As a senior looking back and reflecting, there are so many things I wish I were told before starting my journey here at Xavier. It’s hard enough moving from the comfortability of your home with your family and friends close by. Exploring any new place, especially a college in such a grand city, is a lot to wrap your mind around and can sometimes be overwhelming. Once every month I will share a few academic and real life tips, ideas and suggestions on how to survive your academic journey. Xavier and your college experience goes way beyond the classroom and the lab but also is a major part of your everyday life. Hopefully these tips can help you navigate your way through these years at Xavier.

Academic tips:

Make use of office hours! They are there for a reason!

College is scary! I get it sometimes you are afraid to ask questions in class or sometimes there are things you very well may not be able to understand. Go to your professor they will be more than happy to speak to you about class or maybe even other issues.

Going to your professor and asking for help shows them that you are serious about your work and that you really want to learn and understand the material.

Talking to them also builds a relationship. Coming to office hours forces your teacher to learn your name and get to know who you are. You will no longer just be a pretty/ handsome silent face in a seat but you will be a name with an attached notion of a personality.

Sometimes going to office hours can lead to other opportunities such as research and internships (some paying) and other cool things around the campus or around the city.

Get involved! Join clubs and activities

Joining clubs and activities is a great way to make friends and to find out more about the school and most importantly your self.

Go to organization fairs not only to find out about Greek life but also to really get involved. There are some great things around Xavier and they are always looking for new faces and helping hands.

Being apart of a club doesn’t always mean hard work and money but you can be doing something for the school or the community! These things look great on a resume or a grad/ medical school application.

Also there is great free stuff from events that you could be working on. FREE yes FREE wwaaahhh!!

Reconsidering your life? Changing your major is okay!

Many of us come to school with the minds set to tackle our dreams of becoming doctors pharmacist or what ever and sometimes by the second day of chemistry drill or once you really hear your self saying this ain't my life its time to reconsider another major or career choice.

That is fine! It’s perfectly okay to change your mind.

Worried about what mom and dad will think? They will get over it. Its your life and soon to be your money (after you pay sally back) you want to do what makes you happy in the long run and if bio or creative writing isn’t it then hey check out different departments or go to career services or graduate placement and they will be glad to help you find your way.

Use your resources (go to the tutoring centers)

If class becomes overwhelming and there is something you are really struggling with and you feel like your professor cant or wont help there are plenty of FREE; yes I said the F word again, Free resources here for you!

There are tutoring centers for just about every subject either in the NCF or in St. Joe with people waiting to help you! Yes you!

Why not go ahead and use it if its free and here to help you do the best you can academically.

Real life tips:

Speak up!

Don't be afraid to make friends.

Your college years are the best years of your life. I know you’ve heard it like a million times but they very well can be the best years of your life only if you make them to be so!

Go out have fun, speak to people (its okay not everyone bites)

Some of the people you make connections with now will most likely be some of your greatest friends in life.

But also there will be people you loose along the way as well learn from your experiences and enjoy them but don’t dwell on them people come and go but not everyone can hold on for the end of the ride.

Weigh it out

Have some balance between academics and entertainment.

Party have fun, your in New Orleans turn up, shake a lil something, do you but remember that lab is at 8:00 am and you can only miss 2 classes before you FE.

Explore the city! Don’t be a homebody all the time there is so much that the city has to offer. Food, festivals, museums, zoo, shopping! Everything is here for you to explore don’t get to your last year and say dang I’ve never been downtown or to super Sunday! Do it! Have fun

Just make sure your putting in as much work as you are putting out for fun. Keep a healthy balance. Your grades could slip from you being out too much just as well as they can from you being in too much everyone needs a break every now and then let your brain get some rest it needs it. Shoot there is a party this weekend go out have fun but don’t forget about your schoolwork! Lol

Watch the clock:

Manage your time well

Being involved with clubs and activities and also dealing with schoolwork, jobs (possibly) and real life stuff can be overwhelming at times.

Mom may face time you everyday because she misses her baby or you can be on the phone with bae or snap chatting your woes just make sure you are setting aside time for all of the important things. Such as meetings, studying, family/friends and social media.

Set alarms get a planner anything that you can remember and see so that you are on time, prepared organized and never overwhelmed

You will thank your self later!

Be a neat geek:

Get organized

It is soooo important to be organized. But every one has their way of doing it. You know you so do what’s best for you. If that means have all your clothes in one corner and you book bag in the same okay cool or if that means color-coding your notes and planner then do you boo. But make sure that how ever you do so is effective

Have a planner or some way of keeping track of the things that are of importance. Make sure they are in plain sight so that it is easily accessible and neat. No teacher wants to accept a paper with cup of noodle stains on it. Yeah they get you were up until your 5 min grace period was up but they want to make sure that they wont loose a finger from your term paper.

Look out for next month’s tips!