by Jasmin Lucas
Dear fellow students, allow me to issue you some parting words from a fellow student. I am graduating this semester and thought about all the tips and tricks I have learned throughout the years here at Tri-C. I am a first generation student who knew nothing when I came here and I want to be able to guide any students who may feel just as lost as I did.
Something incredibly important is to know your limits. College classes can be incredibly difficult, so the number of classes you have per semester should be four at max if you’re shooting for full time student status. The few times I have taken five or more college classes have been incredibly stressful, with more work than time. It is so important for you to know how much you can take in terms of class loads, especially if you have to break up your time between working or watching children.
Something else that I believe contributed to me successfully completing school is communication! I am known for constantly emailing professors for every and any questions I have. Your professors are here to help you at Tri-C and I often find myself in smaller class sizes where the professor always check their emails. I used to attend CSU and it was much harder to get a hold of professors – weeks would pass by without email contact and I would often be fighting for attention with other confused students. Tri-C professors are also a very good vantage point if you need help as I have had professors pass on my concerns to the dean or other offices.
Expanding on communication, please consistently meet with an Academic Advisor, a Transfer Center Specialist (if transferring) or both! Allison Morgan at Westshore campus has been my trusted transfer specialist who has always made sure that I am ready for any next steps I need to take. It helps to get someone else’s view on your academics to catch anything that probably fell by the wayside.
I know that being a Tri-C student can be hard and graduating seems almost unattainable but speaking as a student who has petitioned to graduate, you can make it through this! As you can see, my success hinged a lot on having a good support network. Being able to communicate with my professors made classes much easier for me as questions were answered and tended to properly. Being able to meet with someone gave me a familiar face in faculty that I could always depend on to have my best interest in mind.
Your experiences may differ from mine, but looking back on my first semester, I wish someone had been able to tell me just how much these tips could change my experience. Even as I transition to leaving Tri-C, I dearly appreciate all the life lessons I have learned.
