MAKING HBCU PRIDE WORLDWIDE
Here's the scoop...
While this advice is intended for freshman, there are some upperclassmen who will benefit from it too. Below are 4 bits of uncoventional, no time to beat around bush advice tips... Some stuff your mama might have told you (when you weren't listening) but more importantly tips that will make your entire college experience better.
Tip #1
Tip #2
Tip #3
BIG BALLER: You received your refund check, now you can finally skip the cafe', take your crush out on a date, update the wardrobe, and live a little. I know those all those digits and commas look great, but the fact of the matter is a refund check is nothing but an overpayment for your tuition. If you are relying on loans for your education you will have to pay that money back to Sallie Mae. That $200 pair of sneakers can cost you upwards of $400 years down the road. Yes, use the funds for books, housing, survival etc... and even a few dollars to blow but keep your cost to a minimum.
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Everything left over SEND IT BACK, return to sender, you don't need it. It's okay to struggle, you're in college. Focus on school, maybe even apart time job. Be repsonsible and consider your future.
SCHOOL JUST ISN'T FOR ME: You've been in school for a semester or two now and realize school just isn't for you. Honestly speaking school may not be for every person but consider this...
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Many college graduates will tell you life after graduation can definitely hit you like a mack truck. A couple of unexpected life occurences and lackluster job market can really turn the world of a young adult, fresh out of college upside down. Consider a few more years of "pain" to be potential gain. You may realize that you aren't even interested in your major any longer, but having that bachelor's degree may open up doors for you later on in life. Many see a bachelor's as strictly an educational achievement but it signifies much more! It shows others you completed something. You overcame adversity, long days and even longer nights and that you are a hard worker and can make things happen. Prioritize and find the things you enjoy about college; make college worth it! If you enjoying the scoial events on campus get involved, start something new, maintain your grades and forget the rest... walk out of there with your degree and keep it moving.
TEACHER'S PET: This isn't high school and college cost. Days of being the cool kid in class are over. This is real life and you are paying for every class. Establishing and maintaining a reputable relationship with your professors is very important. All professors aren't good but most of them are and willing to help. Professors can be beneficial resources for internships, job opportunities and just putting you in the right place at the right time.
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Contact your professors prior to the beginning of each semester; see what you can complete or read up on before class even starts. Any extra help just makes your life a bit easier which will allow you to focus on more important things like homecoming week festivities :)
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Who knows at the end of semester when you need two tenths of a point for an "A" you may just get it.
Tip #4
BACK THAT THING UP: Jumpdrives, external hard drives, and Dropbox are all your friends! Every college student has experienced it. There are thousands of horror stories... don't be another victim!!
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Back up every assignment, every term paper, anything important because we all know that term paper you rewrite never sounds quite as good as the first one.