A day in RISD Foundations

Photo Collection based on RISD Freshmen Perspectives

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RFB IS ON BREAK UNTIL OCT 13. STAY TUNED FOR NEW POSTS!

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Do students usually have time to go to the gym during foundation year? I'd like to try to get on a treadmill like three times a week, is this possible? also, can freshmen use the brown gyms?

Absolutely, yes, you have time to go to the gym everyday if you want! The RISD gym is in the Quad, which is where the freshmen live. The Brown gym is a 5-7 minute walk and you can sign up for it here. The Brown gym membership costs $15 for all 4 years.  Since you want to set up a routine for 3 days, set up a time of the day that you really want to treat your body with some exercise. Then, commit! It's really easy to say "oh, I have a really important project. I shouldn't exercise. I can just run tomorrow," but remind yourself that it's just 15-30 minutes of your day and that your body will thank you. --Endorphins rock!

RFB is excited to hear that you have a willingness to do good for your body and mind. Keep hydrated, eat healthy, and exercise. 

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I'm an incoming freshman and terrified by the idea of an all nighter. do you have any tips on how to avoid them (or at least do as little as possible?)

Here you go, my friend: http://risdfoundations.tumblr.com/post/96719129489/im-leaving-soon-for-providence-to-begin-my-freshman

-RFB

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i'm leaving soon for providence to begin my freshman year at risd and i am petrified. i'm worried i'm not a good enough artist and that i will be looked down on by peers/professors. i'm a good student but i'm worried that i won't be able to handle the work load and that this will cause anxiety which will impair my ability to learn and become a stronger artist. am i being irrational or are these common struggles for freshmen?

Congratulations! It’s totally normal and okay that you feel nervous. There is a strange misconception that you will get no sleep at RISD and that “all-nighter’s are the only way to get you by.” —That is an incredibly false, FALSE, FALSE rumor. 

The workload is reasonable, but it’s not a little. Yes, you will probably work very hard and invest a lot of time into your assignments. However, it is completely unreasonable to get no sleep and leisure time. RISD students are known for being hard-workers, but it’s only because RISD students have so much passion for the work that they do. It’s a terrible rumor that foundation year is death. It’s really more-so a time of deep exploration, discovery, and development. Never forget to have fun with your assignments! Another very helpful tip might be to work efficiently during class-time. That way, you may be able to spend less out-of-studio time for your project. Some people make the mistake of getting too few hours of sleep. As a result, they waste class-time being half asleep. A fresh brain works performs incredibly better than a tired brain. 

If you think that you need time management training or if you just wanna drop by for a simple question, you can always attend the time management sessions here. If you’re ever feeling anxious and need someone to talk to, RISD counseling services has the nicest and most helpful team of people ever. There are countless numbers of supportive RISD community members. You will never be alone through challenges if you don’t want to be.

Also, never forget that your instructors are people! Talk to them if you are struggling in a project. They will be sooooo genuinely happy to help you. —That’s why they teach at RISD! It’s all for you. 

Lastly, you are not alone. Here is a similar student that was brave enough to inquire: http://risdfoundations.tumblr.com/post/84987213149/im-so-excited-i-was-accepted-as-part-of-the-class-of . 

Cheers!-RFB

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What's Up @ The Quad

What an exciting and busy moment of the year! Freshmen students have already begun to move into the dorms. POSE leaders, OL's, Movers and Shakers, and RA's are a few RISD students who have been helping new students feel welcomed and eased throughout the busy process. 

School leaders enjoy meals at the "New Met," as many staff members name the Met. The Met is the main dining hall for freshmen students, as they enjoy their unlimited meal swipes here.  

The Met went through major renovations for the new 2014-2015 academic year and beyond. 

This is a lounge area within the Met, where students can study, enjoy meals, and even watch TV on the new flat screen. 

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hi! I'm a junior in high school and i'm thinking about applying to risd, i was just wondering if you'd be able to tell me what my chances are? I know it's mostly dependent on portfolio and art skills but what's expected in terms of rank/gpa/sat/act? My gpa is around a 4.3 on a 5.0 scale and i'm in the top 15%. Also, is there anything you can tell me about how difficult it is to get a scholarship? Thanks!

Hi, there! The statistics can be found here. But to help get you started on your research, the acceptance rate 27.3% (2013). SAT score averages were 642 math | 632 critical reading | 636 writing. The GPA's can be found here. Scholarships are mostly need-based. Your FAFSA form plays a huge part in the award process. RISD offers merit-based scholarships in very limited numbers. More information can be found here. Please feel free to contact the RISD financial office for any questions. They are super helpful and supportive!

-RFB 

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Hello! I'm an incoming freshman this year, and I was wondering a few things about move-in day. What is the recommended time to arrive, an hour early? And also, are there people that help you transport your stuff to your room, or do we transport the stuff ourselves? My mom heard something saying someone helps, so I just wanted to confirm. Thank you! :D

Last year, students received e-mails regarding arrival time. Please double check your e-mail to see if you have gotten that note. You should be coming in the instructed time for traffic flow. RISD hired students called "Movers and Shakers" who will deliver all your luggage and boxes to your room. All you have to do is unload your stuff from your car and within 10-30 minutes, your luggage will be waiting in front of your dorm room. -RFB

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Do you have any experience or know someone who was assigned a quad dorm room? I'm mostly wondering about space (especially closet space) because technically there aren't quad sized rooms there are just triple sized with four people. Will it be cramped? Thanks!

Quadruple dorm rooms are not as cramped as one would imagine. RISD students are known for not spending too much time in dorm rooms, so chances are, the room will be used mainly for sleeping. 

The closet space is one wardrobe per person. Don't worry or stress! Just get here, live for a week, and you will see how awesome a quad can be. -RFB

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I just got my first email with a materials list, but it didn't mention anything about pastels or paint brushes. Should I bring those things?

The lists may not be completely thorough and you may need more supplies throughout the year. Especially when it comes to mediums, RISD doesn't like to limit you to a list. If you like to use pastels and believe that you will be using them regardless, please bring them. However, if you are not a fan and you would really only bring it in the case that pastels were supposed to be on the list, don't buy them yet. As for the brushes, if paints were on your list and paint brushes weren't, chances are, you will need the paint brushes. -RFB

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Post pics of an east double! Pleeeaaaaaaase!

The double pictured here is VERY similar to the East doubles:http://risdfoundations.tumblr.com/post/95095537144/dorm-rooms-at-the-quad

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As an incoming freshmen who plans on commuting I really wanna be able to connect and build strong relationships with my fellow classmates but I feel like that is hindered because of my status as a commuter. Do you think I will still be able to make a lot of friends even though I'm not living on campus?

Great question! Whether a student is a commuter or an on-campus tenant, the time the students spends at the 8 hour studio classes and liberal courses remain the same. The friendships and connections you will build in these precious and long hours are inevitable. In addition, RISD students don't spend but time in their dorms. Not having one will not be a huge disadvantage. The greatest tip is to make the most out of the class sessions and really engage with students during breaks and the hour lunch time. To further supplement your social life at RISD, RFB highly recommends you to stick around for dinner or a snack at the Met post studio, work on projects at studios from time-to-time, and make weekend plans with your section-mates, whether it be to work at Prov Wash at 1:00 PM or to go to the movies on Friday night. Everything will be fine. As a commuter, you may have to make extra-effort in some ways. But at the end, RFB is confident that as long as you are willing to take the extra-step to socialize, there will be no problem and you will share the same RISD experience with your peers. 

Cheers!-RFB

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Think About It: RISD Pre-College (2/2)

This summer, many prospective RISD foundation applicants of the future attended the 2014 RISD Pre-College Program. Many RFB followers have asked about what kinds of high school art work a portfolio might consist of. At the end of the RISD Pre-college Program, RFB had the opportunity to attend the final show where pre-college students presented their artwork. Here are some photos of outstanding pieces that could be great candidates for potential portfolio work:  

There are so many pieces not featured in this small post, but anyone who attended the galleries could attest that every piece in the shows was beyond amazing. 

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how finalized would you say our schedules are right now on webadvisor (under "register for previously selected sections")? Besides the fact that they're missing English classes, are they pretty much what we'll have in the fall?

From a scale of 1-5 and from past observations, RFB’s best guess would be that the schedules are around 4 since it's roughly a month 'till the academic semester begins. However, there are always a few foundation students who get switched around due to scheduling conflicts.Once the schedules are super duper officially finalized, you will most likely get an e-mail. The best piece of advice would be not to stress over schedules. Whatever happens, it’s meant to be and everything will all work out at the end.

-RFB 

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Think About It: RISD Pre-College (1/2)

If you're thinking or are unsure about applying to RISD as an Apparel Major, taking RISD Pre-College might not be a bad idea. The experience is unreal and the work that comes out of the program is breathtaking.  One of the four shows at the finale of RISD's 2014 Pre-College Program was the Apparel Show. The collection consisted of pieces constructed by 100% paper only. Apparel students had limited time but managed to pull together an amazing show. 

The RFB message box is filled with inquiries asking how one can start transitioning into a stronger artistic path. The RISD Pre-College program might be a perfect place to start. 

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TOP 10 Not So Obvious Things You Might Need at RISD

FAN - BATH CADY - SHOWER SHOES - CAMERA - BACK PACK - UMBRELLA - PRINTER - BATH RUG - HANGER - STORAGE BINS

Other Items You Might Need:

WASHI TAPE/ POSTER PUTTY- MIGHTY STRONG BOOTS -  GOOD COAT - SKETCHBOOK - WATER BOTTLE/ THERMOS/ MASON JAR - OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION - LOTS OF QUARTERS - EXTENSION CORD - STICKY NOTES - NAIL CLIPPER/ SCRUBBER/ BUFFER/ FILER/ REMOVER - BIG MIRROR - AREA RUG - SMALL LAMP - BED BUG MATTRESS COVER - SWIFFER/ HAND VACUUM/ ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES - SNACKS - FRIDGE/MICROWAVE

Art Supplies:

Buy at 2nd life as soon as you get your list or get the chance to buy at class. A lot of newsprint, charcoal, drawing boards, cutting boards, scissors, box cutters, xacto knives, and portfolio bags

Safe to buy from home: glue of every king and tape of every kind andlots  masking and duct and double sided. 

The Obvious:

Clothes. It's only hot for a few weeks. Make sure you bring a couple of coats. Long Johns and Leggings don't hurt for super cold days or on crazy snow days where you just wanna be outside all day. Lot of dark colors to camouflage the charcoal is cool too. Pack comfy sleep clothes. Don't forget socks, underwear, and shades. For shoes, shower shoes, running shoes, boots, and etc. 

Snacks & Food. The Met is open until 1 in the morning for pizza, ice-cream, and fruit/salad. Sometimes what you're craving isn't there and sometimes, it's 3 A.M. and you want ramen or something healthier like dried fruit and almonds. 

Furniture/Bedding: Optional small furniture like a bookshelf, magazine holders, clothing/drying rack (for hanging or drying), a lounge chair, pillows, mattress pad, comforter, blanket, sheets, duvet cover. 

Toiletries: shampoo/conditioner, face wash, body wash, and lotion, towel, and laundry bag (w/ detergent & fabric softener). Don't forget sunscreen if you know you need it!

Electronics/entertainment: DVD's, HDMI cord to connect your laptop to lounge flat screens, laptop, camera, earphones, speakers, cell-phone, alarm clock, and all chargers. 

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Dorm Rooms at the Quad

Generally, RISD foundation students don't spend too much time in their rooms. However, decorating your room and making it feel a little bit more homey and cozy wouldn't be a bad idea. The halls at the Quad and even the Hill Houses have generally similar rooms. There are only a few factors that vary. East and South have a/c, while Homer, Nickerson, and the Hill Houses do not. The Quad has tile flooring while Hill Houses have wooden flooring. The Quad has many rooms with built-in cork boards while Hill Houses do not have cork boards.  This is what a typical empty single room looks like:

In addition to the corkboard, chair, desk, drawers, dresser, bed, and mattress, there is also a wardrobe, trash can, and recycling bin.  A typical empty double:  

In the quad, doubles normally have built in wardrobes. In hill houses, doubles either have a walk-in closet or traditional wardrobes. 

Take a peak of Julia's beautifully decorated single here.

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hi! i'll be starting my freshman year at risd soon and was wondering what i should be expecting in terms of exams? like, what would a typical foundations midterm or final exam consist of and how might a student prepare for it? thanks

This is a great question and RFB is surprised with how far in advance you are thinking. Exams vary. --Surprise, surprise!Generally, midterms and finals are great opportunities to put forth your greatest efforts and skills. --Maybe even a weakness. It just really varies. Usually, the projects are pretty open-ended because your instructor wants to see what's in your head after a whole semester worth of intense learning and exploration. The amount of time you get for midterms and finals can be from 1-5 weeks. Here a a couple of posts that have to do with finals:http://risdfoundations.tumblr.com/post/86258330634/finals-weekhttp://risdfoundations.tumblr.com/post/85824956549/update-waterman-gallery

-RFB