The last semester of my senior year is finally here. Only a few months and some tough exams stand between graduation and me. I’m both excited and nervous about this chapter ending end and a new one beginning. My parents had cautioned me about time passing quickly, and they were right.

Now the pressure is on. In addition to the normal things college seniors prepare for, I’m also helping throw some of the graduation festivities around campus with the events team. For instance, I’m supposed to be responsible for distributing flyers, registration, and party supplies.

This is actually the first time I’ve had these duties. Most of my experience on the events team involved web writing for the university portal and blog. My supervisor is clearly counting on me, and I’d hate to let her down. What are some basic tips for something like this?

The first thing you should know is that planning a successful event is no easy challenge, especially when it comes to the collegiate crowd. This isn’t your fault but rather the nature of the standard university environment, which is often teeming with different events and activities. Standout events are those with carefully considered experiences and seamless execution.

Rely heavily on creativity and your personal networks to generate some initial ideas. For instance, you might tap into someone more senior on the events team with experience doing these things. Asking for support shouldn’t be avoided. Even only a brief brainstorming session could produce something meaningful.

While the pressure is certainly real, it could also help you remain focused and vigilant throughout the planning process. Industry professionals have already published countless articles containing relevant tips although many of them concentrate on commercial and corporate events. Reflect on different expert suggestions with a critical eye and determine whether or not the situations described seem relevant.

Creating a compelling flyer is likely to be a key to success. Since you already have experience writing, it shouldn’t be as difficult as it might otherwise be. The primary challenge will be designing the visual elements. Invest time reviewing this flyer design guide, which contains some fundamental takeaways. That being said, be as mindful of these suggestions as you were with the more general event planning tips.

What’s most critical is aligning various lessons and tutorials with your project circumstances, otherwise, you’ll risk wasting precious time and resources. Let’s say, for example – after weeks of collaboration and ideation – you’ve made negligible progress on the flyer design. The possibility of once again tapping into outside expertise shouldn’t be too foreign. In this particular case, perhaps it would be advantageous to search for some of the best print designs for external inspiration.

The trick with procuring party supplies is balancing the cheapest options with the widest variety. You might grab a few extra hands, take a gamble, and simply visit a couple local party supply stores. Assuming that approach doesn’t pan out as expected, you might then explore some of the online party supply alternatives, which would obviate the need for any help.

“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.” – Leonard Bernstein