Butler University Top Questions

Dear Em,

If I could tell anything to my former high school senior self about college, then I would tell him that grades are not everything a university will look at. Throughout my high school career, I spent too much time fretting about my grades that I lost sight of other important things that colleges desire in a student, such as community work, SAT and ACT scores, and extracurricular activities. If I knew what I know now about the college selection process, then I would have devoted myself to studying for standardized tests more often and I would have participated in at least one community service project and/or extracurricular organization during my senior year.

Be prepared for anything and everything. College life is much different than you're life in high school. Know that the change is coming and embrace every opportunity put before you. Don't be afraid to try new things because in college every experience will be something new and exciting. Don't be so set in your schedule that you miss the little things because those little things will become the moments that you remember forever. Also know that it's okay not to have a plan for everything, actually it's practically impossible in college. Sometimes you just have to let situations work themselves out and let what happens happen. Most of all, never forget how blessed you are to have the opportunity to attend college and never foreget where you come from and the peope who helped you get to this point in your life.

If I could give a piece of advice to my high school senior self it would be that the best and closest friends will be made in college. I would tell myself not to worry about fitting in because a lot will change for the better after being accepted into Butler. Above all, do not doubt my decision to be a theatre major, it is the best decision I will ever make. It will give me purpose and ultimately allow me to give back to the communtiy and help those who have also lost a parent to cancer.

Through just one year of college, I have been changed. If I could go back in time, I would tell my high school senior year self things I learned and know now. 1. Do not buy books from the university bookstore. They are typically overpriced and you can get same exact books for a much better price at Amazon, Chegg, etc. Compare prices before making the purchase. n 2. Step out of your comfort zone. This will bring about many new and unforgettable memories and friendships. 3. Even though life is changing and moving fast, still keep in touch with old friends. The true friends will try and keep in contact with you. 4. Manage your time wisely. In college, there is a lot more free time. Be sure to plan your time that way you do not fall behind. 5. Take naps. If there is time, take a nap. You will feel much more energizered afterwards and it helps you stay focused. 6. If you need help in classes or anywhere really, ask. Do not wait until its too late before asking! 7. Save some time to just have fun and make unforgettable memories of your college years.

Dear Jessica, Congratulations on all of your accomplishments. You should be deeply thankful for the gifts you have been given. I know that you are nervous about starting a new chapter in your own book of life, but I urge you to not be. Live every second like it is your last for you never get that second back. Even if you can't see why, every experience you have is meaningful to your life and who you are in some way. College is going to be wonderful, make friends with everyone and don’t be afraid to be your goofy, fun-loving, studious, dedicated self because people will admire and respect you for those qualities. Take interest in the classes that, by title, may not sound particularly appealing. It is so much easier to be successful in a topic in which you are interested. With that said, remember that everything is worth studying and your brain can never be too full. Even if some information seems useless remember that no knowledge is useless knowledge. Most importantly, don’t forget to laugh. Laughter is truly the best medicine. It betters even the worst of days. This really is you, Yourself

When someting goes wrong, it's common, to wish to turn back time. It's a part of life, and we know we can't magically go back to the past to fix what was wrong. The least we can do is try to pass our knowledge on to those who might make the same mistakes. My reality check happened my freshman year. One Tuesday afternoon in November, I had a nauseating amount of work to do. So I fell asleep to escape from it. When I woke up, I was appalled at myself. How had I, the girl with straight A's in high school, turned into this lazy person who couldn't prioritize? My Achilles Heel was that I had never listened when people said college is harder than high school. I thought since I'd breezed through high school, college would be no different. Once I had my reality check, I turned things around. I learned to balance school and my social life. Now, I am a much better student and person for it. I'm glad we can' turn back time. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn a lesson.

The first thing I would tell myself would be to enjoy the little things at home and don't take them for granted before you leave. Once you move, you lose things you don't realize that you had before. Like your childhood. Although college is such an exciting time, it's really the first time in your life that you're forced to be independent. You don't have mom or dad to come home to and solve your problems. So before you're quick to ignore their advice when you're still in high school, think about what it would actually be like to not have them there for you everyday, because that is what it is like everyday in college. You don't really realize what you have until it's gone, so make sure to cherish little things about your family and home town and just your childhood in general before you take that next big step in your life.

It is very simple. The biggest advice I would give myself is to be patient. Senior year is just a rush. One rushes to finish exams, courses, high schools, and get out of ones house. All I remember is that I could not wait for the day to leave but now that I am gone I realize, I did not appreciate all the things I had at home and how much I miss them. The day came and I left, but I wish the last year would have been more focued on "what is happening now" rather than "what is about to happen."

I would tell myself not to be afraid to have some fun. My freshman year of college consisted of nothing but studying and academia. I still want to have the same success throughout my college career, but I need to be able to let loose and have some good times with my friends at the same time.

I wish that as a high school senior I would have filled out more scholarship applications. I thought I had everything planned perfectly; I was taking dual credit college classes, I had already been accepted into a college in the area I wanted to live in and I was fourth in my class, and I started early with scholarship applications, the only problem was I did not fill out nearly as many as I should have. I would estimate that I filled out about two hundred applications for scholarships, if I had known I would only receive one I would have filled out two thousand more. So that is what I am doing now as a college student struggling to get into a nursing program at a university. I also felt so unprepared in the studying aspect of college, because high school had always come so easy to me. It took a year to finally get to the point of studying the right material for the test I was preparing for. I am however, on the right track now.

I would tell myself to take harder classes as a senior. Although people want an easy senior year, it pays off to take as many AP classes as possible. College classes are expenesive, so take every opportunity in High School to receive college credit for a high school class. I would also tell myself to go to local businesses to apply for scholarships. I also wish I took the SATs one more time, just to see if my score would improve any.

I would tell myself not to stress about it as much. College is one of the best times, and it is pointless stressing too much about it, especially the decision making. It is best to go with your gut feeling, and they rest will fall into place. I would also tell myself to enjoy it as much as possible. This year has already flown by, and it has been amazing. Some of my best memories have been with the girls in my hall, sorority, and randomly in class. I would tell myself change is perfectly okay, and that everything works out for a reason. Friends come and go, but they are replaced with best friends. I would warn myself to take advantage of every opportunity, and to just remember as much as I can. Time flies, and these memories will last a lifetime.

I am entering my second semester of my freshmen year in college and I can already see that this has been and is going to be a life changing experience. Going to Butler University is the best life decision I have made thus far. I have already discovered a side of me that I did not know existed. I did not know anyone before I came to Butler, which is part of the reason why I believe I have become more outgoing than ever before. I am not so worried what others think of me, for I have learned that some people are going to be like me and some people are going to be different, so there is no need to change myself in order to befriend those who are different. I have found that there are people who will accept me for who I am, so it is unnecessary for me to pretend to be something I am not. I have found an inner-peace since I came to Butler. I have already made incredible friends and learned so much about myself as well as information I will need to perform in my future career as a pharmacist.

In 2010, I would have never guessed that I would be a student at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. However, now I am proud to say thta I am a Butler Bulldog. In the months that I have been at Butler, I have discovered a lot about myself as a person. I have discovered my independence, my voice, and my ambition. I have been driven to show my character; let it out! I am not as shy as I used to be; I feel urges to do as much as I can. This is in great part due to my school encouraging their students to come out of their comfort zone and explore as many things as they can. Butler University doesn't want you to attend their school to just get a degree and get a career; my school wants you to gain a new experience from their college, discover novel things that will intrigue your mind, and let you out of your bubble. It has been very valuable to me to attend Butler because each day it is developing and shaping me as a person. I am being challenged to observe the various attributes of our society.

I started college right after I graduated from high school in 2010. It was a very exciting experience to start in my opinion because it requires a alot more responsibility and studying. I have really gained a lot of knowledge from the classes I've toke to the study tips and learning how to manage my time. Attending college has been valuable because i enjoy learning new things everyday and I'm very motivated to take anything that will lead me to my career.

“I am a messenger; I shed light on dark issues.” This was my definition of my impact on society for a project this semester. I’ve faced true hardships, but I have seen others shoulder greater burdens, and it has instilled in me a desire to help others see where and how change must happen in our society. Attending Butler University allows me to fulfill this dream. I am a Theatre major, and Butler’s program is experimental. We produce works that have a message, that are unconventional, or that are completely original ideas. Our training makes us well-rounded artists. We are a liberal-arts program; our core classes provide a wealth of knowledge outside of theatre to bolster our artistic work. We are encouraged to pull from all experiences educational, social, internal, and external. In this program, we work with international artists from a variety of backgrounds to expand our training in theatre performance and production. Already, I have seen shows that deal with tolerance, love and loss, the power of our choices, and social change. I have every confidence that the training I receive here prepares me to make that messenger impact on society.

The most I have gotten out of my college experience is the idea of trying something new and the ability to reinvent yourself. Coming to college I was able to become someone new, another person, continue to be who I was in high school, or completely become a new person because no one knew who I was. If there were things that I wanted to change about myself such as my interests, the way I dress, my hair, my likes and dislikes, I would be able to do that without criticism. Also I've been able to try other things that I would not normally try. For example, I tried ultimate Frisbee for the first time which seems unexciting, but for me having a track and basketball background since middle school was stepping out of my comfort zone. I had never heard of the game before, but little things like this such as joining new organizations and new sports made my experience at college so memorable and valuable.

In high school I had gotten good grades with what I thought had been a lot of hard work, but seemed like nothing compared to what I would have to do at Butler. As homework started to pile up in my first days, I quickly developed a sense of organization and time management that I had never before possessed as an admitted procrastinator. My homework was always done on time, often ahead of time. I think that having a job on top of my nineteen credit hours helped with this; the less time I had, the better I managed it. I even used a planner for the first time since middle school. On top of that, I learned that I did not have to choose just one degree to focus on. I thought that by majoring in both pharmacy and English, two fields I love, I could form a symbiotic relationship between the two. I knew that the attention to detail required by each field was slightly different, but each would let me look at the other with a new perspective. These new perspectives have let me look at the world in a whole new way, and I am grateful.

When I was 19 years old, I dropped out of ASU and made extremely immature and poor decisions in my life. This resulted in me learning the hard way that I need to take control of my life and turn a negative experience into a positive one. By making this choice, I've been working full time to save money to go back to school. I don't have quite enough, but I'm 23 years old and am determined to make something of myself and help others. I am obtaining my associates at Phoenix College in January 2011 and will be studying forensic science. I am eager to begin my career in helping to make the world a better place. This scholarship would significantly help me further my education and dedicate my time to school.