After my first semester of college, I quickly realized that to get my cap and gown I could not do it alone. In fact, I am a proponent of the idea that college completion is not a solo journey. It’s a process that you should not experience alone. If you want to be successful in college, I implore you to get a supportive, beneficial support group that will help you get connected and stay connected throughout your college process.
This goes beyond just the people you like; it’s about being intentional about the relationships that you form. For instance, when I was in college, I knew that I needed connections in financial aid—because they knew where the money was! I also had a relationship with my resident assistant, resident director, honors director, the vice president of student affairs, my advisor, the chair of my department, and the list went on.
My strategy was simple; the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If I had relationships with these people, then when the day came that I needed something (that day came around a lot), I wasn’t just “some student”. They knew me and because they knew me, they were more willing and better able to assist me. When you get in a tough jam, it’s good to know people in “high places”, or at the very least, people you can readily access. The most important lesson here is this: college is not meant for you to struggle alone, it’s a system. Once you know how to use and access the resources in the system you will find greater success. So choose your dream team, they will help you get connected, stay connected, and graduate.
Tawan
Get Connected. Stay Connected. Graduate.