Belmont University Top Questions

If I was to go back in time and talk to myself while I was a high school senior I would recommend myself to start college right after graduation. When I was a senior I didn?t want to go straight into college. I wanted to take a year off. But going out into the real world I realized that you need a college degree to make something of yourself. I feel as though since I missed a semester it is harder for me to get back into the school lifestyle. Missing school for eight months makes learning difficult, because when I was out for that amount of time data got lost, and I can?t remember things that I have already learned. So going back to talk to myself as a senior in high school would have changed my life completely. But now I know that you learn from your mistakes, and I?m going to take what I learned and move forward into my future.

If I could go back in time and talk to my senior self, I would tell her that high school and college are no where near alike. The transition to college life requires so much independence. I would tell myself to not let my mother or my friends do things for me, and learn how to do them myself. College life is about learning to organize yourself and being able to get things done without someone breathing down your neck, telling you to go to class or get your homework done. These are decisions you have to make yourself. There's no one to go to the store for you, or to give you an allowance, or to cook meals for you. The level of independence that you need to make it through college is immense, and I would tell my senior self to get herself in gear and get out there and learn to make it on her own.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would make sure I understood the importance of being organized. I would learn better while in high school to manage my time well and I would make sure that I understood the importance of getting up on time and attending each and every class. I think that managing my time has been the biggest adjustment. In fact, I am still trying to improve here. As a music major, my class load is very demanding. I am constantly trying to juggle classes with practice time and study time. I also work at our campus book store and finally try to find time to sleep. While in high school I usually left assignments until the last minute; I did not tend to work ahead of deadlines. Now I must do that and I am proud to say that I do handle this better, but it has been a huge learning experience. I wish that I could go back and teach myself time management skills. My freshman year would have gone much smoother if I could do this.

There are so many steps that I would love to take differently if I could turn back the hands of time! Often times, high school students do not realize that what they do in high school permanently affects their life afterwards. I understood, but I could have worked harder! All throughout my high school career, my teachers urged me to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, take the AP tests, and receive college credits. However, I did not completely grasp the seriousness of these courses- until I arrived at college and realized that I could have had a head start on my degree requirements. I took several AP courses and the accompanying tests, but because I did not make AP my life, I did not receive any college credit? Therefore, I encourage high school seniors, as well as all other high school students, to enroll in AP courses, to take the tests, and to haul those college credits with them to college so that they can seize a head start on their degree! Take YOUR high school career very seriously, because it definitely has an effect on YOUR postsecondary career- let alone life after school. HARNESS A RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC!

I'm not trying to sound perfect and arrogant, but I honestly have adjusted to college life just fine. There isn't anything that I wish I could have done differently. I am very pleased, as are my parents in the way that I apply myself at college.

?Today?s choices shape my future?. This simple phrase is one that I really wish I had taken time to believe as a high school senior. I wish I could go back and remind myself that my choices each and every day can have a huge impact on where I am going with my life, who I want to be, and how I can use my gifts and abilities to change this world. I also wish I could go back and tell myself, ?Jenny, your world is about to get a lot bigger, and you are about to be exposed to new challenges, beliefs, and people in a way you?ve never experienced?. While I had been told this several times, I don?t think I stopped to think about the implications of this and I wish I had taken time to do so. Finally, I would want to tell myself that in the midst of one of the most changing times in my life, it is ok to just sit back and absorb. I am in college to learn, and it is ok to reevaluate my beliefs and question things, that is what college is about.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school student, I would first emphasize how important retaining information is. It is so crucial not to memorize and forget information taught in high school becuase it will be seen again. In college, professors assume that you should already know a great deal of back ground information on the course they are teaching. For example, in a calculus class, the professor is going to assume that you already know about trig functions and pre-calculus material. You are held accountable for so much. I would really stress to my high school self the importance of making each class in highschool worth something. Learning and retaining the information the first time around will make you so much more prepared for college courses.

If I could take a time machine back to the carpeted walls and wool skirts that were my private school, Life Center Academy, I would search for myself and take me to my senior locker to talk. At this time, my younger self would be worrying about which college to go to. Belmont University was her desire but it was very expensive. I would stand in front of her, wearing a Belmont t-shirt, and tell her she would be going to Belmont University. At this point, being the great actress I was in high school, the younger me would fan a hand to her eyes as tears would well up. Tears not of fear of seeing a future self, but tears of relief that she finally would know where she would be headed. I would tell her Belmont is a fantastic place. I would encourage her to always be herself and she would have friends. Journalism would be hard but with hard work comes great success. Belmont is really expensive, but loans would see her through all four years. She would never be disappointed with her choice. Doors of opportunities would open for her and she would lack nothing.

If there was a time machine available in this day of time, I would send myself back to the beginning of high school. My first goal would be to find my younger self to have a heart to heart talk. I wish I would have known many things about what the future was to bring. Those few things would have been how to go about completing assignments and learning how to read comprehensively. I would have told myself that studying was a key to success in college. In order to transition well, I would have to learn how and when to study for everything. I believe that the transtion from high school assignments to college projects is the hardest aspect. If I would have known how to study, I would have had an easier and a less stressful first semester.

Wake up! This is not just a rehearsal. This is LIFE. Embrace it. Study better, ask more questions, and don't make an impulsive decision about college. Take personality and strengths tests so you choose an educatinal and career path that fits YOUR own strengths. Then stick to it. Don't give up. Finish that degree rather than dropping out or procrastinating. Take advantage of the opportunities around you. Make you life count - starting now!

Kyara, here is my advice to you. College friendships are some of the most important relationships that you will make. Starting out at a new school is difficult, especially when you know absolutely no one. But if you make yourself really available to others in the first couple of weeks you'll meet so many amazing people and build a foundation for some awesome friendships. So be prepared to be more open, friendly, and outgoing. You are about to step outside your comfort zone and, yes it will be scary and overwhelming, but don't worry. Over time you will discover a routine that feels both comfortable and exciting. School is very important and deserving of your focus, but try not to shut the world out. Eventually, you'll learn that you are NOT your grade. So work hard but don't forget to live while you're at it. Try new things and remember to be ALL IN.

Enjoy every bit of this rather expensive experience. Learn everything you can about everything. Take each subject seriously and find joy in learning about each of them. Work hard and play hard. Start saving money. Start weening yourself off of your parents. It may hurt, but it is only going to help you in the long run. Keep dreaming, but learn how to make your dreams reality. Love people even if they cannot give you a thing. Laugh. Try not to procrastinate, but if you do, don't get upset at others, because you waited until the last minute. Also, enjoy those all-nighters and develop a taste for coffee! You're going to need it! However, use all-nighters sparingly. Rest as much as you can. Sickness and tearing up your body is not worth the procrastination. Make life-long friends. If you're a girl, find your bridesmaids. Allow yourself to cry when you need to, but be able to leave it at the door when you need to work. Be the change you so desperately want to see in the world. Experience, love, forgive, enjoy, create, live.

I would tell myself to always remember that God is in control, and that no matter what life looks like or how things may seem at any given time, He is always taking care of me and working all things together for good. I would tell myself to always remember that this chapter in my life is not a climax, but merely a beginning, and I would tell myself to never forget that life is only worth living when God is at the center of it.

Right decisions and difficult decisions are usually always one and the same. If I could go back in time and give my high school self some advice, it would be this: Search deep within yourself and find who you truly are, only then will you know what you truly want. Like so many other seniors in high school I too felt the pressure of choice. The responsibility of planning for my future at the age of eighteen made me feel a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety. At the time, I felt Audio Engineering was the right path to go down. Now, I question whether or not this is what I want to do with my life, but it is too late to go back. Teaching has always been a desire of mine and I wish I would have just gone with what my heart knew was right so many years ago. So if I could go back, I would tell myself to truly look into my heart and see what it is I really want to do with my life. For I now know had I really understood myself, I would be on the right path for my future.

I would read the assignments that were assigned to me in high school because in college, if you don't read, you WILL fail!

I would probably tell myself to go somewhere out of state. I love Belmont University, but I think I would also like going somewhere out of state for that experience. I would tell myself to be more confident in deciding which college to choose. I still do not know exactly what I want to do in life, but part of college is deciding just that. I am sure I will find my niche and shouldn't stress too much about it.

Find a college that makes you happy. Meet the staff, talk to some students. Don't JUST take the tour. A college is more than a thirty minute tour of the campus.

Honestly, go with where your heart is. Forget about money, forget about how long it may take you to repay a loan. Go to the school that will make you the happiest. If you get bogged down with trying to find the most affordable school, you are going to miss out on many incredible opportunities at your top choice. Plus, if you go to a school that you really enjoy, the repayment process perhaps won't seem so bad! Why live regretting where you spent four years of your life at? I think this is especially hard to deal with right now because of the economic state of our country. But it won't stay like that forever, things will bounce back, so go ahead, make the most of your four years. You know what they all they, "college was the best four years of my life!" Make sure you are going to be able to say that!

I tell them not to focus so much on whether the school has the program for your major. It is important to find a school accredited in your field of study, but things can change. You learn so much about yourself freshman year, you may discover something else you want to do, or may discover that you really have no clue! Having a school that provides many options for diverse learning is important. You don't to pick a school soley based on the fact that they have an architect program, and come to find out you don't want to be an architect. The people, campus life, and surrounding area is all very important as well.

Any student who thinks they've found the right college should make sure to visit the campus first. I wasn't interested in my college at first, but I took a tour and fell in love. Although it was cold and rainy, I could tell it was someplace I'd love living. And if you're entering college for the first time, your best bet is to live in a dorm. They're generally more expensive than other options, but living in a dorm is the best way to make friends. It's really important to have that network of people your first year, even if you're usually a loner. It's sometimes harder to make good contacts in classes, because the students are all so serious, so it's good to know that your neighbor can loan you the books or help you study. And it's always nice when you can just walk down the hall and play videogames with the dudes after a long day of studying.