So why exactly did you come to North Carolina A&T State University again? My apology, I forgot. Is it perhaps because I really can’t tell that you came here because you want to further your education at a prestigious historically black college university or you felt invited by the amount of Aggie Pride? Maybe, it’s because your actions speak louder than your words.

Your reason for being here should be your top priority as you matriculate from year to year, but so often, I see students acting against their original reasoning. The issue here? Too many A&T students aren’t taking college seriously enough or at all.

Why do your rims shine, but your grades look so dim? Is it because you chose to drive or walk up and down John Mitchell on a nice day instead of going to class? Or could it be because there’s a party coming up and you don’t have a date, so you feel so inclined to holler at a girl from your car window? Is this you?

If your answer is yes to any of the above questions, it is your sole responsibility to remedy that issue as soon as possible. Guys, there is absolutely no reason why your car should become priority over textbooks or that you’ll save up for outfits for homecoming, but not for a business suit or shoes for the career fair.

If you spent your refund check on shopping and are still complaining about the raise in prices of tuition—you need to get your priorities together. If you’re more familiar with the NFL football season schedule than you are with ones in your syllabi, you need to get your priorities together.

Ladies, you have time to go to the hair and nail shop to look cute for the fellas, who are by the way riding in cars that may or may not be fully paid for, but you can’t seem to squeeze in 20 minutes of study time or time to stop by your professor’s office. You know the quickest route to get to the best clubs, but you can’t seem to maneuver yourself over to Bluford or a study room down the hall?

If your heels are higher than your GPA, you need to get your priorities together. If your phone bill is less than the amount of credit hours you’ve ATTEMPTED, you need to get your priorities together.

Facebook and Blackboard are both good for staying up to date on upcoming events, however, I promise you that the people at Music City could care less about the test you have the next morning. You can sweet talk a guy or a girl all day and night, but your professors could care less to bump up your grade if you didn’t give the effort.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the freedom of college life and being independent, but know how to balance. Your ability to drink four shots and still dance for three more hours isn’t going to get you a job when you graduate. Your skills in Madden won’t mean a thing if you can’t efficiently write a simple report.

Why is it that you can effectively use every application on your iPhone, but you still don’t understand how to properly do research in the library? Think about your future for a minute. What’s going to increase your chances of employment? What’s going to make sure your grades stay up? Who’s responsibility is it to get your work in on time and complete? Yours.

It’s up to you to make sure your papers are done and that you get enough sleep so that you’re not falling asleep in your classes. The name beside the “F” in your Physics Lab inside of your professor’s notebook isn’t the name of the person you spent time in class texting. The “C” on your paper doesn’t stand for Complete.

Why is that we complain about not having enough time or money when we spend it so carelessly? Why is that we complain about parking still when half of us don’t have parking passes or get up ten minutes before class and honestly think we’re going to get a space? Is it really that hard to iron a shirt or do laundry that you have to go out and buy something new instead? 

If good grades were money, a lot of students would be broke.

Aggies, you have so much going for you here, but it’s all a waste of money if you don’t prioritize. So who’s wasting your money? Is it really A&T or is it you?  

• Stacie Bailey