Azusa Pacific University Top Questions

If I could go back in time to when I was a high school senior after knowing what I know now I would not have given up so easily. That college is very important and that there are ways to pay for it. I'm 23 years old and I'm just now getting started with college. I would have told myself not to get caught up in other things that are not important and to really focus on my future because time is short and it goes by fast and before you know your almost 25 years old with no goals in life working full time at a place that makes little to no money wishing you could go back in time to have done things a whole lot differently. Making the transition from high school to college can be very exciting and if your willing to give it your all and work hard for the things you want and the life you want for yourself then you will succeed. Having people around you who are supportive and are encouraging is a big help you can do anything you set your mind to so don't give up.

College is an exciting, new experience! Get ready to leave behind high school and everything you identified with there, and take the time to really find yourself in college. Don't stress about finances, it will all come along and you will be where you are meant to be. Even if you think the college isn't right for you once you get there, wait it out a year, then you can always transfer. Don't care about what others think. Your family, friends, acquaintances, peers, and new college classmates have no effect on you. Prepare to focus on yourself. College is all about you, finding who you are, where you are supposed to be, then finally using that to get where you are meant to be. While focusing on yourself, don't be selfish, and know the difference between them. Prepare to have a wonderful freshman year, where everyone there is just as nervous and excited as you are, and look forward to where this new road takes you.

If I could go back in time with what I know now about college, there is so much I would tell myself as a high school senior. The biggest one, would be telling myself to talk to actualy students at the college, not just the tour guide because I believe I would have been able to get a clearer picture of campus life. I would also tell myself that the transition is hard, and to be prepared to be lonely. It is hard making friends and even harder when you are far from home. I would also tell myself to stay strong and stick to my morals. It is very easy to do things just to fit in, but if you are not true to yourself and what you believe you are not going to feel good about yourself at the end of the day. Lastly, I would tell myself not to give up. It is so easy to just want to pack up and go home, but by giving up you're throwing away so much opportunity. The initial struggle is what is going to make what you get out of your college experience so amazing and memorable.

There is plenty of trivial advice I can give to my High School self like be quiet in the morning, you aren?t the only one in your room anymore, or it is better to do papers days rather than hours before they are due. This information would have helped me look a lot less like a fool. Still it would not have helped the countless hours I spent stressing about my major, worrying about making friends, and rethinking the idea of being 2,000 miles away from the comfort of home. The best advice I can give myself is to relax. Yes, it may take you a year of music classes and a semester being undeclared to figure out you want to be a Sociology major. Yes, you may feel left out and alone sometimes, but you?ll end up making friends that really understand you. And yes, there may be some situations that you don?t know how to handle and all you want is your mommy or daddy to come and make everything better again, but you will figure it out. Just relax and don?t be afraid to mess up every once in a while.

Get involved right away. Do not be afraid of diving in to a club that seems interesting, even if you don't know anyone who will be in that club. More than likely there will be others who don't know anyone else as well. The main idea is to go and get involved. Make time to spend with others and be willing to put aside homework to create a memory. Be aware that the professors will not spoon-feed you what to believe; you need to learn to back up your own set of beliefs and give a reason for why you believe what you believe. Professors also love to hear the students talk and discuss, so make sure you come to class ready to discuss the reading. Most importantly, be open and willing to talk to people you don't know. Everyone is really friendly and you will make friends in the places you least expect it.

I grew up very poor. I always thought that going to college was not part of my future. I believed raising children and working low paying jobs was the only choice I had. I always did really well in school. I just did not have the right people pushing me in the right direction. For many years I believed the lie. I worked very hard and still did not have enough money to take care of my three boys. I decided that the only way to break the chain in my family was to go back to school. I would tell myself as a high school senior that it does not matter where you came from. You can go to college and make a diffrence. You are very bright and motivated, you can do it! I really want to make a diffrence for other children. That's why decided to become a teacher. I want to tell students the words I did not tell myself!

The most important thing is to continue your education. You do not have to know exactly what you want to do with your life. There is a chance that as you grow and learn, your goals may change. That is OK. As you select a college, make sure you visit the campus, and talk to students and faculty. Make sure you are comfortable in the environment. Look at where you will be living. Go into this new stage of your life with an open mind... open to learning as much as you can absorb, and and siezing as many opportunities as possible. You are going to be busy. You are young, you can handle it. Never give up. If you need help, ask for help. If you are uncomfortable, express yourself. Get to know your professors and other students. Be assertive. Make sure you make your classes priority one, but also make sure you have a social network from which you can draw emotional and personal support should you need it. Take advantage of the resources that are available at your school. Work hard, and don't get behind. ATTEND CLASS.

college doesnt happen to you, you happen to college. Go and become who you want to be.

To the senior version of me- As you go off to APU in the Fall, keep a few things in mind. First, while you are going with your good friends, those are not the the people you need to spend the most time with. Go meet new people. Get involved. Don't waste your time with your old friends - they will always be there. Make new friends and truly get to know the people you live near. Secondly, try new things. Go on the outdoor adventure trips, try an intermural sport, go out for a choir. Just get involved in something. Lastly, enjoy your freshman year. It goes by quickly, so take advantage of every opportunity. Don't go to bed at 10 at night...go out and have fun! You only live in the dorms once, so take advantage of it. Get to know your neighbors. Be kind to your roommate. Don't worry about academics - you will do well no matter what. Just enjoy meeting new people and discovering more about yourself through them.

First of all, don't stress so much. You're going to the exact University you're supposed to be at even though you're not sure. Also, don't be so hasty and restless to get out of your hometown. You are so blessed, and once you get to APU, you're going to be more homesick than you expected. It's going to be the hardest change you've ever undergone, but it is completely worth every tear, and lonely and discontent moment. You will grow and mature into a young woman that you would not recognize if you were to see her now! You're walk with Christ will flourish, and you will have to really learn what it means to make your faith your own. College is not without its challenges, in fact, it's full of them, but every single one of those challenges will be so influential and essential to who you become. Hold on tight Mandy-even if you were told the incredible things that were going to occur at APU, you would'nt believe them!

I would tell myself to seek more scholarship opportunities and to be more serious about pursuing internship opportunities so that I could grow professionally and be prepared for the working world. I would tell myself to be more concerned about what I really wanted to pursue after college and not to get a job just to have one, but to find something that I was truely passionate about. I would tell myself to try more new things and not be so afraid to think outside of what I was comfortable with. Consider art as a field that I could potentially be interested in and not limit myself to what I felt I already knew. If I could go back I would have gone to a four-year university straight through so I could grow with my classmates and to join social or academic groups to develop deeper relationships rather than just surface ones. I would tell myself to never forget how blessed I am because of what the Lord has done in my life and will do in my life.

I would tell myself to be ready for the hardest years of your life. College is all about find out who you are and that takes time, effort, sweat and tears. But, I would also make sure to tell myself it will all be worth it in the end, to keep going and "Plus Est en Vous"-you got more in you than you think.

I would tell myself to make good use of my time and not waste time trying to complete my general education, plan to be done in two years. I wish I would have known that Communications was a good degree for me to persue so that I would not have needed to change my major. I would have recommended prerequisite courses in my junior year, immediately upon transferring from the junior college I attended.

Stop stressing out Rachelle! Everything is going to be fine. God has a plan for you life and everything is going to work out. But make sure you work hard and learn as much as you can. Your high school is a great one and prepares you for college very well. Everything that you are learning will help you in some way, whether in college or just in life. Being super active in forensics, theater, church, and tutoring is all worth it. Plus, you know you wouldn't get all your work done if you weren't busy :)Study for the ACT a lot before you take it the first time. You can get better scholarships with a good GPA and ACT score rather than just with a good GPA. Plus you won't have to pay to take it again.Just keep being positive because everything will work out if you work hard and want it enough.God bless you. I can't wait for you to see all the great things God has in store for you. There will be some hard times, especially financial. Hold your head up high, everything will work out.Sincerely,Yourself, Rachelle

I wouldn't give myself any advice. I've made mistakes and I've made good decisions. I'm comfortable with how I am currently, good and bad. I would rather have myself work through things on my own. Thats how I learned and that is how I would have my high school self learn.

I would say, "Take your foreign language and math classes in your first year. They may be boring or hard, but you'll remember the information better and won't have a crunch when you near graduation".

Learn to make a schedule and schedule time for yourself. Don't let school or football overwhelm you. You have choices. Take the time to invest into others. You will remember relationships more than academia. Get to know your professors. They aren't scary and out to get you. They are human and can become friends or like aunts, uncles, grandparents to you. Figure out what you personally believe or think about myriad topics. Don't just float along. Having an opinion is ok. But be flexible and open. Make your faith and beliefs and thoughts and opinions your own. Break up with Emily now. Learn how to effectively read a book. There will be many and they are full of amazing information. Be smart but stay up late and go out; enjoy yourself. These will be some of the greatest years of your life - make the most of them!

I would tell myself to find a job, internship, volunteer work, scholarship, or internship directed towards my major or at least something to do over the summer to gain more experiences with the future and to use for resumes. I would also tell myself not to get so discouraged when things go wrong, but not to be overconfident that things will go right. Do not procrastinate; do homework right when it is given to avoid forgetting the assignment and pulling all-nighters detrimental to health. Study harder each semester because classes get tougher as time progresses. Get to know people within your major from freshmen to seniors and do not be afraid to ask for advice and opinions from the seniors. Keep in contact with professors, as well, because they can actually help. Take advantage of all the academic help you can get. Amidst it all, try to have room in your schedule for a job because you really need the money to help the family.

I would tell myself to prioritize my time better. Although less time is spent in class in college and I have more independence I have to have self-discipline to continue accelerating academically. Also, as a freshman it was hard to adjust to on-campus housing and having randomly selected roommate. As I am an only child I would tell myself to try and be more accepting of others and maybe try living with someone with a completely different lifestyle than myself to get used to it. It was difficult to live with a person with completely opposite sleeping habits than myself. Sleep is also an important thing to give priority to. Though it may seem that you can catch up on sleep later and function on a couple hours of rest, it is unrealistic and in the long run leads to an unproductive day.

Seeing as I graduated high school at the end of my junior year, I would have to go back and give my self advice when I was a junior. I would tell myself to relax; everything is going to work out. I would tell myself that the people I was going to meet when I finally got to APU are some of the most amazing people I would have met in my life thus far. I would tell myself to be myself at all times; do not try to be someone else, because everyone has something different and special to offer to every relationship. I would tell myself to always love; no matter what happens, love. Be flexible and firm; things are not always going to turn out the way you plan, so plan on going with the flow; do not stress unnecessarily. I would tell myself to remember where I came from, to stay faithful to my family, and above all else, remain faithful to my God. After all, He is the one who has brought you this far.