Day 2: Should I Buy Books

So, you decided to stick around for the rest of the semester? Great! You’ve made it through the “syllabus day.” Now it’s time to get started and time to buy books. What, no one told you? Yeah, unlike elementary, middle school, and high school, you have to buy books. No one’s giving them to you and almost all of your instructors will swear that it’s a must that you buy them. Some of them will also share the same name as the author, because, well, they are the author! Yes, they’re lining their pockets, and please don’t allow them to tell you otherwise. Oh, wait, you didn’t consider book costs into your scholarship money, the money you saved up, the money your parent(s) set aside, or the financial aid you planned on spending a certain way? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. No one tells you that books are now one of the hottest commodities at the collegiate level. More bluntly, no one told you that they’d cost so much. Sure, the rhetoric is that education is absolutely necessary and without it, no one in our society succeeds. You may respond by asking yourself – as you stand in line with $400 worth of books – why aren’t my books free if education is a core value of our society…well, this blog can’t answer that question. After all, buying books that you’ll never use for a ridiculous amount of money is the American way! What this blog can tell you is that you have options. Trust me, buying new books is overrated!

So, should you beg, borrow, or steal? Don’t steal! Going to jail makes it difficult to attend class. But, don’t be afraid to beg, well not beg, but ask. You never know who has the useless book that you’ll never open or never use again. There’s certainly no reason lining Professors’ pockets with nothing substantial in return. Borrow, borrow, borrow! If you don’t plan on sticking with this major past this class or past undergrad, the book is pointless. Borrow it from a colleague, a roommate, or a library (yes, they still exist). Save the money! Don’t save the money to buy a bottle of Moet in the club or to get the real Louis V. Save the money. Put it in a savings account for rainy days. Yes, a SAVINGS ACCOUNT. Trust me, nothing runs out faster than college refund money, not even a no-good baby daddy or your favorite color of MAC lip gloss. Trust! So, borrow books if you can, take good notes on scrap paper, and save money for when you’ll really need it.

Review Syllabus: Is College Really For Me?

There are a lot of people out there who will argue that college is THE only way to succeed in this society. While I agree with them, for the most part, I have to begin this post with pure honesty. Not everyone who goes to college makes it in this world and not everyone who makes it in this world went to college. Sure, this may sound like a cop out and may seem like very little help to you, however – and that’s a strong however – college is a decision that MUST be your decision. If you don’t want to make it, you won’t. If you’re only going for the parental units, it’s going to be doubly (two times as) hard. If you are going to enroll and put tens of thousands of dollars on the line, you need to be able to answer the “Is college really for me?” question on your own. All I can say is, if you answer “yes,” then you should be there. College is hard enough when you are sure of yourself; so, you have to be strapped in a ready for the long ride. I hate to paint a picture that makes college seem like the hardest time of your life, but it is rough and there will be times that you want to give up. That’s why you need to be sure, in your heart of hearts, that you are, you want, and you deserve to be here! If not, you may want to try out a Junior College or only take one class before enrolling full-time. Now, I don’t be mean to rude or downplay the legitimacy of attending a Junior College or attending a University part-time. But, these are less expensive ways of “testing the waters.” Trust me, this will save a whole heck-of-a-lot of money. Period. So, do some soul searching, pray, think long and hard, and then come back to SU for Day 2 if you KNOW college is for you. For those that don’t make it back for day two, God bless you on your journey baby, because you can and WILL be a success if you work hard. For those we see at Day 2, it only gets more real from here.

The Semester Begins Today!

Welcome to the first day of classes at Sistahs University! As the Dean of SU, I can guarantee this is not your cliché’, I’m at home, bored out of my mind blog. SU represents a movement that supports the advancement of Black women looking to do more than dream about success. Let’s be honest with ourselves, Black women face a unique set of obstacles in getting into college, making it through the first year, and finishing with the degree. Well, the wait is over and there’s finally a venue for you to find quick tips, ask questions, and get feedback on the behind the scenes issues we face at the next level. Pull up a chair; class is about to start!