A Living Bison: A College Guide to Thrive
By Nadia Wong
As a rising senior, who started college during the pandemic, I began college with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. My college experience was delayed by the COVID-19 Pandemic and my first year of college was experiences on zoom.
I am a first generation college student, and before the closing of what seemed like the world, I had excitedly waited for the day to be dropped off at the Mecca gates. I dreamed about the new journey I would embark on soon. A journey unseen or unheard of by anyone in my family. Previous to my admissions to Howard University, I had never been on campus. When the pandemic hit I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to tour campus or really get a sense of what my new environment would look like.
Things like Admitted Students day, Bison Week, and Freshman Seminar were all limited to the flat rectangle of my macbook screen. Once the news was released that me and the rest of my peers wouldn’t be able to take in the vibrant essence of the yard until the following year, I was disappointed. I knew that once I was given the chance I would make the most of it. College was something I fantasized about and although some things didn’t work out as I planned, I still make the most of each moment. Here are my steps for making the most out of your college experience.
Adopt a “Life is A Movie” Mentality
During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time fantasizing what my days on the yard would look like. I watched shows and movies like Grownish, A Different World, and School Daze wishing and praying to be immersed in that world. A world categorized by independence and decisions. The glorified sense of independence that drenched these productions mesmerized me. Living vicariously through these characters eased my FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and birth a new mindset of mine. The characters I watched made the most of their college experience. When I got to campus, I was determined to do the same by romanticizing my life. I studied in quiet cafes around the Ust and Shaw Corridors. I read for hours under the Caribbean Tree during cherry blossom season. Me and my friends sat on the valley steps gabbing about our dreams and aspirations, hoping to fill the shoes of the legends who occupied 2400 6th St before us.
Romanticizing your college experience is essential to getting through long days and even longer nights. You are in charge of curating your on campus experience. What and who you surround yourself with matters. Go for that walk, talk to that stranger, try that thing you always wanted to do. I started going to on campus events as well to engage with my peers and followed my school's social media pages to stay up to date on current events.
Ball on a Budget
While living life like a movie sounds easy, it does come with proper preparation and planning. Taking control of your finances in college is a sure way of ensuring that your fun is done responsibly and not on an empty stomach. Prioritizing your needs like food, transportation, and housing/rent is important when it comes to financial planning as a college student. These things should come before your wants, but you shouldn’t deny yourself of things that bring you pleasure. Instead try applying for grants and scholarships, use a financial planner, or get a side hustle that works for you. I like making things with my hands so my “Howard Hustle” came easily to me. I started handcrafting waistbeads through my small business Made From Nadz. Also utilizing your friends' hustles like hair braiding, nail services, etc is a great way to spend money on your personal expenses without breaking the bank.
Authenticity is Key
Although I did fall in love with stories about other people’s college experience, I didn’t get caught up in trying to replicate somebody else’s life. Fictional characters are not real people. They are curated from someone else's imagination. In order to have a college life that was cinematic, I had to be true to myself and my visions. College is full of new and exciting people and unseen experiences. We’re meant to learn from all of them. The way you don’t lose yourself through it all, when discovering all this new information, is by being authentic to your experience and what you bring to the table. No one can be you, therefore the most original imaginative thing that you can do is be yourself. Taking the time to learn who you are is just as important as what you’re learning in class. Through being in community, and even in my time in therapy, I am able to learn about myself in communication with my peers and it is a truly liberating experience.
Remember your WHY
As you're progressing through college distractions will come. I remember my sophomore year when I finally made it onto campus being overwhelmed with so many new experiences. Finding motivation to go to class was hard especially when there were so many things I wanted to be a part of. The way I keep myself grounded is constantly reminding myself of my WHY. I keep pictures of my family around my dorm. I create vision boards. I reread my acceptance letter and application essay on nights when I really need a push. As I progress through college my WHY evolves and I am found with new drive and confidence to progress each time I ground myself and trust that it all works out.
Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help
College is a learning experience. I have learned from professors that come from all around the world. I’ve learned from my friends about culture sitting on the yard. I’ve learned about my culture and how it is represented on campus from the Guyanes janitor in Blackburn. I’ve learned about my faith in the campus chapel. I’ve learned to deal and experience my emotions through therapy. These experiences have made me who I am and it was all because I asked and or presented to people. Being open and vulnerable is essential to having a college experience worth sharing.
All in all, college is truly a once in a lifetime experience so make sure you take the chance to live and make the steps needed to make all that you want to come true, come true.
