By Maisarah Miskoon

The Pro-Advice Column from “a Millennial for Millennials”

So summer called while I was writing this column. It said its usual salutations and dropped a bomb on me. Summer was leaving me, and winter is coming. I replied, not so eloquently, “What the bleep are you talking about? Fall is here!” And like all you Mainers, and pseudo-Mainers (Pseudomonas, get it, get it? C’mon Biology majors, you know what I’m talking about) like myself, we’re all waiting for the autumn foliage to come out and grace us with its glorious presence. But let’s stick to the program. This is a pro-active advice column after all and I am here to answer any of your doubts, concerns, and troubles. All you have to do is email them to me at maisarahmiskoon@gmail.com, and I will try my very best to help you out.

Dear Maisarah,

Going back to school is hard and some classes feel like such a bore. I feel like dropping all of my classes and get a refund check at the end of the month. And since I’ve used ALL of my book credits, I’m going to sell all of my books online and make a quick buck. What do you think?

What a splendid idea! I wonder why I’ve not thought about that before. Oh, wait. Perhaps it’s because I value my education and actually want to learn something and make something of myself after these 2, and subsequently, 4 years of my life. But thank you for bringing this up. I think it’s a problem a lot of students face after the first couple weeks of school. Some subjects can be daunting and intimidating but that should not be the reason to be dropping out of college.

As an international student, I pay about $200 per credit out of my own pocket. Therefore, if I’m taking 12 credits, that’s $2400 per semester. I don’t qualify for financial aid and I certainly do not have credits to buy any books. But I’m here because I need to be here for the sake of my future. I know that a good education pays off in the long run. Finding out what I’m good at in college, makes life easier for me. Sure, making money in the interim may seem like a good idea now, but not a very wise choice for the future. Going to college, knowing your niche, and cultivating a world view, now that’s something. Have all three, and you’re golden.

And if that did not inspire you, perhaps this little morsel might. According to the NCES, the 2012 median earning for individuals with a high school diploma is on average $22,900/year while individuals with associate’s degree earn $37,000/year on average. I hope this helps!

Dear Maisarah,

I may have signed up for more clubs and societies than I ought to during the Welcome Back BBQ. How do I do that and juggle school assignments, studying for classes, and working at Hannaford’s all at the same time? All of the clubs sound so interesting!

A senior once told me something that kind of irked me a little. He told me to learn how to say no. And then I did what I did anyway and bear the consequences because I knew what I was capable of. Now, if you know what you are capable of, you should also know when you’re biting off more than you can chew. I suggest trying out a couple of the clubs that you like best and schedule your Hannaford’s work around your curriculum. Leave ample time to study (2 hours/ credit hour) and time to do your assignments. Attend WISH seminars at the AAC (12:30 – 1 pm on weekdays except Fridays) if you need help scheduling your work and talk to your instructors if you need more help on a certain subject.

Dear Maisarah,
School has been a blast this week! All my instructors were nice and awesome… except for one. He has a pretty abstract teaching technique that I don’t understand very well. He likes going off tangents and tells stories about himself and the work that he does instead of staying on topic. I like him as a person, but I feel myself getting sleepy during his lectures.

I had one of those teachers last semester! And I remembered being really frustrated at first but I learnt how to teach myself on the topics that were covered (making full use of Google and the SMCC Library’s online databases) and seeking help from my instructor after class. There is an alternative. Tell him what you just told me. Make it known to him that his long-winded diatribes do not benefit your learning and hopefully he listens. I’m sure that your classmates also feel the same way and would want things to change. Good luck!