Well friends, as of last Saturday, I have become a college graduate! I, along with 300 of my fellow College of Design peers, took the stage at Mariucci Arena to accept our diplomas in front of our closest friends and family. The ceremony was great; we had four great speakers, three of which were students. I really enjoyed hearing from my fellow students as they shared about all of what they have experienced, learned, and overcome while studying at the University. It was also wonderful to hear and relate to their outlook on the future and everything they were looking foreword to!

It's interesting to think that my career as a college student is now officially over and that a new chapter in my life must soon begin! I have had such a wonderful time in college here at the University of Minnesota, so many great memories and great times that I will deeply miss. However, I know that there are plenty of new and exciting memories that await me as I move foreword in life!

The end of college, sadly, also means the end of my student blog posts to you guys, as I no longer will be a student. I have enjoyed sharing and writing about my college experiences with all of you and hope that they have been of some help! I wish you all the best as you embark on your college careers!

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

Something that I have been very thankful for these past four years is having a good advisor. My advisor, Katrina Thompson, has literally been best; she has helped me sort out class schedules, look through study abroad options, determine which Minor I should choose, and so much more. A good advisor is of great value because he or she can make your time in college so much easier and less stressful with his or her abundant knowledge of the University and all that it offers.

One of the many times my advisor has been a great help to me was last fall (2011) when I was considering and looking at potential study abroad options. I last minute decided that I wanted to consider the option of studying abroad and need to figure out if I could do without prolonging my college career. I met with Katrina and she provided me with an assortment of study abroad programs and options; she helped me sort through classes, found alternative class options, and helped organize my potential class schedules all so I could study abroad if I wanted to! Unfortunately, I was unable to study abroad because of another obligation, my cousin's wedding, that happened to coincide with the semester I was planning to go during. Regardless, that situation allowed me to realize the value of a good advisor and made me really appreciate my particular one!

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Hi friends! So this week is officially the last week of classes for me. EVER. But, just like the every other week of this past month, it is also quite a busy one. I have a final project for Screen Printing due tomorrow and my biggest final of the semester, in Marketing Research, is on Thursday. So with those classes on my brain, I thought I'd give you all a little update on each of them.

For screen-printing I have been working with the design that I shared with you all in an earlier post and elaborating on it. Originally, when I printed that design on fabric, I only used one color. For this project, however, I printed the two design elements in two different colors; I also created an additional complementary design, which included some of my favorite verses. I then contrasted the fabric prints into pillows!

In Marketing Research, we just finished up our final group project and now it's crunch time for the final exam! I have been struggling in this class this whole semester and have been trying to study hard for this final because I know it's crucial for me to do well. And today, during our review session, I was able to confirm that I am actually starting to grasp it! Yay!

Well, that's my week: uneventful, but busy.

Sasenka -Retail Merchandising

This past week has been filled with many unforeseen obstacles, one of those weeks where everything just seems to being going wrong. There have been many hurdles that have come my way; however, I'm only going to tell you about one them, the one that really humbled me and showed me that sometimes things don't go as planned.

Last Thursday, I had a group presentation for my Marketing Research final project. The day before, my group and I had split up our speaking roles; I took on one of the bigger roles, assuring my group that public speaking was one of my strengths. The next day during the presentation however, my nerves got the best of me and my mind went completely blank right as I was about speak! I have stumbled over words in speeches and presentations before, but never actually forgotten everything! I was a little embarrassed, but mostly, I felt bad because of what I had assured my group the day before.

After the class, I knew that I needed to apologize to my group members; they were all pretty understanding and assured me that nerves sometimes get the best of us. I understood this, but was worried that my group would get panelized for my little mishap. So when I got home, I e-mailed my professor immediately; I apologized for my inability to speak during the presentation and asked if there was anything I could do to redeem the situation. She too assured me that it wasn't as bad as I thought, but that if I wanted too, I could come in during her office hours and share what I originally intended to. I did.

This situation really humbled me and showed me that sometimes things don't always go as planned; but, that doesn't mean that the situation is un-redeemable. When things go wrong, we often want the quick solution or try to forgot the incident completely. However, what this situation taught me is that owning up your failures and taking initiative to move foreword can often be the first step in allowing a situation to be redeemed.

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

Photo Credit: http://cdn.returnofkings.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/microphone.jpg

I have really been utilizing Career and Internship Services lately. Last week I went to have my resume critiqued and this week I had an appointment with a career advisor, Heather Fredrickson. I have been really behind in my job hunt due to my uncertainty of staying in Minneapolis next year or move to Los Angeles with a friend; I now have decided to stay here, in Minneapolis.

When I set up my career appointment last week, I was unsure what I wanted to discuss and talk about during the meeting; all I knew is that I desired guidance on how to find a job that would allow me to utilize my skills in retail, business, and design. During the appointment, Heather and I discussed my interests and job positions I was interested and not interested in. I told her that I wanted a career in business, but one that would allow me to exercise my creativity and design skills, something like product development or visual merchandising. After talking for a bit, she recommended that I do research on ten companies that hold positions that interest me. She then advised me to contact the people in these positions and set up informational interviews to learn about how they got to where they are. She informed me that making connections is the best way to find jobs openings because most job openings are not listed.

So, my next step is to use the sites, pictured on the right, and look into some companies and positions! Wish me luck!

Until next week!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

I have only one month left of being a college student and then it's "Hello, Real World!" I don't know how I feel about this, because I don't think I want to leave college quite yet! But nevertheless, graduation is nearing and as sad as I am to know that this chapter of my life is closing, it's exciting, as well as a little terrifying, to think of all the possibilities the future holds.

I've always been told that this stage of my life will be confusing and rather stressful; it's intimidating trying to figure out what path to take in life or what career path you truly desire to take. Should I stay in Minneapolis and try find a job with a large corporation like Target? Should I work for a smaller company? Should I even stay in Minneapolis? These have been the questions circling through my head; they have been paralyzing me. I think that somehow I got this idea in my head that if I choose the wrong career right off the bat, I would be stuck forever. Thankfully, this past month we've had some speaker come into one of my class and talk about their career paths and share about the many paths they all took to get to where they are at. That calmed me down a bit; it made me realize that I don't have to have my whole life out at twenty-two, but I do need to take some steps foreword and see where they take me.

I love how in the Retail Merchandising major we have so many professionals from the retailing field come and talk to us, sometimes to share about job and internship opportunities and sometimes to simply supplement and provide real examples of what we are learning. Ether way, it's a great opportunity to gain
perspective and even network!

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

I have been having some computer issues over the past few weeks and it has made doing schoolwork, as well as many other tasks, nearly impossible. Applications, such as Microsoft Excel and Adobe Photoshop, were constantly freezing up and quitting on me, without any warning or advance. In addition, my computer completely stopped connecting to the Internet; this is quite the issue when you have an online class that requires you to take part in "online discussions" at a particular time each week. It is rather difficult to get by with a computer that is not working properly while in school, because so much is dependent on it.

Knowing that I had assignments to work on and deadlines to meet, I tried to plan out carefully when I would make my trip to the nearest Apple Store; I had been planning to go off campus to either Uptown or Roseville. But then I remembered that we have an Apple Authorized Service Center right in our very own bookstore! This realization brought me such relief; it saved me an unnecessary trip off campus and time!

Soon I made my trip to the Bookstore to get my computer checked out. While the having the computer overlooked, I got into a conversation with the technician who fixing the issues. We got into a conversation about Apple Service Centers and their relationship with different colleges across the United States. He informed me that these Apple Service Centers were not found in many colleges. This both surprised me and made me feel grateful for the service being at my very own campus here at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Luckily, my computer only needed a software update and it was good as new!

Also, in addition to having a rather conveniently located Apple Authorized Service Center, the University of Minnesota offers great technological service through the Tech Stop. They are a great service and help fix difficult computer issues on a variety of different computers and technological devices.

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

Photo Credit: http://www.techwench.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/pc-versus-mac.jpg

This past Friday, some fellow Retail Merchandising students and I got a chance to go on a Target Corporation tour. The Design Student and Alumni Board, who sets up great opportunities and events for current College of Design Students year round, arranged the tour.

The tour kicked off with a panel of speakers who work in merchandising, buying, sourcing, and planning for Target Corporation; they spoke about their specific jobs within Target, their educational backgrounds, and the career paths they have taken get to where they are at now. It was very interesting to see how diverse their career backgrounds were; some started working for Target straight out of college, while others got their start at different companies. Educational backgrounds differed too, ranging from Psychology to Retail Merchandising majors. They also spoke to us about Target's Corporate Culture and what working for Target looks on a job-to-job and company basis. It was really interesting to learn more about the company and about the different career paths! I'd be lying if I said that it didn't make me desire to seek them out as a future employer!

The tour took place in the second portion of the event and was fairly brief because we ended up spending the majority of the event speaking with panel and learning about Target. The tour, regardless of being short, was still really interesting! We got to see a few different areas of the current building, as well as an additional section that has just recently been developed; it was really cool to see how Target establishes a balance between work/life even within their headquarters.

The event was really fun and also very resourceful, because we were given contact information to be able to network as well! I am just very thankful that the College of Design sets up events and opportunities like this for its students.

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Photo: Target Headquarters at night
Photo Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Target_Plaza_South.jpg/220px-Target_Plaza_South.jpg

The semester is getting busy! Spring break was a nice pause to the semester, but now everything is in fast foreword. This weekend alone is super packed with projects to work on, assignments to finish, tests to study for, and activities to attend.

I have two big projects due at the end of April; both of which include doing research and analysis on companies and brands. These projects make-up a large percentage of my final grade for each, so procrastination on these projects is not an option. For one of the projects, my group and I are developing a survey questionnaire with in order to collect primary data; it's really interesting to take part in the process of research design and see how it works, but let me just say that it is very time consuming.

I also have quite a few assignments for my PSTL 1571 computer class to finish. Luckily, these assignments are a great preparation for the midterm I for the class this following Thursday; so working on them will be like killing two birds with one stone.

Lastly, I also have an interview to prepare for, with a company that contacted me through GoldPass, the UofM job database. In addition, I am also going on a tour of the Target Corporate Headquarters on Friday with other Retail Merchandising students; here we will not only get a tour, but also hear about possible job opportunities available.

(Business Casual on left and Business Professional on the right. It's always important to know the typical dress code of a workplace and then dress one step above that for an interview.)

It's going to be one busy weekend, so wish me luck!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Photo credit:http://whatcanyoudowiththat.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/women-business-casual.png and http://www.models4tradeshows.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Trade-Show-Dress-Code-Business-Attire4-1024x778.jpg

It's hard for me to grasp the idea that I will be graduating in less than two months. Soon, I will be out in the real world, working; however, where I will be working has yet to be determined. Part of the reason I am so unsure, is due to the fact that I am uncertain if I will be staying in Minnesota after graduation. I am contemplating either staying here, in Minneapolis, or possibly moving out to California. Luckily, the University of Minnesota has great resources that can help me find a job around the area if I decide to stay, but can also set me on the right track, as far as job searching, if I plan to move away.

These are some of the UofM resources that I am currently using or have used in the past.

Career and Internship Services: One of the best resources offered at the University of Minnesota. They help look over and improve resumes (as pictured on the right), offer mock interviews, help with the job searching processes, and much more. This is a resource that is offered not only to current students, but to alumni as well!

GoldPass: This University of Minnesota specific website lists job, internship, and volunteer openings. I have found so many great and interesting job listings and opportunities on the site for such companies as Target, Kohl's, and ShopNBC. Some
of these employers even hold interviews on campus and students are able to sign up
for timeslots on the website itself.

Career and Internship Fair: This resource is available to students twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Many employers gather at the Career and Internship Fair and students are able to talk and network with employers. I got my internship with Kohl's last year through networking at this Career Fair.

These are just some of the many resources offered to students and alumni by the University of Minnesota and I am very grateful for them; I will keep you all posted on how I use some of these resources on my current job search!

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

This week is a busy one! And understandably so, considering that spring break is just around the corner and most professors want us to get our exams over and done with so that we can enjoy this coming week that we have off. And that joyous week off is exactly what I am looking forward to and keeping in mind as I study for two very large mid-terms that I have this coming Thursday.

The two exams will be for my two business classes that I am taking this semester: International Retail Markets and Marketing Research. International Retail Markets is a class that I can easily comprehend and understand the concepts in; I don't know how or why, but my brain just "gets" the subject matter. Marketing Research, on the other hand, is a lot more difficult for me, definitely not my strong suit. So when I first started studying for the Marketing Research mid-term, I became overwhelmed and impatient with myself, almost disappointed at how difficult it was for me to grasp. Going into the class, I deeply desired to quickly comprehend the subject matter and breeze through the class with ease; but currently, it is looking like this is not going to happen. This class is definitely going to take some extra time and effort to fully comprehend and I am starting to become okay with that.

Not every subject is going to come easily in fact many may be difficult. But, that's the beauty of it, because difficult classes grow us by challenging us to think in ways that we are not accustomed to. This growth is actually why I really enjoy my major, Retail Merchandising. The program offers a great mix of design and business classes that really encourage and teach students how to use both sides of the brain, giving them an advantage when looking for jobs in the "real world!"

Now, excuse me as I get back to my studies:)

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Hi friends, so lately I have been using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop a lot, both for class projects and for personal projects. I greatly enjoy having an understanding of how to use these design-based computer applications, because the knowledge comes in handy more often than you would assume. I first learned the basics of these applications in a class called Design and Visual Presentation, DES 2101, which most Retail Merchandising students take during their sophomore year. At the time, I did not know how useful this knowledge would actually be; I soon discovered and was using the programs on a regular basis for projects, assignments, and even work related tasks.

The occasion where my knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator was most beneficial to me was during my internship at Kohl's; this was because my internship was design based, in fact, it was a management internship, where an understanding of these programs was not at all required. However, I found a time in which they could be of use. At the end of the internship the interns were required to complete a final project; each intern had to define an objective within the store then research and implement a solution within their store. One of my ideas was not one that I could physically implement in the store, because I did not have the means; however, I knew that I still wanted to present the idea to the executive team. Luckily, my knowledge in Photoshop came in handy and I was able to create a visual aid that conveyed my idea for the store perfectly. So when I presented my project, both the executives and interns applauded my idea and effort; they even stated that they would like to see my idea put into action.

I would love to show you all my project and idea; however, I do not think that I am allowed to, because it may be considered a property of Kohl's since it was done in their store. But I will leave you with this pattern below, that I designed for my screen printing class, which I am taking complete my Design Minor.

The Dean's Reception was this past weekend and I had a lot of fun meeting and chatting with some of you! I definitely enjoyed it and I hope those of you who were able to come did too! I seriously loved talking to you guys and hearing about your future goals, dreams, ideas, interests, and the questions you had about the program and the University. So for today's post, I will answer some of the questions I was asked this past weekend and hopefully bring you some understanding concerning those areas.

Q: Why did you choose to study Retail Merchandising?

A: I had an interest in business and was involved with a student group, DECA, while in high school; but I also have always been interested in fashion. So for me this major was the perfect mix of my two interests.

Q: Why study Retail Merchandising at the University of Minnesota?

A: Minneapolis is the perfect location to study Retail Merchandising because there are so many corporate retailers that are housed in the area. They often come and speak in our classes; they even collaborate with a few classes on projects. This gives us better opportunities to network and find jobs after we graduate.(This is a photo of me, some of my classmates, and the target team for visual merchandising after a competition for designing a visual merchandising layout. Photo credit: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/design/designatmn/2012/05/working-with-target-corporatio.html)

Now, some basic questions that I was asked:

Q: What dorms should I live in my Freshmen year?

A: This is a question that I discussed in a previous post; you can find it by simply clicking here.

Q: How is it difficult to get around campus, particularly, from the St. Paul campus to the Minneapolis one?

A:I have also addressed this issue in a couple different posts, which you can find by clicking here and here.

Hey friends, hope your week is going well! This week I will talk about the new undergraduate plan for Retail Merchandising and Graphic Design that was announced just a few Fridays ago on February 8th. This new plan is one that gives students, within these two College of Design programs, the ability to graduate in three years rather than four. The three-year degree will be made available to those students enrolling in either Retail Merchandising or Graphic Design in the fall of 2014. You may be asking yourselves, how will I be able to finish a four years worth of credits in only three years? Well the answer to that is that students within those two majors, who choose to take on this new plan, will be able to take a full load of credits during the summer months. This new plan is only a pilot and will be used to determine whether there is really a need for students to complete a degree in three-years.

For some more information, here are some news reports and articles that have reported on this new implementation.

- CBS Minnesota - Can you spot me in the video? hehe:)
- Startribune

Also a reminder for those of you who are going to the Dean's reception, it is this Saturday and I will be there! So please come say hi and chat with me! Because this is how excited I am to meet you! --- >

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Hey friends! Today, I think I'll talk about some of the things I am learning in my International Markets class. This class has been really great so far and is helping me realize that I have a real interest in how business functions, occurs, and change outside of the United States. The class will be touching on a lot of different bases, but currently our focus is on the cultural differences between counties or societies and how being aware these cultural differences can help a business succeed globally.

The class format for International Markets is a mix of online activities and in-class lectures, about half and half; some days we meet in class and other days we meet online to complete online activities, quizzes, or attend virtual group discussions. However, no matter the class setting, we are constantly being stretched and growing in knowledge. One of our recent assignments was to watch some videos on dominant religions and cultures within specific countries; we then discussed how these specific worldviews could affect both business-to-business transactions and business to consumer transactions.

The more time I spend in this class, the more I realize how important the information I am learning really is! The class is preparing me and making me aware what needs to occur for international business transactions to be successful, which I find to be valuable, especially when I think about the fact that I am graduating soon and may end up working for a company who handles business all around the world.

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

Hey friends! I want to inform you all that The College of Design's Dean's Reception is coming up in about two weeks! The event will take place on Saturday, February 23rd. It will be held on the St. Paul Campus, in the McNeal Hall Atrium, for the students interested in Retail Merchandising, Housing Studies, Apparel, Interior, and Graphic Design. So to all you potential Retail Merchandising students, who have questions about the major and what it's all about, this is the place to be!

The event will host different information sessions where you will learn about the College of Design and the major of your interest. There will also be luncheon where you and you family will get to talk with faculty and current students about college life, classes, the city of Minneapolis, the major itself, and what ever else comes to mind!

I helped out at the Dean's Reception last year and will definitely be helping out again this year! The event is really casual, laid back, and a whole lot of fun! It is a great and safe place for questions you may have the school and major, and also any questions you may have regarding any of my Retail Merchandising blog topics; I love to chat and am always willing to help, so please feel free to come up to me and chat.

I hope to see you there!
Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

Hi friends! This week I think I'll inform you on how my classes are looking so far and some of my first impressions. This semester I am taking four classes, a credit-load of fifteen credits. Fifteen or sixteen credits is about average student's credit-load, but some take more and some take less; it depends on the student and how he or she manages time and schoolwork. Within my four classes, three of them are four credit courses and one is three credits; four credits typically means a little bit of a larger work-load, but it's looking like my three credit one is going to be about the same. The classes I am taking are Computer Literacy (PSTL 1571), International Retail Markets (RM 4217), Marketing Research (MKTG 3010), and Surface Design: Color and Form (GDES 3312).

PSTL 1517 is looking like it's going to be pretty manageable and easily understood. The class is computer based so it is not a requirement to attend the class's designated timeslot, except on test days and whenever you want/need help from the professor, who seems very nice and willing to help. The only thing that I need to be concerned about in this class is being diligent in keeping up with my assignments, since it is not required to physically go to class.

MKTG 3010 is looking to be my hardest class, mostly because statistics are a large part of Marketing Research and statistics was never my strong suit in math. However, the professor seems to be very willing to help. So it just looks like I'm going to need to put in a little extra effort in this course and be willing to go to the professor's office hours to get help on the things that I don't fully understand.

RM 4217 is a class that is both online based and classroom based. We have physical lectures some days and on other days we simply need to go online for live chats, discussions, and assignments. I had my first live chat class session today, it was very interesting and a bit chaotic trying to keep up with everyone, but luckily the professor figured out the issue and it will be sorted out by the next live chat. I am excited to see how this class format progresses.

GDES 3312 is the course I am taking to complete my Design Minor and is looking to be my most hands on and possibly most time consuming course; this is because it is studio based and if I have homework I will need to go to the studio itself to complete it. But the course is looking like it's going to be fun, so I'm excited.

-Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Today was one of those cold days here at the University of Minnesota Campus that some people only hear about on the news; you know, one of those days where the temperature dips into the negatives and people are all bundled up and looking like marshmallows as they walk to class. Luckily, however, it looks like this cold wave will soon be over and the temperature will rise up to about thirty degrees towards the end of the week.

Cold weather is something that we definitely are used to here in Minnesota. And while we sometimes complain and whine about how chilly it can get, I can honestly say that sometimes I really enjoy it when it gets this cold. This is because the cold makes me really appreciate the warm when it comes. Also, there is seriously something so magical and wonderful about getting to experience all four seasons and seeing the changes that occur.

Another cool thing about having all four seasons present is that we (particularly us Retail Major's who are interested in apparel) get to experiment and play with so many different looks and fashions that are made for each season. This is not only fun, but actually somewhat beneficial I think. I mean no matter where we end up working or what company we end up working for, we will have knowledge on the apparel products that are specific to whatever climate area they serve, because we've experienced them all.

(The cold can also be some fun. Today, I frosted my hair and eyelashes, simply by breathing on them (haha). It can kind of also gave me a glimpse of my future self; I am assuming that this is what I will look like at age 76, white hair and all...what do you guys think?)

Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

As business majors we are put in place of responsibility to perform ethically within our future careers in retail. The retail industry is very fun and exciting, a career where it's employers are continuously interacting with new products and people. Working in an industry where the demands are constant and the competition is high, it is extremely easy to fall into unethical behaviors in order to meet people's wants and needs.

Sometimes the line between ethical and unethical is very clear and other times, it is blurred. Luckily, in our major, we are required to take a full class concerning ethics within the retail industry; it is called Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption (RM 1201). This class brings up the common ethical concerns like ethical hiring practices and treatment of employees. However, hardier topics are addressed as well; topics like sweatshops, unethical marketing, and the sale counterfeit products. These topics may seem to be black and white, however, you would be surprised at how often they do occur within the retail industry. For this reason, it is very important that we, as future retail professionals, be well informed and aware so that we can take initiative in being ethically responsible when we are in our future retail careers.

(Unfortunately, many retailers use sweatshops; it is somewhat inevitable, mostly because the demand for low-costing products is growing larger, and in order to keep these costs down, retailers have outsource to countries where labor is cheaper. This is an example of how we as consumers, not only retail professionals, have to be ethically aware. Photo Credit: http://fashion.lilithezine.com/images/Nike-Sweatshops-05.jpg)

Until Next Week,
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

As the start of the spring semester approaches, the fact that I am graduating this year is becoming more of a reality. In addition to graduating this year, I will also need to start looking for a "big kid" job. Job searching can seem intimidating, especially if you are unprepared and unaware of what employers are looking for in job applications and interviews. Luckily, however, a class called RM 3201: Career and Internship is required so that Retail students can be well prepared as we step into the real world.

This single credit course goes into much depth about how to properly construct cover letters, resumes, and portfolios. However, we are not only taught how to create documents that professionals will respect, but we also learn how to conduct ourselves in job interviews and land the jobs we are looking for. All of our documents and interviews are critiqued and reviewed by the professor, who also provides very useful and personalized feedback on how to improve. In addition to building upon our job application and interviewing skills, we also set career objectives, take tests to determine our personal strengths via Strength Finder, and learn how to properly negotiate job contracts once we do land a job.

This class is very useful and helpful, however, you can never be too prepared when it comes to finding a career; this is why we, the students, are offered the help of the Career and Internship Service center up to two years after graduation!

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

I remember entering my first year of college; it was very intimidating. I had to get used to a new city, new school, new friends, and a new and different class structure. The class structure was most intimidating for me however, because I had no idea what to expect; I didn't know what I would be learning and how I would be learning it. I soon discovered was that all classes are structured differently and it all depends on the subject matter and the instructor. But knowing that the unknown is intimidating, I figured that I would give you a small glimpse at what your first semester of classes might look like. Having taken these classes, I can share a bit of information on what they were like, but I can't guarantee that they will be the same. Some classes change year to year, and you may different professors than I or choose a different set of classes. But either way, here is a look at a potential possibility.

Comm 1101: Intro to public speaking
This was a very small class, very laid-back, with only about fifteen to twenty people. We did about four or five speeches, one of which was formal. I had the class twice a week and it was about ninety minutes long.

DES1111: Creative Problem Solving
This was a larger lecture class with a hundred people, however the discussion portion had only about fifteen. This class had very entertaining homework; every week we had to step out of our comfort zones and approach "typical" tasks in different ways; we then document, write about them, and present them in our discussions. The objective of the class is to get students thinking outside the box.

(This was an assignment in which we had to "wear something different" to Creative Problem Solving discussion; I choose to wear my hair EXTREMELY messy, very out of my comfort zone.)

Econ 1101: Microeconomics
Most students take this class in the lecture format with about 400+ other students. When I took the class there were two exams and one cumulative final. I had this class three times a week for only fifty minutes, which I liked because it gave me time to process the content and understand it before moving on to new material.

Math 1021: College Algebra
When I took this class I felt as if it was done in a very similar format to my high school math classes; I had homework each week, three exams, and a final. I had this class twice a week for about two hours. College Algebra is the lowest math requirement needed to graduate with a Retail Merchandising Degree; so taking a higher math class also fills the requirement.

RM 1201: Fashion, Ethics, and Consumptions
This was an eighty-person class when I took it; it was held three times a week in fifty-minute increments. We had weekly quizzes concerning the content, which covered material like body image in fashion, ethical issues like sweatshops and counterfeit products, and many other hardy topics within the fashion world. I believe that I had two exams in the class, one final, and one paper as well.

Hope this was helpful!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Finals are over and winter break has started, so I think that in today's post I'll write about some of the fun, non-class related activities that the University of Minnesota offers to its students.

Most of these fun activities are part of Gopher's After Dark and are planned by the Student Unions & Activities committee. The entertainment and activities that occur at Gopher's After Dark take place at our student union, Coffman, on Friday and Saturday nights. Movies, music shows, entertainment artists, games, and many other fun and random activities take place during these weekend events. The movies that are shown during these nights are free and are movies that are freshly out of the theaters, but have yet to be released on DVD. The musical acts and shows typically occur at The Whole Music Club, which is located in the basement of Coffman, and showcase both local and nationally known artists. Occasionally, there are famous comedians, motivational speakers, and other well-known entertainers that come and perform for the students on these nights; one time I saw the comedic cast Chelsea Lately, it was pretty funny. There is also bowling and a game room, where students can simply socialize and have fun; these two activities, however, are also available during weekdays. Sometimes, events that are set up by other student groups that take place at Gophers After Dark as well. One event in particular that I recall is called "Scrubbed into Fashion;" it a fashion show set up by the Student group Fashion and Business.

As you can see, the UofM not only offers a great education to its students, but also great entertainment and fun as well!

Until Next Time Friends!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

This past Sunday a pretty big snowstorm hit Minneapolis and everyone on campus appeared to be pretty excited about it! Last year's winter was pretty mild and warm, with very little snow. So when the snow started falling this past weekend, everyone was excited to take part in fun snow festivities that we missed out on last year, festivities such as snowball fights with friends!

Snow is typically inevitable during the winter months in Minnesota and tends to change things up a little on campus, particularly in transportation via Campus Connector busses. During winter months, Campus Connectors tend to run a little slower than in the fall and spring months, usually about five minutes late or so. Not usually a big deal,however, as a Retail Merchandising student, I think that it is important to know about these little delays, especially before creating your class schedules.

Retail Merchandising students are continuously tranfering between the three different locations, St, Paul, East Bank, and West Bank, on the university. The connector rides between the different locations are typically quick and easy, lasting roughly about twenty minutes or so between opposite sides of campus. However, in the wintertime it can take a little longer, which can get a little tricky for us Retail students, especially if we scheduled less than a thirty minutes gap between the classes that are on opposite sides of campus.

Knowing about how things run in the winter time before you come to the university can be beneficial. So when it comes time for you, potential retail students, to create class schedules, make sure to leave at a forty minute gap between class that are on opposite sides of campus.

Until next week friends!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

So it's the week before finals week and I should be feeling stressed, especially looking at all that I have to have done by next Wednesday, which is a lot by the way! But oddly enough, I'm at peace and actually pretty excited to study for tests and work on projects, assignments, and papers, pretty crazy right? Well, part of the reason I'm feeling so optimistic and positive is because I've decided to start looking foreword to my assignments, getting excited about them! I feel like so much of the time we, college students, take advantage of school; we look at our assignments as something that we just have to finish and overcome, instead of appreciating and really learning form the opportunity that is set before us. So, I'm choosing to be grateful for schoolwork and studying, especially these assignments that are set before me during this crazy and stressful part of the semester! Deciding to approach this week, and hopefully the entire school year, with this positive attitude is actually giving me a heart to enjoy my schoolwork, which is allowing me to be more productive as well. And personally I need all the productivity available, especially if I'm going to be able to finish five papers, two final projects, and studying for tests/quizzes in a matter of a single week!

I don't know, maybe it's the season, maybe it's because I know the end of the semester is so near; either way, I hope that this mindset lasts the entire school year because I definitely prefer being happy and productive rather than stressful and overwhelmed.

Until next week friends!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

The holidays are among us, making it very difficult for us students to focus on school! Luckily, I have a lot of interesting classes that make these last few weeks of the semester go by a little faster. One of these classes is my Fashion, Design, and Global Industries class (ADES 4218). I think I've probably talked about this class a little bit in previous posts, but I think I'll go a little bit more in depth about what it's all about in this post.

This class is an online course where the students, within the class, are split into different discussion groups. Each week we make posts in these discussion sections; the posts pertain to the topics we're learning and readings about in that particular week. These discussion groups exist so that we as students can learn from and with our peers even though we are not in a physical classroom setting. The topics of posts vary and can be anything from 'What makes a specific city (e.g. London, Paris, Tokyo) a Fashion Capitol' to this week's discussion topic of "Qipao" influences in Western design.

Quizzes are also a weekly occurrence in the class; but, unlike previous quizzes that I've taken for online classes, the quizzes in Fashion, Design, and Global Industries are essay/short answer and not timed. We actually have a full week, from Thursday to Thursday, to work on them. I find this really nice, because we get time to think and process through the answers, rather than just rushing to get them all done and answered. Of course, in addition to the discussions and quizzes, we occasionally also have group projects or video reports to work on; these assignments are pretty rare though, I believe maybe only one group project and two reports all semester.

The collage below is one I made for a discussion post earlier in the semester; discussion topic was about the different shopping centers found in the LA area and how they appeal to different target markets.

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Today was the first day of registration for spring semester classes and might I say that I am already looking foreword to the classes I will be taking! It looks like I have a pretty nice mix; I've got quite the variety lined up for my last semester of school. I am taking four classes, equivalent to fifteen credits; three of the classes are requirements for my major and one is an elective for my minor in design. The three major related classes I am taking are Marketing Research, Computer Literacy, and International Retail Markets; the design minor elective is Color and Form in Surface Design.

In Marketing Research (RM 4217), I will be learning how to collect, analyze, and display data for marketing projects; for example, projects that involve research and statistics to find and determine the target market for a specific product.

For International Retail Markets (MKTG 3010), I will be getting the opportunity to learn how the retail, and business world in general, functions outside the US. Discussion and lessons will take place on how and in what way social cultures, conflict between countries, and trade impact the retailing world.

Computer Literacy (PSTL 1571) is a class that I have unintentionally put off until this year and is the class, out of this list, that you will likely take within your first or second year of college. In this class you learn about using Microsoft processes, such as XL and PowerPoint, successfully.

Lastly, my design minor elective, Color and Form in Surface Design (GDES 3312), I will be doing a lot more hand on, design work in this class. I will be learning how to screen print designs on paper, fabrics, and other mediums.

All of my classes are look super interesting and fun! And it's making me get a little ahead of and has me already so excited for the coming semester!

Until Next Time!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Class registrations are coming up, which means that I am about to register for my last semester of classes! Scary! But very exciting at the same time! When it comes to registering, there are a few ways of approach; each person approaches it a little differently, some plan a month or more ahead of time and others figure it out the day of. You will eventually be in this position; so, I thought I'd share my approach with you and hopefully show you some tricks that make it a lot easier and manageable.

The first thing I do, when I know that registration is coming up, is look at my APAS report; this report shows me what courses and requirements I have completed and which ones I have left to do. After analyzing my APAS, I go to the class search in OneStop and look up the specific times that my classes of interest are offered. Then, after I have made a list of possible class selections, I go on schedulizer.com. This site is really amazing and allows you to input your possible class choices; it then compiles a variety of different schedules for you to choose from. It is so helpful! You then have the option of selection the schedule that best suits you and your time. Now, once I have solidified my idea of set classes, I take note of the five-digit class number, which is displayed on the left-hand side of the class during the class search; this number is important to note because it spears you the time needed to search for particular classes during your actual time of registration.

(This was the schedule I was able to construct for this semester, lets hope this coming semester's will be as open!)

Something else that I have done in the past, in preparation for registering, is talk with my academic advisor. I did this to make sure that I was on track and to double check if I had anything missing that may be vital to both my major and semester; This meeting proved to be very helpful, so I highly recommend talking with your advisor about what within your schedule, because he or she will be very helpful and get you on track!

Next week I'll let you all know what my next semester classes are looking like, but until then! Have a good week!

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

I have done a variety of different assignments for my classes in the Retail Merchandising Program: written projects, design work, and presentations, to name a few. Some of these projects where done in groups, which is actually what I want to discuss with you in this weeks post. Group projects are practically inevitable in Retail Merchandising; I have at least one each semester, if not more. These projects can be fun and enlightening, and sometimes frustrating too. The process and approach to group projects is different within every group, but there are definitely certain things that are handy to know and completely applicable to every group approach.

First things first, the number one priority when entering a group project is to exchange information with your group members. Being able to stay in contact with your group through e-mails, texts, and phone calls is essential. Even if you think that you can do this later and have plenty of time before your assignment due, exchange your information immediately, it is crucial and can keep you on an organized and on a timely track.

Once you have exchanged e-mails and information, I suggest taking leadership and not hesitating in sending out the first group message. If you anticipate someone else taking the lead, you may end up off on a late start and cramming the project work in at last minute.

Once in communication, discuss they ways you want to approach the project and how you want divide up the work. Everyone has something valuable to contribute, remember this. Take everyone's skills and opinions in to consideration, including your own, and divvy up the work accordingly.

Lastly, make sure to stay in continual contact with your group members, through the duration of the project. By doing this you can make sure everyone is doing their share and be able to address problems and issues immediately as they occur. Plus, this way you will also be able to help each other out and make sure you are being cohesive with your work.

Until Next Time!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

I am currently taking a class on professional writing; the class is a requirement and I am most certainly starting to see way. Written communication skills are greatly needed in almost every career field and I didn't think I realize this until I took this class. Believing that writing was mostly important in scholastic context, I thought that it would not play such a big of a role in my life once school was over; boy, was I wrong! I am finding out that writing is essential in almost every career field and the role that it plays is quite large.

For an assignment in my Professional Writing class, we were asked to interview two professionals, in a career field of interest, and ask them about the role of writing in their particular careers. I interviewed a business owner/design manager and a co-founder of a multimedia non-profit. After conducting the interviews I was shocked to hear about how large of role writing played in both careers; at minimum, writing was at least fifty percent of their workload. Whether writing e-mails to employees, preparing design briefs, making presentations, or writing policies, writing was continually taking place in both of their everyday work lives. After hearing this first hand from the professionals, and also from the interviews my classmates conducted and shared, I realized that writing was going to be a constant part of my life and career. Effective writing skills are expected in the workforce and play an essential role in almost every career.

Until Next Time Friends!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Hi Friends,

Something that I have continually been learning throughout my time here in college is how to balance my time. Time-management does not come easily to me, it's a skill that consistently needs to fine-tuned and refreshed in my life. However, I was not fully aware of the importance of it, until I came to college.

Balancing school and a social life seemed rather easy in high school, but when I came to college, it was a totally different story; the schoolwork load was larger and the pressure to make new friends was pretty great as well and I wasn't really sure how to balance it. I started dedicating entire days to either being social or being studious, and this approach left me drained and exhausted. I soon realized that in order to maintain balance and health within my life, I needed to learn how to distribute my time evenly and effectively, and not solely dedicate it to my studies and social life. Learning time-management took and still takes effort, it's a discipline that teaches you how to distribute your time effectively between a variety of different tasks or events, not simply only studying and social. Time-management means making and setting specific times to study, so that you don't feel stressed later; making time for friends, so that you can laugh and enjoy yourself; allowing yourself to rest, so you can feel refreshed; and making yourself exercise, so that you can stay healthy.

Learning how to manage time come in handy in when managing your lifestyle, but rather managing your school workload as well. In the Retail Merchandising program, we have a verity of different classes; some classes require us to do design projects, others require us to write essays every week, some have pop-quizzes, and others simply require studying. In order to successfully execute and do well in these classes, prioritization of tasks must be executed through time management. So to all of you who struggle with this skill, I highly encourage you to start developing and refining it now, before you bury yourself in schoolwork and stress.

Until Next Time!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

So did you guys know that there are two different tracks you can take in Retail Merchandising? There is the apparel track and there is the general track. Both tracks offer classes that develop creative and analytical skills for use in the field of merchandising, whether that be somewhere in the management, corporate, or some other aspect of retail.

I am in the apparel emphasis track; through this track I am able to take more classes focusing on the fashion aspect of retail. These classes are ones like Textile Analysis, where you learn about different fabric fibers, and Fashion, Trends, and Forecasting, where you learn about trends and how to spot them. Students that choose the apparel side usually, but not always, have an interest in fashion and want to work for clothing retailers.

The general track takes much of the same classes as the apparel track. However, there some differences; where the apparel emphasis focuses most on softline products, such as clothing, the general dedicates itself to exposing students to a variety of different areas of merchandising such as hardlines and food. The different courses often taken through this track include classes such as Food and Agricultural Sales and Consumer Society.

The track you choose really depends on your interest and what you want to focus one. If you really like fashion, then the apparel emphasis is for you; however, if you would like a more broad scope of merchandising, than you should go for the general. And if you are unsure at the moment, do not worry, both sides are good and provide students with great knowledge, insight, and skills into the world of merchandising; and it's also fairly easy to transition from one to the other should you change your mind.

Until Next Time!
Sasenka

So today, Wednesday, I have the great honor of interviewing with Kohl's for a position in Product Development. I was able to get this interview through the support of the management team from my Kohl's Store Management Internship, which I got as a result of attending the UofM Career and Internship Fair last fall. Basically what I am trying to get at is that landing a job after college is part of a process, and the College of Design definitely provides the resources for the initial stages of that process; they do this by equipping you with interviewing skills, through the help of the people at Career Services, or by exposing you to potential employers through the Career and Internship Fairs they host each semester.

Until Next Week!
Sasenka - Retail Merchandising

The College of Design provides so many great and unique opportunities for students to professionally develop; it's one of the reasons why I love being in this specific college. I feel like I get an informative e-mail almost every week letting me know about an event or opportunity that's coming up, typically pertaining to my specific major, Retail Merchandising, or simply for student's of the College of Design as a whole. This week I got an e-mail notifying me about Retail Connect, an event thrown annually by the Retail Merchandising program. The event's intent is to connect students, graduates, and people working, or with interests, in retailing together; it also sets to inform the attendees on new developments and methods being used in the field. Last year the event had speakers, from Kohl's and Best Buy, talk about how technology is impacting business, specifically retail. They shared some new innovations and developments and how these will affect us, both as customers and professionals in retail, in the future. It was a great and super interesting event to attend; it allowed me to gain perspective and insight from not only the speakers but the attendees as well. The occasion provided a great and comfortable environment to network with people in different areas of retail.

This year at Retail Connect, the speaker will be an author, Caitlin Kelly, of a book called Malled; she will talk about her career experience in retail and share advice interacting and engaging with customers and employees. The event will take place at the McNamara Alumni Center on Tuesday, October 30th. For those of you who are interested in attending, the costs are $10 for students, $20 for staff, and $25 for general admission. I had a really enlightening experience last year when I went, so I definitely encourage you all to check it out if you can.

Until Next Week!
Sasenka Curic - Retail Merchandising

You know what's funny? When you start seeing life coincide with what you are learning in classes; it's both strange and quite awesome at the same time! This life/class overlap is happening to me with an online course called Fashion, Design, and the Global Industry. In the class we learning about fashion capitols and what attributes make a city into a fashion world city, or fashion capitol; it's super interesting! To better comprehend the material, the professor split the class into groups and gave us an assignment to analyze a potential fashion capitol; my group chose the city of Los Angeles. This is now where my class/life overlap starts to occur because I am considering moving to Los Angeles the fall after I graduate. Wanting to focus on schoolwork, I assumed that any research I wanted to do on LA would have to wait till winter break. However, now that it is essentially part of my schoolwork to research Los Angeles, I am able to "kill two birds with one stone" if you will; study, analyze the LA fashion scene, and maybe even look for potential job opportunities all in one sitting!

Here's a collage that I did as an assignment for the class; its purpose is to showcase the youthful and active consumer market found in Los Angeles.

Until Next Time!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Hi Friends! So this time last year I was applying to the Mentoring Program offered through the College of Design. I remember being nervous and wondering if I'd get set up with a good mentor whose area of work really correlated with my career interests. Having requested a mentor whose work was either in design, business, or fashion, I got paired with a business owner, who worked in design management. I was thrilled!

My mentor taught and exposed me to many different aspects of professional career building. She showed me how to observe trends, fine-tune my resume and networking skills, and much more. I enjoyed the program so much last year, that I am applying for again! The program, being offered to juniors and seniors within the College of Design, is intended to help students grow and professionally develop before stepping out into the real world. Students are matched to mentors by their areas of study and career interests; they are then paired with working professionals whose field of work aligns with those interests.

(Photo Credit: http://www.design.umn.edu/current_students/career/mentor_students.html)

I am super excited to be part of the Mentoring Program again this year! It is such a great and unique opportunity. Not many students at the UofM get to say they had professionals, in their field of interest, helping and developing them before they entered the workforce; it's pretty awesome.

Well I will keep you all updated on how the program is going this year once I get paired!

Until next time!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Hi Friends! It's the start of a new school year and I am super excited for what this year has in store! My classes all look really interesting so far and my schedule appears fairly light, which makes me believe that the semester is off to a great start.

The first week of class is always pretty fun, but it can get a little stressful too; not only are you trying to get out of summer mode, but you are also trying to figure where your classes are at and how much time you'll need to get to them. I always try head to my classes a little earlier during the first week, because you never know what little obstacles you may run into, and if you don't run into any, it's always better to be a little early then a little late.

It's crazy to think that I've just entered into my forth, and final, year here at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I've learned a lot the past three years through my major in Retail Merchandising. The program has really treated me wonderfully; it has taught me to think both structurally and creatively with its mix of business and design classes. The business based classes like Accounting, Retail Buying, and Business Statistics really exercise your analytical skills, while classes like Creative Problem Solving and Design Thinking really show you how to think outside the box. It's such a great advantage to know how to use both side of the brain constructively.

Now, as I venture into this fresh, new, year of school, I'll be sure to keep you all updated weekly on my classes, projects, adventures, and opportunities!

Until next week!
Sasenka

Summer is ending and it's about that time to start buying books, and other school supplies, for the coming school year. Folders, notebooks, and pencils are straight foreword purchases, but when it comes to buying textbooks, there are a few options to explore.

When purchasing books, many students opt to buy from the school Bookstore. are a few options when buying from the school's store: buy the book new or used, rent the book, or in some cases buy a digital version of the text; your choice of purchase depends on your personal preference of value. Buying a hard copy, new or used, will typically ensure you some money back at the end of the semester, during book buy-backs, renting will lower the price of the book during the initial purchase, but yields no cash-back at return, and the digital purchase also lowers the price initially but requires no return since there is no physical copy of the text.

Though a large amount of students do buy directly from the school's Bookstore, because of the ease of finding books, some students choose other options. Students sometimes buy from or trade with other students who have the books pertaining to their upcoming class. This can be convenient, but sometimes difficult, especially when you are a freshman. Some students even buy books from off-campus retailers such as Oak St. Textbooks and even Amazon.com; this also has its benefits but can also be difficult depending on time of purchase.

There are quite a few options when it comes to buying textbooks and your choice of purchase lies on your idea of value and convenience.

Happy Book Shopping!
Sasenka -Retail Merchandising

Hello friends!
Hope you all are taking full advantage of this last month of summer and having lots of fun! Even though summer is closely coming to an end, I feel as though it's just starting for me. My internship with Kohl's ended, just this past Friday, and now I have tons of free time to do whatever; I'm am definitely not used to it yet. As nice as it is to finally start my carefree summer, I'm already starting to miss my internship; I feel as though I did a lot of growing there. I now see why it's a requirement for Retail Merchandising major to have an internship and why so many people recommend doing more than just one. This internship really showed me the areas that I excel in, but also exposed the areas that needed grow in. The experience also gave me a better understanding of what I want, and don't want, out of my future career. It was great to develop both personally and professionally! My recommendation: Do as many internships as possible before you graduate, you only stand to gain from them!

Sasenka -Retail Merchandising

Last November I wrote a blog about some great restaurants to check out on, or near, campus; the list got lengthy quickly and I had to leave a few places off. Today, however, I thought I would do a second installment of that blog post and give you all some more choices concerning food and where to eat.

Al's Breakfast- Located on 14th Ave. in Dinkytown. This is the go-to breakfast place for UofM students; the restaurant is really small, so waiting in line should be expected. However, if you ask anybody they will tell you that it is definitely worth it!

Mesa Pizza- Located on 4th St. in Dinkytown. This awesome little pizza place has the most delicious, yet strangest, assortment of pizzas. You can get anything from pepperoni to Mac n' Cheese pizza, and just about everything in between.

Vescio's- Located on 14th Ave. in Dinkytown. This is more of a sit down restaurant compared to the other two. The Italian food served at this place is delicious, yet affordable! Also a personally recommendation, you must try their raspberry cake!

So there you go! Happy Eating! Also here is part 1 of the list- 'Some Wonderful Places to Eat'

(photo credit: http://places4.assets.gotime.com/52634010fb356e7397652c0b940592a8742fb1d5_l.jpg, http://places4.assets.gotime.com/52634010fb356e7397652c0b940592a8742fb1d5_l.jpg)

Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Hi friends! How did you all celebrate the 4th of July/weekend after the 4th? I spent mine with friends at the lake. We soaked up the sun and played some fun water sports. I had a blast hanging out with 35 fellow college students and got to see such a wonderful display of community. I have talked about friends and finding the right community at school in previous blog posts, but it's definitely something worth mentioning again.

Finding the right fit in friends is very important, especially during your freshman year; the friends you make your freshman year will most likely be the people you continue to hang out with throughout college. This might not always be the case because you'll definitely be making friends throughout the rest of the years too, you just have the greatest opportunities during your freshman year because you'll be living in the dorms and running into potential friends all the time! I suggest taking total advantage of these close living quarters; expose yourself to many different people and make as many friends as possible until you find your fit. You are probably off to a great start already, I'm sure you've already made some connections during your orientation sessions. Maintain those connections and definitely continue to build new ones because you never know, you could already have met your future best friend!

Sashka - Retail Merchandising

Hi friends, I hope you all are enjoying your summer, because it's definitely zooming by! Today, I wanted to create a small list of careers that Retail Merchandising majors typically have an interest in. Keep in mind that the career descriptions that I list below are only overviews and that they will vary depending on the company that you work for. So without further adieu, here are three interesting career options to look into.

Buyer - A buyer is an individual who is responsible for selecting products that will be sold within a particular retail market. A buyer must be very aware of trends, but more importantly the consumer of that particular retailer that they are buying for. They must know what that target consumer is seeking and desiring product-wise so that they can provide them with the correct product.

Product Development Manager/Coordinator- A simple description of this job is the designing and developing of new products or improvement of existing ones. Product development requires being aware of what is missing within a consumer market and developing a product, or way, of fixing the void.

Visual Merchandiser- This job requires creativity, a visual merchandiser designs and develops store layouts and displays to promote sales within a store. They not only look at what is appealing for customers while shopping, but also what will be most convenient and inviting.

Obviously, there are MANY more career options than just these three, but these will definitely give you a place to start researching!

(Picture Credit: http://topcareertests.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/career-test-online.jpg)

Sashka- Retail Merchandising

Hey Friends!
I hope you all are enjoying your summer so far, I know I am. Mine's been relaxing and super busy all rolled into one. I'm really enjoying my internship at Kohl's so far; I'm learning and developing quite a lot and it's only been two and half weeks!

Today, I thought I would talk about student groups, particularly career developing students groups that will expose you to a particular area of interest, and that is a least somewhat related to the field of Retail Merchandising or Design. There are a number of groups listed on the College of Design website, that you can check out here. Since there are quite a lot of organizations listed on this page, I have not gotten the chance experience all of them. However, I do want to recommend two particular groups that I have checked and highly recommend; one is on this list, but the other is not.

FAB (Fashion And Business)- I have checked this group out quite a few times, but was unfortunately unable to join this year because of my personal undertaking of 20 credits last semester. However, I highly recommend it because members of this organization get to experience working runway shows, hearing speakers within the industry, putting on events, and many other fun things.

The Special Events Committee- This group is quite wonderful! I volunteered with them for my first to years of college, but as I stated earlier, was unable to this year due to my choice of taking TOO many classes. Volunteering for this committee was awesome, because I got the chance to help with the planning many really cool events for the campus, such as Spring Jam; and a fun plus is that many of these events included celebrities! Such as Common, the rapper, who is pictured with me on the right!

Well I basically just wanted to give you all a heads up on some student groups which are beneficial career wise; now you all can get plugged in right away when you come to campus!

Talk to you soon!
Sashka -Retail Merchandising

Hi friends, since today is the first official day of summer blogging, I thought it would be nice to re-introduce myself to all the new readers and tell everyone a little about myself, the Retail Merchandising major, and what I am currently up to.

Well to start it off, my name is Sasenka, but most people call me Sashka. I just finished my Junior year at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and am both quite excited and a little sad to enter into my Senior year this coming fall, because my time here at the university has been wonderful so far that I'm going ti be sad to leave when the time comes; but, let's not get ahead of ourselves, because it's only just the beginning of summer. 

Now, a little about how I decided on my major. Since I was little I knew that I had an interest in fashion, but it wasn't until high school that I realized that I also had an interest in business. Wanting to pursue a blend of the two, I discovered the Retail Merchandising program, apparel track, here at the UofM. I immediately applied knowing that getting this degree at the University of Minnesota would provide me with great opportunities both on and off campus. I was right, I have learned a lot in the short three years that I have been going here and have been exposed great opportunities. Currently, I am doing an internship with Kohl's, which I got because by attending a Career and Internship Fair held through the University. 

(http://z.hubpages.com/u/294934_f260.jpg: Visual merchandising is just one career option related to the retail merchandising major)

Well that's a little about me, until next time!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Hello Friends! School just got done this past Saturday and summer break is finally here! Woot! However, it does not feel like summer quite yet. I am still in the school mindset and can't seem shake the feeling that I should be studying or doing homework, but I have none, so I do not need to be doing anything; it is wonderful! It's nice to know that for the next two weeks, until my internship starts on May 29th, all I am obligated to do is rest, be lazy, and enjoy beautiful weather.

So the end of the semester not only brings an end to school, but also an end to my weekly blog posts. But do not fret friends, because this summer I will be blogging every other week starting May 28th. I am planning to keep you all updating on the happening of my internship and all that I am learning; but other than that it's pretty up in the air; so if you have any questions specific to previous posts or ideas on what I should cover or go more in depth with, let me know and I will definitely try to write about it!

Talk to you all in two week!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Hello friends! So, do you remember how last week I showed you a picture of a project I was working on for my visual merchandising class? Well that project was actually not only a project for the class, but also a competition for Target! About a month ago we, as a class, were given the opportunity to redesign/re-merchandise different sections of the Target store: women's ready to wear section, the men's swim shop, and the boy's Cherokee shop. Having been assigned partners of two, we were given the option in choosing which of the three shops to re-merchandise. My partner, Joe, and I chose to take on the challenge of re-designing the men's swim shop.

Spending many hours brainstorming, visiting Target and competitors, doing peer interview, and implementing our ideas on the computer program, mock shop, Joe and I finally got to present our project to our class last Monday. Out of about 40 groups, which presented both that Monday and Wednesday, Joe and mine's idea was selected to be in the top 12! Not only meant that we had a good idea on our hands, but that we got to present this idea to Target executives! We were very excited!

Well, this executive presentation actually occurred yesterday, Tuesday, and Joe and I ended up winning 2nd place! Not only is this a great honor, but also it is an even greater opportunity! By placing 2nd, we are given a chance to visit Target headquarters this coming August and discuss the possibility of a job opportunities after college! HOW AMAZING! I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity!

Well if any of you have questions, please feel free to ask! But until then, have a wonderful week!
-Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

It's the last week of classes and we are all preparing for the final stretch. We are adding finishing touches to projects and starting to dig our faces into our books in hopes of acing finals. But, I must admit that I actually don't have many final tests this year; I just one cumulative final and the rest are just regular, "non-cumulative", tests, projects, or papers, which are due this week. Having an easygoing finals week, is a departure for me, I am used to scantering and cramming my head full of information; but this year, I get to focus more on the tasks in front of me, rather than simply final exams. However, don't get me wrong, projects and papers can be tough as well, particularly if they are lengthy or you have many of them to due.

With my projects and papers all being due this week, this past weekend was super difficult for me. I did not think that I had enough hours in the day to finish all that I needed to; I had a, very large, project due, four papers to finish, and had to study for a test. Somehow, I managed to get it all done and now all I have to do is study for my one final next week and start packing everything up for the summer.

Have a great week!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

This past weekend was quite wonderful,
and it has a large part to do with the fact
that it was Spring Jam. Spring Jam is a student planned, three-day, music festival with lots of free food and entertainment. It is held on campus every spring semester in celebration of the ending school year. In the past, we have had some great performers at Spring Jam, artist such as Gym Class Hero's and OKGO, but I must say that those do not rival this year musical line-up. During the three-day festival, we had performances by The Head and The Heart, Jessie James, Prof, The Cataracs, and the New Boyz. It was a musically diverse weekend, that catered to the many different tastes in music and it was greatly appreciated by the students. Now, as much as I love free concerts and all the entertainment that is Spring Jam, I must admit that it's definitely not my favorite part. My favorite part, I'll embarrassingly admit, is all the free food! As a poor college student, living on mac &cheese everyday, a grill out with burgers, corn, and tacos is greatly appreciated!

Well, now you have something to look foreword to this coming year, it's a while away I know, and I apologize for getting you excited. But do not fret! Because we usually have some great performers come to Homecoming too, and that's a whole lot sooner☺

Have a wonderful week!
Sasenka-Retail Merchandising

Being a retail student and having an interest in fashion, I love looking around stores and malls to get inspiration, ideas, and a greater understanding of the retailing field. Having access to great stores and shops is important to me because I like being aware of the current trends people are purchasing and where they are purchasing them. When I first decided I was going to go to school here, at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, I was a little nervous that I would not have access popular retailers because I did not have a car to drive me place to place. Luckily, after a living on campus for a few weeks, I discovered that everything was very much within reach and accessible by city busses.

So if you are like me, you're probably trying to search out some prime clothing retailers that are near or accessible from campus. Well here are some areas of suggestions to check out!

Uptown Minneapolis
•Stores: Urban outfitters, Heartbreaker, Victories Secret, etc.
•About a 30-40 minute bus ride
•Bus number/rout: 6, 114

Mall of America (MOA)
•Located in Bloomington, MN
•Too many stores to list... just about everything for anyone
•About a 40 minute bus and Light Rail ride
•Take the either the 3, 16, or 50 bus numbers up to the Metrodome, then hop on the Light Rail which will lead you directly to MOA,

Well I hope that was a little helpful for you guys! If you have any questions, just ask☺

-Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

Last week after analyzing all of the classes required to complete my major, I discovered that I had only five classes left to take and that there was a possibility that I could graduate early. After scheduling an appointment with my advisor, I tried to work out a schedule where I would be able to graduate in the fall of 2012. Unfortunately, due to my lack of preparation, I had no such luck; there were still two 'spring-only' classes I had to take, so a fall graduation would be unlikely. However instead of looking at the downside of my situation, I decided to talk to my advisor and see if there was anything beneficial that I could do with all the free space I would have in my schedule. I began contemplating taking on another minor; I have always planned on declaring a management minor, which requires only one extra class in addition to my retail requirements. With the free space I would have, I thought why not try and accomplish yet another minor that also coincides with my retail classes. After doing research and speaking with two advisors, I discovered that I would be able to complete design minor because I would only have to take three additional classes; I declared it. Now, the year that could have been done early is looking pretty packed. However, I'm pretty glad because I think this design minor will be very beneficial for me in the future!

Until next time!
Sasenka- Retail Merchandising

With registration approaching quickly, I came to the realization that I only have one more school year left after this semester! Yikes! That's scary stuff! Recognizing that, I decided I wanted to meet with my advisor and discuss the classes I have left to take; since I don't have very many left to take, I want to see if there are classes that would be beneficial, for my professional and future career, that aren't necessarily in my major. Unfortunately my meeting isn't until tomorrow; so you my friends will have to wait until next week to see what I stumble upon.

-Sasenka