Boston University Top Questions

The friends I have met, the issues my eyes have been opened to, and the experience as a whole has really helped me see the world in a different light.

I struggled a lot with being comfortable in my own skin all throughout my childhood. My anxieties and self-consciousness drove me to some very self-harming extremes. However, coming here has truly changed my life. I have never felt more at home and at peace with myself. Going to Boston University was a challenge at first; it's hard being thrown into the city on your own, but pushing through that tough time allowed me to appreciate the tremendous freedom I have been granted. I have always said I want to be independent and on my own and going here reinforced that. I love everything this school has given me. Everyday is a new challenge; I am constantly finding new interests and new ways to get involved. Boston University gives me the perfect combination of challenging and encouraging courses. I feel that school doesn't come easy, but without completely overwhelming myself I can work hard to acheive academic success. I also appreciate that my friends here have the same values and work ethic as I do. BU is where I belong.

I have learned a lot about myself more than anything. I learned that it is possible to get involved with anything you want to as long as you are committed. I learned that the only person who cn help me is myself though there are resources around me, I have to take advantage of them. It has taken me awhile to own up to this and realize it, but I believe that it will help me in the future and in life. I am learning to be independant and finding out who I am, which is more valuable than anything else.

If I could return to being a senior, I would tell myself to apply to a smaller college, and perhaps one with a smaller financial burden. I would explain to myself that the hugh college is difficult, but a medium sized school would probably fit me well. I would sugest to myself that I apply to BC, or Clark. I would also tell myself that my selected major is, so far, pretty good, and to stick to it. I would tell myself that the transition would be easy for me, but difficult for my family, so I should remember to be mindful of them, and to give them a call every so often. Most of all, I would tell myself that I don't have anything to worry about. College sorts itself out, and you find your way; it's just part of growing up.

If I could go back, I would die trying to convince myself that spending time with friends and family is absolutley essential. Coming from Texas up to Massachusetts was an enormous change that I sort of assumed would fly by without my immediate notice. Moving myself in alone with all of my luggage in a dusty, dark dorm room on the 17th floor would have been so much easier with the help of family members and friends. While I got along and was friendly, I didn't spend nearly the amount of time I do now sharing tidbits about my day and my thoughts with my parents. While I can only really go all the way home once a semester, every second I spent there is in the company of my family and previous peers. I now thank my parents daily for their incredible generosity and support towards my education, as well as their unconditional love towards me and my career choice. And if I could go back to relive one day as a high school senior, I would beg myself to not take one second of my life, and that moment, for granted.

Speaking to other high school seniors, I would have told myself that college is the place where you learn the most about yourself and others. This is the place where some of your best friends are made. Also, the word "responsibilities" jumps into my mind and how I have learned how to deal with certain situations by myself and not with the help of my parents. The student must be open to the transition of being responsible for only yourself and your school work. Some advice that I would give myself is that it is okay to make mistakes and take risks now because you will learn what worked for you and what didn't. These events will help you in making future decisions. And most importantly, have fun in college! You only go to this school for most likely four years, make the most of it!

Be prepared to do a lot of reading and staying up late. Most of the courses are very reading intensive and the readings themselves are usually fifteen to twenty pages each. Study hard and get help as early as you can, especially when writing papers. Going to your proffessor's office hours is extremely helpful. There will be courses that you don't like, but you still have to do the work and study to make the grades. Don't forget to get out and do fun stuff to relax. Working out, or hanging out in the common room with the poeple on your floor, going out with friends is a great way to unwind and relieve stress. College food is pretty decent, but it can get old after a while, so explore the restaurant options around campus. Colleges typically have a Student Union where they have different places to get food from. And of course, there's also pizza delivery; just don't forget to eat fairly healthy. Figuring out and knowing the best ways to get around campus helps a bunch too. One of the most important things is, know how to do laundry before you leave home.

I would tell myself to have absolutely no expectations. The first year of college will bring about a completely new lifestyle than you are used to, and you have to go in open to anything. Even though it will take time for you to settle in and really find your group, they will be worth the wait. It will be a hard transition at first, but anything new takes getting used to. Make sure you enjoy yourself along the way, because the time flies by so fast. Most importantly, take this time to get to know yourself. College is the place to discover exactly what you want in life and how to want to live, so try everything and anything you want!

As a senior in highschool the stresses of "the college process" definately took its toll on me. It was not so much wheather or not I was going to get into college, but rather what college. As a freshman in Boston University I would tell my high school self not to worry about getting into an Ivy and forget about the rankings. I would sayn just be happy to get into a college that I really wanted to go to, not one that would look good on paper. As a senior anticipating the college life besides academics, I would say that I had very high hopes and thought all my social troubles would go away. Knowing what I know now I would tell myself to listen to people's advice and their experiences because college is not just one big party all the time. College socially, just as academically, is not easy, especially first semester freshman year. Come to college with an open mind, say hi to everyone, try not to judge people and relax would be the biggest advice I would give my former self and any high school senior.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice on the transition between high school and college, I would tell myself to not be afraid. The difference between these two stages of life is one of the scariest to encounter and it is easy to take a more comfortable approach, like making friends with people similar to your old friends, joining clubs you were part of in high school, choosing a college near home or in a enironment like the one you grew up in. It takes more guts to set those things aside to try things you never had before, or to chose to have new experiences that may frighten you. In the end, you learn more from the things you didn't know before than you do staying in a zone you are comfortable with. College is a time to expand as a person, try things you never have before and to be independent. While these things may be scary, it is important to take that fear that comes along with this transition and harness it into something that will benefit and help you grow as a person which is what college is all about.

Do not worry about getting into your top choice. College is what you make of it, and any place can be perfect for you if you are willing to give it a chance. Work hard to learn how to balance your work with your play or you'll be in big trouble wherever you end up going. Remember, life should always be in balance, or you won't ever be productive. Good luck!

If I could talk to myself as a high school student, I first would have told myself to study hard for tests! But I would also have said to not worry too much if I didn't do amazing my first semester, because it takes a some time to get used to the difference between college and high school. I also would have told myself to make sure I take advantage of what is available to me. There are so many new opportunities in college, and it would be a shame to waste them.

I would advise myself to relax and to keep my head in the present. Before going to college, I thought I had my whole life planned out. I knew who I wanted to marry, what I wanted to major in, what to do as a career, and where I would live. But then, you get to college, and everything changes. At first, this change freaked me out. I thought that questioning all of my plans was a sign of weakness and of impending failure. But finally, in December, I realized that this is what college is all about. College is about growing as a person and forcing you to really look at not what you want, but NEED. I want a boyfriend, but I need love. I want to go to the movies, but I need to get an A on this test. I want to cry in a pillow by myself, but I need my mom. College is the hardest, but most revealing time of your life and when you exit as a survivor, you will be drastically different than the scared, over-zealous freshman you once were. But this is the best kind of change- it's unplanned.

First off, I would prepare myself for the amount of change I would be facing better. I am from an extremely small town, so I expected a bit of change coming to a city as big as Boston. However, I definitely did not expect it to be as hard as it was. Leaving everything I have known for my entire life an coming to a city where I was just a number in a big sea of people took its toll on me. I went through severe homesickness and a lot of stress and tears for the first month. Looking back on this, I would encourage myself to go out and explore Boston and make new friends more than I did. Getting to know my new home early on would have made that first month a lot easier. I would also remind myself that it's okay to miss where I came from. I told myself I would be strong when I left home, and that made me feel worse when I had those weak points when I first came her. I ended up getting over everything and loving BU, but I would have wanted to shorten that long month.

I would tell myself that being social (going to parties, eating out, dating, etc.) is not as important as studying. I made the miskate first semester of putting my social life above studying, and I did not do as well in my classes as I could have. My goal is to go onto medical school, and I would now tell my "high school self" that it is important to stay focused on my goals. It is easy to get distracted and disillusioned by all of the people and new experiences in college, especially living in a new city, but with support, it is also easy to stay on the right track and get to where I want to be. Studying and getting good grades needs to be my priority, and with that in mind, I can succeed!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to value my last months in high school and at home. I would tell myself not to wish my last year and summer away because college would be radically different. I would reassure myself, however, that college is not as radically different from high school as I had thought it was at the time. I would tell myself that as long as I did not procrastinate, I would not fall behind with my work, and that I would find that college classes are not radically different from high school ones. I would also tell myself to get out and get involved within the first few months of school, that failing to do so would result in less friends, and therefore more homesickness. One last thing I would tell myself would be to never change for anyone I met at school, to keep the same morals and values and that over time, I would fall into a nitch at school that suited the true me.

The transition from high school to college is a stressful and electrifying one, where every aspect of one?s life and personality is put into question. There are many tasks necessary to complete and characteristics of colleges to consider and this can be indubitably overwhelming. However, it is important to always consider what one truly wants out of a college, a city, and out of life. Although issues may arise about the expenses, reputation, and opportunities provided by certain colleges, it is imperative to recognize one?s personal abilities and goals. It may be useful to organize a chart containing personal goals, fears, capabilities and inabilities in accordance to different aspects of a specific college such as finance, profession and/or major, social life, and possibly even personal quirks like food or weather. Moreover, it is important to remember to pursue any possible scholarship opportunities. As a college student, there are more than tuition expenses but expenses in food, transportation, social activities etc. The transition to college encompasses more than a change of people and studies but in lifestyle, thus one?s personal desires and capabilities should be the foundation of every step taken in direction toward one?s degree.

The high school senior, in the last month of her grade school career, with hopes of moving on to bigger and better things, ready to leave, and can't wait to graduate. Sounds like a lot of people I knew. Sounds like me. Since middle school, I always dreamed of being independant and going on to college to live the cool life of a hip, young twenty-something. It sounded so seductive. But there I was, the high school senior suddenly realizing in the last month of grade school that this was it! After June ended, that part of my life would be over. It terrified me. I was going through all kinds of mixed emotions of being ready to move on, to feeling the need to remain nostalgic in the high school years. I had constantly thought of the future and never really indulged in the present. The only, and most vital information I could give anyone still in high school is to PLEASE live in the time and place you are in. Yes college is amazing, but the ease and comfort of living at home and being in grade school ends much quicker than you migh anticipate.

I would tell myself not to procrastiinate and not put off classwork to a later date. There is a lot of reading and the longer you put it off the worse it is to complete. I would also remind myselt to learn how to do laundry and have basic cooking skills. It does make things much easlier. Akso, buy lots of socks and underwear. Most importantly, never take yourself too seriously. It is important to learn and experience new things. This is the time to do it and enjoy.

Thinking back to senior year, when the excitement of the approaching departure to college was still fresh, I wonder what I would have done differently to make the transtition into college smoother. Had I been able to look into the future and know what I know now, I would tell myself that (as cliche as it is) to be myself. Talking to people the summer before I left, everyone conversed about what they were going to change about themselves or about how they were going to change their nicknames and other things of the sort. My first week of college and living in my dorm, I tried to deny my humble midwest upbringing. However, I realized that my personality, though too "sweet", is who I am, I trying to act unlike myself 24/7 is both hard and unsatisfying. Though I am far from home, my friends, and my family, I can pride myself in the fact that truly accepting myself and acting the way I like, without caring about judgement from my peers, is the best way to be, as the transition into college depends on knowing who you are and showing that to new friends.