those 15 page research papers. But squeezing all your research and ideas into a concise, visual, 10 slide presentation can give you a first class ticket on the struggle bus.

2. You’ll accumulate a lot of blazers*

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Come Week 11, the halls of the School of Business will transform from sweatpants to power suits. While the ad industry definitely has a more relaxed dress code, we take our presentation days seriously.

*Bonus points for team color coordination

3. Watching the SuperBowl is an assignment

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You’ll be that person telling everyone to shut up during commercials as you rate each one.

4. The Ad Team is a big deal

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And if you've seen the clock pictures, you’ve probably heard about this crew. The most dedicated and passionate students spend their nights, weekends (and takeout budgets) working on a campaign for the National Student Advertising Competition (and they always win big).

5. The internet is your textbook

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Culture changes in a second and while books teach the theories and frameworks for what we do, Twitter and Instagram show us how people think and behave. Checking your feed is just part of the job.

6. Creative or strategic?

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The basic question that splits the classes you take in the Ad Major. For the nerds who salivate at research, excel and putting the pieces together- hit up the strategy path. For the artists with the stamina to play with words and designs- creative could be your calling. Of course there’s room for both- but having an idea of where you fall makes life a bit easier.

7. Buckle up for group projects

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While they may want to make you pull your hair out sometimes. When you look around at the end of the project, you’ll laugh at the ridiculous idea you started with and time you got to spent bonding with this group of randoms you just met. Oh and Google Docs will be your savior.

8. You can intern almost anywhere

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Every business needs to communicate who they are to the world- whether they’re NASA or the boutique down the street. Convince them you have what it takes to share their vision and you have yourself a job!

9. You’ll meet your best friends

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It probably blossomed from an awkward group project that grew into weird meme sharing and inside jokes. The beauty is these friendships will last far beyond college because as you’re all starting at the same place in the industry, you’ll always be able to go back to your A1, Day 1s.

10. Own your major

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People may dismiss your major, but if you’re curious, passionate and feel you have some talent. You’re in the right spot and have the opportunity to use those skills in a really cool way. The world may not need more advertising, but it needs more great advertising. That’s why you’re here.