By Bria Chappell

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s first semester approaches an end, many seniors at Lincoln are either finishing the last of their college applications or are in the midst of applying. Seniors have expressed concerns about choosing a college, paying for college, and living the “college life.”

As second semester at most colleges begins this month, we all are saying goodbye to Lincoln alumni again, who are off at various colleges throughout the U.S. and have come home to visit. Most of them left behind a few experiences and advice for future college students.

Sakeenah Shabazz, alumni of 2011, now attends Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She spent a few days of her winter break at Lincoln, speaking to seniors and visiting with old friends and teachers. Shabazz is learning what it means to be independent and enjoying the college experience.

She describes the best thing about college is getting, “The experience of being away from home and learning to be and getting a taste of what it means to be independent. I also love the opportunity to meet new people and learn from their experiences. And experiencing Washington, D.C., there really is no other place like it.”

Although Shabazz, like many other Lincoln alumni, have shared stories of having fun, new opportunities, and once in a lifetime experiences, many Lincoln seniors still have speculations and concerns. An infinite amount of questions arise: What if I do not like my roommate? What do the dorms look like? Will there be a lot of homework? How will I deal with being homesick? How will I pay for college? What if I get lost in the crowd? These questions and many more consume the minds of apprehensive high school seniors. However, the testimonies of returning college students can help ease some of the nerves and answer many of these questions.

Mr. Bacon, Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology teacher in the Center of the Arts, hosted a college panel for his current sophomores, juniors, and seniors in his AP Psychology class. His former students, who are now at universities all over California and the South, answered any of the students’ questions and shared their personal college experiences. While one could see the amusement and curiosity on the faces of sophomores and juniors, the seniors in the class appeared to be taking in the information and personally evaluating themselves.

Nandi Taylor, alumni of 2010 and current UCSD student, tried to ease worried minds. She shared that at times things can be rough, especially if you are not surrounded by people who look like you. But taking advantage of your resources such as the Black Student Union, are vital to your college experience. Students are often told that anywhere they go, there will be discrimination and maybe even a sense of isolation; but it is how one handles the situation. In college, everyone is there for one reason, to get an education. So often, one has to get passed bumps in the road to focus on school. “Anyone can get straight A’s, but you have to apply yourself,” said Taylor.

Students have heard the “stayed focused, apply yourself” speech several times, but now they are beginning to ask how to pay for the education they wish to pursue. College is expensive and with budget cuts, it is not getting any better. Most people suggest that students apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible and avoid loans. Shabazz shared how she does not have to pay anything for college because she has been rewarded a need-based scholarship and uses other scholarship money toward her personal expenses.

“Apply for as many scholarships that go into your pocket! That’s spending money and it will come in handy,” said Shabazz. “But also, apply to schools that have need-based scholarships so it will be based off of your parents income and not just your grades. But, the schools that have that kind of money are the harder schools to get into, so keep your grades up!”

No one wants to pay off college loans 20 years after they graduate and keep in mind, the farther away one travels to college, the more it costs. “Out-of-state fees are no joke,” said Justice McGriff, alumni of 2011 and current Texas Southern University student. It is clear how pressing this issue is by the urgency and passion in the students’ voices when discussing financial aid.

Living the life of a college student can be difficult. And besides the finances and academics, there is the big question of living. Most college freshmen reside in on-campus dorms. Few colleges offer single rooms for most students, therefore, students often share a dorm with someone they have never met before. Having a roommate could either be a great, uplifting experience or a huge annoyance.

“You don’t know a person until you have to live them,” said Wenzdai Blake, alumni of 2011 and current CSU Long Beach student.

“Set the ground rules early,” said Briana Newton, alumni of 2011 and current CSU Dominguez Hills student.

To high school seniors, college seems to be a whole new world with having to worry about financing your education, making new friends, balancing an academic and social life, and ultimately, living on your own. In the next few months, seniors will continue to apply for scholarships and grants and receive acceptances. In the meantime, Shabazz, has left us with some advice as we prepare for the fall of 2012:

“Keep your grades on point, adhere to all deadlines, and quit complaining. Your reward will come. Also, don’t neglect too many activities you are involved in,” she says. “You will have to sacrifice meetings, sports practices, etc… because you do what you have to do. But remember to always stick with what’s important to you in your last days of high school. You’ll miss it when college starts. And in all honesty, don’t worry if you’re not having that much fun. Go to prom, homecoming, and all that other fun stuff, but don’t be mad if you have to stay in on a Friday night to finish scholarship applications. The fun will come, you can definitely count on that.”