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She graduated magna cum laude - and here's
how she did it
Maria Paul shares some tips on
acquiring a fulfilling education and attaining the highest honours in the
process - common sense things like managing your time well, and being
disciplined and daring
Maria Paul
is among the very first batch of graduates from the University of
Buffalo@Singapore Institute of Management's (SIM) Bachelor of Arts in
Communications programme, and one of the few who graduated magna cum laude (with
distinguished honours) in this year's cohort.
Here, she shares her secrets on achieving
better grades in college, even when the going gets tough.
Firstly, time management is important. Maria
was the chairwoman of the dance team at her secondary school, and she had to
balance spending her time between dance practice, handling the tasks of a
chairwoman and studying for classwork. This applies doubly to university
students, because of the tougher workload from instructors.
Leaving time for yourself to relax and rest
is also important. Maria dances to relax and to exercise, spending at least
half-an-hour on it every day. She also likes going shopping with her friends,
she says.
Getting the support of your teachers means
that you'll be able to progress further, faster, says Maria. She got the
approval of the dean of the school to take on a heavier courseload than what was
usually allowed, in order to make up for lost time earlier in the year. And the
support of her professors meant that she wasn't overwhelmed with the courses she
took.
Don't be afraid of new experiences, she says.
Maria said that one of the things that spooked a lot of her classmates was
having to learn to speak in front of an audience, which a lot of them had never
done before.
She has also been called up as a substitute
teacher before, and she relates the experience as 'educational, but a bit
hectic'.
Also, know what it is that you want to do,
and set your sights on that goal. Focus your studies on things that are relevant
to your desired result.
Finally, Maria emphasises the need for
putting in hard work to succeed.
'I made sure I finished all my work before I
went out with my friends, and I spent a lot of time studying and staying back in
school. It cost me a few opportunities to go out and have some fun, but I think
it paid off in the long run,' she says.
- 2008 September 1 BUSINESS
TIMES
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