Ball State University Top Questions

What should every freshman at Ball State University know before they start?

Samantha

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are a couple things that I would definitely tell myself. The first thing is that I made the right decision. Yes, i went back and forth on whether I should attend an out of state university, and had numerous people tell me that I wouldn't last, I can proudly say that I would be able to tell myself that I will do amazing in the choice I want to make. Another thing that I would tell myself is that all of my hard work is going to pay off. Throughout all of high school, I worked hard in AP classes and in extra curricular activites and it will all pay off. By doing all of these things I was able to prepare myself for college life, and the work load that comes with it. Finally I would tell myself to listen to my parents when they said not to worry about the money issue, that if BSU was really where I wanted to go they would find a way to pay; and that is exactly what they did.

Chelsea

The most important thing that I've gotten out of this college experience is that I'm the adult now. I am the one controlling of how I live when I don't go home on the weekends. I have my own bedtime, and I make myself eat healthy. It's like I am my own Mom and Dad. When I want to go out and have fun, I am myself. College helps you grow up and mature. It's a responsibility to do homework, get to bed at a right time, and get food for oneself. There are no parents here to tell you what to do anymore. You are in control of yourself. I have become more mature just after the 1st semester here.

Lindsay

I have learned some valuable life lessons and how to live on my own. I have also come to realize how hard it is to succeed in the world if you don't have friends in high places.

Kelsie

College is an incredibly valuable experience that is necessary for students to participate in today. I've gained knowledge, confidence, and great connections while attending college. Knowledge is something that no one can ever get enough of, and college is a great place to attain a good amount of it. At South Plains College, the professors are very intelligent, and the one thing they want most is to pass their knowledge on to the students. This great attitude that the instructors carry is contagious to all of the students. Everbody just wants to learn! It's such an awesome atmosphere. Confidence is really important to be successful in the world we live in today. No one knows how to communicate with socially awkward people that have no confidence in themselves. I've done some self discovery at colllege, and in result of that, I'm very confident in who I am, what I stand for, and who I'm representing. This is especially beneficial to everyday life. It is also very important to make connections with people. Part of the college experience is meeting tons of people, and expanding your network. I think college is an amazing, valuable experience.

Cornell

So far, I have learned how to use Photo shop. I work at my church and I have use Photo shop all the time. I learned how to do a few new things with photo shop and I have applied it to the things I do at church. The more I stay in school the more I learn and I excited to see what else I get out of school.

Lindsey

From college, I have gotten such a strong education about journalism and have gained so much experience in a real newsroom. Attending college has helped me gain real expereince that I can use while searching for a job. Because I have a strong work ethic, I have impressed various people in the journalism department, and I have even more people helping me gain expereience as they look forward to what my future brings me.

Raymond

My college experience has been enlightening so far. Attending college has (and is) teaching me the benefits of diligence. Success in everything is contingent upon how thorough an individual is; or in other words, diligence. Diligence by definition means "constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind." In order to attain and maintain sufficient and or/outstanding grades, one must be diligent and disciplined enough to complete their work in a timely and thorough manner; all the while traversing through adverse perplexities. in order to insure that one's school is properly financed, one must apply the due diligence to attain scholarships, grants, etc. In order to maintain one's job, one must have the diligence to continue working in a thorough fashion. If it were not for college, this knowledge that I have of being diligent may have remained just that, knowledge. However, now that I am in college, I can apply this knowledge and therefore utilize it as practical wisdom.

Miranda

Cleveland State Community College is a great school. I feel that i will be very successful in life after College. After i finish my degree at Cleveland i plan on going to a four year school.

Ciara

I have ascertained many things from my college experience. One thing that I have learned is the appreciation of education. I have become more open-minded to other cultures and have made many connections between my beliefs and those of other cultures. It has been valuable to attend because I am a more knowledgable person who can make smart, informed decisions. My goal is to take my understanding and pass it on to the generations that will be in my classroom one day. I have a depth of appreciation for all of my professors that took time and compassion in teaching me their area of study and wisdom to take with me for the rest of my life.

Kara

I have learned to be independent and self-sufficient at Ball State University. They enforce self-determination which means when you encounter a problem they won't fix it for you but will guide and teach you how to do so. This is very important to me now even though it previously irritated me. I have gained irreplaceable hands-on and professional knowledge that I will carry onto graduate school. Not only are the academics phenomenal but the campus life is tremendous. There are activities, friends, clubs, teams, etc for each and every person. I have found my true self and my passion at Ball State and to me that is most valuable.

Ashley

My college experience has been very interesting because before going to college, I thought I knew for sure what I wanted to do with my life. I had a career picked out and everything. But once I got to college and started my classes, I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do at all. I panicked, but then realized that in college your allowed to change majors and it was about what I wanted and what I needed. Now that Interior Design is my major, I feel even better about my decision to attend college because I've seen so many people with jobs they don't like because they didn't attend college and I didn't want to be like that. I know from my college experience that I will have the Career that I want in my future and I'm enjoying every class I've had for my major. Attending college gets you that much closer to your dreams and your dream career and I believe that if anyone wants to do great things with their life and enjoy life, then they will go to college and start from there.

shelby

I have been able to become my own person and grow up. Going away and depending on myself to make things happen has been a positive expirence in the long run. I am glad I went away because had I not I feel like I would be stuck depending on my parents for the rest of my life.

Katrina

My college experience set the stage for an awesome career path which has led me to a position as an associate dean for a private college. My educational experience taught me to project positivity, exhibit flexibility and confidence, set high expectations, and demonstrate fairness and consistency. One vitally important skill that I learned was to build a solid communication among fellow employees and how it directly affects how we continue to develop the craft of educating and give the best education possible to our students. In addition to the development of good communication skills, I learned a lot about myself, a lot about the world, a lot about business and a lot about people. What is on my belief window is extremely important. I must constantly analyze critically what is most important to me and the fact that life goes on. I can look into the future with the belief that I can succeed no matter what rocks in the road I may be presented. I learned to adapt in new situations and to venture out in advantageous ways beyond my comfort zone. Having an understanding of myself has enabled me to motivate and influence others to strive for excellence.

renee

I 've gotten wisdom from my freshman year college experience. Its more than acting as an adult should; its taking care of your self, and fulfilling all of your commitments.

Monica

My college experience as made me come out of my shell. I used to be just so caught up in my work that I didn't even do anything other than my school work, or extracurricular activities. But now I have learned that I can kepp up my grades and have fun. I am no longer hanging onto my dad to help me with everything. I learned to stand on my own two feet. To me that is the most important thing anyone needs to learn, is to stand on your own two feet, and not have to 'need' someone right next to every step you take.

Alexandra

In my college experience, I have gotten many life changing lessons out of it. I have met many people of all races. This is something I did not do in high school; therefore, I am giving people a chance. Everyone is nice and willing to be your friend as long as you are nice in return. I also have gotten out of this experience that I need to work hard for what I want. There is no longer a chance of me getting further in my career without studying hard, and trying in all of my classes. If I give 110{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, then I will be able to achieve any goal I have at this university. In the first semester at Ball State, it has shown me what it is like to be on my own and how I have to deal with life decisions on my own. There are no longer parents there to back me up every step of the way. College is there to show people the need to grow up, and start their lives.

Corey

College is the best thing that ever happened to me. Coming to college has made me understand my values more and realize what I want to do with my life. I have also required a lot of self confidence while coming to college. Not only have my grades been up to par, I have recieved jobs as an Orientation Leader and as a Resident Assistant. These experiences have made me a better leader and a much better person. Those two jobs also have made me excel in academics. College also has made me look at my values. Coming to a very diverse campus such as Ball State University, I have found out what I agree with and what I do not agree with. I have had to make very tough decisions that many people did not like socially, but I became the person I am today by those decisions. I would not change a thing that I have done. Ball State University has given me the opportunity to evolve into the person that I want to be and I love the way I am. If it were not for college, this growth in myself would not have happened.

Katherine

I learned fairly quickly in college that it was all about the experience. The experience of being completely free and on my own for the first time in my life. The experience of meeting new people, people that were completely different than me and the small town that I came from. The experience of choosing my own classes and, for once, actually being interested in what a teacher was saying. I came to Ball State with no expectations, and I think that was the best experience of all. I had goals and dreams for myself, but I made myself open to all other ideas involving college life. I found myself in those 5 years that I attended this medium sized school, smack dab in the middle of the midwest. I grew more than I could have ever imagined, and I am still growing because of those experiences. I'm still growing because I made myself open to everything, from kooky professors to becoming friends with those that were so different from me. College created me, and college is still helping me become the person I know I can be.

KyLeigh

My college experience at Ball State University has been extremely valuable to many aspects of my life. I have gained an immense amount of knowledge from the wide-range of academic areas of the university. Additionally, I have gained many valuable connections to professors and professionals in the Biological and Healthcare fields. These connections will prove to be extremely important in my allowing my to achieve my career aspiration of becoming a medical doctor. My time at Ball State has also taught me a great deal about myself, including my personal strengths and weaknesses.

Nicholas

Creating value within a university and finding your niche can be difficult. The experiences I have gained on a campus that has both a high-tech hub of innovation and a strong connection to the flora and fauna of the natural sciences has allowed me to gain great insight into deciding to move into Field Botany. With this, I have had the opportunity to travel Europe and experience several cultures, coming from a financially lower income background. I am able to meditate on the idea of a valuable education while walking through the campus horticulture center or have a spirited debate in an anthropology class. To me, this makes the person whole.