Student Issues Archives | Page 8 of 9

My life as a College Student

Posted on March 5, 2016May 16, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

“When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin Roosevelt

I starting going to college in 2008 but have only been really serious about it since 2014. I feel like I have been going to school forever and for what? My first major was Early Childhood Education because I had worked with children all my life. I believed that was what I was meant to do. Wrong!

So I changed my major to Web Development. I thought this was it because I liked working with computers and figuring things out most people couldn’t, so I studied that for a few semesters, but I wasn’t really feeling it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the things I was going to school for, and I still do, but I just didn’t seem to get it. I took a lot of online classes since I was a young parent and trying to juggle work at the same time. Trying to study alone was weighing me down. My grades were up and down and I just didn’t think I was getting anywhere. So I took a break. A nice good one.

I started off strong when I came back to school in 2014, I had no choice. I was on academic probation and I had to pay for those classes. No way was I going to waste my money! I passed those classes and I was ready for the next semester. This time I was going to try on-campus classes and the major I declared was Digital Media. I had so much fun, I felt like I was on the right track. I had wonderful instructors and people around me that supported me. I even got straight A’s.

Since then, I am back to taking online classes, but I am still working just as hard! Sometimes I do procrastinate and even at times forget a due date for an assignment, but I am staying positive. My major is still the same and I can’t wait to finish.

No matter how long you have been going to school, or how many times you have changed your major, keep pushing! Your future self will thank you once you have reached your goal.

By NVC Student Traishelle Armstrong

Tips to Save Money

Posted on March 1, 2016May 16, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

Saving money can be a drag and a very hard decision for most young college students.

I have had plenty of experience when it came to saving up money and only buying what is necessary at the moment. Here are three ways you can save some money and have extra for when you need it.

Home Cooked Meals

I am sure we all have a friend who wants to go out to eat like every day right? Well don’t follow that trend, home cooked meals are way cheaper and they can feed you for longer than just one set meal. The price for an 8-pieces of pork chops is less money than a combo meal at Mc Donald’s.

Start a savings account

If you have a job while taking some classes at a university or community college, you should start a savings account so you don’t spend all your money too fast or lose it. Money goes fast when you are in college – food, clothes, and video games burn a hole in your pocket really fast! Putting $50 away every check can help you if you break your phone, lose an expensive book, or face an emergency.

Do not buy cable

From my very own experience, do not buy cable. It is a waste of at least $120 every month. Think about it, we spend most of our time on Netflix or Amazon, right? Online streaming is the new wave, and you can find all your favorite shows online. The extra money you have from not paying for cable can go to a new laptop or on a cool spring break vacation.

Written by NVC Student Erik Providence

Find Your Passion!

Posted on November 15, 2015May 16, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

College is a life changer. It’s a time where you figure yourself out, pursue your dreams, and make friends along the way. It can teach you more than what’s in the book, and it teaches you the life skills that you need to succeed.

Two years ago I took general classes, and simply got by in them. I didn’t put in much effort because I was just uninterested. I had no real goals. However, last year I decided to go see an academic advisor in the CCC building. If you are ever confused about what you’re doing in school, visit them! After one visit, I changed my major and actually felt comfortable about my future. It’s amazing what a little soul searching, along with some advising can do.

I am now a Digital Media student, and I have been for about a year now. My life is completely different and continues to change daily. My grades for the last two semesters have been A’s. I’m focused, I’m interested, and I love my work. It still blows my mind how I enjoy homework.

I’m completely fascinated with where I’m going, and I see true growth in myself as a student. It’s affected me outside of class just as much as it has inside too, and this is the part that really gets me. Two years ago I felt lost and alone. I didn’t know what I was doing, and I had no confidence. Relationships suffered, as well as simple interactions with strangers. Finding something you love to do is the key to life’s success! You can’t just do the bare minimum. Get up, find what you like, do it with passion, and you’ll see a difference in every aspect of your life.

College is all about becoming all you can be, and recognizing the potential that was in you the whole time. You got the stuff, so make it happen!

By NVC Student Justin Raymond

Making Sacrifices for a Degree

Posted on November 8, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

Have you ever tried to balance school and work? What sort of sacrifices have you had to make?

Here is my story…

I go to school part time, usually three classes a semester, year round. I live with my husband, who also goes to school. We have to work full time to pay for school and all of our other bills. I had to quit my previous job as a veterinary technician so that I can finish school. Now, I work at Domino’s making pizzas.

For me this has been a sacrifice. I used to work during the mornings, 7:30am until 5pm, and then I would go to school in the evenings. This worked for my first semester, but then the classes I needed started to get spread out. I would have a class at noon, a class at 3pm, a class at 8pm. The veterinary clinic paid me well, but couldn’t work with my school schedule any longer. I had to prioritize, so I quit my job.

I spent a month looking for another job and finally got hired by the great Domino’s Pizza. Domino’s has been wonderful, the work is easy, but the pay isn’t what I made at the veterinary clinic. They help me and work with my school schedule though. I can let them know the day before if I need more time to study, or need to switch my shifts with someone else.

As a college student I know that right now is the time where I must make sacrifices, because once I have my degree I will get the big bucks. I need to bide my time and work towards my goals. School is my highest priority, family is my second, work is my third.

For me this has been a huge transition.

By NVC Student Kiersten Tabish

Working Smarter as a Student

Posted on October 31, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

Being a working student is one of the best choices I could have ever made. When I first went back to school it was a challenge to balance the two workloads but in time I became a master of multi-tasking. I changed the way I looked at homework. Now, not only am I learning skills for my chosen field but I actually get to put those skills to use immediately and hone them.

How did I manage to do this? Moving away from jobs that had nothing to do with the career field I planned to be in after graduation, I began carving out a way to work in my field. It started with small jobs I did for free while working as a substitute teacher on a flexible schedule. Gradually, I developed a small portfolio of design and photography, establishing myself as a paid, budget friendly resource for fledgling entrepreneurs and families. I took on small design jobs for logos and business cards and began photographing portraits, ever growing my work load in this area. As my paid work load increased, I let go of the substitute teaching.

I also began optimizing my class efforts, often using client work as applicable homework. This often halves the time spent doing either and allows me more time for family. The added benefit has become being my own boss, setting my own hours and paycheck. It means by the time I do finish school, I will be a fully established independent photographic designer vs. looking around for a job.

By NVC Student Mary Oakes
To read more posts from Mary, here’s her blog

More Evening Classes Could Alleviate Parking

Posted on October 22, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

If you have ever taken a class during the day you know that Vista has a huge problem. It is one that was supposed to be fixed by the parking garage, but wasn’t.

There are still students parking off campus and trudging all the way to their class, only to leave school during the evening to walk past parking lots, now barren of cars. Others literally stalk other students through the parking lot to squeeze into their parking place the moment they back out enough to do so. I usually arrive 30 minutes prior to class to hope and pray I find a spot in time for class. I will admit to slowly creeping behind another student, creating a line of cars behind me, just for a sacred parking place.

I hear students talking about creating a larger garage, more lots, etc. All of which are very expensive, and will also create a larger dilemma while they are being constructed.

Why have I not heard of transitioning some of the classes to the evening? That would solve the dilemma. Or maybe creating more online courses? That too would help. I think that if we did transition some of our classes to the evening, or even overnight those classes would still get filled. There are many students at Northwest Vista that go to school during the day that are able to go in the evening, myself included.

I know that I would love to attend all my classes later in the evening, but sadly the courses I need aren’t all offered later in the day. We have the necessary parking places for the college; we just don’t have the classes.

By NVC Student Kiersten Tabish

NVC Students Selected to Visit NASA this October

Posted on September 14, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

Jonathan Mendoza, Jose Vazquez, and Jorge Vazquez Campero – all from Northwest Vista College – have been selected to travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center this spring to participate in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars project (NCAS).

Jonathan, Jose and Jorge all have been selected as one of 160 community college students from across the U.S. to be part of NCAS.

The five-week scholars program culminates with a four-day on-site event at Johnson Space Center and offers students the opportunity to interact with NASA engineers and others as they learn more about careers in science and engineering. While on site, students form teams and establish fictional companies interested in Mars exploration. Each team is responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover, forming a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach.

The on-site experience includes a tour of facilities and briefings by NASA subject matter experts.

NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars is a project funded in part by the Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, which is committed to the recruitment of underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to sustain a diverse workforce.

Male Success Initiative Helping Men to Succeed

Posted on May 12, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

H. Stillwater; J. Rosas; K. Washington; E. Alvear; M.Uresti

Juan Rosas knows what it takes to make it. He knows what he is up against and he knows how to arm himself with the best possible weapon to fight what confronts him. What confronts him is failure.

Society and statistics say that Juan, as a man of color in college, will fail. Men of color earn community college degrees and certificates at disproportionately lower rates. Ironically, community colleges enroll more men of color than any other type of higher learning institution. Mr. Rosas has a plan though. His plan is being there for other men of color who are, statistically, going to fail through the Male Success Initiatve or MSI. His goal is to support men who are in community colleges and want positive influences to help guide them through the mind field of life.

In San Antonio, only 9.3 percent of the population has an associate’s degree while only 24.6 percent has a bachelor’s degree. These stats only show what both genders have earned but men are not going to be the ones that boosted those meager numbers up by a lot. This is where MSI comes in to assist those on the edge, if only those on the edge would reach out instead of taking what is voluntarily given to them.

All you have to do is sign up, go to a meeting and see for yourself what positivity is. That positivity will translate on the road to success and towards earning a degree, which will translate so much more in a man’s life. This is the focus of the Male Success Initiative – how to be a better man.

Most men in community colleges need guidance and, believe it or n

Recent MSI event where male students talked with faculty, staff, community leaders

ot, high expectations. Mr. Rosas and the MSI members cannot help with high expectations but they can help with guidance and positive influence. Juan exudes positivity and it’s genuine. His enthusiasm is derived from actually caring and knowing that he, and those around him, need each other to guide them onto that path of success and that path starts at Northwest Vista.

That path also starts with a man’s outlook on life and how focused they are towards their goals and achieving those goals. Those things are not easy. Yet, surrounding yourself with positive people who want to see you succeed, who want to see you grasp your goals and surmount your aspirations will give young men that extra push to make it.

While both men and women could always use a little motivation, men of color are the ones that have the most to lose and the most to gain when they succeed. The Male Success Initiative is a great starting point to make that difference. To learn more about MSI, visit this link.

By NVC Student Emiliano Saldana

Tips & Advice to Make it to the Finish Line

Posted on April 6, 2015June 14, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

We have rolled over the half-way hill this semester at Northwest Vista College and now we’re going for the finish line.

For some of you, graduation may be waiting. For others, Maymester, summer classes, or the fall semester is waiting. Where are you standing right now? By that I mean, how are your grades? If your grades aren’t so good right now, here are tips and advice on how to give that extra mile.

Are you having trouble in math?

Please keep in mind that NVC has a Math Lab for Cooperative Learning located in Juniper Hall room 316. There are tutors that help you with any math question you have. From experience, I can say that these tutors are excellent.

Are you behind in a subject?

Find any little time you have to get caught up. Exchange the time you use to watch TV, play video games, surf the internet, go out with friends and work on your homework.

Let your professor know that you have acknowledged that you are behind and you are working your hardest to get caught up. If you don’t let your professor know that you’re working on assignments, he or she might think you’re not trying in the class and may drop you after 3 absences (if any).

Get to know your classmates if you haven’t already! Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help or what their thoughts were with assignments; just don’t copy their work, of course.

Are you failing or think you’re going to fail?

I believe the key solution is to communicate with your professor. Ask him or her if you can redo assignments and do any possible extra credit.

Good luck!

By NVC Student Tamara Davida-Lopez

A Little Thanks

Posted on February 23, 2015May 12, 2017 by NVC Public Relations

Dear Northwest Vista College,

Another semester has begun, and with it responsibilities, both old and new will, come to partially define it. You see, I have decided to take the advice of people wiser and more experienced than me, and take advantage of something things you have to offer. I am currently a College Ambassador, a Peer Mentor, and the Vice President of Fellowship for Phi Theta Kappa.

It may seem like a lot, especially with the 13 hours of classes and a part time job on the weekends, but let’s be honest, this is where it all starts for me. Five years from now I’ll be in the midst of finishing a Master’s Degree in Economics at UT Austin, and five years after that I’ll be teaching. Hopefully I get to keep writing and publish some of my books along the way, but it is the work I am putting in on your grounds now that will make it all possible going forward.

I remember when I first got here, confused as to where to go when it came to classes, let alone how to get to the second floor of Live Oak Hall, but it all came together over time. You have given me every opportunity to be successful and to get to where I want and need to go. The only regret I have is that our relationship is only temporary, at least as a student, but that’s kind of the point isn’t it?

I will miss you when I’m gone, but just maybe I’ll return one day and walk through your halls with lessons of my own to teach. Thank you Northwest Vista, and I look forward to what should be another great semester.

Sincerely,

Bryan McCluggage

NVC Voice

Category: Student Issues