Bethel University-Saint Paul Top Questions

I would rather begin talking to myself as a high school freshman. I would tell myself that the knee injury incident would lead to a major fork in the road decision, and that cocoa butter cream would have saved a lot of insecurities later on down the road. The path less traveled at the fork would lead me to becoming a strong Christian with strong morals and even stronger character. I would tell myself as a high school sophomore that friends are worth fighting for, but to choose my friends wisely. To my high school junior year self, I would say that the hard times will pass, so take this time as an opportunity to step out of the worries and pick up a hobby. And finally, to my high school senior self, "Do not let your life be determined by 'just going with the flow.' Take the initiative to put in that extra work to find the answer. Give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in everything you do and do not settle for what is good but work and strive for what is best. Remember that all things are possible, and when in doubt... smile!"

Hindsight is a powerful tool that everyone wishes they could use. In hindsight of my college experience, I would suggest to myself not to stress too much. I was very nervous for college and for the transition of moving away from home and away from everything that I knew. Though there was a transition and at times it was hard, I did not die nor did anything significantly horrible happen. I would tell my high school self that God is in control of it all. No matter what I may do to prepare or even over-prepare myself, God is still in control of my life and I should not have any worries about the future. Looking back to my nervousness and stress of transitioning and meeting people, I smile and think of how irrational I was being. There was no need to worry. I am excited to see what college life had in store for me because of the experience I have had thus far. I have made some amazing friends and the academics are manageable if you take them in stride. I must always remember that God has a plan for my life and live that out.

Do not be nervous and stress is overrated; just enjoy yourself and put yourself out there.

I would save all of my money and work as much as possible. I would try to take as many AP classes as I could and I would even take a couple college classes during the summer before Bethel so I could knock out a few credits and focus more on my major and graduating early to avoid more bills. I would also tell myself to work harder and to make sure I get the best grades possible for more financial aid. College is very hard and trying to adjust the first year is difficult. It is hard to understand what the teachers expect out of you and to balance the work load is also a struggle.

Looking back I would have told myself that it will no be easy, but that is not the point, but you will learn so much and the people you will meet will be great and become life long friends. Not only will you be able to learn academically but also be able to grow spiritually.

I would tell myself to have fun in college and not make the school part the biggest deal. I would say to get involved in activities around campus early on and start to meet people and make life-long friendships. Don't slack off on school, but just use your time efficiently so that you can still have time to go and hang out with friends.

Dear Breanna, Take some time to get to know yourself and exactly what you want. Explore majors that you're interested in, and ones you've never heard of. Look at career options for each major and just dream about what you would like to do. Don't put pressure on yourself to pick one, because most people change their majors anyway. When you get to college, don't do your homework in your room-you won't meet any people there. Anything you can do outside your room...do it! Don't be afraid to sit next to someone you don't know in the Dining Center. Keep introducing yourself to people even after Welcome Week. Nobody will be impressed if you pull an all-nighter and it will only make you sick, so start valuing sleep! If Facilities Management calls you in the middle of the night do NOT test the fire alarm. They are not Facilities Management.

There are a few words of wisdom I could have given myself as a high school senior that may have helped my transition to college, as well as my time at college. The first and biggest thing I would say is to reach out and get past yourself. I felt so scared and not ready for college, even when I got a few years into college. However, that's how most other people felt, too. Take advantage of all the opportunities that are given to you to get connected with people. It takes initiative to start relationships and to start a successful time at school. If you make a decision, stick with it unless you find it really doesn't work. That goes for choosing a college, a major, a friend group, something to be involved in, etc. Do whatever you do with all that you have; find what it is you're passionate about and run full steam ahead into that. There are so many wonderful things that are in store for you; don't be afraid, just be ready!

You should have started looking for scholarships and free money earlier. Work hard in classes and be involved in other activities that will look better on applications. Be more out going and be more assertive.

Hello self! So you're a senior, huh? You're probably working hard to finish high school. That's great, but make sure you keep that up. You're going to have to work just as hard, if not harder when you get to college. Don't be scared though. College really isn't bad. It's actually pretty cool. You actually get to take classes that you want to- classes that have to do with what you want to become. People also give you more respect and responsibility. So make sure you show them that you deserve it! You don't have to be one of the students that pulls all-nighters. Set goals and deadlines for yourself. Your life will be easier and you'll be a lot more happy and a lot less stressed. Your planner is your best friend! Speaking of friends, you'll make some really great ones! So don't be afraid to break out of your shell once in awhile and do a little socializing. Don't let it get in the way of those studies of yours, but just find a happy medium. Most of all, enjoy! You'll do great!

Study harder! Work hard and study in college more, it will pay off!

Listen to what people tell you, I know you think that college will be just like High School is but it's not. You will have to work hard and focus on what is really important. This is going to be the rest of your life so work hard, I'm not saying you can't have fun. Just remember that their is a time and place for fun as well as a time and place for education and this is where you should focus on the education aspect. Your education here will determine the rest of your life and the jobs that you could get. So please do us both a favor and pay attention, and do your absolute best.

I would tell myself that I was going to be a writer, and that I should sit down every morning and write, so that by this time, I'd have a lot more material and experience. I'd tell myself to work a little harder on my math when in high school, so it wouldn't be so difficult in college. All in all, I have very few regrets about how I made the transition from high school to college. I went to a community college before attending Bethel, so I got some college credit and experience before moving on to a bigger university.

I would tell myself that college is completely what you make of it. If you go in with a positive attitude and open to discover new things, you will thrive. If you stay in a comfortable little bubble that is easier, you won't learn as much and will waste some of your time in college. Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity at Bethel that everyone should experience. At the same time, coming back from studying abroad will be hard- another adjustment. College isn't the real world so don't get sucked into it and believe that it is all that is out there for you. Work hard and study hard because these are the only four years of your life that you will have to learn and discover who you are. It's going to be easy to get caught up in all the activities and extra-curriculars, but only do what you truly want to do. Bethel provides a unique experience for questioning and strengthening your faith as well as forming friendships that will never end.

College is a time to never forget. Getting actively involved is one of the most important things to do. Stay on top of your school work, and ask for help when you need it. Don't let the acedemic workload get to the best of you. College is a time to begin understanding your independance and a time to expolore who you want to be, without doing it in the wrong way. Make friends, that is one of the most important things. Friends are the ones that help you day by day to get through life. Make a connection with your teachers, most of them want to help you and watch you succeed. Be faithful to yourself and know how to prioritize your time. College is a gift that not everyone gets to experience. You need to make the most of it and follow your heart. Don't let peer pressure get the best of you. Make sure to hold to your values. College is a great way to further your walk in life, and it is an experience that you will not get again. Be greatful and do your best, you never know what y our future will bring.

I would say to myself, don't worry as much. The future is a mystery, but it will all work out for the better. Whether you choose to live at home or at school, whether you choose to study pharmaceuticals or study religion, or whether you even choose to attend Bethel or an out-of-state school, God will be with you the entire time. Too much stress is put into these thoughts lately, when in the end the only way to get past them is to decide on a course of action and stick with it. My future self to my past self, I am the way I am today, though, only because I felt those feelings and had those thoughts run through my mind. Be who you are, for everything WILL work out in the end. Bring less clothing though, you will have plenty, and as of now there is a little bit of trouble finding where to store everything.

Trust in God. You may not know where you want to go or what you want to do with your life, but God will lead you in the right direction. He will not let you wander around aimlessly, wasting money and pursuing the wrong degree. As it says in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Give your cares and concerns to God and He will see you through, guiding your every decision.

Now's your chance to get out and define who you are. Take it. Go face your fears, your doubts and your worries, but dont do it alone. You're about to join a commnity where you will be challenged and supported so let your guard down and allow God to change your life. Contrary to what you've heard, you don't have to change the world to make a difference. Just find something your passionate about and persue it whole heartedly. Trust God with the rest, and he will use you in ways you can't even imagine.

I know you're scared about college. But don't worry, it's not as scary as you think, it's only scary because it's all going to be new to you. You'll adjust quickly and makes many friends. You'll relationship with God will grow tremendously if you keep putting full trust in Him. Yeah, general chemistry is going to be really tough on you, but your professor will help you access the resources you need to pass. Don't feel guilty about going to a private Christian school because your financial aid will be better than if you would have gone to a state school and you'll end up paying less to go there. Keep being your adventurous self and trying new things, you'll find out you really like soccer. And even if cleaning toilets doesn't sound fun, it'll pay for your education and the people you work with are so much fun. You'll learn that you love the feeling of being short. And that your curly hair is gorgeous, because both these things are exactly how God created you to be a beautiful woman of God.

Knowing what I do now, I would tell today's high school seniors to go to college with a mindset of advocacy. Being able to advocate for oneself is a skill that isn't really taught in today's high schools, but when students go to college they must be able to speak their mind and assertively confront issues head-on. In the classroom, students will face large class sizes and professors who may be relatively closed off to new perspectives. Students should never be afraid to voice their opinion or explain their perspective whether in a large group discussion or privately when meeting with an instructor regarding grades. Students must also be able to traverse the confusing paths of financial aid , degree requirements, and institutional policy as they try to achieve their potential in the world of higher education. When it comes to campus involvement, students may have to create proposals introducing new clubs or campaign for leadership positions in existing ones. No matter what area of college life one looks at, the skill of advocacy is critical to success and one that will make the transition from high school to college signficantly more meaningful.