Tips for High School Students to Prepare for College (by Kairise Guerrant Conwell)

I don't own a business but I do have expertise in the educational field. Today, I thought I would share some tips for helping students be successful in college starting with things they can do now while they are in high school.

First, let me say that we have to educate ourselves. That takes many forms so do what's best for you but I was always taught that gaining an education is something no one can ever take from you. Knowledge is power so at the very least READ, RESEARCH, LEARN about your people, history, family tree etc.

College tips:
1. Start early to identify colleges, application deadlines, requirements and scholarships. Don't wait until senior year in high school.
- We are always late in turning in applications and miss out on opportunities and money
- FAFSA paperwork (financial aid) opens Jan. 1st at midnight and they can run out of grants as early as mid Jan
- take the ACT and/or SAT exams multiple times starting in sophomore or junior year. look for ways to practice or take a prep class to improve scores.

2. Take the difficult classes, don't fill your schedule with study hall or office worker.
- Math should be taken all four years of high school.
- Reading and writing is key so work on those skills
- If able to take advanced or AP courses then do it, yes they are harder but it will prepare you for college classes

3. Work on study skills especially time management
- Learn how to effectively use a planner to organize and prioritize your homework, projects and extra curricular activities. it takes practice and if you start in high school then you will be better prepared when you get to college
- Figure out how best you learn and work on techniques in taking class notes, studying and taking exams that will help you be successful. Remember practice makes perfect so it may not seem necessary in high school but you want to develop habits NOW that will carry you into college
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Take a listen to the solo mixtape from 9Ten Mobb's very 

own Yung Abundance here at this direct link.  Lots of 

bangers and smooth tracks featured on the collection!  

Check it out.

 http://www.datpiff.com/Yung-Abundance-Introducing-Yung-Abundance-mixtape.705656.html

Check out the latest single from rising Atlanta based rapper / producer Mr. Boom Boom Bang titled "Down Low"!  Check it out here at this direct link

http://www.spreaker.com/user/southeasthiphop/mr-boom-boom-bang-down-low

Website Development Tips for Blacktopians (by Laura Williams)

Blacktopian Citizen Laura Williams shares her web 

development expertise with other members of the

Blacktopia Facebook Group for #MoneyMakingMonday / 

#MotivationalMonday.  


Take a look at this great, useful information she 

has to share.





First and foremost if you are going into business of any kind you need a website.  Doesn't matter what you are selling or trying to promote.....People today that are looking to buy what you're selling (whether it be a product, service or idea) will be looking for you online. Nobody uses the yellow pages anymore? 

Think about it....If you want your nearest restaurant, nail shop, mall, plumber, beautician, barber...what do you do? You Google it. 

So without a website, people that need what you're selling, can't find you. 

So after I start any kind of business after creating the entity, deciding what it will do and dealing with the legalities..... Next thing I'm thinking....I need some business cards and a website. 

TYPE OF WEBSITE

The type of website you need will depend largely on your budget $$$ and what you need it to do. 

If you're a small startup that just wants to get your name out there and is selling a service (plumber, beautician, etc) then a basic site with a few pics would suffice. 

If you are actually selling a product online you will need e-commerce and to hire a company that specializes in website design and management. You don't want your customers putting their credit card info into a system that is not secure. So a homegrown site is not an option if e-commerce is involved. You need a professional.

CREATING YOUR WEBSITE:

There are many options to create your website and again it will depend on your budget and what you want it to do. 

WEBSITE DESIGN OPTIONS

1) Do it yourself. You can buy software for $99 that will walk you through the process of creating a site. Now it will be basic, kinda cheesy maybe but you'll have one for relatively no cost (Cost: SuperCheap$)

2) Find a company that will charge you $199 site and then $99 month for maintenance and hosting. This is the rent-a-center of websites. Can't buy furniture now, pay for it monthly. Can't buy a website now, pay for it monthly. Drawback with these...YOU NEVER OWN IT and as soon as you don't pay them that $99 a month. They disconnect you faster than Sprint does a Boost Mobile Customer.  (Cost: Cheap $$)

3) Some websites sell templates and will let you purchase and download the template of your choice for a fee. Then you can edit it and add content. Problem with these is whatever software that template was created in, you will have to have on your home computer. So if they used Dreamweaver....you need Dreamweaver. If they used Flash..... You need Flash. So this can be pricey if you don't have the software already. But I say buy the template go to your local college library and find an IT student specializing in web development. Pay him $300 bucks and let him do. He probably already has the software you need to edit that template. (Cost: Low to Moderate $$$)

4) Hire a freelance professional. Someone that can do it, but may not have an actual business doing it. This person would have the software and probably is going to buy a sophisticated template off one of those sites I mentioned in example #3 shown above. But if you have $600 to $1000 he is worth it. Because you can tell them what you want and they take it from there. (Cost: Moderate $$$$) 

5) Hire a full service firm
If you selling a product customers will actually buy from your website, or if you have live video streaming, podcasts, have a lot of pictures, need 360 video. You need a professional. Don't try it yourself. Don't let your homeboy around the way hook you up. So much can go wrong. Especially if you are taking customers credit cards. You need firewalls, high security, and a whole lot more. Don't play around. Hire professionally. (Cost: High $$$$$$)

I owned my own website design business back in 2007 and used a combination of the methods above. Hope this helps. 

Will have to cover the need for Databases next week. 

Til then. Toodles. 

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Take a look at some of the wonderful products provided by Younique by Jaime Staine

Click this Link:  https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JaimeStaine/business

Sign up today!  http://www.tvcmatrix.com/latosha42

Latosha McKnight presents Money Earning Opportunity to Fellow Blacktopians

Blacktopia sponsor, South East Hip Hop Magazine advertiser and prominent businesswoman Latosha McKnight would like to present a money earning opportunity with the visitors of the Blacktopia Website as well as the members of Blacktopia Facebook Group.  Click the link below for more information....
http://www.tvcmatrix.com/latosha42


For the next 5 Weeks Latosha McKnight is holding a private chat session through FB messenger to give members more information on the MCA Motor Club.  E-mail us at Blacktopia@Mail.com or SouthEastHipHopMag@yahoo.com if you would like to attend the private chat session.

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Take a look at some of the wonderful products provided by Younique by Jaime Staine

Click this Link:  https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JaimeStaine/business

Sign up today!  http://www.tvcmatrix.com/latosha42

Black Beauty Tips: Younique Mascara does Wonders for Bad Hairlines

Fellas, if you have bad receding hair lines and you are looking for better alternative ways to cover it up, and even it out without cutting it off then you should certainly look into purchasing Younique Mineral Eyeshadow in Black to solve the issue with a receding hair line!


Get more information here at this direct link
https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JaimeStaine/business

Blacktopia Beauty Sidney Ware nods her head to Mr. Boom Boom Bang!

Blacktopian Beauty and official South East Hip Hop Magazine featured Model Sidney Ware is really feeling rising artist Mr. Boom Boom Bang's new music.  Check out what she had to say here at this direct link 
http://southeasthiphopmag.blogspot.com/2015/06/model-sidney-ware-is-loving-mr-boom.html

Check out Mr. Boom Boom Bang's official single "Down Low" here at this link

http://www.spreaker.com/user/southeasthiphop/mr-boom-boom-bang-down-low

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Take a look at some of the wonderful products provided by Younique by Jaime Staine

Click this Link:  https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JaimeStaine/business

Sign up today!  http://www.tvcmatrix.com/latosha42

Meet Dee Jordan the Program Director of In Yo Ear Radio

Today, Blacktopia would like to spotlight one of our proud members, Ms. Dee Jordan.  Dee is the Program Director for WFLA "In Ya Ear" Radio!  She's also an active member of our popular Facebook Group for Blacktopia (Black Utopian Society).

If you would like to meet Dee and other bright, and talented professionals such as herself then check out the group at this direct link
https://www.facebook.com/groups/446575245495210/


Check out "In Yo Ear" Radio here at this direct link
http://www.inyoearradio.com

Dee Jordan and the DJ's at "In Yo Ear Radio" have certainly been getting behind and supporting current South East Hip Hop Magazine featured artist Mr. Boom Boom Bang's new single "Down Low"!  It will soon be in heavy rotation.  Listen to the single for yourself here at this direct link

http://www.spreaker.com/user/southeasthiphop/mr-boom-boom-bang-down-low

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Take a look at some of the wonderful products provided by Younique by Jaime Staine

Click this Link:  https://www.youniqueproducts.com/JaimeStaine/business

Temekia Shipp member of the Blacktopia FB Group Introduces Herself in New Video

Temekia Shipp, a proud member of our Blacktopia Facebook Group made a video for Youtube endorsing the group and introducing herself to the new members. Check it out and see what she had to say by clicking the embedded video link above.

Members of Blacktopia invade "Living off The Grid Radio"

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with International Travel with Vauban on BlogTalkRadio with International Travel with Vauban on BlogTalkRadio

Earlier this week Blacktopia member Vauban Schwarzwald​ (better known as L.A. Davis) made a post in the Blacktopia Facebook group asking the question "Why Are Black Women So Angry Let's Talk" with a link back to the BlogTalkRadio show produced by him titled "Living Off The Grid Radio" which that day's topic had the same Question.

Other members from Blacktopia jumped in on the post to give answers and suggestions, and one member of Blacktopia, Misty "LookingForAMiracle" Ross called up to the radio show to voice her opinions with the guests and other callers!  Listen to a playback of that show at the embedded link above.

Poem: I Am Nothing But Vessel (by Thomas Stafford)

I am nothing but a vessel.
I am the creation of the potter.
My hopes and dreams.
Is not for my own glory.

You see nations, people who are in high places.
Governments.
I don’t serve you.
My justice is not liberty.

But my dependence is of God
I am the vine he is the root.
Outside of him is vanity.

So yes I glorify him
Because he will glorify me.

No government nor angle our spirit can separate me from his love.

Contact Cali Gurl Real for your Graphic and Design Needs

  

Contact Blacktopian Citizen, and the very talented and skillful graphic design artist Tanisha R. White for all your graphic design needs.

Tanisha R. White's services include (but not limited to) digital flyers, EPK's, logo design, album and mixtape art, photography as well as marketing and branding promotions among many other things.  For more information just e-mail her directly at Caligurlreal@gmail.com and follower her on social media (Twitter and Instagram) @CaliGurlReal.  

She is also the designer of the Blacktopia Logo! 

What's In The Fruit??? Question It! by Ayeshah Lockwood

In less than a decade seedless and white seeded foods will be the norm, then what say you, "I ate em when I was growing up and look at me I'm fine?", "oh cancer... it's what you get living in this world today, it's the environment, everybody gets it."

The scariest thing about the future of Black People is that we REFUSE to vet, which PREVENTS us from uniting!

No, not everything and not all of us... I'm so sick of those bulls**t "Not me" arguments sustaining our division! but the very tools used to control us, those things that we have been terrorized or seduced into accepting, believing, committing to, protecting and rejecting and those of us who won't open our minds to confirm or deny.

Their strategy doesn't change because it works!

CONFUSION (The deliberate incorporation of fact and fiction) WORKS WHEN THOUGHT IS SUPPRESSED!!!
Their religions (don't be a heretic), news (we're authoritative, it must be true), media (it's all the rage), entertainment (it's harmless), and education (it's based on fact) all have one thing in common... to suppress or de-energize your matter of thought, reducing it to belief. They then convert that energy, recycling it to use in myriad ways to further terrorize or seduce us and the cycle repeats itself.

IT IS DETRIMENTAL TO US!!! Our energy is being CONSUMED dispersed, transferred, and transformed by an unnatural entity! It's not mystical, it's not spooky, it's not scary. It's fact, it's strategic and it's not hidden anymore! We can stop this nonsense!

STOP BELIEVING AND FIND OUT! There are innumerable factual resources on what ever you question so QUESTION EVERYTHING, you will get to the truth, to fact. When opinion and belief are destroyed, our enemy will be fully exposed, we will be of one accord and we will be able to unite and collectively protect ourselves.

Fam PLEASE SHARE! Let's interject healthy "Viral threads" into our news "Feeds".

Ayeshah Lockwood

Fellow Blacktopian Dwon Moss Johnson on Truth Heals Hurt Radio Show

Dwon Moss Johnson, a proud member of Blacktopia will make a special guest appearance on Blogtalkradio show Truth Heals Hurt with host Princess on Sunday May 17th 8 PM EST.

Check out the information on the flyer for details on how to listen in!  

Books: Sunshine BlackRose From Origination to Maturation (A Transformation in Poetic Form)

Aliscia Melton AKA Sunshine Blackrose a very talented poet, writer and proud member of Blacktopia will release a collection of her poems in book form August 2015 pm Amazon.com.  Get more information here on her official website
http://www.sunshineblackrose.com/#!books/cee5

Sunshine BlackRose From Origination to Maturation is a brief glimpse into the life of Sunshine BlackRose. It is a journey from the origination of Sunshine BlackRose to realization of life. That realization leads to maturation which brings about the transformation of Sunshine BlackRose. 

Come and peek in, read , and ride along with Sunshine BlackRose as she blossoms into a strong force to be reckoned with.

Available for purchase on Amazon.com in August 2015. 

Poem: "A Moment In Time" by Melinda Parker

From my heart to yours.....

I dedicate this poem to all my friends in remembrance of their QUEEN-MOM......

"A Moment In Time"
By: ‪#‎MelindaKreativeKoinsParker‬ 

If I could turn back the hands of time I would slowly replay the days shared of you and I . Oh how the days have come and gone when we once were two but now "we" are one. You will be ever present in a world that only I can see; not ever fading away nor having the ability to leave me.

If I could turn back the hands of time I would have captured the essence of your laughter; resounding throughout your body into my spirit; placing it in a jar and releasing it when I need to hear it. Remembrance is such a powerful connection of lives gone yet you are here the same, recalling of the way I felt but not the date nor season of change.

If I could I would never erase your teachings and sharing of wisdom and all you've given unto me; lessons of life, love, what is and soon will be. Yet I find myself not being one of such control; having to release you from the earth so your spirit can soar. Coming into knowledge of having the power to keep the memory of your love always, for there are moments in time I wish I could be with you again. We didn't know that God was going to call your name, in life we loved you dearly; in departure we do the same. It broke our spirits to lose you, but you did not go alone; for part of us went with you the day God called you home. Our family chain is missing a link and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one by one, the chain will link again

~ Melinda Kreative Koins Parker~

Boss Hippy "So What" Video

Check out the latest single from South East Hip Hop featured artist AND Blacktopian citizen BOSS HIPPY titled "So What"! There are a lot of funny elements in this music video as well!  The people that reside in Blacktopia are definitely loving this one!  For more information on Boss Hippy go to http://www.southeasthiphopmag.blogspot.com