5 Fancy Navajo Tips for Getting Through College

It’s back to school season and I am teaming up with my #Stylish Natives to share advice we wish we had growing up. Going back to school always made me feel anxious and nervous.  Yeah, I was that kid who cried on the first day of kindergarten and honestly probably until my senior year of college. There is so much to take in and it can be overwhelming. The pressure to succeed academically as a Native American student made me extremely anxious throughout my academic years, especially in college. Just typing this makes my palms a little sweaty. Today I will be sharing my advice for Native College students. So, if you are a Native college student reading this, please know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t worry you will get through it!

Before we begin, I graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI in 2010 with a B.S in Businesses Administration and I double majored in Marketing and Human Resources. I was a first-generation college student and the school I attended had less than 3% Native American students.  If you want to read more about this journey head to this blog post where I reflect on my 20’s here. This puts a little context to my advice and please stay tuned for the last part of this post to read advice from 4 current Native college students.

5 Fancy Navajo Tips for Getting Through College

• Major in something you love, not what other people expect you to
  • One of the hardest decisions I had to make throughout my undergrad was deciding what I would do for the rest of my life. I switched majors 4 times throughout college. I was expected to become a medical doctor of some sort because I was smart, and that’s what smart Natives do. But I didn’t have a passion for science, which meant I had to try really hard to be good at it. Toward the end of my freshman year and scholarships on the line, I had to reevaluate my major and I felt so much relief when I switched over to a business major. I always had a passion for business and marketing and I should have known sooner, especially since I started a cleaning business when I was in High School and I was a master at coordinating events. I finally was excited to go to class and I excelled in them, because it was something I loved.

• Be involved.
  • Going to college as a Native American student can sometimes be lonely. Especially if you attend a school where there isn’t a huge Native American population like I did. Your instinct may be to retreat to your dorm room and binge on your favorite YouTube channels. One way I overcame this was to join a couple of student organizations. I also got a job on campus. I am naturally an introvert but by being part of these groups it helped me to break out of my comfort zones and interact with people. If your school does have a Native American community, then I would take full advantage of it!

• Be active during your summers.
  • If you are serious about getting a job in your chosen field after graduation, then it is crucial that you use your summers wisely. This means getting an internship or job in your chosen field of study. Internships came in hand when I started looking for a REAL job. You often hear things like employers won’t hire you if you don’t have experience. That’s where internships come in!

• Stay in touch with your family.
  • No matter how busy you are. Call your family! For me, I was homesick and stressed but I didn’t want to worry my family. So, I wouldn’t call them. Looking back, this caused more stress because I wasn’t talking to anyone about how I was feeling. It wasn’t until my Junior year of college where calling my family became my biggest stress reliever. I often would call my family when I was walking to and from classes. Even if it was only for a few minutes that really helped.

• Embrace your uniqueness
  • It’s easy to lose yourself in college. There are so many different people, personalities, and new experiences. It’s important to grow as a person, but don’t forget who you are and where you come from. As a Native American student there will be a lot of people who question your culture. You may even be the first Native American that a person will meet in real life. That still boggles my brain! There were so many misconceptions about Native American culture, I used it as a way to educate my peers. I started a Native American club to bring more cultural awareness to my campus. However, please know it is not your job to educate others about your culture. But don’t ever be ashamed of it, embrace it!

To all my college babes, don’t worry. You will get through it! I hope these tips help. I wish social media existed like the way it does today.  I see so many college students sharing their stories of struggle and success on social media. Had I known there were others who were experiencing the same things as I was, I would have felt a little less anxious. Since it’s been a few years since I’ve been out of college, I asked a few of my Instagram friends who are currently in college for their advice.

Advice from current college students:

Find your community! Take advantage of Native American student recourses if your school has them. Go to office hours, ask questions, and NOT procrastinate.

Hannah Throssell

The University of Arizona, Junior

Majors: Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies, Minor: American Indian Studies

 

A piece of advice that my family tells me is, “Travel and learn as much as you can. Home will always be here when you’re ready to come
back.”

Tannon Tom, Navajo

1st year grad student, Arizona State University, Science of Health Care Delivery M.S., College of Health Solutions

Don’t let nerves keep you from taking advantage of the attainable opportunities that come your way. I always try to keep this piece of advice in mind and it has led me to go on so many incredible adventures. It is also a great way to represent/inspire your people!

Olathe Antonio, Navajo and Shawnee

Fort Lewis College, Psychology

 

Mariah Claw, Navajo

First Year Graduate University of Arizona, Anthropology

Dartmouth College 2015 BA Sociocultural Anthropology

Blog: https://asdzaaneez10.wordpress.com/

• Body- This tip is on the heavy side but ever so important. Sisters, be aware of your surroundings and protect yourself as best you can. As much as we want to believe we are safe, the reality is 1 in 3 Indigenous women will be raped in her lifetime. Talk to upper class students or your dean about campus resources. And, Creator forbid, if you find yourself in a bad situation ask for help!
• Mind- It might sound outlandish but try to get enough sleep on a regular basis. That might mean you skip social events sometimes but ultimately you will feel so much better than if you had been out late and up early the next morning.
• Spirit – If you ever find yourself missing the Rez, the Native community on campus might be a wonderful remedy. Get on the listserv and never miss an opportunity to make meals and hang out with other Native kids in a fun, safe space.

Thank you for reading! Do any of these tips resonant with you? What advice would you give? Let me know below.

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XOXO,

Alana