Biola University Top Questions

I am beginning to learn how to think for myself. I have more oppertunities in college than I ever had in high school. I am finally starting to like who I am. When I leave college, I will have the degree that I need to have a job, but I will have much more than just that. I will leave with friendships that will probably last forever. God does a lot of amazing things daily, but sometimes we don't realize it. My relationship with God is tronger than ever. Priase Him! !

•My eyes have been open to all the potential that God has given me and appreciation for the diversities of His creation. I’ve faced challenging moments of time management, and hurting moments realizing my own hypocrisies, or loving myself deeper for my past, my race, my now, and all the wonderful ways God wants me to succeed in life. I have learned that my voice is important and that I am worth being loved. I have also found that I don’t have to choose to put stresses of the world on myself. I’ve given my stresses to God, and now I have joy complete that I have to pursue daily. At Biola, I’ve gotten awesome encouragement to find my passions and think toward the future about job careers that could fit me! I don’t feel alone here, because I’ve formed significant relationships that I will have forever, and gained an education that helps me learn about the world, my faith, and live in freedom to love and discover the possibilities ahead. I feel like I’m getting properly prepared in mind, spirit, and body to be an active citizen in adult society.

My experience at Biola University has afforded me time and opportunity to grow academically, emotionally, and spiritually. My professors and peers all have high expectations but work with and for each other to meet those expectations. Biola is a "family," and though students are expected to compete and be successful, there is also support and commaradarie. There is great balance and blend in all things that both push and pull students to succeed at the highest levels and yet reminds us to value each person as unique, created by God for a purpose. I have grown inmeasurably by attending college. My view of the world has been expanded, and my desire is take what I've learned and use it to help others grow in immeasurable ways as well.

I have gotten friends, knowledge, and growth out of my experience at Biola. I have spent a lot of money and will continue to spend a lot of money, but it has been worth it. I see how God's goodness is manifested in many different ways.

My Grandpa has always encouraged me to strive hard in school and work hard, ever since I was in Kindergarten. I knew when I applied to Biola that his words were going to be the motto of most of my time there. I not only had chosen one of the toughest academic majors, but also the major that happened to be the most highly competitive and compact in California; Nursing. College is not an easy place to buckle down and work hard like my Grandpa had always advised. There is so many experiences and so many 'firsts'. I learned what it was like to have to study almost all night, to run out and get a late night snack with friends, lay on the grass waiting for a class to begin, debate issues with classmates, and make friends again. College challenged me to spread my wings, branch off from the comfort of my parents and become independent. I have become more proud of who I am and the choices I've made that have enabled me to look at life with optimism and faith knowing that I truly can succeed in whatever I put my heart, mind and soul to.

Even though I have not gone to college yet, I do know how valuable going to college and getting some type of education after high school is. Both of my parents attended college and then later on dropped out. I also have two older sisters that have not attended college. Knowing from my expirience living with my parents, I know how hard it is getting a decent job that pays well and will pay the bills, finding a job that you enjoy, and finding a job with stability really is; especially the way the economy is. My parents strive for me to have a better, easier, and happier life than they did; as do I. Knowing that I will be attending school this August is so exciting to me; it's beyond words. I am so ready to prove to my friends, famliy, and myself that I can do it and make them proud.

I have gained much through my college experience. I have learned responsibility and dedication to a higher purpose than my next grade. Learning is a life-long process and college has set the foundation for how I tackle all that life has to offer. My wisdom and preparation are only as strong as my own dedication to them. Thus I must have a vision of what I am driving toward in order to wade through seemingly irrelevant material in search of the treasures of knowledge. College has laid the foundation, and now it is my responsibility to pursue an ever deepening understanding of the world around me.

Well I'm not done with my college experience yet but what I have discovered so far is that they're a lot of people in the world that are learning sharing and growing for the lord. My school, the faculty and staff concentrates first on developing that aspect of its students.

It?s the moment you?ve been anticipating: college. Uprooting from one part of the country to another will enable you to experience an entirely different environment: perfect for burgeoning into a woman. You can start fresh. Every new place is grayscale and brand-new memories color vibrant hues. This is refreshing, yes. However remember, everyone has a story. It?s as if it?s entrenched in our DNA; it?s what makes us unique. You cannot escape it. While you start new experiences in California, beware, those ugly memories of your abusive alcoholic father you fled in Milwaukee will seep through your new life. Accept this, not as a sign of shame but resilience. Your life as a foster child will equip you in ways unimaginable. You will be fierce. A go-getter. Unstoppable. Your passion for writing will overlook the absence of owning a car in Los Angeles and every internship will bring you closer to your writing dream. Even so, your passion is a result of your story. In those lonely moments, when the world has turned against you and you?re alone, hold on to your story. Not the tragedy, but the triumph that ensues.

I would tell myself to be more ready to embrace life. College is a whole new world that I was not open to at first. The opportunities here are endless. I would say that I should be more willing to reach out to people, instead of waiting almost a year to really branch out. I would say to not worry about being someone I'm not. College is one of the few places where you can really learn about who you are and who you will be. The people here won't judge you by your movies or music. They respect authenticity, and while there are pretenders here, they aren't the ones worth being around. Be willing to laugh, to open yourself up to others, to be crazy, to stay up all night, to go out anytime, to have an adventure, to learn new things, to make new friends, to be honest. Be willing to be yourself.

Dear past-self, Remember these four things and you will thrive in your academic career. One, it never hurts to ask. Questions are the keys to answers and endless possibilities. Two, take smart risks. Ruminate then act; congratulations, you've just avoided future regret. Three, learn to say "no". You cannot and should not please the whole planet. If you can't keep a promise, don't make it. Four, you're going to college to learn how to learn for the rest of your life. Lifelong learners have more fulfilled and happier lives. Regardless of whether you actually heed this letter or not, you will learn the truth in these soon enough. Love your future-self, Hudson

If I could give myself advice, I would tell myself to try harder. I let school become a "whatever" thing to me and I didn't really go to class or pay attention if I did go. I would tell myself that everything I do matters and that I should be as involved as I can be so that it would give me a better chance to get more scholarships and give me a better chance to go to a better college and such. Don't get me wrong, Biola is a great university but it was not my ideal school. Another advice I'd give my self is to make a lot of friends and try to connect with more people just because of what could happen afterwards. Many of my brother's friends seems to be stuck in a place where they can't really move up on the ladder in the work environment because they don't know how to socially interact with others. So, self, let others into your life!

Besides the practical advice your mom will give about laundry and eating habits, here are three broad principles that can enrich your college experience... 1. Make every minute count. Constantly hone your time management skills; procrastination lowers your chances of surviving college with your sanity in tact. Even when you set aside time to relax, make it quality time spent with friends & family. 2. Communicate with your teachers, especially those in your field. Learn as much as you can from them. Their professional experience can make your own more fruitful & perhaps even lead you to choose a career path that excites you. 3. Find what you love to do. Since most college students change their majors several times, explore your options by taking electives, join a club, volunteer, and attending school functions hosted by various departments. Get in a group of students who share your major and work on extra-curricular projects together: discuss your favorite classic novels, compose and perform a song together, attend a math & science seminar together... your options are limitless. Enjoy this season of your life as time to discover what you have been created to do and to forge life-long relationships.

I step into the coffee shop where I, the college sophomore, am meeting with my high school senior self. I see her there in the corner, holding a mug full of aspirations, anxities, and chai tea. What am I going to say to her? A jumble of overused cliches spin inside my head as I take a seat. Stale advice is just about as good as decaf at six am. Thankfully, inspiration joins us. High school senior self, you need to be flexible and forgiving. Flexibility will allow you to take the challenges of college and turn them into positve experiences. Room mates will have different life styles, and your class schedule or professors might not be to your taste. With an attitude of flexibilty, these potential bumps can provide opportunities for growth. Forgiveness will help smooth over moments of inflexability. Make up your mind to extend grace to others, and yourself, when mistakes are made. My high school senior self smiles and takes one last sip of chai. "Thanks", she says. I smile too, and wonder, why didn't someone tell me these things? Then I stop and realize someone just did!

College is alot of work but also alot of fun, make sure to get a mix of both, especially studying. Make the most of your friends and family before you leave, you have know idea how much you miss and rely on them until they are gone. Be confident in yourself, you got into college and thats more than half the battle. Have faith and courage in yourself to step out of your comfort zone, it will teach and benefit you in more ways than you can imagine. Stay true to yourself. Even though college is full of new experiences of trial and error, don't be afraid to say no, no matter the scenario. You can gain the whole world, but if you lose who you, are all that you gained is nothing. College much like life depends on how you handle it, you can make it as good or bad as you want to. Just accept the fact that you are going to fail at some things (hopefully not classes), but what matters is if you pick yourself back up, just remember its a learning process, also remember you're a freshman again, its a brand new start.

If I could go back in time and tell myself as a high school senior a piece of advice, it would be short and sweet, "Go to class!". Especially at a perfectly located school like Biola, I found myself near so many activities and places. The beach, disneyland, L.A., Malls, Concert Halls, and Museums were all really close to me. Sometimes they even seemed more appealing than class, however, it was not worth it. My freshman year I chose to go to the beach and disneyland over class numerous times, and as a result I lost my academic scholarship. I wished more than anything that I could take that back. I worked really hard the next couple semesters to try and get my GPA back up, but it was too late. I continued to work hard at my grades full-time while working up to three jobs to help pay for school, and I now have my GPA back up. If I could go back and spare the loss of my scholarship, I would. It would be as simple as those three words, "Go to class".

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school senior self, the first and probably most important thing I would have tried to explain to myself would have been to not procrastinate on homework assignments. That was probably the biggest challenge that I had to overcome. Tests were never a problem for me, but waiting till the last minute to do an assignment dug me into deep wholes during my first years of college. I can recall many sleepless nights due to pulling all-nighters for research papers due the next day. The second advice that I would give would be to remind my high school self that school comes first. This means that if you have to stay in and finish an assignment and miss social activities, there is nothing wrong with that. Social functions will not help you pay for school or help you graduate. Having good grades will help get more scholarships to pay for school. There is nothing wrong with hanging out after all of your work is complete and if your friends cannot understand that, then maybe it is time for a new set of friends.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise me to never let anyone or anything discourage me from my future goals and dreams and what I feel God is calling me to do. No matter what life may throw at me, I must not give up. God will never put me in situations I cannot handle because through Him, nothing is impossible. I may go through difficult times with family and relationships, but I must keep my faith strong in the Lord Jesus Christ.

College and high school are two completely different worlds. If you are seriously thinking about going to college, I would suggest that you take the most difficult classes in high school. Don?t go the easy route. Challenge yourself to be all that you can be right now. If you want to experience what college classes are like, Advanced Placement classes are a must. You must be ready to fail at something. I know that this doesn't sound like very good advice, but it?s going to happen sooner or later. During my high school career, I received excellent grades. When I went to college, I discovered that getting the same grades was much more difficult. I?m not failing or anything; I still received good grades during my first semester. You have to realize that you are not in high school any more. It?s important that you learn how to study and take tests differently. Seek advice on setting a new foundation and build up from there. And don?t forget to take time for yourself. Getting your mind off the pressures of school by hanging out with your friends is all part of the college experience.

Hello senior-in-high-school Madison, this is me talking to you as a college freshman Madison. Yes, you do get into your dream school. Yes, you do survive your first semester. But, I have some advice to give you. College life is wonderful. You'll feel like you're swamped some days and barely floating others, but you will get through it. Until then, keep those grades up! Believe it or not, you can apply and receive scholarships, you just have to go for it. Don't be afraid of rejection, or failure, your Mom and Dad will still love and support you, they just need to know that you have tried to help them carry the load of your tuition. This summer, don't work yourself dry. You're just saving up for frozen yogurt, shampoo and the works to help your parents out. Remember, God is the Provider. He may not give you exactly what you want, but He gives you what you need. Remember to dream big. You have big things ahead of you and you are beautiful. Don't let anyone calm you down. Live radically. Remember to breathe. Keep that head held high.