Barnard College Top Questions

The transition from high school to college is incredibly stressful especially socially. I spent a lot of time my first few weeks of college worring if the people I met really liked me or not, rather than enjoying my new friendships. One thing that really helped me was joining my school's ultimate frisbee team. It provided me with an outlet to relieve stress and anxiety and helped me form true relationships. I would advise high school seniors to continue the extra curricular activities they enjoyed in high school, like I did with frisbee, in college. These activities provide familiar ground but also oppurtunities for new experiences.

No matter what, you will succeed. So don't worry about being too career-focused. Instead, ask yourself, what would make you happiest? And follow that.

So far, I have learned how to balance my academic and social life. This is an important skill for the future because there will be times where I will have to juggle my job and my personal life.

I ll say to my self: "Enjoy the time when you can be considered as a naughty kid while sometimes think deeply what is your real passion and interest in the future." College life seems more loose than high school life but in fact I always feel like I am rushing and have no time to be "myself." However, if I could enjoy myself more during senior year and go to college with a relatively clear goal, everything will be different for me right now.

I would tell myself to relax about social as well as academic issues. It is most important to feel happy and confident, and thereby to get enough sleep. Put health first for success in other realms.

The first thing that I would tell myself is that even though I am academically disadvantaged I was admitted to the same place that other students who attended expensive private schools did--and I should not let this intimidate me. I was admitted because I am capable of doing the work but I needed to make some adjustments. One of those changes would have to be my study habits. I would suggest when doing a reading to summarize each paragraph in less than 10 words, write handwritten notes and then type them up in outline form--so that when exams come around I would have a study guide ready. I would also tell myself to practice reverse outlines so that I would get comfortable with them. I would suggest to get out of comfort zone and join clubs that I would not have typically joined in high school. I joined a club whose members are mostly Muslims. Although most of the time I am the only non-Muslim attending the events I have made so many friends, learned so much about the culture and ate great food. I absolutely love it! I wish that I would have done this earlier.

Be sure to really take the time to do your reading during the semester. The semester-end cram sessions are definitely not worht it! Also have fun and be sure to take advantage of all the weird andinteresting classes that your school offers. You'll never really get the chance to explore the world this way again.

Be yourself, don't worry about the small inconsequential things, and be brave.

I would advise myself to relax more. College is so different from high school, and a lot of it can't be quantified. Go visit the colleges and see how you feel about them. That's more important than the random facts thrown at you by college counselors.

Finding your niche takes time and the people you meet right away could and could not be your best friends, so just give everyone a chance but don't spend time with people that you know right away are not for you.