Ball State University Top Questions

I would tell myself to be ready to make a complete life change. When I first came to Ball State I was shy and quiet, and only knew a few people from my high school. Now I am outgoing and always ready for something new. I barely studied in high school, but now I study all the time. I didn't expect to change so much when I came to Ball State, but I did. I wouldn't give this advice to just myself, I would give this advice to all seniors.

I know I was not completely prepared for being out on my own and succeeding in college on my own. I would give myself the advice of concentrate on my work and to not let anything disctract me from my goal. I have learned so much from my first year of college and I know that if I would stick to the study habits I had in high school with a little improvement, then I will be able to do well. I know if I just set my mind only on my goal and work my hardest to get there then I will succeed.

As a junior in college, if I could speak to myself as a senior ready to begin my adult life, there are numerous things I would like to say. The most important of these would be, to take more risks artistically. As a theatre major and dance minor, I wish that at the beginning of my college career I would have had the courage to have spoken my mind in a classroom setting or changed a piece of choreography to my liking. Instead, I oftentimes sat or watched quietly and internalized my thoughts and feelings. I feel now that I would have benefitted immensely from having taken more chances. If I had started this earlier, my professors may have challenged and taught me to make better decisions to improve my art forms. College provides a time to learn about one?s self and in a classroom setting it is safe to take risks. If the effect of speaking up or offering an opinion isn?t the strongest, one will still be recognized for having engaged in dialogue. I now exercise decision making within my art form and am enjoying every minute of it. I only wish I had started sooner!

I would advise that it is important to stay focused on your studies at the beginning of the semester, so you don't have to work on bringing your grade up when finals begin. Also, I wish I would've saved up more money when I was in high school, because text books are more expensive than I thought. At the beginning of school, it is important to make a lot of friends so later on in the semester when people start drifting apart, you don't feel lonely like everyone else has their set group of friends and you don't. If there is an opportunity to do community service, get a job, or join a group, take advantage of them because they are important to consider for future references. Finally, you don't always have to say 'yes' to your friends. When you have homework to do it is way more important than going out with your friends.

If i could go back in time and tell myself what I know now would be the fact that college is harder than high school. You have to study and make sure you do ALL the homework, even the reading, to do good in college. Live on campus your first year because you will make friends and it gives you a chance to know the campus a lot more! Also if you live on campus then you do not have to worry about driving in bad weather and if you have group projects, it will be easier on you to be apart of. If you happen to get behind on your grades, there is always a place for you to get help!!

Emma you should pay more attention in class and take your studies more seriously. You should take more writing courses and spend time increasing your vocabulary. Enjoy your high school friends but realize you will be moving on to new and diverse experiences. Follow your dream but realize that you may need a plan "B" and plan "B" can bring you just as much happiness as your original dream. Be open to new people and new ideas. Do not have the same roomates every year, you need diversity. Don't break the bank spending money on material things, instead spend your time and money wisely on new experiences and making memories. If it is at all possible make studying abroad part of your college plan. Have fun and enjoy every minute because if you think high school went by fast...college literally flys!

Don't sweat the small stuff. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Learn to take it all in stride. It does not matter what the other girls think of you. The ability to turn the other cheek is a virtue, and like patience this too will take you some time to acquire. Defend what you believe in, pity the people who believe in nothing. Whether you think you can or you can't, You're right. Optimism, Dreams, Hope, Love, Self-Motivation...These are things you are lucky to have. Your greatest weakness is just a little too much of your greatest strength. You wouldn't believe it, but the one constant in your life has been your supposed "bad" attitude and in college this has actually been your greatest asset! You will Never stand by the wayside and let anyone else take control of your life or your future, so don't let anyone do it now. Apparently, a lot of people in your high school actually like you... so try talking to them so they will stop thinking you want to beat them up! Love, Me!

Be prepared for obstacles of the financial, spiritual, and of your personal boundaries. Don't make rash decisions on religion just because you're desperate to have something to believe in and help you relate to your family. Take your time with said decisions. Work on your time management skills. Finally, while you're at college, actually DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE instead of sitting around watching everyone else like you have been for the past seventeen years of your life.

Going to college shouldn't feel like a scarry thing to do. It is kinda overwhelming at first, but you just have to remember that your not the only one going through that big transition and those who are going through it too may just turn out to be your best friends. And those who have already been in college for a while are great people to go to for any questions at all, you just have to be brave and be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and explore the new world around you. Dont let anything pass you by. College is great!

Hindsight is better than foresight, and this maxim is applicable regarding the nature of immature choices of a high school senior. In consideration of the economic and political trends of the current time, I would consider a double major in two very divergent fields. The first choice would have been in the Humanities. The second major would have been in the sciences. I would have selected a classics major in conjunction with a biology major, thus affording me professional options beyond the scope of education and academic research in the Humanities. The science aspect would have opened up numerous fields in medicine, medical technology, and other allied science fields. It would have opened the door to a variety of graduate school options that, as an undergraduate student, I was unable to anticipate with any degree of predictability. I am persuaded that diversity in one's college education is as imperative an academic function as it is in terms of social interaction or in financial investments. The remaining elective hours would have left me even more alternatives, such as enhancing either major with professional courses in education, library science or business. In essence, I would maximize the potential of my degree.

I feell the best advise would be to go into social work, at the time when I was in high school I didn't know what I wanted to go into major wise. Even though I don't believe in changing anything about your past I would love to know what was the carreer path I was headed. I would also tell myself to be open minded to every opportunity and to keep working as hard as I did in high school becuase it really would pay off in the end, just like my mother always said. I would also say that I made the right desision in choosing colleges and that I shouldn't worry.

I would jump at the oppurtunity to go back and give myself some words of wisdom in high school. "Stay focused and always push to be better" would be the major advice I would give myself. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the people, the places, the parties and forget what you are here for; to educate yourself and grow as an individual. It is important to find your balance between school and socializing. It is beneficial to do above and beyond what is required of you in school but also find that time to socialize and make some amazing friends. Don't be afraid to meet new people and try things outside your comfort zone, in the end those are the things that turn out to be the most worthwhile. So don't stress about the small stuff in the end everything is going to turn out the way it should.

I would tell myself to bring home my backpack--with books in it--on a daily basis. When I was in high school, I was able to complete my work in school and did not spend much time studing but was still able to maintain decent grades. I graduated in the top third of my class. I got into my choice of college but with no scholarship money. My grades were average but not spectacular. If I knew then what I know now, I would tell myself to study more and get all A's so that my parents and I would not have to work so hard to fund my college tuition. I did not think that straight A's would matter that much when it came to money for college. I thought that A's were god and that B's were fine too. Little did I know that this lack of effort in high school came back to bite me, and now I'm working every summer and during school breaks to make money to help fund my education. If only..... I had brought my books home DAILY-- instead of an empty backback-- in high school...

The advice I would give myself is to be diverse and to not be scared of what college has to bring. College can be very overwhelming and the transition can be scary but get to know people and interact with the community as fast as possible. I would tell myself to never judge a book by its cover because every person on the campus has a story and you never know who can become your best friend at school. For instance, being from New Jersey and attending a school in Indiana; to me it seems as though everyone is from the same high schools and it seems as though everyone is from Indiana but by putting myself out there I have met so many people and people have welcomed me to the new state and introduced me to their friends. The most important thing is just to remember everyone comes from something so never judge and be open.

My advice to myself would be to listen a little more to my teachers; study a little harder for tests, and take school a little more seriously. I would advise myself to get involved more in my school and its activities.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself to be more organized and prepared in coming to college. I would have applied for more scholarships and financial aid opportunities that would be able to help me now. I procrastinated and missed scholarships because of deadlines, not because I was not worthy of them. I completed dual credit courses and AP courses that gave me many credit hours in college, and it was the smartest thing I did. I would tell anyone to take courses that could potentially give you college credit. Getting to know your teachers is also helpful. They can write you letters of recommendation that will help in your search for a college and financial aid. Applying to colleges early can also help get extra scholarships, so I would have looked into different colleges sooner and weighed my options. I am happy with my college choice, and the transition. Living on campus, a scary thought in my senior year, is not what I thought it was. Being more prepared, I now know college is an amazing experience.

Lauren, life's what you make it-nobody else. You have the world at your feet so choose what's best for you because in the long run, it's not the size of the school that matters, or that horrible bio teacher you had. All that matters is that you're happy doing what you're doing and you're going to be successful if you work hard and stay focused. You have so much potential, don't sell yourself short and make choices just to make other people happy-who knows if they'll even be in your life 10 years down the road. Nursing school is going to be tough and competitive, but keep your head on straight, have fun, and you'll do great.

I would tell myself to start off on a good note in college. I would tell myself to relax but to still be prompt with schoolwork and other activities. I would say that the responsibility is much greater but will help me mature as a person. The main piece of advice I would give is to be focused and to not give in to negative distractions. There is time for a social life so there is no need to give in to peer pressure just to have fun. I wasn't very good at time management in High school so I would tell myself to be ready to manage my time carefully with schoolwork,social activities, and other activities. The most important piece of advice I could tell myself is to completely get my schoolwork done before I do anything else. This has now help me mature and become more responsible for my life and I believe I have changed alot for the better since i've been in high school.

When I was in high school, I never really thought about what exactly I wanted to study in college, how much it would cost, or how long it would take. My advice to myself would have been to give more thought about what I would like to do with my life and look into universities that could cater to my needs. Going into college, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to be when it was all said and done. I transferred schools and changed my major five times before I found medical technology, which I have finally decided to settle on. I feel that if I looked into all of the possible careers while I was still in high school, I would have known exactly what I wanted to do once I got here. This would have saved me a lot of time and money, two very important things to me now.

I would tell myself to take my senior year seriously, no blow-off classes. It would definitely make the transition to college much easier. It would help me prepare for the classes on the collegiate level. I would also take as many language classes, especially Latin and Greek classes that I could. I would also tell myself to apply for as many scholarships a possible and as early as possible. I would also tell myself to do more work in the community and definitely volunteer MORE! It would also help to watch out for senioritis!