Carthage College Top Questions

Dear Elizabeth, "I never said I was smart. I said I went to class and I enjoyed what I did." Ironically, Willie Mays is a smart man, so heed his advice. Let your love for learning overshadow your drive to be "the best," because your personal gains from learning will be with you long after every one has forgotten your class rank. Also, talk to your professors, read books that interest you, and learn about what you love. Don't be afraid to say that Calculus is your favorite subject, or that one day you dream to play French horn in the Chicago Symphony. And even more importantly, do something about it! Introduce yourself to your neighbors in your dorm, smile as you pass fellow students in the hallways, take a chance every now and then, and travel whenever the opportunity presents itself. College is a monumental chapter in your life, so fill every page and leave nothing to be desired. Sincerely, Your future self

Relax, but be outgoing. College is a chance to start completely fresh, and to shape your future. You are responsible for any and all actions that you make from this point on. College is fun and exciting, it is the place that you will meet the best friends that you have ever known, and create lasting memories of experiences that will shape your character. Be open to new things, but keep your head above water and remember the morals that Mom and Dad taught you! Good luck!

I would tell myself to try to balance out the academics and the social activities so I will have an enjoyable experience at school. I would try to remember that it is important to have a good circle of friends at school so I have a strong support system.

There's nothing to really worry about, the people at this college have already proved to be helpful and friendly before you even travel to the campus for move-in day and registration. Keep in mind to be yourself and be open to talking to people you may not know. Procrastination is not the best tool to have. Keep yourself busy, but not too busy as to not be able to finish classwork by the time it's due. Try to eat healthy and work out regularly, make regular goals and strive to meet them. Even though your school load is busy it's also important to keep steady hours at your job to keep up with the bills and tuition dues. Take each day as it comes and don't sweat the small stuff.

I would tell myself to plan my finances more carefully. I would make myself become more involved earlier on and talk more. I would budget my time better and do my homework more often. I would not procrastinate as much. I would go to sleep and wake up earlier. I would take advantage of the gorgeous lake more often. I would explore off campus to see what the town of Kenosha has got to offer.

I would tell myself that the first year is difficult because its new and not to give up. It starts out difficult, but once you make more friends classes become less stressful and when there are people to hang out with you enjoy school a lot more. I would also get into a set of different study habits because the curriculum is presented differently depending on the teacher, some lecture, or use powerpoints, some prefer to be hands on, etc...

Be yourself

If I could go back into time and give myself advice about college life, I would definitely tell myself to be prepared for the amount of homework. I know that a person learns from their experiences and mistakes, so I would probably not tell myself everything about my classes that I would be taking, or which ones not to take. I would tell my high school senior self to be ready for a whole new prespective and way of living life and going to school. If anything, I would tell myself to skip going to tours for the other schools that I was accepted to and to just choose Carthage right off the bat.

Don't be afraid to go out on your own and meet new people and do new things. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there as who you want to be. Don't worry so much about what people think of you, because if they don't seem to "approve" of you, they're not worth your time. Buckle down and study for exams, and actively participate in class. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you're confused or seek help from a professor outside of class if something still isn't clear. All of the professors here just want the best for you, and if you're having a hard time with something, and you go talk to them about it, most times they are very willing to help you out or work out a special arrangement, but they do need to hear from you what's going on. Make sure you don't skip class, because even though some of the professors don't take attendence, the information you miss by skipping is extremely difficult to make up. Just keep your chin up, do what you need to do, be involved, and have fun!

Amber, try to get more money. Carthage doesn't offer enough money.