Books!
Ellen Lupton’s Thinking With Type
Timothy Samara’s Making & Breaking The Grid
Meggs’ History of Graphic Design
Steven Heller’s Art Direction Explained
College was as much about the connections and opening doors at the beginning of my career as it was about learning the craft. It’s not necessary but it helped me FWIW.
Books! Ellen Lupton’s Thinking With Type Timothy Samara’s Making & Breaking The Grid Meggs’ History of Graphic Design Steven Heller’s Art Direction Explained