Archives for March 2019

Graduating From College with Little, If Any, Debt

March 30, 2019 Leave a Comment

Listen up, girls.

This is how to graduate from college with little, if any, debt:

Take community college dual-enrollment classes while in high school to earn college credit (at community colleges throughout the country, high school students are graduating from college before they graduate from high school)
Apply for financial aid and scholarships to attend college
Avoid loans whenever possible
Attend community college for the first two years of college, earn your associate degree and transfer your credits to a four-year college
Work at least a part-time job while attending college
Attend an in-state four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree and avoid paying out-of-state tuition rates
Live at home while attending college to save on room and board costs
Graduate from the four-year college and get a full-time job that will fund your additional degrees and/or pay off any college loans you may have

What makes me qualified to give this advice? I have worked at four community colleges and two universities. I earned three degrees and graduated three times with no debt.

I hope this information is helpful.

You are loved.

Auntie

Motto: No Time for Drama

March 24, 2019 Leave a Comment

Dear sweetness 1 and sweetness 2,

You will certainly encounter negativity, drama and jealousy throughout life. However, there are effective ways to deal with those types of people.

When you encounter people like that, feed them with a long-handled spoon or cut them out of your life all together.

Mental illness is real, jealousy is a cancer and most people are not what they seem. Keep your circle small and live your life. When folks try to bring their mess into your world, shut the door in their faces.

Tell them this: “I don’t have time for the drama. Save it for your mama.”

Real Life vs. Reality TV

March 17, 2019 Leave a Comment

Dear girls,

I struggle with TV – especially reality TV. These shows cast Black women and girls in the most negative light.

Always know the difference between real life and reality TV and never allow anyone to stereotype you based on what they see on TV. You are better than that – and remind them of that as often as necessary.

These TV shows are big business and thus are not going away. And neither are we.

If You Want To Be Liked, Get a Dog

March 10, 2019 Leave a Comment

Dear girls,

Wanting to be liked or popular is overrated and should not be a professional or personal goal for you.

I can usually tell when people do not care for me. If they are in my personal lives, I will not deal with them. If I happen to see them, if they speak, I will speak back. If they do not speak, I will not acknowledge them.

In my professional life, I do not have to like a person to work hard for them. I am a professional, so I will not allow them to counter the work ethic that my parents instilled in me. For those co-workers who do not care for me and I do not care for them, I will work hard for them (respond to their emails and phone calls, ensure my team completes projects for them, etc.). However, I will NOT break bread with them or spend time with them outside of work – EVER.

I am 40+ and fabulous. I have no time for fake people. I will deal with them only when necessary and on my terms.

Having the same rules will save you a lot of headache and heartache.

What Freedom Feels Like

March 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

Sugar pies,

I cannot tell you how FREEING it is to be comfortable in your own skin, to know your worth, to focus on those that matter and to “put up the deuces” to those who do not. I have a wonderful and blessed life – better than I could have ever imagined.

I pray that your life is even better. I will do whatever I can to help you to achieve this goal.