Bard College Top Questions

During my senior year of high school I wish I would have known that the next year of my life would be an experience of a lifetime. I would go back and tell myself to have fun while I can because reality will hit me the day after I walked across the stage on graduation. I wish I had experienced life at that young age. Funny thing is that it was only a year ago, but I have grown so much in this year. I had to learn when to grow up and take responsibilities for my own actions. I wish that I can go back and tell myself that everything is going to workout and that I didn't have to cry some nights. I wish that I could just go back and have an entire conversation with myself about some decisions I have made in the past year. I would go back and correct those mistakes, but I know I can't. So I will move on and make better decisions in the future to ensure my success. I would go back and tell myself that this is going to be the best year of your life.

1. Smile more! It's much easier to talk to a smiling person. Make people know you're happy and they will be happy too. 2. Know that some days will exhaust you and just remember that you know ways to deal with that. No frustration will be permanent if you don't allow it to be. 3. Don't let the money situation bog you down. Trust that all the learning you will do in college will be worth the hard work and the borrowing. 4. Make sure your family and whoever else helps you to get to college know that you are grateful for their sacrifices. These are important relationships to maintain. 5. Get ready to try the things you've always wanted to try! There is a kickboxing class!

I am a peer mentor at the Kingston High School Success Center where I advise students about the college application process and give insight into what a college experience can be like. As a transfer student who is now attending the school of my dreams, I advise them to do careful research on the institutions they apply to make sure they find the right fit. I also try to instill the idea that college, as well as being a wonderful eye-opening period of your life, is also incredibly challenging and will require you to really push yourself in order to succeed. In order to get everything you can out of college it is necessary to go above and beyond expectations. Read the "Recommended Readings", talk to your professors outside of class, start or help run an organization at your institution and forge connections that will help you enter your field of interest. Always be respectful and courteous towards your professors because they can be an incredibly valuable resource and you will need them to write you good recommendations. Along with doing well in your academic environment, seeking out internship opportunities is a great way to gain career-oriented knowledge.

Your social status in high school means absolutely nothing in college. Everyone in college is there to learn, and you are going to be in for a rude awakening if you do not balance your social life with your studies appropriately. That definitely does not mean you should not make friends, but do not let your relationships with them bring down your grades.

Do not over-commit. You are entirely too serious, and you need to learn to balance yourself more effectively. You will find too many moments, otherwise, when you can not manage your time between social and academic pursuits, and over-commit yourself to one at the expense of the other, when just using your free time more effectively would mean you would not have to choose, and you would have more time to relax by yourself, besides. This is not to say that you should not pursue a lot of different activities, both social and academic, because busy as you will be, you will not regret having been very involved in your community, the people you will meet, or the things you will learn that way. All that you will regret is not doing more, committing too much to doing some things early on, and not having time or feeling too guilty to take another class or join another group for a semester instead. There will be so many opportunities to learn new skills and meet new people in college and the only person who expects you to commit so seriously to what you join your freshman year is you.

If I was to go back to my high school self and give myself some advice, I would tell myself to have more fun. Stop living your life based on what other people think of you but instead live your life to its full potential. Use every skill God gave you and stop doubting yourself because you never know. For every flaw you find in yourself others see something positive. Life is about taking chances so take all those chances you have always been afraid to take, talk more in class, voice your opinion, challenge your peers, get involved in more educational conversations. You may not know it but all of this affects how you grow up, and your personality in the future. You have a voice and you have smart interesting things to say to, so speak up. Defend yourself when others try to purposely make a fool of you, show them that you are better than that. Be thankful for every opportunity in you life and stop complaining because you are more blessed then you can imagine. Laugh and smile a lot! Focus on your education and work to your full potential. Be you, be beautiful.

Do not go to college expecting that just because you're not in high school anymore, that everything will change. It won't, unless you make it change. It is not your environment that defines what or who you are, and a change in environment will not suddenly make you smarter or more dateable or more able to pay for college - it will make you the same exact person you were before you changed zip codes, just with a twin sized bed and a shitty meal plan. It is up to you to change yourself, not your environment's automatic responsibility to change you. Don't romanticize college - this ain't the movies. Only in rare moments does college actually live up to the epic adventure of love and finding yourself that Hollywood has built it up to be. Let it be hard. Let it hurt. Go on and cry. Stumble. Succeed. Put yourself out there. Stop expecting more out of an idea and start expecting more out of yourself.

Rule number one, trust yourself. Don't worry about how everyone else sees you, and do what you want to do. Study hard, and make sure you study in the library or a study hall, because otherwise, you're just going to waste time. Speaking of wasting time, waste time with people you like. Seek out friends you can talk to about the hard stuff. Don't force any friendships, but also don't pick fights. You never know which classmate might end up being your employer, so be kind. But don't let that keep you from speaking up. In class and in life, make sure you can back up what you say with evidence. Save your money. If you paid for a food plan, use it, because you won't know until you've gotten rid of it just how hard it is to ration your paycheck for groceries. In order to get that paycheck, get a job - on campus or off campus. But always remember that your classwork comes first. And lastly, if any of this advice goes completely against your better judgement, refer to the first rule, and trust yourself.

In high school, I started off strong. I attended a private, Christian school, in my freshmen year, of only 15-20 students. Yes, I know that is super small, but I got really good grades that year. In my sophomore year, my family moved, and I went to a public school with thousands of students. However, I let my time spent with new friends far exceed my time studying and doing more productive activities like I use to do. I began to lose my way and my vision for myself, but luckily my family moved again, and I went to a school with better teachers and more opportunities. However, looking back, I found that I only took part in some of those opportunities during my senior year at the very end. I was privileged to move into such a great community and school, but I didn't really put myself out there. After my graduation, I wrote to myself that I owe it to those who I could have worked with and learned from. That was my advice to myself. It was to not let opportunities pass you by, because those opportunities lead to experiences that lead to your development.

Alex, I know you are stressed about getting into college, but don't worry. Apply to all of the schools you want to. I know you don't think you can get into Brown and Columbia but go for it. Why not? There is no harm in it. You don't want to regret not trying, and whatever school you choose it will be the right one. So don't stress out too much! Instead enjoy senior year while it lasts. Now once it's time to leave for school I know you are keeping a cool exterior and panicing on the inside but its no big deal. Instead go into school with an open mind. Take the time to get to know everyone. Believe me, you would rather have many different groups of friends than just one small group. The first month you should sit with new people at lunch and dinner everyday because it's a great way to meet new people. And remember, everyone is in the same boat! Try new things! And don't be shy, be the outgoing person you have always wanted to be. And most of all enjoy yourself.