Adelphi University Top Questions

The transition from high school to college was a really tough one for me. I was not able to adapt to change, mainly because I didn't want to, because I thought that everything was just fine the way it was. This made me depressed and made my already difficult transition to college life even harder. Given the chance, I would tell myself as a high school senior to accept change, and to thing of everything that is new, as a new adventure, because that is what it really is. Finding a dream college is a long and difficult journey, but unfortunatly that journey doesn't end with the tuition deposit. My advice to myself, and every other college bound student is not to worry about looking for the perfect school, with the perfect college life, because it isn't about being perfect. College is meant to achieve a higher level of education, and you just so happen to gain life experiences along the way. Change is inevitable, you have to be open to it. Being able to accept changes will make getting used to college life a lot easier, because college is nothing like high school, for the better.

Being a senior in high school, I thought i knew everything I needed to know and had the world figured out. However, this was certainly not the case. I was always the high school student who did enough to "get by", I did enough to get honors but nothing more. If I could go backwards and give my senior-self some insight, I would tell myself that life isn't about just doing what it takes to "get by". College is all about independence and, therefore, there is no one by your side to make sure you succeed. I would tell myself that the hard work and effort starts here, in high school, so that the transition to college is a smooth one with room to really enjoy the experience. I would tell myself that, in order to be successful, you need to stop settling for "getting by" and start reaching for excellence.

Honestly, if I had to go back in time and talk to myself as a senior I would say to be motivated. If I want to become a doctor I will have to stay determined and study. College life is completely different from High School. Learn how to prioritize everything because you will have many things to do and you will have to determine which one is important to do. Also, learn about time management because there isn't really enough time in the day to do EVERYTHING. When it comes to transitioning you will do fine as long as you be yourself because you're going to have your old friends at Adelphi with you and you're going to make a lot of new friends. And try to attend one basketball or soccer or some type of game at Adelphi because you do want to be involved in every way. Dont be afriad to ask for help. The teachers at Adelphi are there to help you because they want to see you succeed. If being a doctor is what you want to do, then you're going to have to take the time and push for your goal.

I would tell myself that it is important to be organize and on top of your work. Making an agenda, scheduling time to study and having fun will make college life more smoother. Also, be able to open yourself to diversity around whether through people, clubs, or textbooks, learn about about ethnicities and cultures. Lastly, it doesn't hurt to make friends in your housing.

I would tell myself to stay focused and plan ahead for the future instead of living just for the moment. Partying and fun is good, but only in moderation, because there are more important things in life than just that. The end goal should always be kept in the line of sight, and that is financial and career success. That end goal will be what will enable me to remove my family from poverty and give them a better future, and allow me to make a difference in my community. It will show others like me that there is a better way, and that success is possible if focus on the future is kept. That means more internships, more career-orientated jobs, and a firmer work ethic starting from high school, so that it carries over in college and in life as well, and enables me to achieve my goals and dreams to the fullest.

The very concept of being able to go back in time and speak to my former self brings about feelings of regret or questioning of trangressions past. I feel however that this is an unfair thing to question oneself about. In order to honestly answer this question I would advise my high school senior self to appreciate everything and every decision I make in the future, for good and for bad reguardless of the consequences of my actions. This is because I cannot possibly imagine wanting to face my former self now without any shadow of doubt in reguards to my present self. Doing so would only enable the high school me to question every action that he may take from then until my current age of 24, wondering how things might have changed for the better or worse.

There have been many times since my high school days that I wonder where would be should I have done things differently. Back in high school I was not able to completely understand the difference between high school and college. If I could go back I would have told myself not to focus so much on the social aspects of school but rather the academics. The academic part of high school is what primarily carries you to college. If you are a more focused student in high school the transition to college wont be as bad. Plus the grades and ranking and scores on the SAT's will all help with the amount of money you have to pay for college. I would also encourage my self to be more outgoing and try new things. I believe that by doing that in high school I would be more of a go ?getter and more ambitious. By doing these two things my college transition would have been a lot more stress free.

You'll love Adelphi. The campus is small, and in November it will strike you with surprise just HOW small it really is. This won't be a problem. You'll jfeel like you're living a more contained life. This is healthy; don't dwell on it. You're going to miss Mom more than you thought you would, and she'll miss you, so make sure you keep in touch. She still won't come to your performances, but since she's farther away this is more excusable. I can't say "Don't stay up all night", because it's the life of every college student and for one such as you, or me, or whoever, it is nonsense to say, "Don't conform!" So instead I will say, eat a balanced diet. Drink water. You'll be glad, especially at four in the morning two days before the semester ends. You'll feel better when you wake up after a half-hour of sleep or less. Find time to read. Find time to get in touch with things that kept you sane in middle school - writing, literature. You'll be fine, and you'll love it.

College is a time to re-create yourself and really control who you want to be in life, a leader or a follower. Always have an open-mind about situations. Procrastination is your worst enemy. Coffee is your greatest ally. Professors are more helpful than hurtful. And last but not least, networking is key to get ahead. P.S. learn to speed-type essays.

The advice that I would give myself is to make sure that I take the time that I need to really investigate what school I would be comfortable at. I would make sure that I visited enough schools so that I could compare them, instead of only 2 or 3. I definitely would tell myself to look at the meal plans and the food that the school has because although it does not seem like a big deal, it is. I would also tell myself to look into the fact that the school is either commuter or residential and take into account how much I would be able to go home. Something that I really wish I knew as a high school senior was how expensive college really is and that I need to start saving so that I can buy any necessities and also have money to hang out with friends. It feels horrible to not be able to go out with friends because I do not have money. Overall, I would just tell myself to make the choice that will make me happy.