To those coming to college,

The last 3 months of my life have been the most trying and difficult of my entire academic career.  Last summer I participated in M.S.I., an intense program at my college that lasted one month, and before this, that was my most intense academic experience.  During that program, the time constraints made it difficult for everyone.  I sense that the difficulty I experienced this semester, though, is a product of both my own complacency, and the exceeding difficulty of the courses I took. 

The first mistake I made was waiting for books to come in the mail that I purchased off of the internet.  While I saved a significant amount from the bookstore’s used price and this is a practice I highly recommend, some of the books didn’t come for weeks.  This in itself shouldn’t be a problem for the serious student who can assertively ask to borrow the readings from others.

I didn’t though, and the second mistake I made was to underestimate just how much I was missing.  I based that assessment on the first semester (which was less rigorous for me looking back.) I told myself that I would catch up, maybe over spring break.  Needless to say, the break is worked into many of the instructors’ syllabi for work on their classes. 

Here is where I made my third mistake.  While I did a decent job of keeping up with the intermediary reading before the break, trying to add old readings had the effect of disjointing my reading experiences and made me less productive than I would have been otherwise.  If I had just buckled down and done it before, the time after spring break wouldn’t have flown by so fast and I wouldn’t have been so stressed out the last few weeks!

But why am I telling you this?  Well, just keep in mind that classes are structured in a way that readings build off one another, and the slow gradual accumulation of understanding most professors try to write into their syllabus is probably the best order to learn the material. 

Don’t underestimate the importance of time.  A few crucial missed readings can really mess you up.  Stay on top of the reading, be assertive and take control of your academic future! 

Now, I was able to catch up later this semester with a great deal of diligence, but you can be assured that I will not let this happen again.  Learn from me so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes and you can enjoy the discovery and great times of college instead of cramming and hesitantly rejecting social invitations on Saturday nights.

It’s always funny when you meet someone and they are totally different than who you thought they would be.  Like when we found out the “Wizard of Oz” was actually just an old man hiding behind a curtain.

I bring up that example because I was in Boston this weekend, and got a chance to finally meet some of the Opportunity Scholar bloggers—Jesse, Khadijah and Duylam.  Like you all, I have been reading about their first six months in college, and feel like I’ve really gotten to know them (Duylam is a born entrepreneur, Khadijah is a time management guru, and Jesse loves burritos). But still, I wasn’t sure what they’d be like in person, and if we would all click right away.

Boy was I wrong!

By the time we sat down for brunch at the S&S Restaurant in Cambridge (definitely check it out if you’re ever in town!), it was like a reunion of old friends. Jesse and Duylam talked about wrestling in high school, Khadijah and Jesse told us how easy it is to get lost in Harvard’s library, and food was a great common denominator too- group bonding over pancakes and bacon always works well!

Jesse, Khadijah, and Duylam also took time during brunch to reflect about how much they have overcome as a group. Even as college freshmen, they have had unique opportunities their childhood friends who haven’t gone to college have not and never will. Yet, with these opportunities have come challenges, and we talked openly about how working hard is always the recipe for success.

As they talked about their first two semesters, I thought to myself about how the three of them are doing something very powerful- they’re serving as role models for high school students across the country to understand the college process better, and giving key advice so that others may follow in their footsteps.

While I hope no one followed my example, my actual college application process was hectic.  I had everything in order theoretically…great grades…pretty test scores…more extracurricular and community service hours than I could list…I was in tip-top shape—ready for anything!  My I’s were dotted, and my T’s were crossed.  Only one more thing to do.  Apply.  As you’re reading this, you might be thinking that this was me around mid-November, early December at the latest.

Well…you’re wrong.  This was me on December 26^th.  Regular decision deadlines for most schools in the country were January 1^st.  Did I mention that my application process was hectic?  For four days, I thoroughly researched the 25-ish schools on my list and started finalizing details.  A mentor had to sit me down and say, “Pick 10 from this list, and send in the materials—you have to make your decisions…NOW!”  Obviously, I did make the decisions, and I did post-mark my apps by the deadline…however, it was still unnecessary stress that could have been avoided had I stopped procrastinating on FINALLY choosing my top schools.  By now your applications are in, so let’s discuss what I felt like afterwards.

Three words: relieved, anxious, and tired.

I was relieved that the formal process was done.  Now, all I could do was wait for the colleges to decide if I was a prospectively good fit for their school environment.  I’d passed the tests, made the grades, gave back to the community… now I could breathe a little.

IMPORTANT: THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU STOP EARNING GOOD GRADES OR WORKING HARD IN SCHOOL.  COLLEGES WILL LOOK AT YOUR LAST SEMESTER GRADES.  THEY CAN REVOKE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY, AND ACCEPTANCE DECISIONS.  BEWARE.

Now that I’ve given that piece of advice, back to my second feeling.  I felt anxious about getting the responses in the mail.  I liked something (or many things) about each school, and non-acceptance letters would feel like a personal rejection of me.  I was worried that I could have done better on the essays, and perhaps I didn’t “sell myself” correctly.

Tired because I’d been striving for perfection for six months…in and out of class.  Senior year can seem like a whirlwind of activities…I’d be lost in the next set of things to do without realizing that I’d finished the last ones.  Hopefully, your year hasn’t been like that too much.  However, I was tired, and I still had to find energy and enthusiasm to finish out the school year.

So, after waiting for a few months, I started receiving the college decisions in the mail.  My first acceptance letter was amazing…I can’t quite describe the feeling.  I was wanted…on a 4-year college campus.  For someone from a family who doesn’t pump out college graduates, this was something new…a goal apart from everything else I’d worked for.  All of the work…the stress…the time management…the effort…the tears and the struggling…it was all worth it.

So hat’s off to you for completing the applications.  Now…sit back…relax…you’ve got amazing things coming your way!

CSO’s Executive Director Matt Rubinoff came to campus and we did some video blogging. Here I encourage you to think outside-the-box and venture away from home for college. Sorry about the rain and thunder background noise; it was not your typical sunny California day!

Reflecting on my first semester in college, my biggest struggle was with time management. In this video, I share some advice for what to expect in college and how to manage your time so you succeed.

The first semester definitely had many lessons to learn. One thing I didn’t mention in my previous blogs is that I was pledging for Phi Iota Alpha, a Latino fraternity that focuses on uplifting the Latino community and bringing together the different people of Latin America. I feel strongly about my fraternity’s goals and that is why I chose to pledge my first semester.

For the next semester, I am definitely going to be even more involved with the Latino community on campus and try to reach out to the Latino students in the Boston area who are trying to make it to college. Now that I am a member of Phi Iota Alpha and involved with other Latino groups on campus, I am going to try to use my membership as a tool to reach out to the students who come from similar backgrounds as me.

Pledging for a fraternity and remaining involved in campus activities was very challenging but I definitely have learned how to manage my time in a way that I never thought possible. It was tough but my family back home and friends at school definitely gave me their support and with that I was able to be successful my first semester.

I am currently in Washington State right now as a guest speaker for a program called LCP, Latino College Prep. I shared my experiences as a first-generation American and first-generation college student and spoke about the importance of going to college and breaking the cycle. The students that I met in Everett, WA have definitely motivated me to continue reaching out to students and to continue working as hard as I can to succeed in college.

Remember, you need to go to college and be role models for all those who believe they can’t go to college because no one else in their family has.

As I’ve spoken with many of my peers, they’ve all said that the first semester was a definite challenge. Many of my new found friends will be returning to Dillard University while others won’t. One things for sure, we’ve all realized the Do’s and the Don’ts of college life. Making the decision to attend a university is a commitment, and one must be willing to go through the fire, one must be geared to weather the storm. As I enter my second semester at Dillard University, I do so with a cleansed mind and iron heart. My first semester was a tough one, but I’m definitely ready to turn the page. It is not healthy to live in the past, but we all should learn from our mistakes.

Being a first-generation college student, it is imperative that I seek guidance, branch out to grasp what I need to succeed in my environment. I’ve realized that it is true that everyone needs someone in their corner. So this semester one of my “Golden Rules” is to always seek assistance when I‘m unsure.

Another one of my golden rules is to learn to use time management. As students we have multiple things to balance in our lives, such as partying, employment, friends, romance, family, and most importantly education. Time management can make you or break you. Having good time management skills will definitely benefit you in the long run.

There are many things I know I must improve in order to be successful. I am on a mission this semester and there won’t be anything capable of detouring me.

First off, I hope everyone had a great holiday.

Now that it is time for school again, it means it is time for me to get back to work. Last semester I really didn’t know what to expect, so I treated it like it was still high school. That was a bad move and by the time I realized that it wasn’t going to work that way it was too late for me to change my ways.

So as a new semester begins, it is a whole new beginning for me. I switched my major to Sociology with a minor in Psychology (and History) and I have pledged to get serious about my studies.

Being the first in my family to attend college is very important to me. I want to be able to succeed.

Do I plan on destroying my social life? Not at all. I plan on learning something I have never had before… Time Management.

Although it is cliché, I know I can do anything I set my mind to. I have survived 2 days of the new semester and so far, all is well. I hope this is one New Year’s Resolution that I can keep.

Now as a message to my readers.. I want you to (if you haven’t already done so) think of the year ahead. What is in store for you? Are you prepared for it? If not what can you do to make yourself ready? This new year will be coming at us full speed and many challenges are ahead. Make sure you are ready. If you are, then you will conquer all.

You’re probably wondering why the title of my blog is “thriving” first semester rather than “surviving” first semester. Well, that’s because a dean at my college once told me, that college is not merely about doing what you have to do just to get by or in other words, just surviving, it’s about thriving in a place that you can truly call your own.

Upon the end of my first semester of college, I’ve realized that with greater freedom, comes much more responsibility. In college, there’s no one there to hold your hand or tell you what to do or what not to do. While this may seem appealing, at times it can be difficult. Being so far away from home I’ve grown much more independent and learned just how essential time management is! Think about it: everyday, we each have the same amount of time handed to us. However, how we each utilize our time varies significantly. While some people spend their day “thinking,” others spend it by “doing.” Learning to balance everything you must do is the key. Yet, this is not always easy. So my advice to you is to always place all of your attention into whatever you are doing at the moment. There will always be distractions to get you off track in life, but one of the most important lessons college has taught me is that if you work hard when it’s time to work, and relax when you have the time to indulge in other activities, you can successfully survive the temptations of a college surrounding. It’s so easy to walk out of your dorm room and become engrossed in some kind of conversation in a nearby common room, or to want to take “breaks” in between assignments. With this method, one thing leads to another, and eventually NOTHING seems to get accomplished.

This semester has also taught me that not everything in life will just be handed to you. Specifically, college is a melting pot, and everyone is nervous when they first arrive. Therefore, not everyone may seem approachable at first or as friendly as you may like. It may be up to you to introduce yourself to your dormmates or classmates. Don’t be afraid to get to know the people you will be sitting in classes and living with for a whole year! Afterall, NO ONE can make it through college alone! Everyone needs someone, it’s just that the “someone” you may need may not be the first person to approach you on move in day. So, take a chance, and make it a point to get to know people as soon as possible: it will make your college experience that much easier and more enjoyable.

Furthermore, I’ve learned that it’s okay to miss home. Everyone starts to feel a bit homesick their first semester of college, even if it doesn’t seem like it on the surface. No one can tell you how hard it will be to so far from home, and no one can truly prepare you  for the emotions you may feel your first few months of college. It can be a roller coaster. I even questioned if Williams was just too far from home for me, and maybe what I thought may be just  be what I needed, wasn’t. I really missed home, my friends, family, and my boyfriend. It’s not easy to maintain friendships or a relationship living more than 1300 miles away from home.  But, I know now  that it’s normal to feel out  of place at first, or like you’re missing something back home. It took me a long time to realize that I truly could make Williams my home if I just allowed myself to open up to people and to college life in general. So, I promise you…. YOU WILL SURVIVE FIRST SEMESTER….even though, at times it truly seems like there’s NO WAY POSSIBLE that you will make it out of finals week alive.

Most people will tell you, college is exhausting. THAT IS VERY TRUE. But finishing first semester was one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences of my life. Yes, you will probably  pull at least one all nighter your first semester of college, but that’s what makes college memorable. It’s the staying up late, the bonds made with your roommates, the stressful weeks that make each weekend worthwhile, the trips to breakfast and dinner where we all gather around to swap stories, the weekly laundry run, where no washers or dryers are left empty for you to actually do laundry, late night snacks, caffeine rushes, “crunch time”, and the most important lesson of all: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Whatever you’re feeling, someone else their first year, has felt that very same thing. Each of you will survive your first semester of college differently, but once you complete it, you will find yourself gradually growing up,and realizing your place in the world. And that itself, is the true meaning of an education, to find your place within society; looking back one day on all the memories you made along the way.

BEST OF LUCK to all of you who are finishing up your college applications! I will posting again soon, about a unique program Williams offers its students during the month of January, as I head back to campus January 3rd. HAPPY NEW YEAR!