10 Tips for a Productive year at Community College, by Angela Martinez
Angela Martinez is a first-generation student, who recently graduated with a 4.0 GPA, from MSU Denver with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Event Planning and Meeting Management, after starting at Community College of Denver. This article was published in Community College of Denver's
The Star Magazine. She was one of six students out of her graduating class to be selected as the “2021-2022 Outstanding Student in the College of Letter, Arts & Sciences”.
She was an active member of the MSU Denver’s Event Association and is current member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Angela has also been a Golden Key (GK) and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society member for many years. She will now play a leadership role in GlobalMindED Young Professional Leaders Council.
Her mentor of many years, Cyndi Kahn, was a speaker at GlobalMindED on the Early Childhood Equity Track. She made the connection that Angela needed to be at GlobalMindED and sponsored her to attend. When Angela met the GlobalMindED First Gen Leaders and graduates, she felt connected, empowered and inspired. After graduating from MSU Denver and persisting over seven years to earn her degree, she was hired by GlobalMIndED to be assistant Events Coordinator, working with our Conference Director, Saule Aliyeva, who started with GLobalMindED in 2015 and is now based in Toronto. We are proud to share her insights that launched her successful community college career, allowing her to transfer to Metro State University and graduate with high honors. She is the proud single mother of two wonderful daughters and she is part of a web of powerful women who have helped every step of the way.
#1. Know yourself and what you're able to handle. Do not try and take on too much. Having too many classes can be overwhelming, and it might be discouraging to you, or may even cause you to give up. It is better to take it slow and do a good job instead of barely getting through the semester all stressed out. Even though it may take a little longer to finish, it won't be as hard to handle the workload.
#2. Establish a daily routine. This will help you stay organized. If you're like me and have hectic mornings, having a daily routine will help alleviate some of your stress. Knowing what is coming next will give you time to handle the unexpected things that happen in life.
#3. Make sure to get plenty of rest. You do not want to be one of those students’ catching zzzz’s in class. We pay a lot of money to go to college and we are in school to learn and how are we supposed to pay attention to the teacher when someone is snoring?
#4. Eat a well-balanced breakfast. Without breakfast in our system, we are like a car without gas, running on fumes. An Australian survey of over 500 teachers revealed that students lose two hours of learning a day if they skip breakfast because of lack of concentration and behavior problems related to hunger.
#5. Arrive at school early. With so many things that can happen on your way to school, it is a good idea to leave early with plenty of time to get to campus. If you can use a public transportation, this is a great way to save you time and money for gas.
#6. Be prepared for class. Bring something to take notes with like a laptop, or if you're old-school like me, a pen and paper will do just fine. Taking notes is so important and it also helps you remember what is important.
#7. Get involved in extracurricular activities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students who participate in extracurricular activities have a 15% higher classroom attendance rate than students who are not involved. Also, extracurricular activities instill a sense of community, responsibility, and involvement. There are many ways to participate in school activities and they will keep you connected throughout the school year. Please reach out to your college for more information.
#8. Ask for help. Do not be afraid to speak up and ask for assistance. Utilize the resources you have on campus to benefit you.
#9. Get connected. It is always a good idea to get someone number from class just in case you missed a day or have questions, you can call and ask them. It is also nice to have someone’s number from class to study with. Also, get to know your teachers. They are there to help you
succeed on your educational journey, and there are so many wonderful and inspiring professors that are willing to help, you if you just ask.
#10. The most important thing to remember is to Keep Going Forward. College can be overwhelming and at times we just want to throw in the towel, but as long as we do our best and try our hardest to never give up, we will accomplish our goals whatever they may be.
