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Tips for New Social Work Graduate (MSW) Students

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  Happy start of the school year! Perusing social media, I came across a NASW blog article called “Guide for the First Year Social Work Student”. This post provided lots of great information tailored for new undergraduate students interested in studying social work. I wanted to take that NASW post a bit farther and compile a list of tips specific to graduate students pursuing a masters in social work (MSW). In my opinion, graduate school is a completely different experience from undergraduate, so my hope is that these tips will serve to be beneficial. Tips for New Social Work Graduate (MSW) Students -Don’t worry about grades so much When I was in graduate school, one of my professors told a story about a straight A student who committed suicide several years after graduation. His point was that given the people we need to work with, we social workers need to focus less on being perfectionists (as demonstrated by obsessing over grades and test scores) and work on being empathetic and co
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Stitch Fix Review #1

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Seeing that part of this blog is about how I save/spend my money, I figured I should start posting reviews on the various shopping services I use.  Currently, I use Stitch Fix and Birchbox.  If anyone has recommendations for other awesome sites, let me know and I'll look into them!  For now, here's my Stitch Fix review!

About Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service based out of San Francisco.  The way it works is pretty simple:  Sign up, then complete an online profile with your clothing sizes and style preferences.  After paying a $20 non-refundable "styling fee", Stitch Fix will send you a box with 5 articles of clothing/accessories on a date you select.  You'll have three days to try everything out and ship back unwanted items in a prepaid envelope!

Stitch Fix is not cheap, with pieces of clothing starting at around $58.  You do get a 25% discount it you keep all 5 items, but that's still much higher than I'm used to paying for clothes.  However, I decided to give it a shot because I frequently have trouble finding clothes that fit me and wanted someone to pick out flattering, high quality clothes based on my measurements.  It also helped that a friend gave me a coupon that waived the $20 styling fee!

Stitch Fix Box #1
I actually ordered my first Stitch Fix back in October, but due to a backlog of orders had to pick a shipment date in early November.  In my profile, I requested no pants, accessories, or maxi dresses.  I also requested that the stylist focus on getting me work clothes and a cute dress to wear for the holidays.  After several weeks of anticipation I received my box a day early!  Here's what I got and my thoughts on each:

Item #1: 41Hawthorn Calafia Jersey Wrap Dress ($58)
stitch fix

41Hawthorn is a brand exclusive to Stitch Fix.  This particular dress is one I saw in numerous blog reviews and the main reason I finally decided to place an order.  While the jersey fabric is a little thin, I really liked the fit and the color of the dress.
Verdict: KEPT


Item #2: Kut From The Kloth Michael Faux Leather Jacket ($78)
stitch fix

I've never been into leather - faux or real - and never though I would ever own a leather jacket. A trip to New Orleans last October changed that, as I found a flattering brown faux leather jacket in a boutique shop that soon ended up in my souvenir stash.  I liked the quality of this black jacket and really wanted to keep it.  Sadly, it was too long and too narrow as I couldn't get it to close.  Fortunately, I ended up finding a great fitting black faux leather jacket at Forever 21 of all places.
Verdict: RETURNED


Item #3: Kensie Vince Swiss Dot Cap Sleeve Dress
stitch fix

When I filled out my Stitch Fix profile, I wrote that I really liked polka dots.  Rather risky since own at least 5 polka dot sweaters and do not need another one.  Fortunately, they sent me this lovely black dress with a subtle Swiss dot pattern.  Loved the fabric, the length, and the fit.  The only problem was that the back zipper wasn't straight, but that's because I have scoliosis and so nothing ever fits me right.  Stitch Fix has helped me get pretty close, though.
Verdict: KEPT
 

stitch fix
My crooked back

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Close-up of the Swiss dot pattern (click)



Item #4: 41Hawthorn Mission 3/4 Sleeve V-Neck Blouse ($68)
Item #5: Lasome Pacific Chevron Print Skirt ($58)
stitch fix

Sadly, the last two items didn't work out for me.  While the blouse fit alright, I generally can't justify paying $68 for a top.  As for the skirt, it was way too long and went halfway down my calves.
Verdict: RETURNED


Stitch Fix Pros
-You can conveniently try on clothes from the comfort of your own home.
-You receive clothing both customized to you tastes and outside your normal comfort zone so you can experiment with new styles.  I definitely would have bypassed the black faux leather jacket if I saw it in stores.
-The stylists actually take the time to read through your profile and accommodate requests.  If there's a specific Stitch Fix item you want then you simply ask for it, just like I did with the Hawthorn41 dress.
-You get a 25% discount if you keep all 5 items.
-Easy returns!  Just drop unwanted clothing in the provided pre-paid envelope and drop it in the mailbox within 3 days of receiving your Stitch Fix.

Stitch Fix Cons
-Stitch Fix is not cheap, and with some work you can probably find most of these clothes for much cheaper.
-The $20 styling fee is non-refundable if you decide to send everything back.


Overall, I was very pleased with my first Stitch Fix, despite only keeping two of the five items.  I especially enjoyed being able to try out clothes I would have skipped over at the mall.  However, the price is definitely a deterrent, so I will have to limit my future orders to several times a year.  After waiting several months, I finally ordered my second Stitch Fix which is scheduled to arrive in mid-March.  Can't wait!

If you are interested in trying out Stitch Fix, feel free to use my referral link here:  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3203420.  No, I am not affiliated with Stitch Fix in any way, shape, or form.

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