Students blog

Looking back on my freshman year, I can honestly say that I have no regrets. There is nothing I would have done differently. As my first day of community college approached, the imagery of my long-term goal, graduating from San Diego State University, loomed as a distant future. Only one thing stood in my way; the first step—earning an Associate degree. Preparing for the first day of class I asked myself, “What kind of student do you want to be?” My heart replied, “The kind who does their best.” I never imagined that degree would come with Honors. Here is my advice on how to finish your freshman year strong.

Pace is important

Whether you entered college straight from high school or are a lifelong learner, slow and steady wins the race. It had been a while since I had been in school. I knew that sitting in a classroom was the easy part. The challenge would be making time to engage. I began with just 2 interesting classes to gauge my comfort level. Each subsequent semester I added another until I reached 14 units. The most units I have taken in a semester is 19, which I only tried once and don’t recommend- only because it ends up being too many finals! Find a course load that feels comfortable for you.

Have fun!

Some prerequisites are not as interesting as others.  Pepper those prereqs with at least one fun class. Having a fun or interesting subject matter helped keep me engaged, especially on days when I didn’t feel like going to campus. Yes, it happens. Be sure to schedule a class that excites you.

Attitude is everything! 

My overall enthusiasm kept me engaged. It carried me through each semester. Most of all, I embrace myself. My dreams are important to me. When friends seem disappointed that I’d rather study than hang out, I let them know that being a good student is my job. My academic success is a direct result of dedication and discipline, which rely on my enthusiastic attitude. Real friends will offer support and even admire your brilliant decision to study. So, wake up, and show up!

Determinedly, I moved forward toward my vision like a heat-seeking missile with a single-minded purpose: minimize distractions and be the best student that I can be.  It worked. I graduated from community college with honors, earning an Associate degree— Communication Studies for Transfer. Now, I’m a senior at SDSU. My vision is much closer to reality, and I still have friends, old and new. Therefore, the final advice I’d offer to freshmen is to envision your optimal future and then let every moment count toward that potential. Make it happen!

Cats may not speak, but they sure can teach us a lot about life and how to make most of it! I want to  celebrate our feline friends by noting the wisdom that they possess and what we can learn from them. Here are a few things I’ve learned from our cat friends, particularly from my own cat, Izzy, who is pretending not to recognize me as I’m typing this.

It’s okay to just have fun sometimes!  

Sure, life is about working hard, trying to be productive and managing responsibilities, but it’s also important to have fun. Izzy strongly lives by this rule. While you can’t always break away from your responsibilities, try to work some fun free time for yourself into to your schedule. While my cat prefers to play with small soft soccer balls during her playtime, find something that entertains you.

It’s important to get enough sleep

This is an important area that is imperative to our health and cats seem to recognize easily. Some cats are so concerned about their health that they even sleep 14 hours daily! Though being in college and working can be demanding and time consuming, it is important to make sure to get enough sleep. A healthy body and mind are the foundation of your well-being and performing well in every part of your life. Try to make sure to get a good night’s sleep so that it’ll be YOU waking up first before your cat!

Never give up on what you want

Cats seem to understand the importance of persistence and never giving up on what you want. Many times Izzy has tried to eat my food and I’ve taken it away, yet nevertheless she persists! It is a simple lesson: never give up on what you’re passionate about and keep fighting for what you want! Due to her persistence and unwillingness to give up, my cat Izzy has managed to eat some of my food from time to time.

Address everything with a strategy

Whether it be a job interview or school exam, it’s important to first consider your goals, then plan the steps you need to take to reach your ultimate goal. In the case of my cat, her clever strategy involves grabbing my food when I’m distracted!

Always stay true to yourself

Izzy doesn’t care about what other cats are doing or what we humans may think about her – she is simply Izzy. And that’s something that a lot of us could learn from: our individuality is unique and amazing! Whether it be career-wise or in your personal life, it is important to stay true to yourself and to do what you love.

A cat is much more than a purring furry bundle on your couch! Embrace the knowledge your cat has to offer – whether it be to be get more sleep, or be more persistent towards your life goals – we can learn a thing or two from our feline friends

I started college the fall semester of 2014 at the University of Houston straight out of high school. This experience was akin to living on Cloud 9 because the University of Houston was (and still is) my dream school. I had been making plans to attend this university since I first discovered it in the 8th grade. My high school classes were selected based on the credits that would transfer to the university. I knew all there was to know about the Honors College, Bauer College of Business, and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. I knew what I wanted to major in and was very familiar with the degree plan. Not only was the University of Houston the only  school I applied to, but for me, it was the only school worth going to.

A dream becomes reality  

When I got accepted into the Honors College, I witnessed my dream become a reality. It was at that moment that I began to realize how malleable the reality we live in can be. Our actions, thoughts and intentions can have a dramatic effect on how we live our lives. The process of transitioning dreams to reality is where creativity, research and faith come into play. I worked hard to get accepted into the Honors College, it didn’t happen overnight.

The power to shape my reality

Starting college at my dream school was the first step for me. Imagine a young African American woman graduating from a Tier- 1 research institution in four years with two degrees, fluent in two languages, with extensive travel experiences. Imagine a student who started a chapter of a national organization, opened a consulting business, started a nonprofit and is now about to head to South Korea to learn her third language! That person is me. Not to mention, I did all this before turning 22 and spent less than $10,000 on everything– tuition, books, study abroad, fees, business ventures! That sounds like a pipedream to most people, but for me, that is my life.

Making your own reality requires redefining what “real” is

This is where creativity plays a huge role. You need to tap into that part of your psyche that used to believe that literally anything was possible. It is important not to limit yourself by the barriers you think might exist. For example, a 5-year old would gladly entertain the possibility of becoming a ninja-fighting robot astronaut who does gymnastics on the weekends without hesitation.  They see possibility and wonder around them and they want to engage with all of it. Entertain the possibility of limitless opportunities. Go down the rabbit hole of what-ifs, and I-wish and wouldn’t-it-be-great-if. Reignite the excitement of an overactive imagination then start taking steps to enact those dreams.

Build a road map

After your creativity has become ignited, start to do your research. This is where you start to build the road map to those dreams. Understand that the pathway to your success will be riddled with challenges designed to make you stronger and this pathway will ebb and flow. You need to open yourself up to change and flexibility. If you see an obstacle, go through it. If you can’t go through it then go around it. Or go over it, under it, sideways, and if all else fails take a bulldozer and tear it down!

Have faith in yourself

Lastly while paving the path, it is important to have faith in yourself. Your faith is the steam engine behind all your efforts. If you lose sight of what you are aiming for then all your effort can seem wasted and things start going south very quickly. It is okay – even encouraged- to rely on family and friends who believe in you. They can help you through the hard times. It is okay if they do not see the vision you have for yourself. All they need to do is believe in you.

Take the first step

Make your dreams a reality! Don’t loose your imagination – ignite it, to inspire yourself into accomplishing amazing things! With hope, faith, and a little bit of research, you can live your most daring dreams – it just requires you to take the first step!

I am honored and humbled by the experiences Pearson has provided me. As a Pearson Campus Ambassador (PCA), I have had the privilege to deliver the student voice to Pearson executives and attend conferences across the nation. Pearson Insiders and PCA’s are frequently given the chance to tell their story and how they feel about Pearson – and what’s truly remarkable is that Pearson listens. In my travels, I have learned about this multinational company and the true emphasis it puts on student perspective. I can say after interning and working for several companies, Pearson has the kindest and most accessible employees and executives I have met.

Representing the student voice

Recently I was part of a group of PCA’s invited to Boston to bring the student voice directly to the Board of Directors of Pearson. This was a very eye-opening experience. We were all nervous going in and did not quite know what to expect. We thought we would be around “big shots” who wouldn’t really care what we had to say. However, we were very wrong. The board members were very interested in our perspective. 

What does the millennial learner want?

We sat on a panel as the board of directors asked us questions. Some were challenging and really allowed me to think. Questions such as ‘What does the millennial learner want?’ don’t come up in conversations frequently. We had the high honor of representing a whole generation of students so had to construct solid reasoning before answering. After we gave our answers one board member stated that millennials are unpredictable because “we don’t know what we want”. I agree with this statement and I also believe that we want learning to come cheap and easy. I questioned whether I should make this statement to the Board of Directors. The answer is yes, if given the chance everyone should speak truth to power. People with influence breathe too, they’re humans and can learn from others. Students are customers, learners, and beneficiaries of Pearson’s products. I don’t think anyone would disagree that students want products that are affordable and easy to use. None of us on that panel articulated this thought directly, but we all spoke to the diverse struggles of students.

Seize the opportunity to say what you think

We all also had the chance to speak individually to the board afterwards and I can say that I was heard by them.The Board really showed their appreciation of our insights. Each of us shared our stories and they had words of wisdom for us on how to pursue our dreams. They understood that each of us had to give up something to be in that room since we are all full time students. What I got out of this experience is that everyone’s background is important. You never know how similar they may be to you. Seize opportunities to share your thoughts and also to give people the opportunity to speak regardless of your assumptions. You never know what position you’ll be in when you are done with school, just remember to be accepting.

College is one of the busiest times of my life. I wake up early to get ready and drive about an hour to get to school. I go to bed late at night after studying and preparing for class the next day. This process was repetitious for the past three years. I was limited on time and had to weigh the pros and cons of everything that took up space in my planner. I began to choose quality over quantity and it taught me how to value and prioritize my schedule better. Here are my tips to prioritize like a pro.

Be Selective

To make the most use of my time, I had to become selective about the commitments I made. This included the organizations I joined, who I could devote time to, and which classes were going to get most of my attention. I had to narrow down the most important tasks that needed immediate attention and the people who matter most. There were times I wished I could be in two places at once, but I had to decide which one would take precedence.

Set Priorities

In setting priorities, I learned to evaluate the quality of an event, task, accomplishment, and friendship. If something is poor quality, it will not endure for long. College allowed me the opportunity to really put this into practice and determine what was best for the long run. I would have to make tough decisions not only for those moments but also for my future goals.

Balance Both

There are times when quantity is needed but we must not skimp out on the quality. Quantity may be needed during the busier times of the semester. It is important to be able to balance both quantity and quality in life. However, it is more important to know when the right timing is to choose one over the other and discern its value.

It is important to find your focus in life, and prioritize things that really matter. Choose quality over quantity.

The first step towards excelling in academics is taking clear and extensive notes. Taking notes properly and strategically can be an important step in scoring well on your exams. Here are the note taking tips I find the most helpful.

Handwritten vs. Typed

Hand-written notes can be more effective than typing them on your laptop or tablet. Students tend to retain more if they handwrite their notes. Try handwriting notes in class and then organizing and typing them as a follow-up. Properly organized and maintained notes will definitely reduce the amount of time you require to prepare for your exams.

Maintain Notes

Scoring well on your exams is not hard at all if you maintain your notes well throughout the semester. I really like to keep my notes in an organized fashion. I always date my notes so that I can easily look back on them and find out what was taught on that day. After I am done with one chapter I leave one-page blank so that when I read the textbook and find something important I can jot it down easily with my notes.

Highlight examples

Professors tend to give a lot of examples to help illustrate concepts. I highlight all of them in circles or boxes. This really helps me to recall how the professor explained that particular topic. Moreover, those examples usually appear in a few questions on the exam. This is one of the most important note taking pieces of advice I firmly believe.

Pool notes with a study group

And finally when the exams are round the corner, I make a study group with my friends. We all pool our notes together and see if there is anything we have missed. We discuss the notes in detail. That helps everyone prepare.

I believe using a very organized fashion to note taking correlates with higher exam scores. What do you think? Is handwritten better than typing notes? Do you have study groups to help prepare for exams? What about including the professors examples  – is that helpful to you? Please share your note taking advice, when retweeting my blog!

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you decided to go outside of yourself and do something amazing? I had this experience while volunteering for a nonprofit. I found out how simply giving positive affirmations can make a big impact on others.

Do something special

I do not remember what it was that caused me to come up with this idea, but one morning I decided that instead of just coming into the office for a regular day, I would do something special. I decided to write positive affirmations on as many sticky notes as there were doors to the offices in the building. You can see where this is going. I got there early and only the secretary knew what I was doing. I was so worried I would get in trouble by doing this, but I stuck with my intuition and did it anyway.

On every door, I put a sticky note with something positive written on it. I was leaving early in the morning to go to another office, so I wasn’t there when everyone found the notes.

So surprised!

When I got back to the office I found out that everyone was talking about the notes on their doors and was wondering who put them there! Not everyone went to the office that day so there were some notes still on the doors. But most of the notes had been taken off and obviously read. The secretary told me how so many people were so happy and surprised to see the notes!

A small act makes a big difference

I was filled with so much pride knowing that I could make a big difference in the lives of everyone in the building through such a small act – even if it was just for one morning. Although this was a challenge for me I realized upon doing this that there is so much inside of me that has potential. So, what is it that is in you? What is the one thing that you should be doing, but aren’t? How can you make a positive impact on others?

I want to hear about some of the things you want to do in the lives of others! Retweet this blog and share your impactful stories!

I am proud of my academic accomplishments this far. However, in retrospect I cannot help but think of things I wish I would have done differently to excel in my academic career.  One of my biggest regrets stemmed from a choice I had to make in my senior year. Here is the story of how it turned into a valuable learning experience.

An Advanced Credit Opportunity

During the end of my sophomore year in high school, I discovered the opportunity for students to take dual credit courses while in high school. These classes allow students to start preparing for rigorous college coursework. Plus they earn college credit that can be transferred to the college a student chooses. The adviser stated that most colleges will accept those credits more than the advanced placement exam scores.

A Difficult Choice

This seemed like an amazing offer because getting college credits before I start college meant I could graduate sooner than the other students.  I took three college classes when I was in high school. However, in the spring of my senior year, I had the opportunity to take both a college calculus class and do an architecture and engineering internship. I registered for a college calculus class and was excited when I was also accepted into the internship. But the schedules of the internship and the class were conflicting. Since it was the first time I got an internship offer, I dropped the calculus class and chose the internship.

A Disappointing Experience

The internship had twenty students from my school. We were excited to get experience in architecture and engineering. At the end of the program we would be making a presentation to the company showing the accomplishments we had made. However, after two weeks several students decided to drop out of the internship.  That made it more difficult for those staying in it. We had to take on the extra jobs initially assigned to those who left. Three weeks before the presentation, the students that remained in the internship decreased to two – myself and one other student. We were left to prepare for the presentation that should have had the work of twenty. The supervisor decided to cancel the internship and I wished I had taken the calculus class instead.

When I registered for college classes at my University, I was disappointed to see that I could not be in the same math class as my friends. They took the high school dual credit calculus which allowed them to enter Calculus 2. I still had to take Calculus 1.  If I had not gone for the internship I would have been able to graduate earlier.

Learning from Experience

In the end, the internship was an insightful experience. I think everyone can learn from everything –  even if things don’t always go exactly as planned. I really wish I would have taken the calculus class instead of the internship. But life is full of difficult decisions, and rather than focusing on a regret I learned to focus on what I learned from the experience.

As I sit back and reflect on my life, I am pleased because I can see the rocky road I have managed to conquer.  I started with so many bumps and wrong turns I never believed I would be in the final stages of accomplishing a bachelor’s degree. To get to this point I focused on self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence. Each one of these values was important in helping me work towards understanding myself. They helped me to see I was worthy of feeling good about myself.

Self-esteem is how we value ourselves  

If you think everything you do is wonderful and deserves praise, you have a positive self-esteem. However, if you feel like you are not worthy of good things, your self-esteem may be low. Self-esteem reflects a person’s overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth.  I have had issues with judging myself. Even though I have managed to do well for myself – I own my home and have excelled greatly in academia – I have still had issues in believing in myself.  I needed to remind myself that “I am competent” and “I am worthy”.  My self-concept brought about the negative emotions of despair, instead of the positive emotions of pride.  To help build my self-esteem I engaged in positive self-talk. Whenever I was feeling anxious about my abilities, I would say out loud “I am worthy” and “I’ve got this”, which helped me out a lot.  I began having confidence.   

Self-worth is how we regard our abilities

When a person possesses little self-regard for themselves they can become depressed and fall short of their potential.  Self-worth is a confidence and satisfaction in oneself and one’s abilities.   As I previously stated I fell short in self-esteem and because of that my self-worth was non-existent.    However, as I began working independently on how I felt about myself, I began to feel better about the person I was yet to be.   I began to develop a feeling of self-respect for myself and my abilities.  I found myself volunteering throughout my community, and as I took on more and more, I began to feel my self-worth increase.

Self-confidence is a positive feeling of trust in our own abilities

This is a trait that you can develop through having high self-worth and high self-esteem.  Self-confidence is built upon as we master the activities which make us who we are.   I have found the more pride I took in who I am, the more confidence I began to exude.   I began to realize my full potential and slowly become the person I strived to be.  

I have made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime; however, it is those errors which have helped in determining the person I am yet to be.  It is through consistent dedication to myself that I have built my self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence.  I want to be the kind of person that others respect and I will continue to work on it for as long as it takes.  The day I stop making mistakes, will be the day I stop learning.  As Abraham Maslow once said, “I can feel guilty about the past, apprehensive about the future, but only in the present can I act.”  We cannot change the past, we can only learn from it.