Clayton State University Top Questions

The best advice that I could give my high school self would be to really take the time to focus on school. I wish I had not taken a semester off from school. The one semester I took off turned into 14 years off. I would not trade my life; however I do wish I had gone to college right after high school so that I could truly do something that I am passionate about. I truly feel that my heart and soul needs to get a college education so that I may make my son and husband proud. I want to be an example to my son that I can do anything if I set my mind to it.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition from high school to college life I would tell my then "fresh out of high school" self, "I know you really excelled in high school and have graduated as an honor student in the top ten percent of your class so CONGRATULATIONS!! Now, listen to me very carefully, DO NOT rest on your laurels and think that because you excelled in high school that college will be a breeze. You will need to really focus and apply what you have learned in high school in order to succeed in college. It's okay to have a life and occasionally go out with friends socially but remember that you are going to college for a reason. You have to excel in order to be competitive in the employment market when you graduate. Mediocrity will not be rewarded! Your classmates are your competition so accept this challenge and show up everyday to classes and give your VERY BEST self. You many not have this opportunity in your lifetime again to focus solely on school as later in life you may have other responsibilities with family, etc. Seize the day!!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition I would give myself the advice of don't hold back and build lasting friendships that would last a life time. I would tell myself to not be afraid to go out and get in certain clubs or try out for different activites. I would tell myself make friends, real friends, and hold on to them and build relationships and bonds that are unbreakable because during that time is when you need them the most and definitley after graduation.

The most important advice I would give myself is to focus. There is so much freedom and things to do while in college it is very easy to get off-track. I would tell myself to set goals periodically, and do my best to achieve them. I would also stress the importance of freshman year. A terrible freshman year can really make it difficult for you to end up with a quality grade point average. And lastly, I would tell my self to enjoy it, because once it is over you will definitely miss it.

I would tell myself to get informed of the new environment, faculty and resources available, which will aid in making concrete decisions about course work. I would immediatly get connected with my advisor and get to know him/her and create an indvidual plan, so I can complete college succssfully and on time. Getting involved on campus and joining clubs , such as PTK, will help give a sense of connection to the college. Offering to volunteer to be a student leader also benefits me and I would get to know other students who are entering college. I would immediatly seek out resources, such as tutors, to ensure that I can get help when I need it for classes I struggle in. There are job opportunities on campus to fit into my schedule. Over the past two years, I engaged in the student community and found this to be the most immportant link to my success. My advice to myself would be, to create the best learning environment for myself which is tailored to my needs. Over the past two years Instructors, staff, peers and even the Dean have become like family to me. This spells success. I am worth it.

Advice to myself would be too learn how to study and learn how not to procrastinate.

If I could go back and talk to my myself as a high school senior I would remind myself that school isn't really over in the 12th grade. Degrees are important in tis competitive job market. I would tell myself to figure out which subjects I like and compare them to jobs that are expected to grow. I would also tell myself to withdraw early if there was any doubt about finishing a semester. Lastly, I would tell myself to look at the lifetime maximum amount awarded for financial aid. I would encourage myself to live on campus and participate in a work study. I would also tell myself to stay surrounded by people who are as serious as you are. I would laso tell myself to wait to get married and start a family until after I graduated, preferably with a Masters of higher. If I had done these things I would not have wasted six years in college, only to run out of financial aid my last semester.

When I was in high school, the only reason I made good grades was to make my parents proud. I was always told that if you have good grades, you will get a job. If I had the chance to talk with myself as a senior in high school, I would sit down with myself over tea and give the following advice knowing what college is like now. My first piece of advice would be to start doing more research into colleges and what they have to offer. While it is nice to know what a college has in terms of student life, it is more important to know what academic programs are offered. Another word of wisdom I would offer myself is that a degree is meaningless if you don't know what you are going to do with it. I would explain to myself that you should find out what you are going to do with your life by volunteering or doing internships and get a degree that will help you get there. It is important to start research into degrees early rather than later. By following this advice, I should have been more prepared for college.

My main advice would be to know what you want before you start going to school. Going to college right after high school felt more like an obligation rather than an opportunity. Because of this, I didn't take college seriously when I first started attending college after graduating high school and I basically flunked out of college. I spent years after that bouncing from job to job, but I was never going to find a career that way. While having that experience made me appreciate and take advantage of my educational opportunities today, I wish I had been able to realize then that I was not only able to complete my education, but that I would be successful in that pursuit.

"Advice to my high school self" Ashley, don't listen to the people that mean to hold you back. You are much smarter than you give yourself credit for. If you could only see how well you are doing now, you would begin to believe in yourself. There are no limits to how far you can go in life. You have just as much of a chance as everyone else. You are stronger than you know, and you will come out of your horrible family atmosphere and grow into a successful, strong woman. You will use the painful experiences that you have endured in your favor as you get older. You have been a successful hairstylist for 13 years now and you are making straight A's in school. You could have done this all along. Never doubt yourself again. Push forward and don't ever look back. You have recieved several awards for your academics recently, and this will only continue as long as you push yourself to be the best you can be. You did not deserve the life that was handed to you, and only you can change your future and break the cycle.