Time Management

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Why is it that we have so much time in the world but we don’t know how to properly balance that time out with all of our daily activities?

Being a college student has lots of responsibilities when we take a load work of credits. Not only do we have homework, we have a personal life as well. On a daily basis we get faced with so many obstacles, that eventually some things push others to the side. Some will have priority over others.

For a while it took me some time to be able to figure out how to manage my time wisely. Your week becomes a routine since classes are every other day. You develop a schedule of what works best for you and when it’s time to fit in homework. There’s always going to be a time where you were planning on doing homework, but something else came up. That puts you into a situation where you need to think when will there be time to do my homework.
You need to ask yourself; When is the deadline? How important is thing vs my homework being done? Am I going to have time later to do this homework? What other homework needs to be done for the week? Do I have to work ?

All of these factors play a part in some sort when you decide not to do your homework when planned. Having a daily planner is KEY to time management. It’s a visual way to help show you how much free time you have and what needs to be blocked off.

Class Sign Up

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Signing up for classes on time is a big part of being successful to graduate on time! I came up with a list of reasons of why it’s important for you guys.

Reasons to sign up for classes on time:

Better class selection. 

The sooner you register for classes, it gives you more courses to pick from. Average credit course amount is from 12-16 credits, which are 4-6 classes per semester. It’s nice to be able to pick what classes you would like to take rather than having no choice to have a class you don’t like. The student population at a college compared to the number of classes or professors is a big difference. So make sure to register on time! 

No course registrations = No class. 

If you don’t sign up, there’s no classes for you to take. The process is stressful because we need to figure out if we are picking the correct classes for our major.  It should be discussed with multiple advisors so make sure you are on the right track. 

You’ll have time to handle roadblocks. 

By getting ahead of the game for classes it gives you time to figure out any obstacles. Last year I waited a couple hours after class registration to sign up for classes which was a bad idea. Two of the classes I wanted to take were full. Thankfully since it was the first day, I was able to switch them to other classes that I needed, but that’s not always the case. If someone would wait their classes could all be full, having to throw your semester off which could possibly increase a semester for you on campus.  

Lastly, It’s over with.

If you sign up right away, you don’t have to worry about it. Leading up to signing up for classes is so scary since you don’t know if you will get in or not. After having your classes picked that is so much stress that you don’t have to stress out about anymore. 

Hopefully this post gives you motivation to start planning your schedule for next semester. October is already here!!

College Education

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Pros vs Cons

There’s always been people debating whether someone should go to college or not. Some people who have a college degree make more money than someone who doesn’t have a degree. On the other hand, there are people who don’t have a degree and make more compared to someone who did go to college. This will always be an ongoing debate because it’s different in every situation. To break this down, I thought it would be helpful to state some pros of having a degree and cons of graduating with a college degree.   

Pros: 

– College graduates have more and better employment opportunities 

By having a college degree, there are many more choices in the field of what you could work for. Many jobs have requirements to have a college degree, giving them the access to apply for that type of job.  

-Benefits 

Most jobs that require a college degree offer insurance and benefits to the workers. Workers may also have the chance to get some days off and paid holiday days depending on the employer.  

-Future your skills

Universities have career fairs so students can get familiar with employers and questionnaires. There are lots of chances to get help with a resume, interview questions, or just someone to talk to.

Cons: 

-Student Loans 

Majority of the population doesn’t pay off their student loans until age 30-40 because of the high percentage rates and high tuition costs.  

If someone didn’t go to college, they wouldn’t have college debt.  

-Unemployed  

Some find it hard to get a job or sticking to a job that meets their needs, or have other responsibilities causing them to be unemployed.  On average it takes someone 6 months to a year to get a job after graduating.

-College degrees do not guarantee learning or job preparation

When going to college, you can only learn so much background knowledge and definition on a topic. That’s teaching you about something, not how to do a job. Once you are hired for a job, the employer teaches you everything you need to know. Lots of employers have a job that doesn’t fit there degree. As long as you have a bachelors or masters, you can get a job almost anywhere even if it’s not in your field.

Mind over matter

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There’s going to be a time when you must take a class you don’t like because it’s required for your major or minor. I dealt with this last semester with my statistics class. Math has never been my strong suit because it’s hard for me to comprehended it. My sophomore year at UW-Waukesha I had to take two algebra classes. I ended up passing the classes with a C. Every day I was with a math tutor to get help for the classes. I struggled with the tutor and class because I didn’t want to do it. I had a mind frame that I was going to get a bad grade no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to give up so bad, but I didn’t to pass the class.  

My statistics class last year only had 13 people in the class. Two of those people were retaking it since they didn’t pass the first time. On the first day the instructor was explaining how it’s a very hard course and you need all effort into the class to pass. My mindset changed after my first class. By seeing students are retaking it and how hard it is, I knew I needed to try. After every class I would practice what I learned to keep it in my mind. During random times of the day I would grab a piece of paper next to me and start writing equations. I put so much time and effort and time into that class that I ended up passing statistics with an A. I am so proud of myself that I was able to get over my fear of a class I disliked and pass with the best grade.  

This proved to me that I can do anything that I put my mind to, and so can you! We all have weaknesses, but we can overcome them if we try.  

Keep track of your credits

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To be able to graduate with a bachelors degree at UW-Whitewater, you have to have 120 credits. Now just because you have 120 you might not to be able to because of the type of classes you took. There are certain requirements in the minor and major of how many credits you need. Even some credits need to be worth a 300 or 400 level class. There are lots of things that can lead up to you not having the correct credits, or being misguided because you read your report wrong.

I suggest to you that you go meet with two or maybe three advisors a semester. By meeting with different people, it gives you the clarification if you are on the right track or not. If they are all saying you are in the same amount that’s great. If they have different opinion, then that is a problem. I personally had a problem where I was getting told different results by four different advisors last year. Nobody knew where I was in terms of credits, which was very stressful. It was a big downfall for me because I could’ve graduated already if I got the correct information from someone.

Lastly, I would make sure you personally know how to read your credit report correctly. If you can figure it out, then you will be in good shape to know where you stand. I personally was confused and didn’t have the proper help. You must read it carefully and multiple times to make sure everything is correct. It will be a big help and less stress in the long run if you are able to understand your credit standing.  

That’s all for now! Be back Thursday!

Applying for Graduation

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Apply for graduation: check

I set up a meeting with my advisor to make sure that I’m on the right track to graduate. During our meeting he told me I need to apply for graduation since this is my last year. I was in shock when he told be that because it got serious. Graduation is so near and it’s coming! After I left the meeting, I went straight to the library to jump on a computer. When I graduated with my associates at UW-Waukesha, my advisor applied for me. This time I am able to get the chance to sign up. The application process only took me about five minutes to complete. I had to give the basic information about my major, etc. After I submitted it, i got an email saying my application is in the process to be examined. I am now anxiously waiting to hear back about my results. This is scary and exciting for me because graduation is my goal. With this being my last year, I need to make sure I’m on the right track with my credits. There are many things that would possibly screw up my timing, so I just want to know if I’m on the correct track. The overall applying for graduation was not bad at all. The only bad thing is having to worry about it being correct or not. I’m not even sure what will happen if it would get denied. As soon as I find out I will write a side note to update you guys! Thanks for listening to me vent about my nerves!

5 Tips That Help You To Graduate!

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just a few, there’s plenty more!!!

The main goal of going to college is to graduate! Being able to graduate is one of the biggest accomplishments you can receive. But, you can’t graduate by doing nothing. Over the years, you get into your own routine of what helps you out the most to succeed.

Here are some useful tips that are helping me lead to graduation:

1. Find a study buddy in every class
This has helped me tremendously. There are times when I’m confused on a topic, so I can text my classmate and ask a quick question. Or if i miss a class period they fill me in, and you do the same for them.

2.Go to office hours The more you keep in touch with your professor shows them that you are willing to get a good grade in the class. They are there to help you for a reason!

3. Figure out your time management
After the few weeks of class you start to figure out the routine of each professor. Make sure to get a daily planner to keep track of all assignments. This will help you stay ahead.

4. Keep in touch with family and friends at home
There are sometimes when I’m just not having a good day. We all have those sometimes. A call from home makes me feel so much better. It reminds me that life doesn’t need to be stressful and to not feel alone. We are all loved and have someone supporting us to graduate!

5. Don’t be afraid to have fun
College can be very stressful. We are all juggling multiple classes and homework assignments at the same time. Take a break, or go for a walk! Hit up a friend from class and go to dinner with them. Go watch a movie on campus! We all need time to relax our brain. As long as you make sure your homework will get done, and you’re prepared for the exam, go have fun!

Hello from your graduation guide!

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Get to know me!

Hi everyone. My name is Alyssa Holliman. I am currently a senior at UW-Whitewater with an advertising major with a sociology minor. I’m in my first semester of my final year at college. My end goal out of college is to work for a big company as their event coordinator. I am a very organized person who loves to take charge of things. This blog is going to be about graduation. I am going to write about struggles, weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities leading up to graduation in May 2020. I graduated with my Associates degree at UW-Waukesha so I’m also going to be talking about that somewhat. I am going to relate to how I prepared myself to graduate there compared to now.  College can change a person for the good or the worse because we all go through so many things at once. I’ve never dealt with so much stress or responsibility, but I can say I’ve learned a lot from college. My blog target audience is going to relate to those in high school, students currently in college, or those who have recently graduated. We all have or are going to go through the same thing. I hope that I can show others they aren’t the only one who is struggling with homework, or don’t know how to ask for help. I needed lots of help and encouragement to get me to where I am today. I still struggle because I’m human! I’m also taking 18 credits this semester while working two part time jobs. That is a little about me! I hope you enjoy my first blog post. -Alyssa