I hope the first couple weeks of the semester were amazing. I have noticed the vast amount of new faces and excitement in some students as they pass by one another to find their classrooms. It brings back memories of when I first started. Finding classes became a piece of cake after the second day. I hope everyone is buckled in and ready as new opportunities begin to emerge.

One thing that I realized, as I am finishing my journey here, is that I have yet to attend any sporting events. I have tons of great stories from many of the other activities that are held here, but none of being up by two with only a few seconds left in a game. I am disappointed that it took me this long to realize my love for this school and wanting to take part in cheering on fellow classmates, which is why I must share everything I can about SSC’s talented sports teams.

SSC is home to seven teams: men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and softball. The soccer teams have already begun their seasons and the first home match for volleyball is quickly approaching. To keep up to date with what teams are playing and when/where their games will be held, check here: http://www.ssc.edu/calendar/2017-09/ and make plans to attend. The cost for sporting events are as follows: adults $5, seniors and students $3, and children 10 and under are free. Just remember, students must bring their IDs to prove that they are actually enrolled at SSC for the discount! For any other information about SSC’s teams, please visit: http://www.ssc.edu/services/student-services/student-life/athletics/.

If you miss any of the action from the sporting events, don’t forget to watch Noah Nowicki as he gives us the highlights on “Home Game Heroes”. Here is a link with his previous recaps: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACSRwWBQgt99AU4vSj64rdHTSUXaeids. If you are interested in getting involved with helping Noah on the “Home Game Heroes” crew, do not hesitate to e-mail 360@ssc.edu. There’s a women’s soccer game against the Trinity Christian College JV team at home (Bulldog Stadium at the south end of the main campus) this evening at 4 PM. Come out to support our Lady Bulldogs and converse with fellow classmates!

As summer marches on, the excitement of returning to or starting college begins. It’s never an easy transition, and trying to ignore the calendar and clock heightens anxiety. What else can one do? My advice is to get a head start on making sure that you are fully prepared. Books and supplies are the first things on my agenda. I try to purchase at least one notebook for each class. For example, I have decided to take Environmental Biology, which includes a lab. I’ve thought about purchasing a binder, one subject notebook, and loose leaf paper, but then figured why not get a two or three subject notebook to keep things a bit more organized and not so heavy to carry in my book bag. On a side note, do not let those amazing looking notebook covers lure you into a purchase. The paper quality and manufacture of them is usually poor, and you will be looking for another one before you even hit the middle of the school year.

Next thing is book purchasing. I’m sure many of us have taken the time to look at the book listing for the fall by now. If not, you can follow the link http://www.ssc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Fall2017_06292017.pdf and take note of book titles and how much they cost. The one thing I know we can all agree on are the prices. Whether it is out of pocket or financial aid, everyone dislikes watching the total appear at the register. One thing that I have tried my best to do is to put away money from paychecks so when this time rolls around, I can take the sku number and find a book renter online. I would suggest to purchase or rent as soon as you can. You will be able to get the cheapest prices and also not be in limbo a week after classes have begun. Many of the places I have used to rent books allow you to write or highlight in them. Being able to pay twenty dollars instead of one hundred and eighty is a life saver. There will be times when you need to purchase from the SSC bookstore, but not having to purchase them all and renting instead will help cut cost down.

The first days are going to be stressful and it might not be what you thought. That is why this first week of class is the most important and needs to be taken pretty seriously for everyone, no matter how you are paying. This week is the only time that one can drop a class and be issued a refund. That info is located here: http://www.ssc.edu/event/last-day-refund-period-1st-8-16-week-fall-2017-college-credit-classes/ . After the date that is listed in the link, one can only do a withdrawal without a refund. This info can be found here: http://www.ssc.edu/event/withdrawal-period-begins-fall-2017-8-week-16-week-classes/ .

If any of this sounds a bit confusing, that is okay. Students are more than welcome to make an appointment with a counselor to help guide in choices. They even help make plans for how students can pursue their college education. I would definitely encourage everyone to stop by and check in on where you are at for requirements in your degree. This link will take you straight to the counseling center page to guide you in the right direction: http://www.ssc.edu/services/student-services/counseling-center/ .

Not ready to accept the fact that all this should be done? I understand. There is still time to have one final vacation before you need to buckle down. Plan a staycation downtown, head to the beaches and take in the sun a few more times, or take that road trip that you’ve been dying to do. As the days are now at single digits until we return, I wish everyone a happy beginning or welcome back. I hope that everything goes well and that SSC offers you everything you’ve been looking for. Just remember that no matter how you feel about returning or starting here at South Suburban College, everything will be okay. YOU BELONG HERE.

In case you forgot about my last post, I shared how I stay on track by using my SSC Portal, but there are also a lot of people in my life that help me stay focused.

For starters, I have to acknowledge my amazing family. We are always there for each other, and that is why a lot of decisions I make are always made with my family in mind. I may seem old fashioned, but I never want a wrong mistake to define my family. Like any family, we fight, bicker, laugh, cry, and sometimes push away from each other. In the end, we know that no matter what happens, we will always be there for one another. The one point I always keep in my mind are the words my mother tells me daily, “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” and “It will happen when the time is right.” I can honestly say that there is no place like home.

The next group is tricky to pin-point since I have had my share of excellent professors over the years. But as I returned to South Suburban College, I admired the dedication of two women and a gentleman who went above and beyond their calling as teachers.

Dr. Nancy Mulvihill – I still remember the very first day of Abnormal Psychology and how I didn’t want to speak. There was no reason behind this. I just don’t warm up to people that quickly. I began to pick up on her love of movies with each quote she used while teaching, and I knew, from that moment, I was going to enjoy being her student. As the weeks progressed, I began to confide in her, and once she found out about my hardships that year in school, she made them her own.

Another professor that I would like to thank is Bobbie Saltzman – the best drama teacher that I know. Within a year, I broke out of my shell and found the stage to be a new home. My voice became louder, and I was no longer afraid of speaking my mind. Tasks that I found impossible were no longer scary. Since then, I have found it easier to socialize in school. Bobbie already knows how much she means to me, but how she changed my life is far more than words can say.

I have had my share of wonderful encounters while I’ve been a student at SSC, but one area of the college has helped expand my knowledge a great deal. I would like to thank everyone in Communications Services. I started off wanting to be a Bulldog Bites host and became a student worker for them. It has been a whirlwind of excitement. Just from the interview, I knew this place was going to be a turning point for myself. From taking photos, attending events, and even writing this blog, I feel like I found a place where I belong, and the support everyone has shown pushes me to strive harder every day.

For me, I have changed a lot of the ways I handle situations in life, and I have this long-lasting advice from John Geraci, a communications professor, whose classes I have had the pleasure of taking. We recently spoke, and I shared how I failed a class of his in the past. He was taken back, but told me that if I were to take it again, there was not a doubt that I would pass. Just to have him tell me that we all make mistakes in life and to reassure me that I was a smart woman was comforting. I hadn’t seen him since 2008, and to somehow make an impression on him means that it had to have been positive (I hope!).

The main idea is to surround yourself with positivity and never tell yourself that you can’t. Everyone is capable of extraordinary things, and it takes time to conquer all the obstacles. I guess my mom was right. It does happen when the time is right.

I am going to share a few helpful tips on how to stay on track with your goals in the next two blog entries. I know that I am still young and have hardly experienced life to be giving advice, but I can communicate what I have found to be useful. I also hope that someone can take away a piece of my advice and use it for their own situations. By exploring the MySSC Portal, I was able to establish my safety net at South Suburban College.

By taking the time to actually look into my SSC portal, I found some very useful tools to help keep me on track. The ACADEMIC PLANNING section, which appears under the WebAdvisor Self-Service Menu, is one of the most important sections that I strongly urge everyone to take a look at! Making a list of my future classes has made each registration less complicated. In a strange way, I felt like I had something in order in my life for once.

The first tool I used was the PROGRAM EVALUATION, located under the ACADEMIC PLANNING section. It will lay out everything that you have taken and the classes you are currently enrolled in. This will also breakdown what areas have yet to be completed.

I made sure to print out a copy for my personal record, so I can keep track of what I need to register for the upcoming semesters. Just a heads up, if you previously failed a class, it will also let you know if it has any impact on your GPA. Let me just say that I had an upsetting wake-up call looking back at grades, so this has been an enormous reason on wanting to stay focused.

Now is the time to dive into the PLAN COURSES section! There is a total of eight clickable links, but the one I focus on is the Create/Add to Worksheet.

This is the area where you can build your own plan of what you will need to complete your degree, and how many credits each will be worth. Personally, I spent more than two hours researching classes and putting together a plan.

Another quick note, just because you create a plan, it does not mean that it is set in stone. You can modify your list of any or all courses until you are satisfied. I often find myself going back to make sure I still feel content with my choices. I am highly aware that a planned out worksheet of future classes does not guarantee that someone will remain on track. However, these are tiny steps I’ve taken to stay on my course. I am sure that everyone has their own plan, and I would love to hear about how you select classes. Don’t be afraid to stop me in the hallway and share your story!

“May your choices reflect you HOPES, not your fears.”

-Nelson Mandela

My previous post mentioned the driving forces that have helped me reach this point in my life, but I have yet to share what helps me each and every morning. I would like to share with everyone my vision mirror:

I was told by one of best friends, Sabrina Jones, that I should start my year off by creating a vision board of the things I would like to accomplish. I could only think of the basics, like eating better, staying fit, and take care of my health. After juggling with this idea of the board, it finally hit me. The main vision I have for myself was graduation. Of course, the other ideas followed behind, but my mind has been set on earning my degree for a long time.

The only issue now – I didn’t have enough ideas or photos to fill an entire poster board. The only magazines that ever came through the mail were Better Home, Seventeen, Momentum, Women’s Health and Elle. We still have no idea how Elle started arriving (insert spooky noises). And let’s be serious, I was not about to waste money purchasing magazines only to watch myself cut up my money. I also did not want to waste ink by printing, so flipping through magazines became my only choice. As I began to flip, I noticed myself more drawn to sayings, rather than pictures.

Carefully, I scanned each and every saying. I remember pulling out many pages, and after hours of cutting I had to take a break. I looked down at the pages and noticed that the pile beside me might be more than enough. I began to separate them after re-reading and only a select few made my final masterpiece. As I cut the words out and placed them around a mirror, I stared back at myself noticing that something was missing. A graduation cap! I had previously purchased a black poster board and decided to use it for the piece of resistance.

I wake up every morning and stand perfectly under the graduation cap. Even when things seem to be taking their toll on me, taking a break and standing right there brings a calming effect. I love that this non-traditional vision board was the missing piece of my puzzle. It has given me the hope needed to realize that one day, I will be wearing a blue SSC graduation cap instead of a paper black one.

Every year, South Suburban College offers an abundance of scholarships. These scholarships come with certain guidelines to apply, but there are many to choose from and one could be waiting for you. Unsure of how to get started? Not an issue! This post will help you get started or hopefully encourage you to apply. There are a total of five steps.
Step one is extremely simple. Find the scholarship booklet around campus. It looks like this:

Or you can click on this link to take a look at the scholarships online: http://www.ssc.edu/admissions-registration/scholarships/.
Underneath each scholarship, there are requirements needed to apply, so make sure to read carefully. It may also help to speak with a counselor if you are second guessing your eligibility. It never hurts to apply, even if you do not fully meet all of the credentials. You might end up surprising yourself. Here is an example of some of the scholarships and requirements:

After you have your list of scholarships together, the next step (I suggest) would be to speak with an SSC faculty member that knows you well enough to give you a letter of recommendation. This is why it is important to form a bond with professors while you’re here. They go beyond the call of just being your instructor, and many will be happy that you asked for their help.

Having fun yet? Next, get your thinking cap on. It is time to write your personal essay stating how the scholarship(s) will benefit you. Spend some time on this part. Make sure to mention your chosen career path so they get a better understanding of your direction. Another pointer: Triple check your grammar, along with punctuation before printing. You do not want to come off uneducated, so try having a family member or friend proofread your work, if possible. You’ll be amazed at how much team work can help you out. One last note, your statement is only 250 words or less, so don’t panic.
How are you feeling? Excited? Tired? It’s understandable, but you are so close to the finish line. Time to take a look at the actual application form. You can view it here and/or print it here: http://www.ssc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/StudentScholarshipApp2017.pdf. This is what it should look like:

Take your time filling each section out carefully so there will be no need for white out. Now, before placing everything together, there is one more important detail. You need to print out a current transcript of your grades. Those can be located in the SSC portal under academic profile.

Deep breath. Inhale and exhale slowly. You’re finished! I would paperclip all of the material together, rather than staple. It might make it easier for the individuals reading your submission. You can turn in your completed forms to the Foundation Office (Room 2134) or the Financial Aid Office (Room 2355). But remember, the deadline is closing in (March 31^st) so don’t wait!

             As we enter into March, my mind quickly goes into how I made it to the halfway mark of the college semester. Just like many others, I am trying to pull together everything I have learned so far into one nice package for midterms. Nothing else seems to matter at this point, which is why I was unaware that this month should hold an important meaning for many women in the world. March is considered to be Women’s History Month! To help educate students in this area, Student Life is holding a contest to see if we can name thirty-seven famous women in history by looking at their picture. Of course, I can name the ones I have learned about through school and those who I’ve watched on television. But, my eyes stare blankly at the last twenty-three slots I have left to fill. My mind assures me that I have seen these faces before, but I can’t seem to recall when.

             Day two of working on the Famous Women Contest, and it looks like I heard about many of them, but have not seen their pictures in years. I have learned though that many of these women are hardly brought up anymore. Of course, we hear about Hillary Clinton because of politics and of Rhianna since music is universal, but when is the last time someone spoke about Wilma Rudolph becoming the fastest woman in the 1960s after completing the 100 and 200 meter dash? Or the last time anyone has read the works of Maya Angelou? No, I am not pondering these questions just to stall time searching for these answers. I honestly think our history of women is dying and we should really consider sitting down and talking with our youth about how powerful they were and still are.

            Final day with trying to figure out these last twelve and even if I do not win this contest, I can truly say that I have learned or re-learned about women in history. I have even found myself questioning why certain women were not included and then realized that, if they were, the contest would never end. This one is indeed very tricky but rewarding for everyone, and I highly recommend students to take a trip to the Student Life and Leadership Office and grab a copy. The contest will be running until Thursday, March 30^th, and three lucky winners will win a thirty dollar bookstore gift certificate. Just make sure to identify thirty or more of the women in history correctly. To anyone who has completed this form, I salute you.

This Friday, South Suburban College will be hosting the Chicago Women’s Conference presented by the Business & Career Institute. The event will open with a powerful keynote speaker. Caprice O’Bryant will share her amazing story and introduce you to Excuse Free Fitness, Inc. Her business is helping not only women, but men as well. I would love to share everything I have learned about her, but it may take away her thunder. Her presentation is something I recommend no one miss and make sure to bring tissue. Her experiences will move you and make you see that anything is possible.

There will also be speakers for health and wellness at the event. Not only will they address healthy eating habits and trying to live stress free, Dawn Avery (also known as Dawn the Dancin Deeva) will bring us the beauty of line dancing. No experience is needed and it’s a great cardio workout, all while letting the music move your body! I’ve always wanted to join a dance workout class. If you feel the same this may be your chance!

Not only will entrepreneurs like, speaker Stephanie Walters of Blue Top Marketing, Inc. share their stories about how to build a business from scratch, but they will also give advice along with excellent tips on how to motivate yourself. I never thought about starting my own business, but having the knowledge of it wouldn’t hurt.

The exhibitions I find to be right up everyone’s alley is the personal empowerment speakers. Women are extremely powerful, but sometimes life does take its toll and we become hard on ourselves. Each of the speakers will be addressing many issues of life and giving participants a chance to freely express what is going on in their lives.

I think this convention will give attendees a new outlook on life after interacting with everyone. I hope attendees share all the knowledge they collect from speakers with one another as well as others in their lives. For a detailed listing of speakers and a schedule of events, please visit http://thechicagowomensconference.org/. This will also be helpful when planning your day accordingly so you will not miss out on the activities. Hopefully you’re able to make some new connections at this event!