Things I wish I knew better at High School

1. It's best to start working on a portfolio of personal and/or professional work as soon as you can.

2. Once you begin university you are likely to start missing the old days. Enjoy your time here - when you're out in the workforce you're likely miss uni just as much.

3. Collecting samples of work that inspire you sets you in the right direction.

4. Always be prepared. Circumstances change in a blink of an eye and opportunities you thought didn't exist could pop up when you least expect them.

5. Being able to draw helps.

6. Everybody is different so it's always beneficial to share your creative ideas.

7. Age should not be a factor - the earlier you start progressing, the better.

8. Avoid working for free. Design jobs without pay as a new student can be misinterpreted as a privilege as you may get valuable experience but most of the time it's a misconception. Not only is this unprofessional but it's an attempt by someone to take advantage of your time and skills. The only time free jobs are acceptable is if it's for a good cause or a charity.

9. Design isn't always about pretty pictures, it's about finding the most effective way to communicate a message. How it's done is up to you.

10. Get involved online. Join forums, write/follow blogs and listen to podcasts. All of this will eventually come around useful in one way or another.