e-Edition

Flagstaff Weather

Comments?

Rate this story

Email this story

Print this story

Top player, top grades

By CHELSEA DEWEESE
Sun Staff Reporter
Tuesday, January 16, 2007

It's not easy being smart.

Maintaining good grades can be even more challenging, especially when there are so many -- so many -- things to accomplish in a day. Rachel Blackman should know. A student athlete at Northern Arizona University, Blackman has a virtual full-time job playing basketball.

And she's a double major to boot, with 15-credits-worth of reading-intensive classes. That's not to mention the "Make-a-Wish Foundation" work she does through her sorority, Chi Omega.

Somehow, through it all, Blackman manages a cumulative 3.89 grade point average in the honors program. And a place on the NAU Dean's List.

As spring semester starts today, this women's basketball player is offering some tips on how to stay on top of the books.

"The best policy is to stay proactive," she says.

ORGANIZE

Blackman is a self-described calendar junkie ( "I never go anywhere without it, she says). She keeps both a monthly calendar and weekly calendar. Here are her secrets:

Blackman records important exam dates, term-paper deadlines and project appointments on a large monthly calendar. She then color codes the information with highlighters, according to subject matter. This, she says, keeps large projects from sneaking up on her.

Blackman takes this information and breaks it down onto a hand-held weekly calendar ( "The type you get from Target or Wal-Mart," she says). This calendar has daily "To Do" lists for homework. She says it helps prevent procrastination, and later, meltdown.

Most importantly, Blackman says, she adheres to her calendar deadlines. If she doesn't finish homework in the allotted time, it will have to wait until later. Before class time.

SCHEDULE

Next to staying organized, scheduling is of utmost importance, Blackman says. She carefully selects course schedules that complement her study habits. Here are her suggestions:

Blackman arranges her course schedule with one- to two-hour breaks between classes. These breaks, she says, allow for last-minute reviews and for leftover homework (see above). She says one- to two-hour breaks are ideal because they don't allow for long naps or similar distractions.

No matter what, Blackman says, she schedules up to five hours of study time per night. She prefers to spend that time at the college library, where friends aren't dropping by to distract her. Also, the library has an Internet connection.

Again, Blackman emphasizes that it's important to adhere to set schedules. Schedules that aren't followed aren't effective, she says.

PRIORITIZE

Like most college students, Blackman often encounters situations where she simply has more homework than she has time for. It's times like these, she says, that prioritization is key. Here are her tactics:

Blackman prioritizes homework on a "first-come first-serve" basis. Whichever class comes first gets homework done first.

Classes with upcoming exams are top priority, Blackman says.

Blackman says she also takes comfort with subject matter into consideration.

NETWORK

Finally, Blackman acknowledges that familiarity with professors enhances the college experience. Although she is often away for games, she manages to maintain contact with teachers. Here are her methods:

Blackman visits professors during set office hours whenever possible.

When not, she makes appointments via e-mail.

Blackman workshops rough-draft essays with professors, if it's an option. It also doesn't hurt that her father specializes in English, she admits.

If Blackman could offer one piece of advise to students, it would be this: "Read your syllabus."

"I think every freshman makes that mistake," Blackman says. "I know I did."

Blackman hails from Shreveport, La. She currently attends NAU on a full-time athletic scholarship. She is a junior majoring in art history and religious studies. She intends to pursue a master's degree in art administration and later attend law school. Blackman is the recipient of two NAU Golden Eagle Scholar Athlete awards.

Chelsea DeWeese can be reached at cdeweese@azdailysun.com or 556-2250.

---

»Subscribe to the Arizona Daily Sun

---

---

---

---

Print this story

Email this story

Return to News