The Black Girl Project Guide To College VOLUME 2
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INTRO
Thank you for downloading and reading this ebook. The Black Girl Project is a small organization dedicated to providing young women and girls with the tools needed to navigate the many pathways of life. We're not about eradicating anything or changing a massive system. We're about the individual and her narrative—helping whoever sees our films, attends a workshop or reads this ebook to empower themselves to make the best possible choices they can.
! In this ebook you'll find the stories of a dozen or so young women who are currently in-school, may have dropped out for some reason, or have recently graduated. These are their own words. We wanted you to hear about college from the horses mouth—not from parents, school counselors or guidebooks. These are their truths and we hope they can help you as you plan for your future.
! For this edition, we have new pieces, used some submissions from the first volume, and some of the young women have updated their stories. So share this ebook, email it to friends, send folks the link, but most of all, use it and learn from it.
Tiffany Chang: SUNY Buffalo My first year was a roller coaster, but I balanced my time by making sure I had fun and made sure I did my school work. For my first semester, my GPA was a 2.86 and my second semester, a 3.46. As a Black girl in college there is a lot of competition because there are more of females going to college than males so it is competitive The main thing in college is to come there for a purpose and have a plan. In my first year, I met a lot of people—people in my class, upper classmen, people that work in the school such as professors and paraprofessionals. I made a lot of connections and made sure I took advantage of opportunities when they came to me.
Before I got to school I made my hobby into my little business so I can make money from it. My hobby is doing hair, and I promoted myself before I got there and once I arrived on campus. Through having my own business doing hair I got better at it and learned how to do more hairstyles and made my clients look beautiful so they recommended me to their friends. I not only made money from it but I met a lot of people and gained loyal clients. Being away from home for the first time in a new environment for most of the year is good because it helped me grow to be more independent, to make wise choices, and to adapt
My first year had some bad but the good outweighed the bad. The bad thing for me about college was being 8hrs away from my parents for most of the year. The first few weeks I was homesick then I adjusted to it. I also had roommates. It was a small room with 3 people in the room. I felt it was too much. I had one roommate that was good in the beginning but she was always trying to tell us about her problems, and she never asked us anything about ourselves. I felt she wanted us to feel sorry for her and that was irritating. Then she didn’t like me so she used to talk about me and tell people false rumors about me until one time she did something to really get me mad and we almost had a bad altercation but we didn’t and she was moved out the room the same day. Roommates are the worst to me because most time it is by random and your roommates probably have different personalities then you.
Joining organizations are good, and they are a part of your student activity fee. Organizations are there for the students and they are fun and educational. Through organizations there are a lot of opportunities. For example I participated in 3 fashion shows for two organizations, I was a escort bunny for a yearly sex education program that informs students about sex, sexuality, safe sex. Also I participated in a cultural show for the Caribbean Student Organization where I represented Jamaica as a model and was painted to look like a doctor bird. This show was fun and educational. It showed different things about the Caribbean like the national birds, national dishes, traditional dance and clothing, and holidays they celebrate. Overall ,my first year was exciting.
Some advice I would give as first year student going to college is: Remember first you’re in school to learn so make sure your grades are good and school work comes first and everything else comes after. A lot of students get too caught up having fun, they get on probation and you don’t want to go there, so keep up with your work. Next, make sure you meet other people. Build a relationship with your professors because if you do that, the professor sees you care and will do all to help you. I know when I did that, it helped me boost my grades because I got all the help I needed. Make sure you use your resources they are included in your tuition and fees. By resources, I mean as in professor’s office hours, paraprofessionals, tutoring sessions, library, and writing center. Lastly get a planner so you can make a schedule to plan and balance out your work and social life.
Amanda Rivera: Howard University
Every person's college experience will be unique in it's own, and I am in no way saying this is how it will be for you but college was a rough transition for me. I went in with the intentions that it would be like high school just different for the fact that I'm living there under no supervision. It was a rude shock to be completely on your own—I felt a bit naked. I had a lot of stress due to the fact that I was out of state, on no scholarships, with a single parent, unemployed and alone.
I was struggling to pay for things as well as adjust to independent living and being a full time student. The classes weren't too bad just different in the methods of teaching and how you really are your own pep talker when it comes to going to class and completing assignments because the teachers could care less if you couldn't hand in paper because you were tired. Your status as a student in based entirely on you and your efforts. On a brighter note the connections I made with people were also different—more mature and enriching. You're coming to a place where everyone has the same mindset and most of the high school pettiness is gone. You actually feel a bit adult, if anything.
I have made some of my closest and dearest friends at college. The social life, of course. is another eye opener you get to see your limits, have fun, experiment, meet lots of interesting people and relieve stress. I have to say though college has taught me my responsibility to myself and my future as a student and an adult. You learn to organize, budget and compromise, which I feel are three important things to know how to do. My advice to new college students is to separate business from pleasure, PRIORITIZE, and do not hesitate to see the school counselor whether you have seen one before and regardless of your mental state; everyone needs a friend and a place to vent healthily about the very real stress of college and adult life. Although my college experience wasn't the best, I learned a lot from it and its helping me be stronger and when I return to school, I will be better prepared for whatever it has to throw at me.
Imani Odom: SUNY Oswego In the fall I will be entering my senior year of college. I have done quite allot in my years away from home. I have experienced heartbreak, kindness, and immense self-gratification. While in college I have learned a lot about myself but one of the most important things that I’ve learned is the power of friendship and experience. The lessons that you learn in college will follow you for the rest of your life.
For those living on college campuses, let me start by saying that your roommate is not the only friend that you make. I have lived on two college campuses and I was lucky with the roommates that I had; and each time I received random roommates. But regardless of your friendship with your roommate(s) it’s great to go out and meet new people. In my freshman and sophomore years of school, I didn’t participate in anything that was school related. I didn’t go to any games, join any clubs, or sports teams. Even though I wanted to, the friends that I had were above going to anything but parties. It was fun for a while but it quickly got old. Parties are always fun but there is a time and place for everything. In freshman year I partied too hard, and I didn’t take my school work seriously. I didn’t make any friends outside of my little group and honestly they were great people but awful influences. Peer pressure can still be experienced in college, just because the institution is different doesn’t mean that everyone is more mature. If you truly don’t want to do something, then don’t. You get to make your own decisions, because you are the one that is the most affected by them.
In my junior year of college I transferred and I must say that it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. That August I knew that I was going to have to deal with not having friends for a while. On my first day there I made 5 new friends, I suddenly knew that I had made the right decision to leave my old school. I was now in a positive atmosphere with positive people. That same week I went to the school’s annual involvement fair, where I signed up for 7 clubs. I thrust myself into every opportunity that I had because I knew that seclusion wasn’t an option. I went to every club meeting I could and made as many friends as I could. A month later I was pledging a sorority, and I was a regular of the political science club, pride alliance, creative writing club. I also got a job as desk assistant in my building that semester. I was determined to experience everything that I wanted to experience in college. I will admit that I have made many mistakes while I was in school, but I have learned from every single one. All of my experiences whether good or bad are now in the past, I would not change anything about them. College is ultimately a playground for you to experiment and figure out what person you want to be. College is an excellent environment for students to reinvent themselves. Who we are in high school does not determine who we are going to be for the rest of our lives.
Imani Odom: SUNY Oswego (cont’d)
Learn as much as you can while you are in college. No matter what age we are, people find themselves thirsting for knowledge. Besides learning about the ins and outs about my major, public relations, I also learned the intricacies of subjects that I was always interested in. I’ve learned about Film Noir, Shakesphere , Russian Politics. I have become a more educated person because what I learned and I will always cherish my education. Even though it is tempting to pick easy course and scrape-by academically considering all of the money and time that you spend on your classes, maybe you should put effort into your work.
My advice for those who are starting college or already in college is the same, figure out what you like. Once you know what your interests are, find a way to always do what you love. Make sure you are attending a school that supports the career path that you are interested in, and if it isn’t supported then find another university; or see if you can start your own program within your university. Figure out exactly where your interest lay and figure out what opportunities are available to you once you graduate. It’s okay to have a diverse group of friends but make sure that you make friends in your major; they are the ones that can help assist you academically. And lastly experience as much as you can while you’re in college; travel, make international friends, get healthy, and become knowledgeable about subjects that you were always interested in. Your college experience is all about what you want. It’s a time for you to take advantage of your independence and become the person that you always wanted to be.
Shelon Johnson: Long Island University, Brooklyn
My major is biology and with this degree I plan on going to medical school to become a pediatrician. I was apart of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) program at my school which basically covered all of my expenses for the first year. The only thing wrong with this program is that they didn’t really tell you how much credits you needed to move on to the next level, so I had to do my own research.
My first year at LIU was very interesting. I met new people an learned a lot of new things. When I got to the school I was put on academic probation because I was apart of the HEOP program, and there I met people from all different kinds of backgrounds. My first friend at this school was actually a girl from Yemen. I got to learn more about her Muslim culture and she is one of the most chill people I ever met. When I got to this school I noticed that some of the professors were really into their job. Most of the students were no different from the people in my high school so I felt like I didn’t really get far from home. Many of the freshmen were immature, didn’t want to do work, wanted to fight teachers—I thought I was being pranked. I thought it would be a completely different environment but I guess I was wrong.
There was a time when a student almost put his hands on the professor and when he got kicked out of the classroom he was confused as if he didn’t do anything. All I could do was laugh. Some professors are actually there to help, while other professors are just trying to get a pay check. The school has many different helpful departments that can help you with almost anything you need. I believe students who want to do something in the science field should come to this school because that seems to be the main focus. Almost every student there is going into pharmacy—it was kind of interesting to see. There is a balance between academics, student life and fitness because of all the clubs, sports and different events and I kinda love my school after having to get adjusted.
Rachel Nurse: CUNY Medgar Evers College
College is definitely not the easiest thing in the world; it requires a lot of hard work, patience, time management, and focus.
In college you learn to always have your eyes open and your ears straight up. If you let anything pass you, you might miss out on some important information and get lost in the crowd. I wanted to major in nursing but at my Lehman College, where I currently attend, it is hard to finish both liberal arts requirements and nursing requirements within four years. After speaking to my advisor, I made the decision to transfer to Medgar Evers College for the rest of my college career starting in the fall of 2013, where I will be able to focus on nursing and receive my Bachelors of Science in Nursing in four years.
A lesson learnt from my freshman year is that if you do not know what you want to accomplish by going to college, the vast variety of class options you are offered, the countless exciting clubs and campus activities could distract you and leave you stranded with more years of schooling than you need, and thousands of dollars in debt to pay off. Nothing is wrong with going into college with an undecided major, but a piece of advice I would give is to use your freshman year to explore all your options and have a focus/goal by the beginning of your sophomore year. College is an exciting place, but at times it could also be very confusing and hard to bear. Nevertheless, with a determination to reach your goal whether it is to become a doctor, lawyer, artist, musician etc., college is a great tool to put to use.
Lastly, STUDY STUDY STUDY. The slide-by studying that worked in high school definitely will not get you far in college. It is important to be on time with all of your homework assignments and study adequately for your exams. Make use of the FREE tutoring programs available on campus, join study groups, reach out to your classmates, and most importantly stay in touch with your professors. Use the availability of technology to keep in contact with your professors, ask questions in class and make your presence count in order to make the best out of your college career. It doesn’t matter where you go to school but how well you incorporate the things you are taught in the classroom, in your life.
Nasha May: Georgetown University So you’re at that point in your life where it seems like all your hard work fnally paid off. You’re enjoying prom, graduation, graduation parties and best of all, you are about to reap the greatest benefts: college and FREEDOM. At this time last year there was nothing I looked forward to more than the freedom of being on my own. I heard advice from everyone on how to succeed in college, notice how I said heard, not received. At the time I thought I was receiving it, but it wasn’t till I actually got to college that I realized that I hadn’t really received any of it. Under the microscope of highly achieving siblings, and highly expecting parents I did as I was expected to do, but in college where I was no longer directly under that microscope, I did things my own way, knowing there was no one I had to answer to. I’m more than positive that I am not the only person who experienced these feelings during the first year of college.
All that being said, I’m going to do as others before me did and try to give you a little bit of advice anyway, hoping that maybe you will be wiser than me and not just hear it, but receive it. My advice can be broken down into three parts: stay true to who you are spiritually, academically and socially. When you think of college, the first thing that pops up in your mind is more than likely not related to spirituality. I assumed that since I had been going to church my whole life, college would be my break from that. By the time midterm season comes around (and it comes around quicker than you think) you will realize that you cannot do this whole college thing without whoever it is you may worship during your time of praise, in my case its God. College doesn’t mean growing away from that so you can have your little four years of sin, it can actually be an opportunity to build your religion, not infuenced by any expectation.
Secondly academics, when I say stay true to yourself academically, that only applies to those who are already working hard. If you do not fall into that category, get there quick. This was the main mistake I made: not sticking to the hard working habits that got me to college in the first place. Don’t get sidetracked by friends who want to party more than they want to study.
Chances are they’re either doing great without having to study as much as you do, or their doing poorly and will suffer the consequences. It wasn’t long before I was back into my strong study habits from high school that I realized the same tactics from high school aren’t a huge help in college. Simply reading over the notes is no longer enough. For me it required attending EVERY class, taking notes, TRYING to pay attention and when study time came around, translating those notes into something I could truly understand then writing them over and drilling myself.
Nasha May: Georgetown University (cont’d)
Lastly is socially. Don’t think just because I put this last that it is not important, its just not as important as your relationship with your form of God, or your academics. If you’re not anti-social, you will have a social life, whether it’s on accident or on purpose. Join clubs, run for positions in your favorite clubs, party and be merry. Just make sure that you carry yourself well. Don’t believe everything that the guys tell you. As the new freshman, you are fresh meat for them and they WILL attack (and attempt to devour). Some will be genuine, but MOST won’t, so use your discretion wisely. If you are going to an HBCU then chances are your social experience will be simply be a step up from your high school experience because the friends you make in college are the friends that you do everything with: take classes, eat lunch/dinner with, study, gossip, party and even fellowship. I realized this was the case for me after about one month of school. If you’re not going to an HBCU, then expect to be a minority on campus. Try not to be shocked by it, just embrace it. I told myself before I got to Georgetown that I was going to use this as an opportunity to diversify my friend group, but after orientation (the culture shock), I was warmly welcomed by the black community and became so comfortable that I failed to do so. I advise that you do embrace the Black community, while stepping out of your comfort zone to make other friends as well.
Don’t forget that it is possible to stay true to yourself while remaining open to change. If you leave college the exact same way that you entered, four years from now you need to speak to someone about getting a refund. As long as the change is results in better in yourself spiritually, academically and socially then it’s all good.
Isis Odom: SUNY Oneonta
There are a lot of things to consider when you start college. First off many colleges and universities offer mentoring programs for students of color to help you adjust to college life, and most likely the diversity, or lack of diversity, on campus. Going into freshman year I rejected the invitation to get a mentor because I was positive that I didn’t need one, I was completely wrong. By chance my roommate ended up getting a mentor and when she was too nervous to meet him alone I went with her. He ended up being a great friend and a huge part of our freshman year. He taught us a lot and he always watched out for us.
Another piece of advice is to always report any crime that happens to you on or off campus. Freshman year my friends and I had a bit a difficult time on the floor we lived on in our dorm. Many of the incoming freshman were from tony towns and never interacted with a person of color before going to college. My roommate and I often dealt with cold glares in the halls; some girls would even leave the bathroom if we walked in. Once my RA decorated the board across from my room with chalkboard paint, it said “I want to _______ before a die” and she gave all of us chalk. It was usually filled up with cute messages but one day someone wrote, “lynch a nigger” into the blank. It made me, my roommate and our other friends feel uncomfortable. After telling our mentor and friend about it he went with us to report it to our RA and the police department. Soon enough our floor mates warmed up to us and felt more comfortable, and so did we.
People always say this but any type of sexual assault should be reported immediately. I went to a concert of my campus that was open to the public and a guy, he doesn’t go to my school, wanted to dance with me but he went way too far. He was a huge, strong guy and held me flush against him the entire concert and I wasn’t strong enough to get him off of me. He then proceeded to literally shove one hand in my bra and as far into my shorts as possible, luckily my shorts were fitted and his hands were too huge to go that far. I was so upset about the whole thing that I didn’t want to think about so I left it unreported. It wasn’t until mid-way through my second semester I reported it online, I wish I had done a lot earlier.
On a lighter note, one thing you must do is join clubs and get involved on campus. I joined a ton of clubs and met great new people. I met the majority of people that I talk to on campus through clubs, it made the transition to make new friends freshman year a lot easier. Being involved in certain clubs can boost your resume and improve your knowledge in your field of study. Other clubs are just for fun, I joined clubs just for personal interest reasons, for example I joined the photography club, Harry Potter Club and the theatre club. It’s also pretty important to join at least one club or go to events that are a bit out of your comfort zone; you might fall in love with something that you never considered possible before.
Isis Odom: SUNY Oneonta (cont’d)
Another big one is to actually email professors and go to their office hours. If your confused about an assignment or something that your professor wrote in class talking to them is the easiest way to figure it out. Out of my college experience I only had one professor that I didn’t like and it was because he was at teaching. Despite what you see in movies, a lot of professors want you to succeed and they are willing to help you. I’ve even had professors that gave out their cellphone numbers so students can contact them. If you’re really lost in a class and you need additional help, you should look into getting a tutor. There is no shame in getting extra help. I’ve had tutors and I’ve been a tutor, having a tutor can make a huge difference in understanding course material.
College is filled with possibilities and new experiences. Remember to go out of your comfort zone and try new things. In freshman year alone you’ll learn a lot about yourself and change for the better. Learning in college goes beyond the classroom; dorming itself is a huge change from living with your parents, and siblings. College really helps you mold yourself into the person that you’ll be for the rest of your life.
Paige Padgett: Lehman College As the college journey begins it is impossible to ignore the change in the intensity of adversity. When achieving aspirations, or doing right in general, there are uncomfortable circumstances that occur to limit success and contentment. It is up to you to remain steadfast and accept that the college journey is a path chosen by you for self betterment, and that whatever should transpire along the way is only to strengthen and not discourage you.
The college experience exists during a transitional time in life. It’s when your teenage years come to an end, bills start to surface, and new people, places, and things are encountered. It is a time in life when the mentality of a person is truly tested by the arrival of mature decision making, infuencing experiences and shaping perspectives. The goal, outside of graduating and successfully entering the job market, is to learn from what is experienced during your college career, and to begin adulthood with the accoutrements required for life in a competitive world.
My college experience began in high school where I participated in college credit courses that were provided by the College Now program. This decision, as should any in reference to college, was an individual choice with no input from parents or friends. The key to being happy, or sane for that matter, during college is to act on behalf of you. The college experience is filled with people who each have an opinion on what’s right and, or, wrong. Attempting to follow any and everyone’s advice only leads to unwanted cycles of confusion and dismay. Nevertheless my college experience got off to an early and steady start. Although my courses were in addition to my high school work, it was impossible not to treat my college work load with the same respect and importance that was given to my regular school work. It was not only crucial to achieve passing grades in both sets of classes, but the main objective was to do better than expected. Thus upon graduation I was able to finish high school with two semesters worth of transferable college credits. The best part of this experience was the ability to work at my own pace with my own good in mind, two major components of growing up.
After graduation I attended Lehman College. Choosing the right college institution is vital to the entire college experience because it is the atmosphere in which you’ll either sink or swim. A college of choice should be comfortable, convenient, and affordable. In terms of affording college, there are various financial aid opportunities, but the last thing any college student needs to worry about is debt. Even though I made the decision to remain in my home city and attend a local college, I advise anyone and everyone to go away to school. Take up the challenge and live in a new environment with new ideas and the people that comes with them. There’s a whole new world outside of our comfort zones.
As I continue my college journey it becomes extremely evident that college is what you make it. If you desire to make the most of it, always manage your work load accordingly, join clubs, do volunteer work around campus, and involve yourself in every aspect of college life. The college work load is misperceived as difficult, but anything is difficult when you don’t attempt to make it achievable. College doesn’t come with any guides or road maps. Everyone is different. One method’s convenience may be a hindrance for someone else. Trust your intuition, and if that’s difficult take the college experience to learn more about yourself in addition to new knowledge.
Mina Peterson: SUNY Buffalo
My college years did not go as planned — but they went as well as they could have, considering the circumstances. If you suspect that you have mental health issues -- anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, etc — I really urge you to seek help the moment you know deep down that something's not right. I knew something was wrong, but no one around me thought so. Trust your intuition and know there's nothing to be ashamed of. Really. Everyone needs help sometimes.
When I was a freshman, I went to ONE counseling session and did not go back because I thought I didn't need it and was embarrassed to go. Fast forward one year, and I was back in counseling — this time for more than one session. Around this time, I became friends with a girl who seemed to have it all and, one day, we ended up talking about our experiences in counseling. I was shocked that I wasn't alone. And she's not the only one — there were a handful of people who I never in a million years would think sat in the same waiting room I had — but we did, just at different times.
College is a pretty big transition and it's important to remember to take care of you amidst all the new classes, friends, social events, pressures, etc. You don't have to get lost in the shuffle — reach out to the help that's there for you. I wish I could've gone back and stuck around for more than one session back in freshman year, it would've saved me a lot of drama! But you live and you learn — hope someone learns from my mistake. Much love!
Melissa Henry: University of North Carolina
College life. Where do I begin? For me the adjustment to college life was pretty amazing. I went away for school my first two semesters. I attended Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, NY. I had my own room (for once in my life), I was able to schedule my classes when I wanted (tons of sleep!), and of course the parties! I didn't party much though because I'm usually a homebody. I got to meet a lot of cool people whom I still keep in contact with today. I taught myself time management which is really important for deadlines.
My biggest challenge in college was finding out what I wanted to do. I had to change my major about a million times because there was so much I wanted to do that it got to a point where I didn't know what I wanted to do. Here are the majors in the order of transition: Theatre Arts, Journalism, Speech Pathology, Early Childhood Education, Human Services, Business, and now I'm finally a Nursing major. At first, I was upset with myself because I felt like I was taking all these classes and constantly switching my major that I was on a path to nowhere. I felt like something was seriously wrong with me. Then I realized that, this is what college is all about. It's about finding yourself and your true passion. My true passion is to work with babies and pregnant women which is why I want to specifically go into the Labor and Delivery field.
My big advice to every freshman college student is that if you don't know what you want to do or you're not sure about what you want to do, get all of your Liberal Arts classes out of the way first. That way, those classes will be guaranteed to transfer to your Bachelor's degree.
I had to learn the hard way because I went into college with a lot of interests in dierent majors knowing that I couldn't do them all but still attempted to tap into every single one. Another thing that is important while you're a college student is to engage in student clubs, volunteer opportunities, or internships that are related to your major so that you can build your resume and have a good chance of getting hired out of college. In some cases, your senior year of college! I plan on volunteering in a maternity center so that employers can see I have a passion for my field. Overall, stick with your passion because once you graduate, you'll have a career that will be rewarding.
Ruth Myers: College of Saint Rose College life comes with plenty of experiences that will never leave your thoughts as you grow older. It’s what you make it, and with all the resources and fun there is available, it isn’t that hard to make the best of your college experience. For most students like myself, going away for college may be the first experience they have away from home for an extended period of time. As time goes by you realize maintaining good grades is very important because it sucks to see fellow classmates go just because they were having a little too much fun. I found it easy to remain focused because at the end of the day, even though college is full of excitement, every student around you that’s supposed to be doing the right thing was just as focused as I was.
The best part about going away for school was being able to meet all different kinds of students. Some students were from your own neighborhood and others were from the other side of the world. Networking and making new friends exposed me to different cultures and beliefs; I found some to be similar to mine and others to be the total opposite. I knew the frst couple of weeks of school were going to be lonely but I didn’t allow that to last for long. I was in a new environment so I was eager to explore. I was pretty sure every freshman had the same concern as me but I stayed confident and became socially successful. Living arrangements and adjustments can be challenging because you're forced to get along and wake up to a complete stranger.
My roommate and I were both nervous about this new experience, but then again we were just as excited, so we made the best of it and explored the college together on the first night. It was a great way to break the ice with person you were going to be living with for the next year. Because we built such a good relationship we remain good friends today, even though she transferred and pursued her education somewhere else.
I immediately learned that college classes are a great deal more difficult than high school classes. Keeping up with reading assignments and course outlines are essential, they cover a great amount of material from papers to exams. My professors expected me to stay on top of all of my reading assignments and to participate in every class discussion. In order to survive my first year of college, I took responsibility for my own actions and did what I had to do when things had to get done. This means that if I missed class it was my duty to get the lecture notes from a fellow classmate and if I had to request extra assignments to make up work or ask for help then that’s what I did.
I couldn’t avoid not doing work outside the classroom; I found it impossible to do so. Professors have all intentions to keep us students busy no matter what holiday was approaching, I just had to be prepared to get it done and over with. Once I got into the groove of college life, things became much simpler to deal with. My secret to fun and success in college is to remain focused—being focused gave me the motivation I needed to get things done and still having time to enjoy the good life.
Nailah Venable: CUNY York College
My first year in college was a year of many new things. A new place, new people, a new environment, new feelings, and most of all a new outlook on life. As a high school student I never had to work hard, the work came naturally to me. But my first year definitely changed that. I learned that not only do you have to work extra hard, and push yourself the extra mile but you have to remain consistent with your hard work.
My first semester I has a Political Science class, and I thought it was going be a breeze for me because I took a little bit of government in high school. I got my first paper and probably spent a day or two on it thinking it was all that in a bag of potato chips. I got back and I got a D, yes I said a D one step up from an F. I was outraged; my professor was clearly wrong and had no idea what he was talking about. So when I went to talk to him he explained all that was wrong with my page and actually gave me the opportunity to write it over. I got a B+ on my rewrite, but the moral of the story is, all those nights I spent not doing my paper, I spent doing nothing of importance, and college at this stage in life is my number one priority and instead of attempting to take the easy way out I should have sat down and did the work.
I spent many nights wondering and worrying because instead of using my extra hour to study I used it to video chat or go hangout. And though I am making it seem not so, my first year of college was actually enjoyable. I made new friends, the kind in which I would have never thought to befriend before. I tried things that I would have never been exposed to otherwise. Towards the end of my semester I attended a play in Spanish, and I didn’t want to go but a friend of mine needed to go for an assignment for class and asked me to accompany them. This play was amazing, even though most of it was in Spanish I understood the main idea behind it. I had fun attempting to interpret some of the meanings, and just listening to the storyline. Where else would I have come across such a plan, nowhere but college.
I don’t actually like my school, but your first year is what you make it. I could have sat around and pouted about not being to go to my school of choice, or I could’ve put a smile on and work towards going to the school of my choice—which is what I did. In my first year of college I learned that hard work, determination, and consistency are the keys to a successful college career.
Elise Boykin: Drew University
As I complete my senior year, I realize now how much I have grown over the past 4 years and the valuable lessons that I have learned. For one, it is important to become involved on campus. However, you always have to be aware not to over extend yourself in too many activities. Trying to hold the same position on various clubs and organizations can be quite stressful if not managed correctly. Don't try to put too much stress on yourself early on because there will always be opportunities to get involved later on.
Always remember to do your best at whatever you do. You may think that your hard work goes unnoticed but it does not—someone sees you. They may not act upon it initially but the recognition will come when it's most unexpected.
Last but not least, speak up when you have an idea that can affect others positively. It may seem like a foolish idea at first but once you receive the support of your fellow students, it will make all the difference when taking a stand.
We hope you were able to learn something from what these young women took the time to so generously volunteer about themselves and their experiences. ! Not everyone can, wants to, or will attend college, but for those who do, it's important to have first-hand experiences to help guide you through. And for those of you already in school, hopefully what you've read will assist you as you continue to strive for your degree. ! Navigating college life can be pretty difficult and this guide is just one of the many roadmaps you can use to help see your way through to the end. We welcome any and all feedback, so send us an email and let us know what you think. ! And again, share this with your friends, family members and anyone you feel who may need it. ! Enjoy your journey, BGP