Bethel University-Saint Paul Top Questions

I would tell myself to look at all different types of schools, when considering colleges. You never know what opportuties could arise from a college that you wouldn't at first see yourself attending.

If I were in high school again knowing what I know now about college, I would tell myself to be sure I am ready to apply myself and give it my all. If at the time of graduation I am burnt out on school, then take one college course the next semester and still be able to enjoy my youth. It is a waste of time and money to go to college if you end up spending most of your time partying. In todays world a degree is nearly essential in order to have a career. Explore your interest then take a few classes in different areas to obtain a truer feeling as to whether you a really interested in that chosen career. After a year of out of school experiences yet still taking one course a semester to keep you in touch with learning, you will have a better idea of the path you want to take. Now go for it and apply yourself to your ability and you will succeed.

Work on your homework and get good grades. Take time to study and also time to play with friends. Keep yourself focused on the finish line. Take in your college experience and learn as much as you can!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that I should work hard and not to worry! God has everything in His hands and He has his plans for my life. I would also tell myself to not be shy and try as hard as possible to make friends now. Also, to be ready to do more work than you ever would have imagined, to have more fun than could be thought possible, and to be ready to make friends for life. Oh, and Play less videogames, play more in life... and work as hard as ever!

There are important things to remember when entering college; bring your own fan, pillows, and bed sheets; sign up for the right classes, do not fall asleep in lectures, pay attention in class, do not procrastinate, and do not cram before exams. But there are far more essential and important idea you must grasp: College is the time and the place to do anything and everything you want. There are limitations to what you wish to do, but there is never a limit to how much you learn. It is the perfect place to grow, and discover the person you truly are. You are now in control: of the friends you make, the classes you take, the professors you admire, the clubs you join. It is the gateway to the real world, a chance of a trial-and-error to real life, where the rest starts at the feet of your success and the things you have accomplished during your times here.

Do not wait until you are in college to decide what kind of person you are going to be. If you walk into college without a clear idea of who you want to be, it is too easy to be swept away by the crowd around you. It is commonly said that college is about "finding yourself." However, I have learned that if you have not put any significant thought into this before arriving at college, "finding yourself" turns into "becoming like everyone else," "fitting in," or just "having fun." If you decide beforehand the kind of person you want to be and the goals you hope to reach, it will not be quite so simple to be swept off your path. This is not to say that you are not allowed to have fun or to change your mind in college. Unexpected things will happen and it is through these things that we sometimes learn the most. However, based on my experience, if I could have given myself one piece of advice, it would have been to decide early on who I wanted to be and to have pursued that with all of my might.

Looking back now, there are several things i would say to myself, as well as things I would do to prepare myself for what lies ahead. I take advantage of my high school years and prepare myself as best as I can for my higher education. I would allot my self to the resources available to me and take my education with utmost seriousness. I would make several goals and dedicate time ane effort to set myself up for successifuly achieving these goals in the future that lies ahead of me. I would make good choices within my social life, and establish morals early on to encourage me for the new life and lifestyle that lies ahead of me. I would find it of great importance to take much time of thought and consideration of what path and career choice is best for me. I would prepare myself for failure, and equip myself with an attitude that would build myself up. I would prepare myself for a time of trial and hardship, but also a time of fun and laughter, and the knowledge of how to find a balance of the two.

The advice I would go back and give myself is that changes have to happen and to just try and live each day. I knew what school I wanted to go to and I am glad about my choice. Yet, the thing I was most scared about was that I would be the only one transitioning and now I know that everyone is scared and how normal that is. I would go back and give the advice to just breathe and to enjoy the journey to college.

I honestly would have to say that I wouldn't give myself any advice beause I have accomploshed more than enough in high school. I was an over-acheiver in high school (meaning that I would get all my assignments done the very same day that they were hadned out and I am still like that here in college.) I have made a bonding relationship with my high school teachers and they are really sad that I am gone because I was a TA for like 25+ teachers.

There are several things I would have done differently as a high school senior before entering college. I would have made sure to have a steady job and begin to save money. I did really well keeping up my grades, but at the same time I wish that I had made time to enjoy the simple life I had, because I have learned that college, while enjoyable, is constantly busy. Finally, I wish that I had simply become more independent. I have always been dependent on my family, both financially and otherwise, and I wish that they had encouraged me to try to rely on myself, when I would have still had them around as a sort of safety net. Overall, I would have simply done what I did do: get high grades, start college classes early, and decide my major early on. Starting college is different for everyone, but it usually gets into an easy routine after a few weeks.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry about knowing what I want to major in or what I would like for a career. Think about it of course, but don't stress. Many freshman college students change their mind when they take classes and figure out what is interesting to them and what they are good at. I would tell myself to get involved in a variety of different activities in school and in the community in order to discover my passions and talents. I would start college visiting early and visit many places; the campus 'feel' makes all the difference! Stay over night on campus and observe the student interactions. Mostly, I would tell myself that the pressure society puts on you to know what you want to do at a young age can be overwhelming, but not to worry. College is a great place to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life.

I would strongly encourage my high school self to start looking into colleges earlier than senior year. I feel that now as a college freshman I have a stronger idea of what I really am looking for in a school and wished that I had looked even further into schools when I was researching them and applying. I feel like I made the transition from high school to college well and even though I am only a half hour away from home, I can function just fine on my own. But I do also wish I had applied to a few more scholarships as a senior too when I had the free time.

Talking to myself as high school senior, I would tell myself to relax. Specifically, I would say, "There's no need to stress, you are going to be ok at whichever college you end up." I would encourage myself to be confident in my identity. For making the transition, I would gently sit myself down, look myself in the eyes, and give some realistic advice. "Join academic groups," I'd tell myself, knowing my nerd-ish tendencies. "Continue exercising, even on your own." But above all, I'd say, "Honey, get involved! Try different activities and join on-campus groups that you are interested in. Don't worry, there's a plethora of options to choose from, and they are great ways to make friends. And sit with people at dinner you don't really know. "Don't expect your rommate to be your best friend. Be bold, but keep in touch with friends from home. Remember to call Mom back every once in a while. Don't date the first boy you meet. And keep God first in your life-- He helps out with everything!" I'd end the conversation with checking out-- again!-- campuses on Google Earth.

Know that iswill be hard and you will be pushed to the extremes of yourself, but I promise it is so worth it!

If I had the ability to go back and tell myself what I know now about college I would warn myself about roommates, and chemistry. I decided to room with my best friend from high school and it was a huge mistake. People told me to reconsider, but I think I would have to hear it from myself to truly believe it. I wish I would have known what a disaster it would have been to room with my friend, because now our friendship is barely in existence. I would also have liked to have known how hard chemistry class was going to be. Math and physical sciences were never my strong point and I wish I would have taken it in high school to better prepare myself for it in college. I would tell myself these things before I came to college and hopefully it would have made my college experince a better one then it has been thus far.

I work with the admissions office with my school and I get questions like that a lot when I'm with prospective students and their parents. For me, it's about the community. Academics are important so I only choose to look at schools that had a great program for my major. But there are a lot of really great schools out there. I choose my school because of its community, the fact that there is a sense of community. We're not just robots going to different classes. We're a diverse group of people who are striving to learn and like having fun. I have a blast with my group of friends but everyone is very welcoming at this school. We smile at people we don't know as we walk by, we have our groups of friends but we aren't exclusive. Anyone can go to a great academic school but if that sense of community isn't there, you end up only enjoying yourself half the time. Schools can have fancy websites and nice literature to attract students to its school but it cannot fake community. It's something you sense on the campus.

Work hard in school to prepare yourself for college. It will pay off.

I would look back and tell myself to do all of my work right when I get it. You should not procrastinate at all. I would also tell myself to never take the easy way out and just get by in class, I would do what will get you the best possible grade that you can earn.

I would first tell myself to be more patient with the college search process, because I think I rushed into making a decision about college without looking at enough other options. I would go on a lot more college visits, even those that seemed outside of my "comfort zone", and I would talk to more current college students about their experiences at their respective schools. The second piece of advice I would give myself would be to be much more outgoing during the first few weeks of school. I wish I would have branched out more from the people I met right away, and I wish I would have gotten involved on more activities on campus. I think this would have given me a lot more social outlets than I currently have. I would finally tell myself to try not to get stressed out about schoolwork right away because everything gets finished and works itself out. Hard work always pays off!

I would tell myself that college is a time in my personal future where I am going to grow the most. Everything that I thought I knew about myself and life, isn't exactly true. I would tell myself that I am going to grow in ways I cannot even imagine, learn things I didn't know existed, and make some of the best friends of my life. I will realize that I am smart, beautiful, and important in my own skin, and that I am here to make a difference in the world. I will love college, and all it has to offer. I would also explain that it is important to not take any of it for granted, to actually study hard and want to learn, because it is in fact an investment, and probably the best one I can make. I will assure myself that I will love the experience, and that it will be some of the best years of my life, filled with study abroad to new places and amazing experiences. I would tell myself to get excited!