Making a long-distance relationship work

Long-distance relationships are a reality for many first generation and low income college students, whether you're cities, states, or countries apart from your partner. And it can be hard trying to balance your relationship with the life you lead away from your partner at school.

Photo credit: www.longdistancelover.com

What can you do about it? Here are some tips for you and your hometown honey to keep your long-distance relationship alive:

Talk, don't assume. Never, ever, ever assume that you know what your partner is feeling or that they will get what you are going through. You have to talk openly about these things. Communication is the key to any relationship, but it really becomes your #1 tool in a long-distance one.

Be realistic about your expectations. As with any relationship that undergoes a major change, you can't expect it to be the exact same way it was when you were in the same locale. As you make the adjustment, make sure you and your partner talk about your expectations and be open to adjusting them as needed.

Don't jump to conclusions. In your mind, separate the worst case scenario from the best case scenario and don't put your fears on your partner. Ask questions, seek out more information, and don't make hasty decisions.

Above all, trust your partner. If you are overly concerned that your partner will stray while you're away, you don't trust your partner... and that is no way to maintain a relationship! Sorry to say, but if a lack of trust is an issue that you and your partner can't work through, the relationship is doomed... (And if your mistrust is based on previous bad behavior, well, that's a whole other issue...)

In addition to these tips, our friends over at The Real College Guide posted a great one about long-distance relationships. Check it out!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

My personal story of overcoming academic difficulty

Because preventing and dealing with academic difficulty have been the some of the most popular post to date, I wanted to share my personal story about overcoming being in the academic crapper as a first generation and low income college student:

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After my first quarter at a large public Research I university, I was dangling by a string with a 1.23 GPA. I felt disappointed in myself for such an epic fail. I was ashamed of it and wanted to keep it from my family, whom had I thought had high expectations for me that I did not meet and would never love me again.

I thought I would be kicked out of college immediately. But, I wasn't. I got a letter (they still sent letters back then in 2002!) letting me know that I had one more quarter to get it together before being booted to the proverbial curve. The letter also told me to schedule a meeting with an advisor, so I did.

At that meeting with the advisor, he helped me develop a study plan and set up tutoring. He talked to me about asking for help as soon as I recognized that I could use some extra support. He thought I should talk to my family instead of hiding it from them. He also suggested that I talk to a counselor to deal with my feelings of shame and failure. 

I took his advice to heart. My family was actually very supportive. On top of that, talking to a counselor really helped me to realize some of it was my fault and I could change that. It also showed me that some of it was out of my control, but I could control how I dealt with it. I felt empowered after talking to my family and a counselor.

By sticking to my study plan, going to tutoring, talking to my family, and continuing to talk to a counselor, the next quarter I worked my way up to a 2.7. I made it my goal to prevent being in academic difficulty and stuck to it.

I think about this experience every time I talk to a student about academic difficulty. I can say it was following these steps and these tips that helped me prevent my grades from taking a nose dive for another quarter. It wasn't always easy, but I did it.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

5 ways to save money and still have a social life

I'm sure we've all heard the "poor starving college student" bit before, but it hits a little closer to home for some of us than others. For a lot of low income college students, it can be a fine line between saving your precious money for the necessities and having this social life that you want.

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But, saving money doesn't have to mean you can't have that social life. Here are 5 ways you can hold on to your cash and still have a good time with friends:

1. Meet friends for lunch, not dinner. Lunch is almost always a cheaper option than dinner. If you can suggest a place with great lunch specials.


2. Eat before you go out and order light. If you have a full stomach from stuff you already ate at home, you're less likely to splurge on food and drinks when you go out. And when you do order, stick to ordering water instead of a soda or other drink and consider getting an appetizer, side dish, salad, or dessert only as your entree.

3. Offer to be the DD. If alcohol is going to be involved in a night of going out, offer to be the designated sober driver. You'll save money by not buying drinks and your party-hearty friends will love you. Some bars will even give the DD free non-alcoholic drinks! Don't have a car? Offer to drive someone else's car for the night.

4. Fake it. Instead of ordering a $6 cocktail, order a cheaper soft drink or virgin option that still looks like it could be an alcoholic beverage. A Roy Rogers (cherry Coke) is a good option. You can also ask for a glass of water.

5. Stay in instead. A social life doesn't always mean going out. Try hosting a small get together like a potluck or movie night rather than going out.

See, saving money is not the end of fun! If you party hard, party safely--and save a few buck in the process.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

You are not crazy if...

...you go to a counselor, psychologist, or other professional to help you deal with things in your life. Repeat, you are not crazy!

For first generation and low income college students--as well as for students of color--there tends to be a negative stigma about seeing a mental health professional. I think this comes from assumptions in our communities like counseling is only for the weak or therapy is for rich people. But, don't buy into this hype!

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Personally, I've found professional counseling to be very, very helpful on more than one occasion in my life. And I'm not crazy. In fact, I think the sanest thing you can do is to admit that you need some extra support and it shows strength--not weakness--to seek that out. On top of that, counseling or therapy has the advantage of being somewhat removed from your life, enough to offer an unbiased and objective outlet for you to express yourself and work through things.

Our friend Steven over at The Emotion Machine wrote about the social stigma of getting help and makes some great points about not feeling ashamed about it. I think he said it best:

"Seeking extra advice from experts, through counseling or coaching, should be seen as a legitimate form of improving our quality of life... there is always room for improvement, and seeking improvement should never be something we are ashamed of."

So, show your strength by seeking improvement because you are not crazy.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

4 tips for dealing with academic difficulty

We've talked about preventing academic difficulty, but the ugly truth is that as first generation and low income college students are more likely to find themselves in the academic crapper at one time or another. So what do you do if you find yourself in academic difficulty?

1. Be reflective. Think long and hard about why you think you're not meeting your academic goals and plan to address those reasons. Are you procrastinating? Is your study plan not working so well? Are your relationships interfering with school? Whatever is going on in your life, if you can manage it, take control of it. If you can't control the issue, seek out resources to help you rise to the challenge. (Side note: Wow, almost gratuitous back links... almost...)

2. Talk to your professors. Ask for their help and advice. Professors tend to appreciate students that care enough about their education to seek out help. You can also try asking them to make reasonable accommodations, such as extending the deadline of an assignment or offering extra credit. But be prepared to not to have any accommodations made for you. Either way, thank your professors for hearing you out.

3. Talk to someone. Do NOT try to handle it all on your own, you don't have to and you shouldn't for your own well being. Instead, go and talk to a trusted friend, an advisor, a peer advisor, or even a professional counselor. Talking about it will help you deal with it.

4. Deal with your feelings. In addition to talking about it, make sure to address how you are feeling about your situation. You might be scared of disappointing yourself and others, you might feel ashamed, you might feel like a failure. No matter how you are feeling, you have to be aware of it and make a plan to deal with it.

In addition to taking steps to prevent further trouble, taking these 4 steps can help you work your way out of academic difficulty if you find yourself there.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Rise to the challenge

I know I suggested that you hold no expectations of college as a first generation or low income college student, but I still assume you expect college to be challenging. I'll cave and admit that, yes, you should expect college to be a personal, social, and intellectual challenge-and that's part of what makes college awesome.

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But, challenging and too difficult are two different things. Challenging means that it pushes you to places you never imagined. It gets you to think in new ways and try new things, and you learn from it. On the other hand, if something is too difficult to manage, you don't have the resources and support to overcome the obstacle. You don't really learn from taking on something that is too difficult for you.

As a first generation or low income college student, you will undoubtedly face your share of challenges, and may even come across something that is too difficult at the time. The key to turning a difficult task into a manageable challenge is having the resources and support to do so.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

3 steps to find a specialty area within your major

In the comments of yesterday's post about choosing a major, a reader writes:

I already have a major, life science, but I have to pick a emphasis like ecology or physiology. I don't know how to pick my emphasis tho. What do you think? 

As first generation and low income college students, s=choosing an emphasis, specialty, track, plan, or whatever it is called at your school can be more difficult than picking a major itself. So how do you go about it?

1. Introduce yourself. Take a few of your required intro classes and pay attention to the specific areas being covered. For example, if you take an "Introduction to Life Sciences" class, you will probably be introduced to various areas such as biology, genetics, or zoology. If one of those areas sparks your interest, take a class focusing on that area to get a better idea about it.

2. Leave your happy place behind. Think about what you don't want to do and what you're not good at specific to your major.If you're a big picture thinker,

3. Talk to the experts. Visit the office hours of a couple of professors in your major to ask them about their specialty area. Professors love to talk about their favorite aspects of their field and they can help point you in the right direction to choose your emphasis.

Taking these 3 steps can help you find your specialty area within your major. Happy hunting!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

5 tips for choosing a major

Whenever you meet someone new in college, "What's your major?" is one of the first questions you will be asked. This happens because your major will be your academic focus area and part of your identity as a first generation and low income college student... and people are just plain curious about it.

Photo credit: www.studentscholarships.org

If you aren't sure what your major should be or are thinking about changing it, you're not alone. The average college student changes majors around 5 times, whether officially or just in their mind. Here are 5 tips if you are considering exploring majors:

1. Think ahead. Think about what kind of career(s) you are interested in and find out what kinds of majors help prepare you for that career(s). Some jobs don’t require a specific major and others do, so this might be a factor in what major you choose. If you're not sure what career(s) peak your interest, visit your campus' career center.

2. Read all about it. Check out the general catalog for your school to find out what different majors require and read the course descriptions for the required classes. If the majority of required classes sound interesting, it may be the major for you.

3. Shop around. Take classes that sound interesting to you, but make sure that you talk to an on-campus advisor first so that you are in an appropriate class.

4. Put a smile on your face. Think about what makes you happy and what you're good at. These might be good cues as to what a good match for you is.

5. Do some research. Double check with an advisor at your campus about the rules, procedures, and restrictions of declaring or changing your major.

After you've taken these steps, you may have found the right major when you can answer the question “Why is that your major?” without the answer involving making boatloads of money, other people’s expectations, or plain ol’ “I don’t know."

Got more specific needs? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Check your spam folder, too!

Hopefully, my dear first generation and low income college students, you are already in the habit of checking your campus email everyday. Well, now I'm going to suggest you take that itty bitty little daily habit one step further.... Check your spam folder too! 

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Sometimes campus stuff will get filtered to your spam folder, even important stuff. Like really important stuff. This is especially true of it's a mass message to a lot of students and your spam folder settings are strict.

Don't let something really, really important fall through the cracks even though you are checking your email everyday because you didn't bother to scope out your spam folder.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

5 students advisors hate

You know professors hate certain things from students... Well, we advisors have our pet peeves, too. Excuse me for a moment while I vent a little about it. These are the 5 students that drive advisors (like me) crazy:

The Know-It-All: This is the student that comes in believing he or she has all the answers already. He or she will be open to advising, but always value their own opinion over all others. Really, the Know-It-Alls just wants the advisor to affirm their know-it-all-ness. For the record, advisors are professional know-it-alls, so pay attention and learn some pointers.

The Overachiever/Clinger: This student can really deceive an advisor at first. The Overachiever/Clinger soaks in all the advice you give them and advisors love that. But then the Overachiever/Clinger does too much soaking in and seems to do everything you tell them to please you, not because it is good advice. The Overachiever/Clinger can be kind of scary.

The Wishy-Washy Student: This is the student that wants to do everything, but tries nothing. They are indecisive but super interested in way too many things. They have no focus, but don't try any suggestions from advisors to find focus. Until they try something, they are destined to do nothing.

The Hater: This is the annoying student who shuts down every suggestion or recommendation advisors try to offer. In other words, the Hater is not actually open to the advising process. Um, if you don't want to hear advice, why did you go see an advisor? Come back when you are willing to participate in the process.

The Baby: This is the student that wants you to do everything for him or her rather than doing it for him- or herself. In essence, the Babies takes no responsibility for their own actions. They act like their helpless, but hello, you are in college. Please just act like an adult!

If you are one of these annoying types that make advisors want to claw their own eyes out, please stop immediately. These types of behaviors tend to pop up in other places in your life too, and they will get you nowhere fast.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Take a nap

On my road trip this weekend, I was reminded about one awesome thing I discovered as a first generation and low income college student: Naps are not just for little kids.

Naps are necessary on long road trips and, in fact, make a huge comeback in college for most folks. Seriously, they do. Naps are pure awesomeness, no joke.

Photo credit: http://www.nytimes.com

I was a fan of napping in college and routinely recommend it to my students. Here are some tips to keep in mind for proper napping:

Timing is everything: A good nap should only be 20-30 minutes, so set an alarm. Anything more than 30 minutes or so is a mini-sleep, not a nap, which can actually make you feel more tired.

Be comfy: Make sure you have a good, comfortable napping environment. Quiet and dark are typically best. If possible, make sure you are dressed comfortably too.

Plan for it: Scheduling naps can be helpful and make you more productive. You can also make sure you don't nap too closely to your regular bedtime and mess up your regular sleep schedule.

Check out the National Sleep Foundation for more information about napping and get some sleep. Good night.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Have a great weekend!

The Advisor (yeah, I'm talking about myself in the third person...) is going on a road trip this weekend to watch a local band rock out in Hollywood! While it is good news for me to be going on said road trip, the bad news for you is no new posts 'til Sunday or Monday.

Feel free to ask a question over the weekend, and I'll get to it when I get back.

Hopefully you are using this weekend to do some studying, some fun stuff, some socializing, and some relaxing. Minus the studying, that is my plan... Maybe there will be a lesson from my (mis)adventures this weekend... Maybe not...

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Managing great expectations

As a first generation college student, you don't have family to rely on when it comes to what to expect from college... so how do you know what to expect for this semester or quarter if you are a new college student?

The easy answer is don't expect anything! 

That means to be open-minded about what college will be like. The good thing about keeping an open mind about your college experience is that you have nothing to live up to and nothing to be disappointed in. Just take it as it comes.

Regardless of what you do or do not expect, you get what you put into it when it comes to your college experience. So just keep an open mind and be willing to seek out and use resources when something blows your open mind, and you'll be in good shape to start with.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

6 ways to prevent academic difficulty

Like procrastination, just the thought of being in academic difficulty (my nice way of saying "being at risk of failing out of college") brings up feelings of inadequacy, anxiousness, and guilt for most first generation and low income college students.To ward off these feelings, the best thing you can do is be proactive to prevent being in academic difficulty.

Here are 6 ways you can prevent academic difficulty:

Talk to an on-campus advisor. It's time to realize that this is going to be one of my broken record rants. You absolutely have to talk to someone on your campus for the campus-specific information you need to prevent academic difficulty.

Go to office hours. This is going to be another of my broken record rants. Talking to your professor about the class material and assignments is one of the easiest ways to prevent academic difficulty. It gives you have the opportunity to ask questions and get intimate with the material. Don't waste this chance.

Ask for help as soon as possible. I know it can be tough for first generation and low income college students to ask for help, but you have to do it to prevent academic difficulty. I hate asking for help, but if I can suck it up and ask, you can too! And because you've been taking your butt to office hours regularly, it should be easier to ask your professor for their advice to get additional support.

Set up a study plan. Don't just study when you feel like it, actually plan ahead when, where, and what you are going to do study. But, if your study plan is not working for your, think about your study habits and plan and consider changing them if needed. You might also want to plan for extra study time on the things you are struggling most with. And remember, trial and error is ok.

Form study groups. Consider this an extension of your study plan. At the start of the semester or quarter, ask your professor if you can make an announcement in front of class and pitch your study group. Or pass around a sheet of paper as a sign up list. Take it to Facebook or use your class email listserv to get a group started. Chances are you are not the only one wanting to study together.

Get a tutor, if available. This is yet another extension of your study plan. If your campus offers free or cheap tutoring, always try to sign up before you think you'll need it. If they don't offer tutoring for the class that you need, check with the department for tutoring options. (I wouldn't recommend paying for tutoring unless you absolutely can afford it and can't get it any other way.)

There is no magic pill you can take to prevent academic difficulty, but these 6 steps are not insane. In fact they can help you have a great day--then week, quarter or semester, and year--of academic achievement.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Check your campus email

As a first generation or low income college student there might be some unspoken campus expectations that you may not be aware of, but knowing them will be a key to your success. One of those keys is to check your campus email EVERYDAY.

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Yes, EVERYDAY. Just get into the habit of it. If you have a non-campus email address that you prefer, have your campus email forwarded to it and check that one everyday (if you don't already).

Why everyday? Because you never know when something that requires your prompt attention will show up in your inbox. You really don't!

True story time: A student was sent an email on a Friday notifying her that she was going to be dropped from all of her classes on Monday because her tuition payment had bounced. She went to her classes on Monday and Tuesday and finally checked her email on Wednesday. When she tried to take care of it all on Wednesday based on the instructions in the email, she was not able to re-register for her classes because they were now full. She was forced to change her schedule drastically, which interfered with her childcare plans and work schedule. Had she checked her email on Friday, she would have been able to keep her original schedule.

The moral of the story, is check your campus email EVERYDAY.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Procrastination is like...

...masturbation because in the end, you're just screwing yourself. (Insert immature giggle. Go ahead, it's okay to laugh...) This is a little (or a lot) crass, but I will straight up tell first generation and low income college students this because sometimes you just need to hear the unfiltered truth to get your butt back in gear.

And, in addition to screwing yourself, procrastinating also tends to make you feel some combination of lazy, inadequate, anxious, just plain stupid, and/or straight up guilty for screwing yourself... which makes you not want to do whatever it is you're avoiding, and so the vicious cycle continues. For first generation and low income college students, it can be intensified because success in college tends to be tied to family pride and maintaining grades to keep financial aid and scholarships. So, what can you do about it?

Here is how you can stop screwing yourself (aka deal with procrastinating):

First, ask yourself why you are procrastinating? Whatever it is you're avoiding, why don't you want to do it? Do you not value it, don't know how to do it, or don't have what you need to do it? Once you know why you are trying not to do something, you can address that issue and deal with it.

Next, create a plan to get done whatever it is you're avoiding. Break it up into smaller, more manageable tasks. And for each small task you accomplish, plan to celebrate it or reward yourself in an appropriate way, like reading your favorite blog (hint, hint!) or eating a piece of candy.

I know, I know, it's easier said than done, but overcoming procrastination is not just a college survival skill, it's a life skill!

For more on procrastination and not falling into the screw-yourself trap, the Counseling Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has some great information about it.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Things professors love

We talked about what professors hate, but what do they love to see from students? You might not know as a first generation or low income college student, so here's some things that melt professors' academic-loving heartstrings:

• Visiting professors during office hours.

I am a HUGE fan of steering students to office hours. Remember, it was one of the ways you can start the academic year of right. It's also one way to take some initiative and be proactive about your own education, which brings me to our next professor love...

• Asking for help more than a day before a test or an assignment due date.

Professors love students that recognize they might need some help or additional support, and ask for it! This is the adult way to show that you are taking responsibility for your own education.

• Reading the assigned readings and actively participating in class discussions.

Professors love a well-prepared student who is engaged in any discussions. It shows that you care about the class and are interested in the content. You can only fully participate in class by being prepared, and that means preparing yourself before class.

• Asking good questions during class.

This is yet another way you can show your professors that you are engaged in class and that you are thinking about the material. But, it is a fine balance between asking good questions and annoying your professors by asking too many or irrelevant questions. If you have a lot of good questions, office hours might be a better place than class if you've got more than, say, 5 questions or so.

With this list, you are sure to make a good impression on your professors. More importantly, you are sure to set yourself up to do well in class!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Things professors hate

As first generation and low income college students, you might not know what to expect from professors. Well, professors are human, and they have pet peeves just like everyone else. If you are doing any of the following bad behaviors, please, please, PLEASE, stop them immediately. These are things that professors hate, usually with a burning passion... and you don't want to have a burning passion of hate aimed at you, do you? (If your answer is yes, we need to talk!)

And now, the hate list:

• Asking "Is that going to be on the test?" or "Is that important?" 

Um, really? Just assume that everything that is covered in class and in textbooks is important and will be tested in some way. Asking this question shows that you are a minimalist trying to get away with doing as little as possible. Don't be a minimalist!

• Asking "How many pages do you want this paper to be?"

Chances are that the answer is in the syllabus anyway. Again, this is a question by a minimalist...

• Coming to class late or leaving early all the time.

Trust me, professors notice this sort of thing. If you must come to class late or leave early, let you professor know beforehand, apologize profusely, and sit close to an exit. Don't make a habit of it.

• Making excuses for your performance.

Remember, you're an adult. Act like it and admit when you're in the wrong. And, most importantly, work to correct it.

• Poor email etiquette. 

This means having too many typos, emailing your professors at the last minute, expecting immediate responses, and being overly casual in your emails. Although emails feel casual, think of them as professional correspondence, so spell check it, give your professor an appropriate amount of time to respond, and keep it professional.

• Eating noisy and smelly food during class.

Professors realize that sometimes you have to eat in class. It's a fact of life, just don't advertise it. Just say no to chips, pretzels, fish, or anything else that others can hear or smell. And this includes the packaging.

Like all the lists that I put together, this is by no means an exhaustive list of professor pet peeves. Some will hate more and some will hate less. Just act like an adult and be courteous and respectful, and you should be just fine.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Getting involved on campus... as a commuter student

Woo hoo, a student out there asked Ask an Advisor my first question today!

A reader writes:

"Hi. I'm a commuter student at a school with a lot going on on campus. I wanna be more active at school. Any tips on getting more involved?"

This is a great question! Quite a few first generation and low income college students are commuter students because it is often cheaper to live at home with family and commute to campus, so I suspect there are a lot of folks out there wondering the same thing...

First off, don't think of campus activities as the only way to feel like you're apart of campus life. Eat meals on campus (even if that just means brown-bagging it). Make friends with folks that live on-campus and visit the residence halls every now and then. Find a place to study on campus beside the library. Use campus computer labs. Attend sporting and performing arts events. Doing these things in addition to campus activities will help you feel more integrated into the fabric of campus life.

That being said, a lot of campus activities will be advertised heavily to students living on-campus and can make off-campus or commuter students feel left out. So what can you do?

Do not, repeat DO NOT, only come to campus for class and then leave. This is probably the number one way that commuter students shoot themselves in the foot, and surely you don't want to do that! I assume that not only do you value your foot, but it would be much more difficult to commute and get involved on campus with a self-inflicted injury...

To get involved on campus, you first have to figure out what is available at your school. Look into community service, intramural sports, student organizations, campus recreation, Greek life (fraternities and sororities), student government, research, on-campus employment, and internships. Check out your school's website and pay a visit to the student activities center if your school has one to get this information. Look out for transfer, re-entry, and commuter student services also.

Now that you know what's out there, here are two ways to go about it. 1. You can get into activities that fit into your current schedule or 2. You can adjust your schedule to get more involved with activities. Either way, the more flexible you are the more likely you are to keep something up and stay involved.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Be on the lookout

Your campus might have programs and services specifically designed for first generation and low income college students, you just have to find them if they are available. Here are some of the most common and well-known programs:

• Educational Opporunity Program (EOP)
• Federal TRiO Programs
• Student Support Services (SSS)
• Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Scholars Program)
• Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)

Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive! Your campus might have a different name for these programs or have different programs with similar services.

Once you know what programs your campus offers, find out about the eligibility requirements and application processes and apply. And if you apply and but there is not enough space in the program or you don't meet the eligibility requirements, don't fret. Chances are that even if you are not in one of these programs, the staff can steer you in the right direction to other campus resources.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Trial and error is ok

When it comes to studying and otherwise maintaining a balance between study time and fun time, it can be tricky for first generation and low income college students. Although I suggest some cookie cutter study tips, these tips are not the end-all-be-all. Maybe highlighting your notes from class doesn't work for you because you learn better from hearing the material. If this is you, maybe recording lectures and listening to them while you review your notes is a better idea.

Maybe studying at the library is not your scene, but a coffee shop, park, or a campus center is more conducive to studying for you. You won't know until you try it.

Photo credit: www.royshaff.wordpress.com

Ultimately, you have to figure out what works best for you as an individual. This might require a little trial and error on your part, but the effort is definitely worth it. When something isn't working, tweak it or try something else.

Not sure what tweaks to make or what to try next? Ask me or an on-campus advisor about it!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Go to class! Part 2

For the first generation and low income college students who decided something else was more important than your college education and ditched class recently, check out the Should I Skip to Class? Calculator.

Photo credit: www.skipclasscalculator.com

If you make your way to this calculator and answer its 10 questions, it's supposed to estimate whether or not missing class is a good idea. And if aren't sure how to answer some of the questions, that should tell you to take your butt to class... After you answer the 10 questions, the calculator pops out a message like this:

"You MUST GO to class.

Not only is your mother going to be mad if you skip this class, but your prof might actually enjoy flunking you!

By the way, you have already skipped 20% of this semester's classes. Your next test or quiz is 7 days away."

I find this calculator kind of sad and funny, but enlightening at the same time. Either way, missing class is no laughing matter. I'm not the only one that thinks you should go to class!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Learning from lap dancers...

Our friends over at Higher Ed Morning couldn't resist posting about a recent study that says that 1 in 4 exotic dancers has a college degree!

Photo credit; www.t-shirtforums.com

While this is interesting at best and a little disheartening at worst on its face, there is a valuable lesson for you as first generation and low income college students here (and it is completely unrelated to the stripping, sorry): Always look a little deeper into so-called research.

In college, you will be bombarded with lots of new information. You need to be cautious about what you are learning, so don't take everything at face value. Learning to critically evaluate information is a very necessary skill in adjusting to and surviving college.

When you look a little deeper at the stripper study, for example, only 300 women in the United Kingdom participated in the study. From this, you can't exactly assume that 1 in 4 of all exotic dancers everywhere has a college degree. So, thank you UK strippers for teaching us that we can't believe everything we read or hear.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Resource scavenger hunt

Accessing resources will be one of the key things to your success as a first generation or low income college student. One way to become familiar with the resources available on your campus is to do a do-it-yourself resource scavenger hunt.

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Start off by scouring your campus' website for student services, things like academic advising, financial aid, multicultural student centers, campus housing, career services, counseling, and tutoring, just to name a few. Print out the information you need to find these resources on campus and go visit them--even if you think its something you'll never need.

Yes, I said pay resources a visit even if you think you will never need to use it because you never really know. For example, you might think you don't need to visit a tutoring center because you're doing well in your classes so far. But, will you feel that same way later in the semester when that "easy" class starts getting harder or when you start taking more difficult classes next year? You need to think like a Boy Scout and always be prepared.

You might even be able to steer a friend with questions in the right direction with your awesome knowledge of campus resources, so get to know your resources!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Read textbooks BEOFRE class

After yesterday's study tips courtesy of College Lifestyles, I thought about one more very important piece of advice that a very wise man once gave me and a bunch of other first generation and low income college students during a summer bridge program that I attended before starting college: Read your textbooks before class.

Photo credit: www.darton.edu/

Chances are in high school and even at community college if you are/were a transfer student that you could get away with reading the chapters from the textbooks covered in class after class. Change this (bad) study habit immediately! The syllabus should lay out what chapters are being covered when, so plan accordingly and read before class.

There are some awesome advantages of reading before class--and some professors will expect you to anyway, even if they don't say it or it's not clear from their syllabus. First, you will already have a familiarity with the material when your professor goes over it in class. This means you won't feel so lost and confused if you you had questions and it gives you the chance to ask those questions while it's still fresh in your mind. (If you didn't think of any questions during class, but have them later on, go to your professor's office hours!)

Reading before class also helps you build a road map for your notes because you already know what to expect. You might be able to pick up on the important concepts and key words already, and now you know what to look and listen for. So now go be productive and have a great day of academic achievement while you are reading before class.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

It's study time

Earlier this week, I talked about three ways to start the academic year off on the right foot as a first generation or low income college student. One of those things you can do is to plan your semester or quarter to balance study time and play time...

Check out our friends over at College Lifestyles for a great set of study tips!

Photo credit: www.musthavemenus.com

 Have a great day if academic achievement!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Get your family on board

For first generation and low income college students, families may play a big role in students' success. However, families don't always know how to play that supporting role. It may fall on you as a student to work with your family to help them learn about that role.

Photo credit: www.themoderndaypirates.com

If you are a first generation college student, your family doesn't have the personal experience to help you with college that same way someone with a family history of college-going would have. If you are a low income college student, your family might not understand the actual costs of college, budgeting for a college student, and the financial aid process.

So, what can you do about it? You can talk about it with your family.

Tell them what your daily schedule is like, how many classes you are expected to take, what financial aid paper work you have to fill out and when it is due. (And if you don't know this stuff, talk to an advisor at your campus!) Tell them as much as you can to paint a picture of the college experience. Ask them about how your college experience is affecting them. Encourage them to ask you questions rather than make assumptions and agree to do the same.

These conversations won't always be easy--and depending on your family might be quite challenging--but you have to have them. And notice I said "conversations" with an emphasis on the plural "s," because keeping the lines of communications open is key to managing family expectations and getting their support.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Go to class!

If you do not live at home and commute to school, chances are that now that you're in college you will have freedom like you've never had before... Like the freedom to sleep in and not go to class when you don't feel like it. Resist this urge and go to class!

Photo credit: http://www.ct.gov/

As a first generation and low income college student, think about being a student as your full-time job (even if you have another job). So going to class should be a priority of yours. Even if you see your friends and peers not going to class, resist following their bad example.

Think about it this way, if you are taking out loans and working to pay for college, you should get your money's worth. If you have grants and scholarships (aka free money) to pay for college, don't waste the opportunity by not going to class. And if your scholarships require you to keep up a certain grade point average (GPA), going to class is the first step to help maintain your GPA. So go to class and have a great day of academic achievement while you're there.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

3 Ways to Start the Academic Year Off Right

If you've just started or are about to start the academic year, now is the time to set yourself up to do well. As a first generation or low income college student, this is especially true.

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 Here are three things you can do help you have a successful academic year:

1. Meet with an on-campus advisor. At the beginning of every academic year, you should meet with someone on your campus to talk about your academic plan. Talk about what classes need to take to meet your requirements. Talk about what a reasonable amount of classes to take is. Set specific goals for the academic year, like finding an internship related to your major. Ask about campus resources that will help you achieve those goal--and actually use those resources.

2. Plan your semester or quarter. After you have attended all of your classes for the first time and have gotten a syllabus for each of them, plot out when all of your assignments are due and when your tests are. Pay attention to when you have a lot going on and when you have less stuff due. Use this to plan your study time and fun time for the semester or quarter.

3. Go to your professors' office hours. Professors hold office hours to be available to students. One of the biggest complaints from professors is that students don't go their office hours, and when they do go it is often too late. Don't wait until you have a problem or a bunch of questions to talk to your professors. When you visit professors at the beginning of the academic year, introduce yourself and let them know what interests you about their class. Ask if they have any advice about being successful in their class, ask them about their research or academic interests. Establishing a relationship with your professors early on can lead the way to things like internships and research opportunities (you want these types of opportunities!).

In my experience working with first generation and low income college students, taking these three steps really can make the difference between having a not-so-good year and a good year. Here's to you having a good year.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Introducing Ask an Advisor!

I am an advisor who has worked with first generation and low income college students for more than five years and was a first generation and low income college student myself.

Who are first generation and low income college students, you ask? First generation college students are folks whose parents did not go to college. Low income college students are students from families with less financial means. And first generation and low income college students tend to have a tougher time in college and are more likely to drop out.

The goal of this blog is to provide a resource to support first generation and low income college students. If you're interested in knowing how to access resources, manage family expectations, balance your responsibilities, or have any questions about being a first generation and low income college student, please ask away!