What Every College Student Should Do Over the Holiday Break

The holiday break is upon us! The hallways at work are becoming a ghost town, as students complete final exams and pack up for the month-long holiday break.

For most of you, this is a great time to relax, detox, and enjoy family and friends.  However, I've seen one too many student return in January and you would think they never passed a course or worse, never took one. To circumvent this all too annoying amnesia that falls upon so many college students, there are a few things that EVERY student should do over the holiday break to help prepare them for the next semester and for the rest of their college experience:

1. Review material from any courses you completed this semester. The Internet, more importantly Google, Wolfram Alpha, and the likes have completely dumbed down our society and students. Too often, students try to remember just enough information to get through the class. Once the semester is over, they toss it in the garbage can, never to be used again...so they think. The problem is, the course you enrolled in for the spring semester (and subsequent years) is building upon that course that you just barely passed because you really didn't understand the material. And here is another news flash, you actually need to UNDERSTAND the material in your classes. Review any concepts that were difficult, find additional information that will help reinforce your learning. You WILL see the material again..trust me.

2. Get caught up on current events. This will help you identify a number of things of importance to you, including student loan regulations, healthcare extensions for dependents up to age 25, job outlooks, and more. In addition, a potential employer or graduate school could ask you a question about current events. You don't want to become a deer in headlights. More importantly, you want to be a well-rounded individual who has more to talk about than last night's episode of "X Factor."

3. Update your resume. Your resume is a working document. It should be continuously updated with new awards, scholarships, leadership positions, extracurricular activities, and relevant courses each semester. Keep this current. You never know when you will have to submit it for an internship or job opportunity.

4. Review your plan of study. There is nothing worse than a senior in a professor's office 2 weeks before graduation crying because he/she didn't complete all the necessary courses or receive the appropriate grades to graduate. If you are consistently reviewing this each semester, then there are no surprises at the end. In addition, you can update your registration for the spring semester, to retake any courses or ensure you are on track to graduate on time.

5. Search for financial aid. Unless you have a 0 balance (meaning no student loans), you should apply for scholarships and grants to help towards your college expenses. Just because you took out student loans doesn't mean you can't apply for scholarships and grants. Apply, apply, APPLY. And ask professors BEFORE you leave for the break to write recommendations. We disappear just like you do (usually).

You may think this is a lot but, trust me..it's not..my Christmas break will be spent getting caught up on work. Somehow it's the only time I can actually stay head down enough to get work done. You have MORE than enough time to dedicate a few hours a day to these activities and still completely enjoy your time off. And remember, you want to always be a step ahead of the rest. The only way to do that is to always stay prepared. Remember, if you stay ready, you won't have to get ready...


Looking for more info? Check me out at Prepped for Success!

The Least Wonderful Time of the Year: Advice to College (And Parents of K-12) Students

There are a number of reasons why I love the holidays. First, the Christmas season ( which, for me, officially begins the first time I hear "This Christmas" by Donnie Hathaway). Then there is the second most important holiday of the year, my birthday (December 28, in case anyone wants to send monetary gifts, feel free to do so via PayPal). Finally, it's CHRISTMAS BREAK!! Only a college professor gets one month off every year for the Christmas holiday (did I mention I love my job??)!!

Most students look forward to this break as well. Who wouldn't want a month away from school, with no worries about classes, waking up early, or studying?? However, for some students (and parents) this can be the most stressful time of the year, and for many college professors, it can become the most annoying time of the year...the last week of classes...

Why would professors find this time so annoying you ask?? Because this becomes "bargain season," the time when students you've never seen in office hours before are waiting at your door 15 minutes before we arrive to discuss how they were supposed to graduate this semester...HOWEVER, our class is the roadblock that is preventing them from doing so. Never mind that they rarely showed up to class on time, if at all, never turned in a homework assignment, and never attempted to study. That's irrelevant. At this point, it's about negotiating. You see, they need to graduate. They have a job offer, this is the last class they needed, or they can't afford to spend any more money at the university. In any case, they need the professor to "give them a grade" so they can meet graduation requirements. I walked into my office this morning to find my retired colleague (who uses my office for office hours since he's teaching my class this semester) explaining to a student that he won't "give" him any grade he doesn't earn. Mind you, this is a supposed-to-have-graduated-two-years-ago senior.

I have a special love-hate this special week of the year...for the simple reason that I explain to my class at the beginning of every semester NOT to ask me at any time what they can do to improve their grade..because my response will initially be, "your work." Further questions will be ignored.

Here is my advice to current college student. DO YOUR WORK! YOU are accountable for your progress. Your effort (or lack of) will EARN you the grade you receive. Trying to win brownie points or last-minute plea deals may get you through a class, but it will stop you in your career and life. You see, once you graduate, you actually WANT a job in that career? Imagine how embarrassed you will feel when you can't perform work or answer questions that a freshman in your major should know? Furthermore, stop wasting our (fellow professors) time with questions about why we won't just give you a passing grade and instead spend it asking questions about concepts you don't understand because you never took the time to read the book until last week.

But I digress. Maybe those are just my own encounters (though I doubt it). Now that I also have experience teaching K-12 students, I've learned that these "little monsters" weren't created by Lady Gaga fans. Nope, they were created by their sponsors...parents who have stopped holding kids accountable for their performance (or lack of) and instead hold teachers accountable for not giving their child extra time to make up missed assignments that they didn't turn in on time, or to do extra credit to help "improve their grade."

See..the beauty of teaching undergraduates is that the FERPA keeps me from having to speak to most parents who want to plead for their child. However, in middle school, that's not the case. In fact, I HAVE to meet with parents. And what I'm learning, is that so many of you parents are doing a disservice to your child. Sure, you have a great career and can provide your children the finer things in life. However, what happened to the basics? Like being accountable for your actions, accepting a loss and working to improve on it the next time or...wait for it...I dare say...studying and actually understanding the material!! Now THERE's a concept that's innovative!!!

Now, if you think I'm being offensive then my guess is you are either that type of college student or parent. The truth is, if you are either or, then you should IMMEDIATELY do a self-reflection, and change your ways. Otherwise you (or even worse, your child) will suffer the consequences. Til next time! **stepping off soapbox**

Violence on College Campuses

I was preparing to go to bed last night and decided to stay up long enough to catch the first 10 minutes of the 11pm local news. The first story that aired was the murder of a Bowie State University sophomore in her dorm room. At that time, no name was released, and there was no potential suspect named. She was stabbed in the neck. There were a few students interviewed who tried to help the student after hearing screams, but no other news. We also learned this all occurred during the university's homecoming week.

By this morning, it was discussed on the Tom Joyner morning show, including the fact that her roommate turned herself in around midnight, the names of the young ladies, and that a similar incident apparently occurred last week at Florida A&M University. I hadn't heard anything about the incident at FAMU. However, I was very disturbed by this incident at Bowie.

Now I just learned according to the Huffington Post, it was over an iPod...an iPod...an IPOD! AN IPOD!!! Someone is DEAD over an IPOD! I'm angry again over this..

As a college professor, I witness a new wave of students arrive while another group leaves every year. You have students from every kind of background (socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, etc.) possible in one melting pot. I witness young men and women who are homesick, and never really adjust to college life, as well as the social butterflies, who end up enjoying college just a little too much. It's only in the classroom that I start to see how students handle conflict resolution, interpersonal skills, etc.

Suffice it to say that this generation of students are lacking TREMENDOUSLY in conflict resolution skills. While I can readily admit that sometimes I allow my emotions to get the best of me, not ONCE have I ever thought to resolve any argument, disagreement, or issue by attacking someone else. I remember when I was in college (1996-2000), we had fights that occurred on campus between students, but the overall assumption was that any issues regarding roommates, other classmates, professors, etc. could be resolved in a dignified and mature fashion.

I cringe at how quick students are to start with eye-rolling, lip-smacking, and aggressive attitudes when presented with some form of conflict. What's even MORE scary, is that I see this as a FIRST line of defense in the middle-school students I teach as well, particularly the young ladies. There are so many problems this can be attributed to. Of course, we have to start at home. What are parents doing that these kids are emulating? Clearly, a 6th/7th grade girl is emulating some female in her life when doing this. Next, what are we allowing our kids to watch on tv, listen to on the radio, that encourages this type of confrontational behavior? While I'm not a parent, I DO remember how my mother made sure that she always personified the person she wanted me to be. This included how she handled problems with family, friends, co-workers, and more.

I don't know too many people who never had an issue with a roommate in college. It's a part of the process. But it's something you LAUGH about later on. "Look at how stupid and young we were!!!" In a worst-case scenario, you asked that one of you switch rooms. Maybe some things were thrown on the floor, etc. and a screaming match ensued, but never once did we think to physically attack anyone else.


What are we teaching our children regarding conflict resolution? How are we showing our young people that it's ok to fight, attack, and kill? These aren't things we should have to teach teens. This is one of those "everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten" type of incidents. Don't hit people. Don't fight. Treat people the way you want to be treated. When did that become something of the past? And how do we get it back?

Now, we have 2 lives that are cut short in this incident. An 18-year old DC student's life ended last night, at the hands of her 19-year old roommate. These girls hadn't reached 20! Now, a 19-year old student's life has virtually ended, as she's charged with murder. Two girls who were brought to college by their families, not even 1 month ago, expected to learn, graduate from college, and go on to do great things with their lives. Now two lives forever ruined, and two families forever changed as a result.

In the words of Dap (from Spike Lee's "School Daze")..."WAAAAAAAKEEEE UUUUUUUUUUUP!"