Clark University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and provide advice to my high-school self, I would first tell myself to hang in there, stay true to I am, and make it through the last year of high school because Clark University will be the best experience. I will get the chance to meet people who like me for me, and I will be free to be myself without the social pressures of high school. Second, I would advise myself to work on my time-management. In college, classes are tougher, but their are more times to take advantage of that give you the opportunity to get things done and be efficient. I would stress to my high-school self that I need to break the habit of staying up too late to finish things. Instead, I cannot and will not procrastinate, work on things piece by piece from the moment it is assigned, and I will finish all assignments, projects, and studying for tests without cramming at the last minute.

As a high school senior I would advise myself to think hard about the future that I want for myself. I would want myself to consider the cost of attending some of the great schools that I applied to and the amount of loans that I was willing to have to repay when I finished school. I would tell myself to find the school that excites me the most, a school that provides opportunities for me to get invovled on campus in clubs and activities. I would also tell myself to find the school that I would fit in the best at. I would have to consider the location of the school and the opportunities that the location could provide. the last piece of advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be to make sure that the school that I plan to attend has many different classes that I could take so that I could explore every option for a possible future for myself. College should be a fun time and I should not stress about getting it perfect. After I get used to the transition everything will work out the way it should.

Working hard in high school was a priority for me, mainly so that I could get the highest grades possible in order to get accepted into college. Now that I am in college, I realize how important that constant and consistent work ethic is. You have much more freedom in your daily schedule in college, so it is easy and tempting to relax and procrastinate than it was during my very restricted free time during high school. Make yourself a study schedule based around your classes, and stick to it! There is plenty of time to relax, but do your homework and studying consistently following your planned schedule. If your dorm mates make it difficult to avoid temptation, take your work to the library. Be yourself. I am not a partier or a drinker, however in college, you will meet many students who are. Do not be tempted to lower your personal convictions and standards in order to feel accepted by a group which makes you uncomfortable. Even if it takes you a little longer to find friends who stay away from the party scene, it can be done and you feel much better about sticking to your convictions.

Friends and self realization. The people at Clark are generally amazing individuals that prosper as a whole. Everybody I know cares for other people to an extent not seen very much, and acts upon it. They're activists, hippies, rockers, gamers, jocks, anything you can think of, but they're similar in their love for people. Before I came, I didn't consider myself to be anywhere near a lover of people, but Clark changed my entire world around.

My college experience has helped me realize my own ability and agency. Clark has provided me with a grant to do an internship abroad and with the chance to study abroad for two semesters on two continents. I have been involved in research and with faculty. Any project I have been able to conceive of has been realized through the resources available at Clark. My years at Clark transformed me from someone who loved learning but was bored by school into someone who is incredibly engaged in an academic environment and who wants to continue on to a graduate degree. I have made valuable connections with people in the field of international development through my coursework and internships. My time at college has been not only incredibly academically stimulating but also a good preparation for a career.

College was the first time in my life that I had a real core group of friends instead of just casual acquaintances. I figured out how to accept constructive criticism gracefully in class and how to meet deadlines without my parents having to breathe down my neck. I learned that life doesn't grind to a halt just because a boy breaks up with you, that the world is a much bigger place than Manhattan below 14th Street, and that it doesn't matter how many great facilities your college has if you don't take advantage of them.

If I could go back in time, I?d learn better time management skills. College is not the same as high school. College is hard, and it?s hard on many different levels. It?s important not to get swept away by this amazing experience. Be prepared to face the difficulty of putting academics first. Be careful not to abuse new found independence. Remember that along with freedom comes responsibility. Your choices, whatever they may be, also have consequences. If you skip class and don?t turn in assignments on time, your grades will suffer. College professors have heard it all, and they don?t give extra credit or allow you to play ?catch up?. Overloading on difficult or challenging courses first semester is not a good idea. Although you think you may have plenty of free time, this gets filled up quickly with clubs, work, laundry, and socializing. Don?t get too caught up in the partying scene. It?s easy to get carried away and it can lead to careless or reckless decisions. Remember - You ?play?, you pay. It?s true. Have confidence in yourself, make good decisions, work hard and enjoy every moment.

I would tell myself to figure out what i want to become instead of just jumping in. I would inform the younger me to think of all the things my choice requires. Figure out how much i need to pay for the education I require and how I will pay for it. Where will I be living, in a dorm or at home? I would inform myself of all the things that need to be done& that I should ask someone who knows what they are about (eg. school rep, parent, adviser) to help in the things i do not understand.

One of the hardest parts about transitioning to college for me was being away from my family. While most of my friends were eager to get out of the state and begin living independently, I was scared to death. I am very close to my family and had never spent extended periods of time away from them. Although I would only be four hours from home, I knew it would be a challenge and it caused me a lot of distress and anticipation leading up to orientation. If I could talk to myself as a senior, I would not deny that the first several weeks of the semester were hard. I would admit that the day I was dropped off and watched my parents drive away while standing alone on the sidewalk was unbearable. But I would also tell myself that things always get better. Yes, it will be very, very hard at first, but if you can get through that initial shock and sadness, you can get through anything. I would tell myself to stay busy and spend time with friends even when I didn't feel like it, because that is truly the best way to feel better.

Going back to high school, I'd tell myself to not try so hard at trying to succeed or make new friends, because this kept me from acting like the real me, and when the real me finally came out I lost some friends and changed my major. However, by relaxing and being myself I made close friends. I'd also tell myself to do more research on the extracurricular activities that are offered at Clark and have an idea of what I wanted to do, rather than going to the student club fair and writing my name down for 12 clubs, 9 of which I won't attend. Talking more to my academic advisor and mapping out my career path would have made my sophmore year alittle less stressful, as well as visiting career services to find interships and to get started on resumes early would be another piece of advise I'd give myself. Though one of the most important pieces of advise I'd give to my past self would be to not worry about the past or the grades I made in high school, but to instead focus more on the work I'm doing now.