Hello Crusaders!
Welcome to Madonna, and welcome back to our returning students. The summer flew by for me, and I can hardly believe I’m a senior! Here are a few tidbits of advice that I have picked up during my time in Livonia.
Hold off on buying the textbooks/opt out of Slingshot if possible. I have saved so much money this way! Oftentimes, you will arrive at lecture, and the professor will tell you that you do not need the book; save yourself and your parents a few bucks this way
If you do need the book, checkout websites like VitalSource for ebooks or get the Amazon Kindle version in a digital format. You can access your materials anywhere, without having to lug around 500 lbs of textbooks!
Get yourself a planner. If you do not already have a planner, head on over to Target, and buy one. Write down your due dates as they come, and be sure to use pencil if basing them off of the syllabus, as they are subject to change.
Build a genuine connection with your professors. They are so much more likely to help you out if they know your name, face, and personality! Madonna is a small school, so it is easy, even in a Gen Chem or first year Bio lecture, to get to know them.
Put yourself to bed. This can be easier said than done, but even if you have something due at 8 am, it is much better to go to bed and wake up early than stay up late working with a mere 3 brain cells.
Keep your door open when you are in your dorm. This makes you more approachable, and it is so conducive to conversation! Also, it is an opportunity to show off your cute style and great decor.
Commuting is not the end of the world. I lived on campus my first year, until COVID, but I actually love commuting. It grants me a great deal of financial freedom, and I still get to spend some time on campus for classes.
Take some online Gen Ed requirements. These may be scary, but with some planning, they can be far easier than in person courses. I took Music Through the Ages and New Testament online, and loved them both!
Graduating early is not as difficult as it may seem. I am blessed enough to finish in 3 years with two undergraduate degrees, which is saving me a huge chunk of change. By taking an extra course a semester and a few over the summers, not to mention if you have a few AP credits, you can definitely finish a semester or two early, saving time, money, and stress.
The faculty care about you. An awesome advantage of a small school is that you will often repeat professors, which is extremely helpful if you choose to further pursue your academic journey. One of my math professors just wrote me two letters of recommendation for grad school!
Apply for on campus jobs. I have worked for Sodexo (on-campus dining), the Tutoring Center, the Athletic Department, and the Writing Center. Working for Madonna is a great way to meet like minded people, make friends, create professional connections, and build your resume! Recently, I was even awarded a Federal work-study scholarship thanks to my on-campus jobs.
I hope these were helpful, and best of luck to all of you this semester.