Q: I am very serious about my academics. I work very hard and I earn good grades, but I feel like my pockets are becoming very empty. I want to get a job to earn more money, but I don’t want this to interfere with my schoolwork. I really want both a job and good grades, but I just don’t know how I can balance the two.
A: Academics are very important; As a matter of fact, they should come before anything. I understand the wants and needs of the average students and sometimes the money that family and other relatives send is just not enough. You will just need to search for a job that can accommodate your class schedule. Most employers understand that you are a college student and that you can only work certain days, so they are willing to accommodate your schedule. The most important thing to remember when having a job and going to school is knowing how to manage time; setting time out to work and time out to study is very important. You shouldn’t get caught up in working so much that you slack off in your academics.
Q: Being an out-of- state student from Maryland can be very hard at times; I don’t get to go home much; I don’t know many people from where I am from. Sometimes I feel like an outcast. I want to make new friends but I am shy. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Being a college student, period, can be hard. There are thousands of students from various locations who attended Winston-Salem State University. Meeting new people, especially those who you want to become your friends, can also be a challenge, as well as being lonely. WSSU has some clubs and organization particularly for those students who live in the northern states. Maybe you should try to look into these organizations to see how they can help benefit you. I am sure that these organizations have several people with whom you can share common interests. In making new friends, being yourself is the key factor in creating long-term friendships.
Q: I am failing my biology class; but I can’t drop it because I need it to graduate. How can I get help?
A. If you need this class to graduate and are not able to drop it you should try to find a tutor. When your professor passed out the syllabus, he or she probably provided the class with his/her office hours and contact information. Take advantage of these office hours and contact information. Continue to go to class, take notes and study hard. You should ask questions when you do not understand something, continue to visit your professors during office hours, call, and e-mail. Do whatever you can to show the professor that you are trying; show him/her that even though you are failing that you are taking some type of initiative to get the work done. If the professor feels that he/she cannot help you, ask him/her to put you in contact with someone who can.