Back to college season always brings back intense memories. It’s normally a time where young adults are purchasing their own school supplies and dorm room essentials and traveling to where they’ll be spending the next four years of their life. Six years ago, I was not only preparing for my freshman year of college — but a baby, as well. I remember that moment in my life very clearly. I remember passing out twice due to low blood pressure [which is common in early pregnancy] while registering and getting my financial aid handled. I remember purchasing books at bare minimum cost, so I could spend the rest of my pell grant refund on baby clothes, diapers, stroller, car seat, etc. At 18 years old, I knew people would look at my bump and question who’s going to foot that bill. I was doing the single mom thing since day one, and I didn’t want to put the burden of expenses onto my mother or my grandparents.
I didn’t — however — do well my first year of college.
I gave birth to my daughter — now 5 years old — during finals. I received what I dub a “pity C” from two of my professors who knew my situation. It didn’t matter much. My GPA was still a measly 1.75.
I attempted to go back to college in the fall, but only lasted two weeks before deciding that I could no longer handle it. IT WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. I took two years off from college to stay home with my daughter, and that is when I discovered what is now my job today — blogging. I went back the fall of 2012, retook all the classes I made a C or F in, and raised my GPA from a 1.75 to a 3.5. I made the dean’s list twice! I NEEDED that clarity that two years off provided.
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The below five tips helped me or would have helped me, and I believe they will do the same for you:
1. Shop online for school supplies, and buy in bulk. I am still using school supplies I purchased three years ago because I purchased them in bulk online.
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2. Carve out at least an hour of study time per course per week. I was told to carve out an hour of study time per credit hour, but that was simply not realistic with a toddler. So, I made sure that I studied at least one hour per course I was taking per week. I knew which classes needed more attention than others, so I divided my study time based on that. I’m a huge fan of flash cards and writing notes down over and over again to help with memorization.
3. Strive for perfect attendance. I’ll admit. In high school, I missed A LOT of school. I simply did not want to go. I hated it. But I knew that I needed to strive for perfect attendance in college so I wouldn’t miss important details and deadlines for papers, projects, homework, etc. Missing a day in high school is NOT the same as missing a day in college.
4. Eat healthy! I know that most college students are only able to afford and live off of ramen noodles, but I recommend eating at least one healthy meal a day. I found that when I devoured a bag of McDonald’s, my brain was not working as well as it should. My focus was off. When I ate grilled chicken with veggies, I noticed that I was able to study in one spurt rather than getting distracted by anything and everything and Facebook.
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5. Take care of yourself! By purchasing Schick disposable products at Walmart, you can spend less on disposable razors, all while spending more time on yourself. What’s better is that you can buy Schick disposable razors while getting the rest of your school supplies and dorm room essentials!
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick®. The opinions and text are all mine.
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