Christopher Newport University Top Questions

The difficulty of being a college student does not compare to that of a high school student. Boy, was I in for a surprise! College has taught me the important of discipline, dependance, confidence, and passion. If I could talk to my high school self, I would make myself aware that things are never as bad as they seem. Most importantly, I would tell myself that life is not about being better than others, instead it is about being the best version of yourself. Going to a small private school made me feel intimidated and I always felt at competition with others. I would assure myself that the clothes I wore, who did or did not like me, and being rejected from anything did not define my worth. I would tell myself not to let emotions get in the way of my academics, and that every late night staying up to study was worth it. I would comfort myself by saying that everyone "fitting in" is much less rewarding than being happy with who I truly am. I would love to advise myself to absorb every ounce of knowledge that I can.

Read all of the required readings for class. You will do much better on all of the tests if you at least skim the readings as opposed to not eading them at all. Partying is fun, but do not party too much. Study a lot more than you did in high school. It is so easy to pass high school without studying, but not so much in college. Try not to skip classes if at all possible. The teachers you think are easy going and do not really require you to attend class, watch out for them because those are the classes you really have to make sure you do well in. Step your game up a lot more than you did in high school. You have to pay for this so treat it like it is very valuable.

Going back in time as a high school senior, transition from high school into college can be a tedious task, making sure the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and your ACT (American College Testing), scores are high, is the advice I would give myself. This plays a big part in your acceptance to the University of your Choice. Also transitioning from high school into college, I would advise myself to strategize; this is the approach to take to close the gap between where I am now and where I want to be in four years. Strategizing make the difference between a plan’s success or failure. Part of achieving my goals is always focused on trying to learn what my strengths are. Equally learn my weaknesses and how to manage or work around them. Developing a vision and goal for the success of my career, having a hard copy of my goals makes it real. Once it becomes a physical entity and not just a thought going through myhead, it has form, substance and reality for me. Staying focus and motivate, and keeping my priorities in order is a way I can set myself up for success in my college years.

Do not over stress about things, it always makes things worse and damages your health. Just take things as they come to you and deal with them at your own pace. Take time to enjoy yourself, it is not only about hard work, if you do nothing but hard work you will exhaust yourself and cause yourself greater pain.

Charity, be you. Do not let anyone try and change you or make you do something you do not want to do. Do not waste your time on people that do not care about you. Take time to do things for yourself -- things that you enjoy, for pleasure or for profit. Make sure to have fun. Down time is important and rest is needed. College does not define who you are as a person. However, work hard. Live in every moment and give everything, school, friends, jobs, your full effort. Let the unimportant things roll off your back and dig your feet in deep when the tough, important things come along. Remember that it is okay to fail. College is a learning experience and you will grow and change. Boys come and go, friends stay a little longer. Grades are important, but they do not make up your whole being. Above all, live every second. Enjoy the hard times because they grow and challenge you. Learn from professors you dislike. Experience heartbreak and use that to love others even more deeply. Enjoy the moments -- every single one -- because they pass very quickly and you never want to live with regret.

If I could go back in time, I would tell my high school senior self to have confidence. Confidence had always been a struggle for me throughout grade school. However, when I got to college I realized that I should have the confidence to succeed. It seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I have the attitude to succeed, I can accomplish great feats. Before, I let my fear of failure and embarrassment get in the way of learning and moving forward. Holding myself back based on these fears was a mistake that I learned the hard way. If I were to go back in time, I would ensure that myself as a high school senior would push through with the confidence of a scholar because with the right mindset and confidence, I can achieve my dreams.

If I could speak to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to ignore all of the people telling me that it would be impossible for me to graduate college in 3 years. I was terrified of the college experience and being told horror stories of taking classes that don't count, not being able to find housing, and only making friends through drinking almost made me decline my acceptance. When I finally got to college, I realized all of those people were wrong and wished my high school self could have known I could accomplish anything I dreamed about accomplishing. I would also give myself the information that our second year of college would be the time when the Neuroscience program opened at CNU. I ended up transfering to the Neuroscience program the day it opened but I would have been a much happier student if I had that event in mind when looking forward. Most of all, I would tell myself to stop and breathe because everything will work out the way it is supposed to in the end.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself to be my own person. Do not change for anyone. College can be a difficult transition but it is important to stay true to you. Another peice of adive is not to worrying about making friends. You will find people who you get along with and do not rush that process. Meaning that the first friends you make do not have to be your friends forever. If it does not work out with them you will find others who will be better matches, and it may take time to find the right people.

Please do not worry about the size of the school, just because a school is smaller does not mean that you will be more at ease. You are limiting the possibilities available to you when you choose a school with a small population and low diversity.

Don't wait for people to make friends with you. Go out and make friends.