Author: Christ Baddie

 

College life is not easy to navigate. It doesn’t matter if you are a freshman or a senior, if you are not effectively managing your college life, you will struggle. I know this from experience since I did not always do well in college. Last year, I failed all my classes in my first semester and barely passed my second semester. I went on academic probation and wrote an appeal to UWGB explaining my poor performance was due to extenuating circumstances, and my appeal was accepted. I started taking summer courses which boosted my GPA up tremendously. From that point on, I have been dedicated to improving my education now that I am in a much better place and can access the resources I need.  

Only completing the assignment will not lead you to academic success, sometimes you need help. One tip that has helped me is by reaching out to the learning center, working with a tutor, and talking to an academic success coach. This is helpful because a tutor will teach you how to understand and learn an assignment that is difficult to comprehend and complete by yourself. Reaching out to an academic success coach is also helpful because they can give you tools on how to study based on your schedule and your personality.

Studying is not meant to be the same for everyone because everyone is different. I have ADHD so the way I study is different than someone who doesn’t have ADHD. Knowing your struggles or how much you procrastinate can affect how you study, and it is important to know how in a way that suits you. Overall, it is important to reach out to the resources available on campus and not be afraid to use them since they are meant to help you. Know that you are not alone and never feel ashamed for asking for help.  

 

Source: Google Images 

 

 

In high school, life was quite simple yet difficult. Although school was simple and I had very few responsibilities, I lacked independence and opportunities to meet people. Since being at UWGB, my experience has given me the opportunity to have the option of making friends outside of the classroom while having experience with a wide range of people; Hispanic, Asian, and African American. When in high school, I was limited to the friends I made since it was a small private school and saw the same people every day. Now, I also get to experience my own independence by learning to think for myself and join activities that I enjoy, rather than it being mandatory.  Some of the activities that were mandatory were annual school plays and indoor activities within school hours. The activities I chose to be while in UWGB is sorority life and doing bible studies with my friends.

Although college provided me with more freedom, it also provided me with more responsibility. I must schedule appointments more often to meet with teachers or staff to make sure my grades are up to par and to receive any assistance that I need. Turning in late assignments is not an option and it is more important to be punctual with turning in assignments on time. You are responsible for your education and your success, which was hard for me to adjust to when I first came to college since I was used to being reminded of or pushed to do well in school. Looking back from last semester, it is important to always stay connected with professors and get to know them. It is important for many reasons, but some in particular are to make connections and get to know them as well as reaching out if you do not understand the material they provided to the class. They can provide great resources for assistance that you may need or information of clubs you may want to join. I got to know a few of my professors, and they were very understanding and kind. My goals are to keep up to date with assignments such as checking Canvas often, work on time management, and reach out to professors more to make sure I understand the material.