SRA Hubster Reflections: Staying Active On The SRA Hub
By “SRA Hubster” Opal Franklin
The Students Rising Above Hub has helped me in many ways this past year. The SRA Hub “had my back” the whole year and was an essential asset to my successful college application experience. Like most high school seniors, I had a ton of questions about college applications. The questions I had may have seemed pesky if had to wait to ask a counselor during the school day, but instead my questions were happily answered on The SRA Hub. Through The SRA Hub I also found that other students had the exact same questions. The SRA Hub was my safe place for any bumps that I encountered on that journey, and I was eternally grateful to have a place to go to get answers.
My Favorite Parts Of The SRA Hub
Quick Responses
I have so many favorite things about The SRA Hub that if I were to name just one, it wouldn’t do my hard working SRA advisors justice. There are things that stand out that I especially like, such as, the quick responses that I got when I asked a question. Our online advisors not only responded quickly to us but we also learned why it’s important that we do the same. I recall our online advisor Vanessa, saying that it’s essential in the workforce to respond to emails in less than 24 hours because if you do not you may miss out on job opportunities. Not responding quickly may also be seen as rude and seem like you are uninterested. This statement is one that has stuck with me since hearing it, and responding promptly is something that I now do myself.
The SRA Hub Community
I also love the sense of community on the SRA Hub, and the way that I don’t just interact with the people from my high school. I have made friends with students from other high schools that I may have never met if The SRA Hub were not invented. The SRA Hub makes it easy to respond to other people’s comments and suggestions. I also like how all students get to share information, and it’s not just the advisors who provide information. On the SRA Hub, I feel that everyone’s voice is equal, no matter if they’re from the same school or if they’re from a school far away. We all have the same goals, and I love how our advisors support those goals, and will be up at all hours of the night doing their best to help us reach them.
This may seem like a small thing but I also love how the advisors don’t make us call them “Mr. “or “Ms.” This contributes to the community feel, and does not put an emphasis on the fact that one person is better than the other. The advisors always provide their knowledge and genuine experience and ideas to us, and share resources via email and online on The SRA Hub. The SRA Hub has become a second home, and getting those email notifications is something I look forward to!
My Advice For Next Year’s Senior Class
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions
If I could give advice to next year’s senior class I would want high school seniors to know that it is okay to ask questions! I know that asking questions during my first three years of high school was something I struggled with, and it resulted in bad grades, and low self-esteem. The SRA Hub helped me realize that I don’t have to get perfect grades, high SAT/ACT scores, and have a billion hours of community service in order to get into a university. Juniors and seniors need to know that so they don’t suffer from low self-esteem, as I did before I became apart of the SRA Hub.
Use The Resources On The SRA Hub
The SRA Hub really opened my eyes about what to expect in college. So I’d suggest that students explore the resources by clicking on career links and going to webinars because they are extremely helpful.
Be Active!
Finally, I think the biggest piece of advice I want to share is to stay active. I would encourage high school seniors to participate on The SRA Hub. I know that some people (including myself!) were initially hesitant about getting help online on The SRA Hub, but once I was able to build friendships with my advisors, and became more active, I felt that that the SRA Hub became a vital part of my senior year. I cannot emphasize this notion enough, because senior year requires a lot of effort, so keeping SRA Hub apart of your daily schedule is really important!
