Alvernia University Top Questions

I would tell my high school self to take harder classes and challenge myself. High school is the best/only preparation for transitioning into college classes. College classes are going to challenge you and the way you think.

To go back in time, to my senior year, would be welcomed because my past self could have used the information that I know now in order to have excelled in college life and the transition to college life. The first bit of advice I would give myself would be to get more involved in school. I would tell myself to join all of the clubs I wanted to join, pick up a new hobby. I would have told myself to stop being in my little shell and make those connections with people. This would have made making new friends much easier in college. It would also have made getting involved much easier. Knowing I had social anxiety, I would tell my senior self to get help for that and make myself a new person, to reinvent myself. I also would have told myself to take better care of myself because trying to juggle school, work and trying to get in shape is a challenge. I also wish I could tell my past self to start saving more money. I never believed the stereotype of a broke college student until now. I would tell myself to change for the better.

I would tell myself to take a deep breath and focus more in school then on my friends. Coming to college was an eye-opening experience with the intense workload, but it will be worth it! Find a school you fall in love with and that is welcoming.

My high school years were not very typical. When I fifteen my sister died from a medical error. Therefore, I was not a normal high school student. I wanted college to be different. I wanted to feel normal. I did not take my freshman year of college seriously. In retro spect, I would have told myself that my freshman year is my most important year, and it creates an essential academic foundation for nursing students. My goal in life is to be a pediatric nurse practictioner because of what happened to my little sister. I would have told myself this was not going to be easy road, and that this program was going to drain me completely. But would have reminded myself of the reasoning behind my dream and all that necessary hard work. Fianlly, I would have explained to myself the relevancy of community service. At my school, community serivce hours are required for graduation. I thought this was rediculous when I first apllied to go to Alvernia. Despite this, I have learned over the years the rewarding feeling you obtain when you participate in community service. It is undescribable. I believe this advice would have been priceless.

High school was very easy- you didn't have to study much and you were at the top of your class. However college is much different than you may have expected. Not only is it an entirely new environment concerning your social life, but it is also a different academic environment. You have to work much harder than you would have ever imagined in school because quite frankly it isn't easy. You can't procrastinate and wait until the last minute to do everything because trust me, it will show in your grades. And even though professors don't give homework that has to be handed in every day, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't study every day- because the studying IS your homework and that is what will you get you the grades that you are used to seeing. College is a wonderful experience and I hope that you're excited about it, but just remember that it's giong to be a lot more work than high school but it will all be worth it in the end.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself that you need to be more engaged at college. You cannot just sit around and wishing you did something, you need to do it. College is a place where engagement is a big proponent, and also engaging in activities opens your mind. I would also warn myself about the reading that must be done. The amount of time that is needed to study to be fully prepared for exams, quizzes, and other assignments is astronomical compared to the time needed in high school. So, I'd end the conversation with a smile, handshake, and say, "you better refine those study habits, or you'll be in trouble."

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have advised myself to apply for a college right away and not wait until the last minute. I would have also apply for as many scholarships as I can, just in case I'd ever need it. I'd also advise myself to pick a major with credits that are easily transferrable to other colleges as not to risk having to wasting my Pell grant. In fact, I would add, I need to choose my major wisely because Pell will only cover for 12 semesters.. I would have also told myself to get treated for ADD so that I'd focus better in college. Lastly, I'd advise myself to get help learning how to write papers to avoid flunking certain classes that involve lots of writing.

When talking to my younger self I would most definitely be telling them that you need to think about what your major should be. Think long and hard, don't just pick something that you believe will make you money, pick something that you will love to do. You don't know what jobs will be like in 4-6 years so pick what you love, not what will make you loads and loads of money. Life is about living your dream, loving your job, and being happy. I would then talk to myself about the stress. Syllabus week might turn you away, but just think about it this way you have WEEKS to accomplish all of those things, and you will accomplish all of those things. College can be stressful, but you just have to think that when you are done with school you will be out in the real world with real responsibilities. Just enjoy the school setting, enjoy meeting new people, try new things, because once you are in the real world there is no going back. College is a great experience if you want it to be, so put yourself out there and enjoy it.

I would make sure that when I decide to go to college to make sure that you have all of your resources figured out and to make sure that you have the finances to make it through. With going to college you want to make sure that you have made the right decision along with making sure that you are able to keep up with all the assignments and be able to concentrate on the work. Being in high school, it is best to keep up your GPA and to make sure that you get the most out of it. With having the help and support of your friends and family will also help with making the right choice for the college you have chosen. For me being in college at a older age, it seems to be best to make the most of what you have to live for to get the best job that will last for a long time. While in highschool it is also best to have a good background and knowledge of so extra curriculums to get the scholarships that will help get you through the years.

I would first advise myself to focus primarily on my school work and decrease the amount of hours worked each week. I would also tell myself to continue to persevere even through the darkest of times and continually strive to better youself. Never give up and always put forth your best effort. Do not let other discourage you.

I would tell my high school self to sit down first. I would begin by saying indecision is okay! You're not going to completely know what you want to do. I would also tell her that she should try different things and not be afraid. Last thing I would say without a doubt would be follow your heart. By following your heart, you will do things you always wanted to do, find love, and grow a backbone to grow stronger in the person you are. And most of all, high school Nicole, don't change a thing and don't be afraid.

During my freshman year in college I learned so much that i wish i would have knew during my senior year. The most important advice would be to take your work seriously, but take care of yourself first. The work in college is important but you cannot do your work to the best of your ability if you are stressed out and making yourself sick. At the end of the day you are the most important factor in the four year journey to getting your degree make sure you are taken care of and great things will follow.

If I could go back in time and tell myself one thing, I would tell myself never let something get in the way of your dreams. They are you dreams and there should never be a person that comes in to your life and lets you change that. It is impossible for a person not to make a mistake, but if I could, I would tell myself to be careful with which boys I like. They can cause alot of problems and change you, sometimes not always for the best. Never stop working for my dreams. My dreams have been with me all of my life and they should not be thrown away because of one person. I will never give up on myself, but when times get hard, I know I have to stay strong. My advice would be never give up on my dreams, and just keep going. No matter what life has to say.

I’ve been in a bubble my whole life. I suppose that explains why I enjoyed playing with them so much as a child. My world, kindergarten through senior year, was two buildings separated by a parking lot; a high school with only three hallways; and I loved it. I never thought much about college or finding a job; I was perfectly happy in my bubble. Then near the end of my junior year, it popped! I was suddenly faced with ACT scores, college and scholarship applications, financial aid, and everyone asking me where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do with my life. I was so overwhelmed that I pushed everything aside and decided not to worry about it, which unfortunately, came with many consequences. I always tell myself, that if I could go back, I would give myself the help that I never had. I would have joined more clubs, made more connections, gotten scholarships, and graduated with the best, and everyone would be so proud. However, I will not waste more time looking into the past at “what could have been”, but am now going to focus on the future and “what could become”.

AS a high school senior, I would tell my self to study a lot more then I have been.

As a first generation college graduate the transition into a university was unlike any other. Both of my parents were raced in Mexico, they did not have the opportunity to experience the life that they have provided my siblings and me with. As I looked for advice from my family they gave me the best knowledge that they could without knowing exactly what to expect. If I could go back in time with this knowledge and experienced I would make sure that college was worthwhile. It was a wonderful experience but there are several things that I would do differently. First I would pay close attention to the people I surrounded myself with. It is very important to be around positive and ambitious people so that you can excel. I would also take more advantage of school activities by becoming more proficient in scheduling time for schoolwork and extracurricular activities. I would mostly take advantage of studying abroad because it would have broadened my understanding and viewpoints of different cultures and their perspectives. Overall being active within the school is very important because it would help in finding ambitious people that could result in life long friendship, knowledge and memories.

The main thing that I would tell myself as a high school senior is to work harder, not only to recieve better grades, but to prepare myself more for college. Throughout my high school career, I was always under the impression that the teachers were preparing us for college life. My freshman year in college, I found this to be false. The teachers did do as much as they could but I realized that it was actually up to the students to make sure they were prepared. This includes getting good grades, getting involved in activities, and setting up good study processes. These aspects carry over to college life and make it easier to transition more quickly if students already have things planned out. I know the rest of my college career will be easier to transition to since I now have an idea of what it is like, but I do wish I would have worked harder in high school to better prepare myself with or without the help of others.

I would say you need to manage time more efficiently. College is a lot of work and you need to study for your exams. Take your classes seriously and you will have to put effort in to them because they are going to be very difficult. You will need to be abe to produce at least five page papers because that is the expectation.

Listen closely. This is your future self speaking to you. Right now, life isn't so great. Vivien is finally here. Imagine that. :) You pick her up on her 18th birthday from the airport, oh and Jessica cheats on you, so be prepared. The problem is... you're screwing up. You end up graduating with a 2.71 GPA, which is not acceptable. You need to study harder, and make better grades. It's making it hard for us to get into college. Also... we found the answer to our... problems. Valorian Root. You can get it from Publix. It helps our Anxiety. After getting some ($3 for 100 tablets), start exercising. You'll want to. You kinda let yourself go by 30lbs. It's not too great. Most importantly, get better grades. I know it sucks, but just do it. If you don't listen to anyone else, listen to yourself... Now is the time to take things seriously. Don't wait until graduation. Start now! Or else you'll regret it. Take care -- 10/9/2012 P.S. Justin Bieber... his music gets better... Yeah. Weird, right?

If I could go back in time I would tell myself that college is the start to your future and you have to make the most of it. Focus on your grades and get involved. College is an amazing oportunity that not many people get to experience. Don't let the college work discourage you! You can do anything that you put your mind to. Nothing is ever impossible. As much as you feel like giving up sometimes, don't! Keep on trying and putting forth your best effort, because in the end I promise you it will all pay off! Keep your head in the game of life!