Bucknell University Top Questions

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that unhappiness is not permanent . When I was in high school, I was very unhappy. I did not have many friends and struggled with severe hand pain that went undiagnosed for many years. The pain was hard to deal with, especially since I decided to major in music education. When I was in high school, I believed that my condition was untreatable and I would have to live with it my entire life. However, once I got to college, my music professors helped me find a hand specialist who performed surgery on me and determined that I had a rare form of carpal tunnel syndrome. That surgery changed my life. I also have many supportive friends at college who have helped me through this situation, providing encouragement I did not have in high school. Now that I have had these wonderful experiences, I realize that the unhappiness I struggled with in high school doesn't even matter to me anymore. What matters is that I am very lucky; my life has changed for the better and I will never look back.

Cooper, congratulations, you made it through your first semester! With new friendships, wonderful extracurricular activities, and the tough yet fabulous courses taken, you will have a very memorable semester. Luckilly, your transition to college has been relatively smooth, but there are still kinks you have the opportunity to smooth out. First off, don't get so dejected about not making the D1 tennis team; you end up joining the crew team and loving it. Secondly, don't try to be the cool kid in college. You realize the coolest kids are those who are confident in their own skin and are sincere. So just be yourself and I promise that everything will be fine. Thirdly, while the food is awesome at Bucknell (whew!), don't be ambivilant to sit down with a random person and have a conversation with them! You never know who you will meet or what amazing experiences someone has gone through until you get to know them (trust me). Hopefully this letter hasn't created any sort of paradox or altered the time space continuum, but if it has you can make things write by choosing to not to write this letter after your first semester!

It's okay to have no idea what career path you want to take after high school graduation. There's a path of study that is perfect for everyone, and it is solely up to you to figure that out - don't let anyone else tell you differently. As cliche as this sounds, be yourself and your new friends will come to you. College is a clean slate; no one knows your past mistakes or achievements. You must continue to work as hard as you did in high school and people will notice your efforts. Definitely stay involved in any extra cirricular activities that hold your interest. College is a time to find out who you are as an adult and have tons of fun while doing it. Finding a career will always be challenging, but live it up while there's no one yelling at you to clean your room or do the dishes (of course keep up with your workload in between raging parties :) Everyone on campus is there to help, so take advantage of your resources. Money may be an issue, but you can overcome it - keep applying to scholarships throughout all four years!!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior the first thing I would tell myself is to relax. Yes, college is a lot different and there is a lot more responsibility, but you are ready and can handle anything that life throws at you. And don't worry about the things that you can't change, move on. There is a reason why things turned out the way they did. Now go out and live your life; no holding back!

College is one of the best times in your life. You need to make sure you take full advantage of everything the school and the campus community have to offer. Each day will bring a new experience that will allow you to learn about yourself and your future career. You must take advantage of this experiences both inside and outside of the classroom to get the most out of the time you spend on campus.

Sher, smart is sexy. I know you’re sad that you didn’t get asked to the Homecoming dance by the boy of your dreams, or by any boy for that matter. And you’re taking it to heart when people call you a brainiac. You think that being smart is going to be an impediment. Guess what? In college, you’ll be surrounded by smart people. Once you get there, you’ll quickly find your groove, and a gaggle of friends you’ll keep for life. Don’t worry, you’ll date lots of dream boys. Remember when that popular guy in school teased you for going to a ‘smart school’ while he planned to party his way through four years of college? Your ‘smart school’ introduced you to your fabulous husband. (Spoiler alert: He’s much more dashing than that popular guy from high school.) You’re going to reach your mid-thirties, and you’ll have a wonderful, vibrant son who makes your face light up. You’ll have a successful and exciting career, and you’ll decide to go back to school for an executive MBA. Why? Because now you know that smart really is sexy.

I have dreamt of this opportunity many times, where if I could go back to high school I would pursue my passions rather than settling. Being a high school senior again, I would study harder in order to pass my ACT and SAT with flying colors; I would practice learning the German language at a more in-depth level so as to prepare me for a semester abroad perhaps. There are so many "what-ifs" that I have come across that make me shudder at the thought that I never pursued the life I dreamt of having. Working full-time in a dead end job would make anyone unhappy, but I chose to change my future by pursing a degree in a creative field, something I always imagined in which I would have a career. It has been a long, uphill struggle due to finances and scheduled time, but I have spent the last 10 years working toward my goal. I truly hope that someone, anyone, will see this struggle and reward my hard work and dedication with financial assistance - anything helps. High school self: do what makes you happy, work hard, and you will be repaid.

I would tell myself to be patient, but not to give up. There were certain times this past year when I felt as if it was too late for me to make a change in my academic or athletic performance - but it really never was. I just needed time to adjust. Although I was looking forward to my independence and thought I would not be homesick at all, there were many other changes in my schedule, diet, friendships, and interactions with others. I would want to prepare myself for that. I think that if I had been more organized, both with my belongings and my time, that would have helped alleviate some of my stress. Most of all, however, I would tell myself to make the most of my time in college. This year flew by! I cannot believe that I am already a quarter of the way done with my undergraduate experience, and I only began to really love college towards the end of this past year. I wish that during my first semester I had taken more risks in building friendships and trying out new things, because college provides many ways for you to discover yourself.

I feel very fortunate to have had my college experience. I learned not only about academics, but also a lot about myself. I was given an amazing opportunity to experience what I did and will always cherish the time I spent at Bucknell University. I gained new friends that became my family while I was away from mine, I was able to take on many leadership opportunities, therefore also learning outside the classroom, and in the end, earned a Bachelor's degree that enabled me to now be in law school. College is what you make of it - and I did my best to make the most of it. You need to take chances, learn from your mistakes, and most of all, stay true to yourself through it all. Without those characteristics, the experience would not have been as valuable to me as it was. But, going to college was by far the best decision I ever made - it is so much more than just academics - it is a complete education and an experience that everyone should take the opportunity to participate in.

I always knew that college would be a totally new experience that would alter my life forever, but I never realized the effect it would have on the little things in my life. I now appreciate a simple email from my Dad, who updates me on our favorite sports teams and tells me what's going on at home. I look foward to talking to my Mom on the phone and telling her about my classes, dorm life and all the things that I forgot to pack. And when I receive a package in the mail a few days later with those items inside, I love and miss my Mom that much more. Going away to college has taught me to grow up and do things for myself. There is no one pushing and encouraging me to do my best, I have to be my own advocate. I now know what it means to walk to class in the snow, cook EasyMac at 3 in the morning, and having all-you-can-eat cereal in the cafeteria. Everyone's college experience is different, but mine has made me a more humble and whole person.

I would advise myself to assimilate my college perspective to Scrooge's dream in "A Christmas Carol"; past (before college), present (during college) and future (after college). In high school I didn't understand the true meaning of college. Past: Keep looking for scholarships and working hard tto get into college. Present: I honestly thought that everyone in college acts like mature adults. I would tell myself not to expect this, and not to have excessive expectations in general. Having preconceived notions puts a damper on the unexpected uniqueness. Also, be open-minded and outoing during everyday activities. Future: Look for a major based on abilities and interest in subject matter as opposed to how much money it offers as a career. College is not just a place to go which will help you find a job. As important as education is, college is also a world that offers friendships, challenges, excitement, and independence. As I continue to learn: it is what you make it.

First and foremost, I would tell myself to relax. It's hard to be uncomfortable at Bucknell since you're surrounded by intelligent students at your age who are all interested in similar things. I would also tell myself to go with the flow. By that, I mean don't be obsessed with joining certain clubs, or meeting certain professors. Everything comes in time. At the beginning, you should just work on becoming comfortable and getting to know everything and everyone. Because initially, the most important thing is to keep an open mind and find out what really makes you happy. Don't inject your previous beliefs and prejudices about yourself and others from high school into the fresh-start college experience. To go with the flow, you have to reevaluate what you thought you knew, liked, and hated. If you just continue everything you were doing from high school, you're not really progressing or opening new avenues of opportunity. And college is about the new. So I would tell myself to just look around and get to know everthing before commiting to certain ideas and people.

Coming from New York City, college life in Lewisburg was like an ice bath on a hot day: a shock. Though I read lots about Bucknell and thought the semester would've been as easy as the weekend I stayed there, I was in a for a big surprise. If I could take the knowledge and experience that I've gathered from my first semester back to a high school senior me, one of the first things I would have told myself was to prepare for a culture shock. (Culture, here, far exceeds the boundaries of ethnic backgrounds, and is instead a way of life.) I also would have told myself that getting by on smarts alone would be insufficient for college work, and that I would need to discipline myself in different ways, to ensure that I was working on a college level. I would have reminded myself that being me is essential, that if never before, now would be the time to. I see so many young adults, like myself, get trapped in the hype of living to someone else's superficial expectations. Because I know what's best for me, I'd keep being me.

If I could go back and give advice to my high school self I would have a lot to say. First, I would tell myself to try new things, take chances, and not be afraid to make mistakes. There are many opportunities in college and not all of them are academic. College is a time to explore and find yourself and there are many ways to do this. There are hundreds of clubs and organizations that can teach you about new things. Try them out, you might find a new interest that you love. Also, I would tell myself that I won't be the smartest person at Bucknell. Everyone is smart. You will be smarter than some, but others will definitely be smarter than you. Although it's hard, try not to let that bother you. If you constantly compare yourself to your peers you will never be satisfied or happy. Work hard and try your best, that is the most you can do. Also, find a routine that works for you. There isn't going to be anyone to make you go to class, eat right, exercise, or sleep enough. Make sure you can depend on you.

Dear High School Self,Calm down. The first piece of advice I have for you is to stop stressing and breathe. It sounds cheesy but everything will work out. I know you expect college to be perfect and, believe me its pretty close, but not everything is going to click right away and that?s okay. It?s going to take some time to find people that you really connect with and to discover where you belong on campus. In the meantime, meet as many people as possible. The first few months of freshman year are the only time where it?s not weird to randomly introduce yourself to someone. Remember that everyone else is in the same boat; they are just as terrified as you, even if you can?t always tell. Take full advantage of everything that Bucknell offers and try as many new things as possible. Experiment with your classes; you don?t need to know exactly what you want to do your freshman year. College is a unique time period where nearly everything is at your fingertips. Above all, have fun. The next couple of years are going to be the best time of your life.

College is a great opportunity to explore. And if you start by expanding your experiences, then later, you can narrow your interests more accurately. As a freshman, it is helpful to reach out in as many directions as possible, whether or not they seem plausible final paths. Join clubs, join teams, take classes in different departments, talk with professors, talk with students, attend department lectures; use as many resources as you can find to explore new ideas and areas. This expansion also creates for you a network of friends, students, and faculty which will stay with you, helping you through both college and career choices. In the following years, you can eliminate those activities which you find less interesting from your list, finally choosing the career or life path which you would find most beneficial and enjoyable. After college, many people go directly to careers or graduate school, lessening or even eliminating the chance to explore other areas. Therefore, before that time comes, use the opportunity presented by colleges and universities to explore as many different areas as you can.

Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult. There is much more reading and work involved and you are expected to take on a lot more responsibility in terms of learning the material. Teachers will not force you to as much to do assignments and keep up with your work - this is your responsibility. You will soon begin to understand why it is important to do all homework assignments and keep up with the material so that you can perform well on writing assignments and tests. College is definitely a time where you must learn to manage your time appropriately. There will be many distractions and often you'll probably want to spend time having fun with friends as opposed to studying. You must figure out how much time you need to allocate to your studies so that you can do well in classes while still giving yourself enough time to have fun and enjoy the college life. This is definitely the biggest challenge, but it is doable!

Find a school that is in your comfort range (small, medium, large student body); determine if your contribution to tuition, room and board can be fulfilled with scholarships, grants and federal loans to prevent interruption in education, and visit at least three college campuses before making a final decision.

You can't put a price ona good education, if it's the school you can see yourself learning and striving in do everything you can to make it happen. You're going to living and learning there for four years, and four years can seem like an awful long time when we're at our lowest point. Pick the school that when you visited you couldn't stop thinking about after you left, the school where you fell in love with both the architecture, the people, and the air. It definitely helps to visit the schools you're applying to, I completely changed my mind after I traveled around the summer after my junior about which school I wanted to attend. Overall, college is an amazing and unique evperience that one must take full advantage of, but that is the individual's doing. College, like life, is what you make of it, so my advice is to try new things every step of the way, avoid ruts, keep an open mind, and go places, travel the world, meet the people and never stop learning.

Keep in mind that when you are searching for a college, you will be living there! If it's at all possible, try to arrange an overnight visit, or at least a campus visit so that the prospective student may gain an insight as to what kind of students attend the college/university.