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.