Emily
The first thing that I would tell myself is to get out and get involved in the school and be social. By getting involved you meet people from all walks of life. These people then become your life-long friends and the more people you know up at college the less home-sick you get. I would tell myself to utilize the resources that my college University has to offer. At the college I am going to the gym is free, and well-kept with a large variety of equipment. Tutoring is free. Academic counseling is free and very helpful. There is a health center that is cheaper than most regular physicians and they are knowledgable. Also counseling for depression or things of that sort are free too. I would tell myself to take a variety of classes at first to figure out what really interests me and don't worry about the credits for the first semester. I would tell myself to enjoy the college life.
Becca
If I could go back in time I would tell myself to work hard in school. Focus on doing well in school so I could attend a good college. I would also remind my self not to procrastinate and get lazy with school. Getting a college degree is very imporant and will get you farther in any career you choose.
Chad
My advice to myself when I was a high school senior would have been to stick with college and not drop out when I was in my early twenties. I finished my bachelor degree one month short of turning fifty years old. I am proud of myself for finishing, but I feel my life would have been much different had I finished college the first time around.
I would also advise myself on becoming organized and completing assignments as soon as I possibly could after they had been assigned rather than procrastinating on my preparation.
I wold also advise myself to take college as seriously as I do my place of employment and to treat assignments from my teachers with the same gravity as I would an assignment form my employer.
The last bit of advice that I would give myself as a high school senior is that a person doesn't have to be "smart" to go to college, but a person has to be organized and work hard. I would tell myself that the harder I work the better I will do. The resources are available for anyone who wants to succeed to be successful.
Dallan
If I could go and talk to myself as a high scholl senior I would tell myself to get serious about life. Back in high school I did not take school seriously because I had no desire to go to college, I thought it was a waste of time. I unfortunately was also a drug addict who didn't care that his health was at risk. It was hard to get through those times but once I did I had a clear idea of what I wanted out of life. My only regret is that I didn't straiten up sooner. That's what I would have told myself.
Cassandra
I heard a quote once that I wish I had adopted more while in high school. The quote is, "It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." I would tell myself and any other high school student to take this advice to heart and start feeling that way immediately. College is such a wonderful opportunity to learn about who you are and your contribution to society, and I feel that the sooner these things can be discovered the more happiness and adventure you can experience in life. There should be no "cookie cutter" student or person and dreams can be started and fulfilled while in high school. These dreams should be expected to be continued as college approaches.
Andrew
There is a great measure of freedom that comes with leaving home to go to school. The best thing you can do is to schedule your time strictly, and stick to that no matter what. There will be a lot of temptation to put it off and to hang out with friends or participate in the many activities offered at school, but remember what you, or your parents are paying for. An education is the best thing for your life, don't sell yourself short for a small measure of happiness or fun today. I fell into that trap in my first year of school, but I have been lucky enough to get a second chance many years later. You are much better sticking with it the first time around and earn your degree.
Austin
If I was allowed a moment to converse with my past self, I would encourage the past me to begin looking at schools with real intent sooner. I was not fully prepared financially to come to school, and as such I would advise myself to save money with a purpose and to look closely at the scholarships within my grasp. Going into school armed with the knowledge that I would be financially capable of staying there would be a great help to making the transition to college life. Another course of action that I would recommend is to take the advanced placement tests for the classes I was taking. At the time I chose not to do so, and now must retake the same courses, changing this decision would make a great difference in my college experience today. The final and possibly most important advice I would give to myself is to not worry about the increased difficulty of college, but to be excited for the greater learning available in college and confident in my capabilities as a student.
Lora
Learn to cook. Learn to sew. Put all of your effort into your classes. You will deeply regret your math and english classes if you keep your current patterns up. Discard your darkened worldview; people aren't so bad as you think. You're not a monster, nor a sociopath. You're a superhero in need of training.
Stop procrastinating and prove to yourself and God that you can do it. Stop lying to yourself and others, you know you're better than that. Remember what everyone tells you, you have no idea how important those side comments and factors become. Read your assignments. Dumping knowledge after earning the grade helps nothing. You can do math. Listen to Mom and Dad. Talk to God more; He misses you and actually, you miss Him too. Be obedient. Being happy is a choice.
If you have to work, you might as well enjoy it. You're the only one holding you back from going where you want to be.
There's a world out there that needs to be changed. Become the person who can do something about it. Continue your confidence in yourself, it's a good investment. You survive.
Hannah
If I could go back and talk to my high school self, there would be a lot that I would want to tell myself about my future in secondary education. One of the biggest would be to open myself up to new people and new oppurtunities. Everyone always says that college is the time to experiment and get to know yourself and new people but it is so easy to get sucked into your own world. I would tell myslef to greet people and to be the one to say "hello" first. When somone asks you to do something fun, just go and do it. Don't be afraid to try new things and put yourself our there.
The second piece of advice that I would give myself would be to start good study habits right there and then. My homework load in high school wasn't very heavy because I was always able to finish it quickly. This made me think that college homework would be a breeze. I definitley wasn't. College it much more time intensive and requires you to make some sacrifices with what you might otherwise want to be doing.
Enoch
If you want to make the most out of high school here is my advice - make a master plan. Don't let high school just happen - use it to make your life awesome. Everybody changes whether they try or not--especially in high school. So the real question is - what kind of change do you want for yourself?
To do this, you should ask and answer questions that help you define your priorities. Questions that help you determine what is important to you. Here are some questions to consider:
What kind of person do you want to be? What kind of student, friend, and family member do you want to be? Do you want to hold any positions, join any clubs, or play any sports? What skills are important to you? What subjects will you attack like a ninja? Which subjects will attack you like a ninja and might require some extra attention? Are you willing to work hard for an education? Most importantly, where do you want high school to take you? All the questions you answer should help you decide what things matter most to you and how you will use high school to get closer to them.
Breanna
College is hard with the wrong perspective. If you think that everything is going to be perfect and the people you meet during orientation will be your best friends for the rest of the year, and that you don’t have to meet anyone else, you’re wrong. It takes effort. You have to put yourself out there, reach out to others. The first day of moving into your apartment, and first day of classes; meet people. Be outgoing, and don’t ever stop meeting people. But most importantly be yourself. Don’t let others who you barely know, and who barely know you dictate who you are. Knowing who you are and sticking to it is one of the most powerful things you can do. It is liberating to love who you are. Because if you change who you are and try to be someone else you are getting rid of the best thing you have. You strip yourself of your identity. The facades you will wear to fit in, or to just be comfortable will become your prison. Being separated from your true self is a personal hell. Let others see who you are, and never stop improving.
Eryn
Dear Eryn,
I'm all cozy and warm in moms beautiful home on this chilly winter night, trying to think of the best of advice that I can give you as you go through your highschool adventure. And yes, it will be an adventure. Here are a few things that I would like you to know and do:
1. Stop thinking that you will make a fool of yourself and just go out there and shine. Join a sports team. believe it or not, doing sports in college will be one of the best decisions of your life, and you'll actually be good at it! I know right? Just do it.
2. Always be a good friend.
3. Save your money! Start budgeting.
5. When a certain someone breaks your heart, don't let him take your confidence away. You're beautiful, smart and funny. Plus, you're going to fall in love in a couple years and it will be wonderful.
6. Never loose your kindness. Think of others before you think of yourself.
7. Be kind to your family! They deserve it.
8. Spend more time with Grandma. You don't have a whole lot of time.
Amelia
I would tell myself to just do the best that I can. Just do your best, and build from there. Do not try to be the best college student. You will just overwhelm yourself. Start where you are and progress from there. Challenge yourself, but don't overwhelm yourself.
Brett
Prepare, prepare and prepare. I was not even close to being prepared for the work, the course loads, the social aspects, the cost, the sacrifice and the time. I would have a good, long talk with my high school self and explain in the strongest way possible to change my ways, plan and prepare in all aspects of the college experience. To have fun, socialize, work hard and make sure I had adequate finances to off-set student debts.
Seth
Advice: Be confident in cultivating your skills and passions, so as to benefit the lives of others.
I became passionate about the practice of medicine as a teenager; as I witnessed my father heal many ailments as a doctor. He taught me many medical skills and techniques, which only deepened my desire to become a doctor. However, I was still unsure of my ability to become a doctor. After high school, I served a two year mission for my church, where I was introduced to the very real and painful medical struggles of these individuals. On one occasion, I was eating dinner with a family, when a man came to their home and began an altercation. Things quickly escalated, resulting in a family member being stabbed. The skills and techniques that I previously learned from my father were essential in my ability to save this man’s life. When the ambulance arrived I was told that if I had not acted quickly and confidently, he would have died. After this powerful experience, my confidence in becoming a doctor grew exponentially.
Confidence is essential when cultivating your skills and passions, as you will help more people than you know.
Clayton
Save up more money. I found the transition was rather easy to make. The only thing that I have had a problem with was finances. It has been difficult to find jobs while semesters are going, especially ones that work well with my schedule, and then homework takes up most of my free time anyways.
Clif
Choose what you want to do early. Talk to the people who will help you achieve your goals and who will lead you to the right people and places to succeed. Learn successful study habits quickly and don't stress about things that don't matter. Stay focused and you'll do great.
Ilse
Advice I wish I had gotten as a high-school senior is to go in with a plan. I would advice my younger self to go in and sit down with the counselors and ask them questions. I would suggest to also find ways to save money to have some flexibility while at school. I would suggest to my younger self to become more involved in clubs and groups that I am interested in. I would suggest to my younger self to fillout scholarship applications, and be wiser with my finances. And lastly, I would suggest to myself to pay careful attention to online classes and notifications.
Stephanie
Questions flood your mind. What career should I aim for? How will I balance my school and social life? Will I do well? Will you fly to new heights on the wings of this new freedom and knowledge, or allow the pressure and gravity of the situation to pin you to the ground?
In this storm of new situations, there are firm foundations to strengthen the building of your resolve and success. It is important to put your priorities in order.
Your first priority is to take care of your health, your spirit, your mind, your body. It may seem unlogical at times. But if you take care of those things first and foremost, the rest will fall into place.
Second only to that is your education. Why are you going to college? You are going to gain knowledge, to learn. Don't procrastinate, and consistently study, so that you will truly learn and remember the material. Aim to become the best you can be at your field.
Third is your social life. Friends make life fun and rewarding. Lift and strengthen each other.
All three are important for success. Prioritize, and you will find success and fulfillment at school!
Sasha
Don't ever procastinate on the work that you are given.