By Phill Hudson
Student Reporter
College is a new experience for most freshmen. They have to get up on their own, do their laundry and balance all their class work with their job.
Luckily, there are people that have gone through the same trials and are willing to give advice on how they have been able to maneuver college.
The first question is how to manage all the class work. Amanda Harding, a biology major and math minor, gives the advice to do the subject easiest to hardest; “In math classes, the homework for the whole chapter is given in advance, so I do the homework as we cover the material in class.” She continues on talking about her biology class and, besides reading the textbook and your notes, “It helps to find YouTube videos, such as CrashCourse, dissection videos, and documentaries to watch.” Katherine Blair, an instrumental music education major, also has this issue. “I’m honestly now sure how I do. I have two jobs as well as involved in all fine arts activities,” Blair said. Blair goes at this with a positive mindset, which helps when the work is piling up. “I love to stay busy so I really couldn’t imagine doing what I am doing any other way,” Blair said.
Blair brought up another interest about college, having a job and balancing it with work. When asked if schoolwork interfered with her two jobs, she responded that it did not interfere. “…I am a campo student worker so he [Chief Joel Johnson] fits with my schedule and allows me to get homework done and I’m an assistant to the band director so everything I am doing now I have to do anyway so I’m just getting paid for it,” said Blair. Harding also had the same response, “…I work in the natural history museum on campus, so I can basically study biology as part of the job.” A job is greatly important for a college student. Students need money for books and tuition among other things like gas and food. It is best to find an occupation that fits your schedule, but if you cannot, like the last paragraph, go at it positively.
Other pieces of advice range from setting alarms for all your classes, writing due dates on a calendar and doing your best to be organized.
Nobody has the perfect formula for maneuvering college; four years and people still need help staying on top of assignments. Blair gives this advice, “Don’t get so stressed about the little things. And don’t forget to focus on yourself every once in a while.”