A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part III: Lessons Learned

Johne’tra Trotter is crowned Miss Dillard University 2012-2013.

By Johne’tra Trotter
Miss Dillard University 2012-2013

Balancing all of my responsibilities has taught me a lot. I have found the strength to not be so hard on myself and see the positive in every experience. It is ok for some things to not go as planned, because they turn out much better 🙂

Follow Johne’tra on Twitter at @_hotterTHANjuly.

I have learned that I tend to overcommit which puts a lot pressure on me because I love helping everyone! I always thought saying “no” was mean. But to avoid appearing selfish, I have learned to just say, “I’d love to! I’ll try my best considering my schedule. So if I can’t, I’m so sorry!” It’s a lot nicer than just saying “no!” 😉

This summer I was prepped into have a successful reign, but this semester I truly experienced it. So, in the spring, I believe that things will go much more smoothly. Especially since I don’t have a huge coronation ball to plan! LOL.

The biggest thing I have learned is responsibility. Balancing so much while facing personal challenges is preparing me for a future when I must juggle my career, family life, and whatever obstacles life will toss my way.

Also read:

• A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part II: Challenges
• A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part I

A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part II: Challenges

Miss Dillard University 2012-2013, Johne’tra Trotter, participates in community service projects on and off-campus.

By Johne’tra Trotter
Miss Dillard University 2012-2013

For nearly four years now, I have suffered from chronic illness that severely affects my energy level. I always try my best to cover it and put forth my most sincere effort. Some days are unpredictable and I just do not feel well. It can be incredibly hard to do the simplest things like getting out of bed or getting dressed. Many times I have experienced not being able to show up for classes, meetings, or events due to illness and/or frequent doctor’s appointments. And, many times I get discouraged and frustrated.

As I mentioned, I am a physics major. With an already tough curriculum, I took on 22 credit hours to ensure I meet my graduation requirements. With illness and Queenly duties, going to class and completing assignments can turn into a daunting task.

On top of that, I am active in extra curricular activities. I am a four-time LS—LAMP STEM research scholar, member of the Delta Phi chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority, National Society of Black Engineers, National Institute of Science, and Sigma Pi Sigma and Beta Kappa Chi national honor societies. I also serve on the Student Government Association as Miss Dillard University.

It is pretty amazing to be viewed as superwoman and an inspiration. When you are elected into a position, you no longer represent yourself! At times it is overwhelming to be put under a microscope day-to-day. It certainly does not help when you are a perfectionist like myself.

Johne’tra Trotter is Miss Dillard University 2012-2013 and a senior majoring in Physics. She is also the first HBCU Queen to blog for Queen to Queen, Inc. For information on how you can be a guest blogger, visit Write for Us or send an email to PublicRelations@QueentoQueen.com.

• Also read “A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part I“

A Day in the Life of Miss Dillard University – Part I

Johne’tra Trotter is Miss Dillard University 2012-2013 and a senior physics major.

By Johne’tra Trotter

Hello, beautiful people! I am Johne’tra Trotter, senior physics major from the jazzy city of New Orleans, LA, and I proudly serve my institution as Miss Dillard University 2012-2013.

I would like to thank Queen to Queen, Inc. for having me as their first Historically Black College or University Queen to guest blog. What an honor!

If you follow me on Twitter @_hotterTHANjuly, you will see that I am always very busy! A typical day for me starts at about 7:30am and ends around 1am… On a good day. I wake up, do my hair and makeup, get dressed, and rush to back-to-back classes. Then, head to countless meetings. And, then, to more back-to-back classes.

Sometimes I will forget to eat and if I do eat, I only have about 15 minutes.

I manage community service projects or events, with an impromptu appearance or speech here and there. When I return to my apartment, I tend to my family, and catch up on schoolwork and graduate school preparation. (I have hopes of obtaining my PhD in Medical Physics.) Then, I wake back up to do it all again!

There’s more to come from Miss Dillard University.  Read about how Johne’tra deals with challenges, what lessons she’s learned, and tips for succeeding with a busy schedule in coming posts.