Ball State University Top Questions

Care. Care about your education, and by this I do not mean your grades. Yes, grades are important and they should be cared about, but there are far more pressing issues that take precedence. Care about what you are learning. Care about your intellect and how it is being formed. You are spending thousands of dollars and years of your life for this education; make sure you actually get one. Care about the contents of every class, and care about the process of learning. Find something, anything, that grasps hold of your interest in each class, and invest in it. If you truly care about expanding and strengthening your mind and learning as much as you can from each class, the grades will surely follow. Care about your relationships with peers, professors, coworkers, and those you randomly encounter. These relationships will be life-altering. Learn how to relate to others and how to love them. If you do not care, I can assure you, that this will be one of the greatest wastes of your time, money, and energy you can possibly commit. If you do care though, no matter what happens, it will all be worth it.

This is the first step to the rest of your life so make sure you think about what you want as a life or career. Make sure you do your research and find what school has the career path that you are interested in, do not limit yourself to location. The most important thing about school is finding the funds to pay for school, take the time to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Too much money is not a bad thing because you will need. Once you have made your decision on where you would like to go make sure that education is the most important thing. The freedom will be nice but make sure you make smart decisions. You are now responsible for yourself, no one is holding your hand so make sure you think all your decisions through.

I would tell myself that the world, and things in it, arean't above my head. The things that seem large and powering were built by normal people, just like me. That means that anything is within my reach, and nothing is ever too big for me in life. I've gone down some paths where I justified my actions as being 'realistic'. I have come to see that being realistic is the quickest way to mediocrity. I would let my high school self know to aim a little higher, not to be afraid of failure, and see just how capable I am of reaching further than I could've ever imagined. I'm much more able than my high school self could've imagined.

For the love of everything, when you take finance in your freshman fall semester, appeal the grade you get on that 2-week project because it was a very unfair grade the teacher gave you because she changed the criteria for it after you had already turned it in. If you don't you will lose your scholarship and be at serious risk of not being able to afford the out-of-state costs. Then you'll end up doing what I am doing right now and spend hours looking for scholarships that you are actually eligible for.

I would tell myself to not be as nervous as I was when I started. Coming to college was one of the best things I could do at that point of my life. Sure, leaving all of your friends can seem scary, but the ones who truly care will still be with you and everytime you go home you will be greeted with open arms and caring faces. Go into college with an open mind and an open heart and make the best of it.

The advice I would give my high school self would be to take advantage of Advance Placement classes that would count towards my introductory math and english college courses. I would tell myself to take dual credit courses in high school that would have completed my college humanities and electives course work, so that by the time I graduated from high school, I'd already be an incoming college sophomore. This would have saved me two years of money. Next, I would have chosen to go straight into the nursing program instead of becoming a pre-med student. Being a pre-med student caused me to fall out of love with the healthcare field and procrastinate on finishing my college education, due to my enrolling in cosmetology practitioner and instructor courses, which I never used once I graduated and got licensed. I also would have told my high school self to ditch the insecure boyfriend who was always encouraging me to quit school and become his housewife because he didn't like the idea of a woman he was with, having more education than him, therefore making more money than he would have been capable of making.

Life is going to get tougher. Save all the money you can and don’t spend as much as you did on other people. It defiantly was worth the wait to get together with girls, but have fun where you can find it. Your dad is going to be a fink, so don’t trust him. College is going to be difficult but you can manage it. Take advantage of the writing lab and tutoring where and when you can get it. Save yourself the trouble and don’t take online courses or that geology class. Defiantly don’t take that class with professor Sturgis. Ask around before you take classes and find out about the professors. Finally and above all don’t do anything stupid, but if you have to make sure you have fun while you are doing it.

College is a chance to discover yourself; the real you, not the person your high school peers molded you to be. Keep in touch with the friends who stood by you through thick and thin, but don't rely on those friendships alone or you won't be able to grow as an individual. Experiment with your style, explore your interests, expect to go through some changes and accept those changes; because in the end, each and every one of them will matter to the person you will become. While discovering yourself is part of going to college, it is not the most important part. Make sure that as you are taking everything in you don't forget the reason you are attending college in the first place--to expand your knowledge. In college, you are responsible for your own education--nobody forces you to go to class or to pay attention during class--and ultimately how prepared you are for a career. Losing perspective of the importance of education will leave you less prepared for your career than others--and you'll have to repay your student loans no matter what job you obtain. Make education your first priority.

You only get one chance to be honest. After that, you are either hiding something or lying. So instead of waiting until more people get hurt, and until you become submerged in anger, sadness, and stress, lose your pride and just fess up. It will make the future less painful.

Dear Me, Find out what you believe in, what is important to you, and what you want your life to be like in ten years. When you get to college these decisions will be forced on you, if you don't already have an answer, you may choose the wrong one. College is about becoming who you want to be, and to become that person you need to have an idea of who that is Good luck, Me.

To my high school senior self i would have to steal an old proverb and say, "It is always darkest before the dawn". High school may make education seem rough and something you don't want to pursue further but college will make all the difference. You'll find your passion, your friends and everything you were meant to do in life. You'll come to realize your true calling for wildlife and the natural world. High school doesn't prepare you for these things, only "general education" but you need to get passed these math and history classes in order to find your light. Also, good grades and a good GPA may not sound very important right now. But look into the future and you'll see it can help you get into the college and major you want. Good grades could have aided you in going to the true college of your dreams, University of Boulder, Colorado, by being granted a scholarship to help pay for out of state tuition. Now it will be indefinitely more difficult, but never forget to pursue your dreams!

I wish I could sit down and talk to my high school self. There would be so much to tell her, and not only about academic related things, but social and emotional things, as well. At the time, her, rather, our mother was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, and we were about to undergo a major spinal surgery. My high school self didn't know how to handle everything. At the time, she didn't know that she could take a year off of school to figure out what she wanted, and she didn't know that she could declare an "Undecided" major, and it would be okay. If I could go back in time and leave some advice for that high school self, I would say that everything will be alright. No one will blame you for having an undecided major in your first year, and it wouldn't be a completely bad thing to take a year off to expand your mind and figure out what you want. I was burned out in that senior year, and I wish I would have had the insight to stop and breathe.

If I could go back and have a conversation with my high-school-senior-self, I would tell myself to relax and enjoy the ride. There are many things throughout your senior year in high school that seem to be overwhelming, discerning and tempting. The best advice I can give is to stay on top of things. Do not procrastinate because all it does it hurt you in the long run and allow for more unwanted and avoidable stress. High school is supposed to be some of the best years of your life. Remember to keep your goals, values, and joys first in your life and you will succeed. We all have to have a goal or dream to work towards, and allow it to be altered to where we are at in life. It is that goal/dream that keeps you going and keeps you on the right path when those discerning and tempting things threaten to get in the way. As a high school senior, you have the world at your feet and the keys to succeed at your fingertips. Take advantage of the tools you are given and remember to occasionally stop and enjoy yourself.

These years are going to fly by so this is no time to be shy and insecure. Go out there are join the swing dance club or the school orchestra. Look into spending times with your friends but keep the balance leaning towards your school work. You will make some of the most amazing friends and you will grow as an individual, making this some of the best years in your life. Do your best to become friends with your professors because they will be great tools for you to further your education and career while here. Most of all, remember that this is the pathway to your brighter future so work hard to play hard later.

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself to focus on my future in college more then anything. I'd make sure to tell myself to fill out the scholarships that my mother encourged me to fill out as a senior so my parents wouldn't be under the stress that are now trying to figure out how to pay for my college.

Transitioning to college life is difficult. Never turn down the opportunity to seek help if you struggle adjusting, especially in an emotional sense. Depression is common and is a real threat to your health and your grades. Ask for help--from your friends, the university, your parents, the professors. Go to study sessions. Ask your professors questions. Do not try to stand alone. College should be fun, and it should intellectually challenge you. But it should never crush you.

Don't care what other people think of you. Try your hardest and make every second count. Be outgoing and don't allow one person to bring you down. Ask questions and don't stop asking until you get an answer. Teachers and professors alike enjoy an engaged student. So, don't hold back anymore and get the answers you desperately need and want.

Well, first off I'd tell my senior-self that senioritious is real. Secondly I'd tell her test scores and homework still count and to come in to class, colleges apreciate grades as well as attendence. For her first day of college, I'd advise her to take it easy that first week and make friends fast. That first week is basically establishing your place in the "college food chain". The weak minded are the like prey and the leaders are dominant, and in a sense, the predators. Don't be weak minded and don't just "come out of your shell" Break out of your horizons and explore new worlds, (or at least the other side of this one), Study abroad you know its your dream, so go after it and do not shy away from an experience like England or Australia. Study hard and set your pride aside when you need accademic help. Use that rec room and gym that is paid for in tuition/fees and keep off the all-you-can-eat tables. Thats all, oh and Good luck Victoria your going to do great in college.

While family responsibilities are important, it is ok to put your education first. You are stronger than you realize and you can do anything that you set your mind to. Don't doubt your abilities and don't let others sway your decisions, no matter who they are. Have faith in what you can do because at the end of the day, all that really matters is that, you do know what is best for you. Don't look back because it's a waste of time. Move forward and be secure in the knowledge that through faith in God all things are possible. Times may have been difficult but you have always been able to conquer any challenge. Why should this be any different? Put on your boxing gloves and get ready to fight for what is yours. a great education and a chance at a better life.

Two suitcases and a smile. This is all I brought with me on the plane to Indiana. The four hour flight from Maryland left me plenty of time to wonder and think. Going into my freshman year there were plenty of things that were different about me. If I could go back the first thing I would say to myself is "you don't have to be the same person you were in high school, as a matter of fact you won't be." No matter how hard I tried I was never be captain of the cheer squad again . Those days were over. In college, those black and white personas disappear and you will find that you as a person and everyone else has more to offer than a label. I would tell myself to be comfortable in my own skin. This is college and the friends you make have alot in common with you. Your options for friends are not limited, explore all of them. I would tell myself that just because she is your roommate does not mean she has to be your only friend. Ultimately, I would have reminded myself to pull out the smile more.