IF only I knew then what I know NOW

When you graduated high school did you go straight to college, or did you take time off? No matter when you went to college there were challenges there that high school DID NOT prepare you for. High school teachers for the most part are sweet, know your names, know when something isn’t going right for you one day etc.  All those qualities are great BUT they do not really help you succeed in college. Yes you need motivation and you need those people in your life that care, because there are going to be days you just need an inspirational conversation with someone that has already been in your place.

Freedom is the main thing people come to college to get, I think some high schools prepare their students for this but some do not. For example my high school let us off campus for lunch; but when I came to college I learned many of my fellow classmates were not allowed to go off campus for lunch. That made me think, “dang they didn’t trust you guys at all, or you all were on lock down”. Its little things like that, that can help upcoming college freshman start getting freedom early so when they get to college they do not go wild and do thing they are not supposed to.

The second thing I think high school does not prepare you for is the work you will have in college. In high school we had to maybe read 10 or 20 pages in a night or even a week. In college you may have to read 30+ pages a NIGHT! Papers are another thing that were like simple ice cream sundaes in high school. In college they are more like complicated ice cream sundaes with EVERYTHING on them. I have had peer who have had to write papers that were as many as 15 pages for one class, which is nothing on the 1 or 2 page papers you have to do in high school.

Extra credit what is that? Extra credit is rarely given out in many college courses. It depends solely on the professor. Many professors though will not give it and if they do it is rare, but the encounters I have come into with getting extra credit have actually been easy, but not as easy as high school extra credit (bring in a box of tissues because everyone is getting sick). This is just an example of why you have to be on top of your work and your grades, because there is not always a way to bring your grade up because sometimes you just have to take what you earn.

To piggy back off the last tip I would say the most important thing is to be on top of your school work freshman year. I know you hear this from all the adults, and advisors you talk to about college. Your first year is a time to party have fun but also a time for you to be in the BOOKS. You have to get your GPA up because once you let it go it is HARD to get back up.

All in all, college is fun have fun, you will get out of it what you put into it. Remember though you have to keep your grades up and focus on school it always comes first!

Spring Break 2012 was life CHANGING

How did you spend your spring break? Were you working, laid out on the beach, sleeping all day partying all night, or were you out giving back to your community? Well I was doing the one that many college students would not want to be doing on their spring break. I was on an Alternative Spring Break trip with an office from my school in New Orleans. I have to say this was the best trip of my life, the most memorable thing I have done so far in my life. I was glad I was given this opportunity and I had a great time.

The trip is a community service based trip but there is always fun involved! There were 12 students and one chaperon. We worked at two different service sites, Monday thru Thursday. On Monday and Thursday we worked with the “Green Light Project of New Orleans” they are a nonprofit organization that goes into people’s homes and changes their light bulbs to energy efficient ones. The people that get these are not all low income, which is who we all thought we would be helping. We helped people from all different economic backgrounds. I think this had a big impact on me when you would fill out the paper work with the people and you saw how much money they would save on their electric bill approximately in the next three years. Many of the people we came in contact with were very nice and very welcoming to us coming to help them.

Our second service site was the Second Harvest food Bank, and we worked there Tuesday and Wednesday, sorting food, packaging food, delivering food, pretty much everything that goes on there we did some part of it. Tuesday we helped on the conveyer belt sorting and packaging food into boxes. Then that afternoon was my best experience of this whole trip. We had to deliver food to two different after school care programs that were in the ninth ward. After delivering the meals we went and rode around the lower ninth ward and that had a big impact on me and seeing all those grassy lots, knowing that 6 years ago there were tons of houses there. Wednesday we worked in the kitchen packing food to be delivered, cooking the food and different things.

Of course we were still on spring break so we were able to do different things at night. We went on a Voo-doo tour, museums, and of course the famous BOURBON Street was one street over from our hotel so we were out there every night.  BOY did we see some sights!

All in all this trip was life changing and I advise anyone that is ever offered the opportunity to attend a trip like this to go it is like no other trip you will ever go on!

Happy 125th Birthday UNC-P

School sprit at UNCP is not as live as it is at many other universities I have seen or visited. I think the school spirit is improving though even since my freshman year and I am a sophomore. I think more people are coming to appreciate where they are in their school and understand they have to support their athletics. I think at the 125^th anniversary there as a lot of school spirited shown, but I think it mainly came from the facility and staff, alumni and community members.  I think these different groups of people had great spirit. There were not many students there besides the cheer leaders, but the ones that were there showed a little school spirit. I think when they were giving out shirts school spirit came out because people were going crazy to get a shirt. I think at this event the school spirit like I said came from the facility and staff, alumni and community members that attended. Now when there are different athletic events I think that the students are responsible to create the school spirit and carry it out throughout the games.

I think encouraging the heart could be a leadership practice we could use to help promote school spirit. I think this could be implemented by maybe us LLC members going to games and getting our friends there with us. Cheering on the playing team, and encouraging them. Bringing friends with you can end up a big crowd and a lot of school spirit can from that.

School spirit isn’t always shown through going to events I think by wearing simple school attire to different places you go is showing school spirit also. I say that point because the athletic game schedule doesn’t fit everyone’s schedule  so I think school spirit can and is being shown in many different ways. Like a lot of things around UNCP though it can be improved in some way.

Receiving Awards Isn’t the Only Way to Receive Recognition

Every time I do something great I do not expect gifts, yes they are great but words can be more motivational than ANY gift or reward given. The recognition that pops in my head is the most recent one I received; it came from two of my advisors of the Leadership Living Learning Community (LLC) I’m involved in. Mike Severy and Becca Obergefell are the two people that recognized me for my academic and involvement achievements. I did not get any reward or any materialistic thing for being such a great student just a few encouraging words that have helped keep me motivated through last semester and this TOUGH one I am struggling through now.

Midterm grades came out, mine were pretty good except that one “F” that was not a real F because we had don’t other work in the class the teacher just wanted it to be an eye opener for us to get our acts together. Being part of LLC we had to get a midterm grade report filled out, I was ashamed to turn in that F but it had to be done. Speaking with Mike one day via twitter he mentioned how proud he was of my achievements and how there was always room for improvement but I was on the right path to success. Next was my mentor meeting with Becca; and of course we had to discuss midterm grades, but she expressed how proud she was of me for the other four A’s! J Which made my life a bit easier…..

The kind words of these two advisors have helped me a lot, not only have they helped me I have tried to motivate friends and other LLC members to strive for their best and I try to recognize them if they achieve good grades, even if they are not so good grades; you have to let them know they always could of done worse. After the conversations with Mike and Becca I felt very proud and accomplished. At times I feel like they are my mom and dad at school watching over my grades, and they are my motivation here to keep those grades up.

Becca also recognized me for becoming more involved and that made me feel good because it was a struggle to get out and do other stuff around campus, because I am a home body and rather be in my room with friends or sleep.

Take away message: Be great full when people recognize you for your accomplishments even if they are not giving you a reward or gift of some type.

Involvement Fair

Today was the Spring Involvement Fair on campus. This is a time for organizations to come together in one place and share their purpose, show who they are, and get people to join their organization. I went to three different organizations that I am not currently involved in.

My first one was aware this organization works with the student health services. Their purpose is to make people more aware of health issues. they have an event coming up in February where they will let students sign a matters. This will signify and show the students that having intercourse with one person is just like having it with every other person that one person has had intercourse with.

My next organizations table I visited was SGA. SGA is Pembroke’s student government and of course they are here to help us, and solve different problems we don’t like. EXCEPT the tuition increase as one of the members told me yesterday it is for sure we are getting yet another increase next year! Even though they can not control everything and help fix all of the problems us students have they can help in as many ways as possible. They are even helping out today. They are giving back/helping the community though; there will be a roadside clean up at four this afternoon.

The last table I visited was the study abroad table; I visited this table because I am up in the air about studying abroad. I have friends that are for sure doing it, and then others that are up in the air and not sure if they will. I learned you do have to have a 2.5 GPA to go on these trips. The good thing about these trips though is that financial aid will help pay for it if not all of it. My problem is just will I be able to last, I am a mama and daddy’s girl; so studying abroad is still a big IF AND MAYBE for me!

I learned a lot about these three different groups and glad I got to open my eyes to other orgs on campus other than the ones I am involved in!

Volunteering after a lonnnggg Winter Break

Like most college students I was ready for the fall semester to be over with so I could one go home for a month break, but also go home to work for that whole month. Volunteering was nowhere in my mind, my mind was focused on making and saving money!

Once break was over though it was back to volunteering at my regular volunteer site Pembroke Housing Authority helping the kids out on Tuesday afternoons. I was excited to go back to the center to help the kids because I did miss working with them over break! I can only volunteer on Tuesdays this semester because I had to pick up 18 credit hours making me now have class on Thursday afternoons. My first Tuesday I did the normal; went in and helped set up snack for the kids. After they were done with their snack I sat down and helped two girls that were in the 6^th grade write different types of poems until it was time for the “lesson” of the day. That day one of the directors talked about having good hygiene with the middle school and up girls and one boy. She had a very interesting PowerPoint I watched with the kids and helped answer some quiz questions after. This past Tuesday was not as much fun because I was mainly just helping a few different kids with their different homework assignments. Fun isn’t what matters though because both of the days I left I felt as if I had accomplished something and actually help and gave back to someone or an actual child that needed my help. Even though volunteering is not a paid job the joy you take away from it knowing you helped someone in a positive way, is better than any monetary value.

Wondering what my ONE word Resolution for 2012 is?

RISK!

I picked this word because I want to see myself take more risks in this upcoming year. I have done so this past year in many different ways. I reached out and became more involved on campus, got a volunteer job at one specific place and even went as far as joining a sorority. I became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, INC. on November 20, 2011! Taking all three of these risks was a stretch for me. One because I am normally a calm and collective person, I don’t talk much, and just like to be by myself most of the time. I think by expanding my horizon I will have a brighter future and these two things will help me in some way.

Back to my one word for 2012 though RISK! I plan to do even more things this semester even if it is only within the three things I do now. I want my face seen, my voice heard, and my presence known. I want people to know I am in the house, and know that I am there to do what I need to do. Meaning gets the business done and play later. That leads into my next part of why I chose the word risk. I feel like sometimes I think about the consequences of everything I do instead of just doing it and enjoying my life. I want to be able to do what a normal 20-year-old would do, go out have fun, worry about school yes but be motivated to have fun and bust out of my shell sometimes.

I think this is a good word for me and if you know me personally you would probably say WOW RISK and laugh, but once I explain myself I think everyone around me will understand and see where I am coming from.

Maybe you should take the challenge come up with a word that you can stick with all of 2012 that will be your motivation to get stuff done! Find more info out on twitter #oneword2012 or oneword365.com

SMART goals achieved by using RISKS

Two goals that I would like to achieve my using my word RISK will be to increase my involvement and act my age not 10 years older. I am going to achieve becoming more involved by going to more events hosted by ACE and other organizations, instead of making excuses as to why I can’t go. Even though in the past I has reasons sometimes they were excuses too because I did not want to go to those specific events.

Acting my age and not so much older is going to be my hardest one to achieve though. I have ALWAYS had a mindset of an older person, always  have been more mature than most of my friends. I want to see if I can open up go out and have fun instead of just being a home body and not wanting to be too as sociable as others. I think my sorority and sisters will help me out with this goal a lot.

2011 Reflections

I joined the Leadership Living Learning Community (LLC) a year and a half ago. I have loved every moment of it. It was helped me in many different ways. I have become more engaged in my community, on campus, and a bit more out spoken. I love the people in LLC and the advisors; I have made some (I hope) lifelong friends. LLC has opened my eyes to doing other things, joining other organizations and such. I am so glad I was extended an invitation and glad I have been able to continue in the program.

My smart goals for the fall semester were good goals and I personally think I have done well at achieving them. My first goal was to become more involved on campus and I did complete that goal in two different ways. I became and stuck through as a member of the Association of Campus Entertainment (ACE). Finally at the end of the semester I became a member of the first and the finest black Greek sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha! These two organizations have helped me become more involved on campus and also flow into my second goal which was becoming more outspoken and meeting new people. By becoming memebers of these two organizations I think it has helped me achieve both of my SMART goals for the Fall ’11 Semester.

I now have to sit back and think about what short term goals I want to create for my spring semester, I think I have two in mind that I want to put my main focus on. My first one is making all A’s and maybe some B’s but nothing less! Achieving a 3.5 this semester would make my life complete academically!   Secondly I want to try to force myself to go to the gym, to stop making excuses and fit it into my schedule, and if I can’t go one day at least do some kind of exercises in my room before bed.

Overall my first semester of sophomore year was pretty good and I hope my second semester is even better! Have to keep my head up and keep striving for the best!

Volunteering with GLOCK

Last year I had different friends go and volunteer for an organization called GLOCK. It is a lady and her family that run this organization, run it, and execute all the deliveries and such. They get information for families that are not as well off as most of us and they package items that are donated and deliver them the second week in December.

The boxes I packed that night  included, food, a toy, many of them had a shirt and pair of pants, some school supplies, and different hygiene items. Those items I listed may not seem like a lot to you or me, but to these kids and these older people who could not afford Christmas gifts it was a GREAT surprise. I was just there the night of packing the boxes, sealing them and wrapping them. I really wanted to go to the delivery date, but I had previous engagements.

delivery night I have been told has the most impact on you, because you do not know how bad some of these families have it until you see or hear it for yourself. From friends that have went I hear there are some people who just say thanks or nothing at all and keep going. Then there are the other ones that want to keep you all night and tell you how much they appreciate this and what has happened to them, or their families and why they need this help.

You Need Time Managment!

Committing to different things in college is so much harder than people really think. You try to have a continuous routine that you do every day but it can be hard to stay on top of your stuff and be continuous with that routine. I really do try with the slight OCD I have I like stuff to go normal and don’t like distractions. Every day there is something different and you have to plan for error. There are two things that I have committed to and have successfully been doing this past week.

The first thing I have started doing is going to the gym every night. Being in college and eating all the snack foods and fatty foods is hard to avoid. My suitemate and I have committed ourselves to going to the gym every night so we can hopefully get fit. Losing weight is not what our main focus is; our main focus is motivating each other to go. Yes losing weight would be nice but being fit is what we need the most for ourselves.

My second commitment is completing my to-do list at night. I love making to do list so I know exactly what I have to do, but I sometimes can have problems following through with those to-do lists. Living in the dorms on campus is fun, but they do bring a lot of distraction because people are always in and out of your room, or you always want to talk to the person(s) in the hallway or just across the hall.

But I can say just in the past week I have committed myself to these two goals and become very successful. To do list and going to the gym deal with my time management skills also, which are not always balanced out with my social and academic life. I have seen in the past week, yes I am a bit tired but when I go to sleep I feel like I have actually achieved something throughout the day.