Tips for Living the Life of a College Student!!

Hello Sisters!
My name is Ivory Smith and I am curently a sophmore majoring in Education and just completed my third semester at Michigan State University. If you are anything like me, throughout your entire educational career the people who love and support you have been preparing you for college all your life. They give you all the tips to help you get in to college but they too often seem to leave out the most important factor, how to stay there. In this blog I will give a few basic tips on how to stay in college once you get there.
       The first thing to think about before you even enter college is finance.  Saying that college is expensive is an understatement, especially if you plan on going out of state.  Planning on how you are going to pay for schooling and consistently following up with the financial aid office are benifical steps to relieving the stresses of paying for school because believe me it can take a toll on your focus in your classes. In college studying is a must so omitting outside stressors is a positive way to stay on track with your school work.
       Another concept to consider before selecting your school is location. No matter how independent you think you might be, or how ready you are to get out of your parent"s house (especially in that last month) home sickness is nearly inevitable. After the first week of being in college on my own I realized how far away I was from home and how I took my sheltered lifestyle for granted. I was now in college and I was the only person responsible for myself. Being bombarded with all that responsibility at once without the ability to get a comforting hug from my mother when I needed it reflected in my first semester grades. Fortunatly I go to school close enough where now when I really feel the need to come home I can .  My visits home really gave me a break from school related stress so when I returned to campus I felt renewed and ready to jump back in the game.
       One of the most important tips that will definitely help you in college is to use your resources! Having trouble with math? Find a tutor! Can think of how to start that paper? Go to the writing center! Is your history class extreamly boring and overwhelming? Join a study group! Being smart isn't about your ability to do work and understand concepts on your own, its about finding the help you need when you don't in order to suceed. What makes college unique to me is that it's no longer a test of your knowledge, it's a test of your work ethic. So build your work ethic and use your resources!
       The last tip I have it to remain focused, remember your purpose and to gain consciousness. Remember why you're in college and why your degree is important for the life you want to lead. Responsibility can be overwhelming. Financial aid may be giving you the run around. Your classes may seem impossible but it is important to stay encouraged and know that you are above it all. I also mentioned that it is important to gain consciousness. We need to know that as people of color some people are not always for our success and there are systems set against us. This is evident in African Americans 43% graduation rates. So when you are in your studies don't just learn the material, be critical. Read books that aren't assigned. Learn to be a thinker and not a puppet of society.
       With these few tips my college experience has overall been a good one and graduation is surely in my near future. Good luck!

Author: Ivory Smith
King College Prep HS: Class of 2010
Michigan State University: Class of 2014

My Rude Awakening

College has been an interesting experience thus far. Although it is a new place, it really does not seem any different than high school. I honestly see Howard as a bigger high school because there’s still petty people and drama here. However, if you stay away from those type of people then that won’t be an issue.  When I first got to college, I thought that it was going to be similar to high school, but I was in for a rude awakening. I found myself being rejected from practically everything that I sought out for, and I experienced a few shortcomings when it came to my grades. In high school, I did not have to study much, nor did I have to put too much effort into completing assignments and getting good grades. When I got to Howard, I found myself having to really study and read. At King, I aced tests and quizzes with little study time but here I had to study a lot just to get mediocre grades. I found myself really having a hard time being the great student that I was in high school in college. I even questioned my belonging to Howard, and sometimes I thought that I did not fit in here. Now things are better and I found a new hobby that I really enjoy which is stepping. I love stepping and I am really good at it. Stepping has been my substitute for dance since I did not make the dance team at Howard. With stepping I have made new associates, developed closer relationships with upper classmen, and found a team to support me. My college experience has been both challenging and helpful, but I know next semester will be so much better.


Author: Mercedes Harris


King College Prep HS: Class of 2011


Howard University: Class of 2015

My journey

High school reminds me of the time when popularity was the only concerns for many. As I look back, I can only remember the times spent at basketball, football games and especially with the girls of Big Sister Little Sister now called Sisters Inc. I joined the club my freshman year not knowing what its outcome would be. This is the place where I met many of my peers and gained many friends. I still talk to my big sister, Tesha, occasionally and during breaks when we meet it’s like a huge reunion. I learned a lot about people and through time, I learned a lot about myself.

Now that I am college student, I look at myself in a different way. From high school to now, I started to gain confidence within myself and learned to accept me for me. My self-esteem is increasing and I am staring to look at things in a positive light. Growing as a person, I am learning to deal with my fears of not being accepted and not having friends. Even in college, the social life seems to be the hardest part for me. I never was the one to follow the crowd because normally no one has any direction. As I deal with others, I became closer to God and learned to have patience. At times I question myself as to what is right for me and how I can make a difference. Majoring in architecture gives me the chance to face my fear of failure and learn to speak up and defend myself. Even though I love doing the work, I hate for my work to be under appreciated or talked down about. At times, I take some time out of the week and make it about myself to see how I can become a better person spiritually, physically, and mentally. For me, everyday is a struggle and I take things one day at time.

Author: Jalisa Bey

King College Prep HS: Class of 2010

Tuskegee University: Class of 2014 

My S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Keeper

 I love my S.I.S.T.E.R.S! I have developed into a stronger young lady over my four years as a member of the S.I.S.T.E.R.S Inc. mentoring program. The wisdom I have acquired from this program has helped mold my character in pursuit of success. I was a little sister, or mentee, when I first became involved with S.I.S.T.E.R.S Inc., which was originally known as Big Sister Little Sister. It was difficult for me to be confident, independent, and sociable as a freshman. This program helped improve my self-esteem and communication skills. Several activities such as the fashion show, sleepover, “girls’ day out”, and bonfire party created a stronger bond among us. We had confidential discussions about issues we all experienced. We understood, trusted, and cared for one another. Being a mentee gave me guidance of how to be an excellent mentor.

     It is now my responsibility to provide knowledge and guidance to my mentee as a big sister. Ms. Owens and prior big sisters have enlightened me with valuable morals that I carry and instill into my little sitter. This program has inspired, prepared, encouraged, and provided me with knowledge through an array of enriching activities that helped my self esteem, character and leadership. It taught me the importance of respecting others and myself, promoting community service, and creating a future. It helped mold me into a well-developed young woman. I will always live by our motto, which states, “we may not be bonded by blood, but we will always be a sisterhood. S.I.S.T.E.R.S Inc. is more than a program to include on my resume. It’s an asset to my family!

Author:Demetrius McClay

 King College Prep: Class of 2011

College: Howard University, Class of 2015

From the Founder...

I'm very excited to start this journey of blogging! Never thought I'd be apart of this social media movement. For the past two weeks I have been going back and forth in my brain on how to set the tone for this page.It's simple...just let it come from the heart! I'm now learning that what comes from the heart reaches the heart. I want to touch a lot of hearts, especially the young women that will read not only my blogs, but the other young ladies that are apart of S.I.S.T.E.R.S. Inc. Blog Project 2011!!! I thought what would be a great way to get new and old members of our program actively involved in voicing who they are and their journey into womanhood??? Blogging!!! This page is for them and this page is for you, the reader, in whatever phase of life you're currently in and how we all are connected through this thing called life!