Clemson University Top Questions

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to not be so nervous when attending orientation and to not be intimidated during the first couple of weeks. I would tell myself to be confident in my intellectual abilities. During the first couple of weeks, we were told in a lot of our classes that majority of us would fall and three-fourths of us would transfer to different majors. I would tell myself not to listen to any negativity and to not be afraid when I chose to follow my heart and change my major. I would advise myself to not let that decision weigh so heavily on me because the outcome turned out better than I could have imagined. I would also advise myself to take financial aide seriously and to continue looking for aide even while in college, because debt impacts the rest of my life.

I would stress time management in my discussion. You do not fully realize how much your parents do for you while you are living at home. Whether it be food shopping, laundry or all the little things you are now responsible for performing. Balancing new found freedom with new responsibilities is the key to thriving academically and socially. Another bit of advice I would give myself is to get involved right from the start. Greek life, sports, clubs, etc. all make the transition to college life much easier. Finally I would encourage me to look for a job preferably on campus once I had settled in and was comfortable with my schedule.

I would advice myself to take matters more serious, high School is a pivot place for new oportunities. I would also try really hard to get straigh A to be able to take advantages of all the scholarships the goverment offers. Even though the High School Period is a transition from childhood to young adult, with hormones changes, and responsabilities if i would have Known how important my performance was I would really have made some changes. Another really important advice I would give to Myself, Would be to get to know myself a little bit to be able to identify my Kinesthetic learning style. At 24 years old was when I found that I'm a Tactile-kinesthetic learner, I just wish I had knew that earlier.

Tristian Smiley 843471-4970 Assume you could go back in time and talk to yourself as a high school senior. knowing what you know now about college life and making the transition, what advice would you give yourself? If i were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, i would tell myself that life is more important than it seems right now.I would tell myself of the constant push and drive i would need to have, to succeed at my studies. I would stress to myself my surroundings and myu choices that I make in my personal life, to prepare myself for the future. I would make it very clear and critical to myself about my studies and what classes are important. i would tell myself of all the things that I can avoid to prepare myself even more in the future. finally I would also let myself know to have fun in moderation. studying and partying excessively is not the way to go! i would tell myself to choose my classes wisely to maintain a good study schedule. To maintain that study schedule so that I can maintain my work schedule.

Dear self, Please do more extracurricular activities and volunteer work while in high school, because most scholarships require both of these. Also, APPLY APPLY APPLY for more scholarships because college is expensive and the hope scholarship isn't going to cover it all. Academically I would tell you to don't just settle for (College Prep) class but takes some (AP, Honors, or IB) class that can be transferred over to college, so just in case you don't do as well in college your first semester you have credits to fall back on, therefore, you would be able to keep your scholarships.

I would tell myself that I don't have to know what I want to be. All my life I wanted to be a marine biologist, but after barely passing AP Biology my junior year, I realized that I had to change my mind. I was distraught because I had no back up plan, and I wanted to know my whole career before even applying to schools. Now I know that most people don't even end up in jobs having to do with their major! I would tell myself to just take the classes I was interested in, and the right career oppurtinities will find me. The transition between living at home and living at school is quite a shock, so I would also tell myself to appreciate the home cooked meals and love that my family gave to me. It's very cliche but I really didn't realize how well my home-life was until I left it in Rhode Island as I travelled 1000 miles to go to college. My overall message to my high school self is to just relax and not worry about all the minor details and just appreciate the big picture.

Focus on your classes and worry about work less!

College isn't just about coursework, it is about learning how to think. Currently, there is no shortage of graduates with degrees and fantastic grades-- but creative thinking is what sets apart those who want to make a difference from those who want to make a paycheck. The individuals who make lasting change are those who have cultivated the ability to use and combine lessons learned in other fields to synthesize a novel approach that may be unusual, and possibly risky, but just the kind of solution that would solve problems baffled by 'common sense.' I've had a tumultuous academic career until now, and I've learned the value of setting aside my pride and learning from other people of various disciplines and applying their wealth of knowledge to my own efforts. The rigid procedures and experimentation of the sciences and the unfettered freedom of the arts both challenge individuals to fight their preconceptions and explore alternatives. College is the place to experiment with different approaches and embrace the unexpected. Education isn't a one-way street ending with a college degree, it is a winding dirt road that leads as far as one is willing to take it.

I would allow myself to be more of a free-thinker, to embrace my own personal beliefs and stand firm in what I think. I’d tell myself not to be fearful of change, but to embrace every part of it, from the time of transition to the outcome; many moments of growth come from times of fear and change. College is an opportunity, not mandatory; therefore it is a gift to be treated as valuable and priceless, not to be squandered or wasted. Finally, I’d make sure to tell myself to value those around me and to enjoy their company, no matter how long they are around. Others are precious, and allow yourself to be challenged by your peers!

I know most people say something like, "TIME MANAGEMENT!" or "KEEP YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT!", but for me, I think I would tell myself something completely different than those kids. Instead, I'd make sure to remind myself to keep in contact with my family more. My family is one of the single most important aspects of my life and when I headed off to college, my time was consumed by everything BUT family. It was new and I wanted to tell them all about it! Unfortunately, by the end of the day I was unable to call because it was too late and my 4 younger siblings would already be sleeping. I missed my family dearly but I always seemed to have something more important or interesting to fill my time with. I was able to call my mom every couple days for about 20 minutes, but that wasn't enough! I wish I could go back and tell them all of the exciting, funny, and embarrassing things I witnessed everyday, but I can't. I regret not making time for my family and if I had a chance to, I'd call them daily if I could go back.

My parents were very good with preparing me for college ever since I was in middle school. I knew that hardwork and dedication were key to success and in order for me to have a fulfilling future I needed to excell in school. I worked hard throughout high school to ensure that I would be able to receive an acceptance letter from the college of my choice. I was more than happy to achieve that goal;however, if I could go back in time and tell myself one piece of advice it would be to stop and enjoy people and life. While working hard in school, there are times where you overlook the joys of being alive. I learned at Clemson that grades are very important but life experiences are just as important. I have become more open to people, I have become happier, and I have grown as a person overall. Without Clemson University and the community that I am now surrounded by, I don't know if I would be the person I am today.

High school leaves us with a painfully small worldview that desperately needs to be expanded or we are destined to live out the arrogant, American stereotype. College years are typically marked by personal growth, so take advantage of this natural expansion in worldview. First, establish a set of morals/values with which to govern your life (these could be dictated by a religion or personal standards) and then embark on a journey to gain new experiences. Hold fast to your principles, but don’t evaluate these new occurrences based on your personal values. Rather, step outside of yourself and appreciate all culture for what it is rather than what you think it should be. Travel to become culturally savvy. Achieve fluency in another language to better express yourself. Question everything to fight intellectual complacency. Take care of yourself by eating properly, exercising often, and napping when you are tired. Most importantly, take time to talk with and invest in other people; each individual you encounter has a wealth of unique life experiences from which you can expand your worldview. Only by truly experiencing other cultures is it possible to gain a better understanding, and ultimately an appreciation, for our own.

From what I know now, I would like to say to myself to prepare more than what I am preparing for now. Honestly, when I look back I am glad I made the decisions that led me to where I am. Yes, I am a year behind my major, but I do not regret it. I had the chance to meet the people I met and it was all worth it. All the classes I took to transfer in was perfect and the transition was very smooth. I would urge myself to be more confident and ask when it needs to be asked. Anxiety is normal among everyone, but how we overcome them are different. I would tell myself to be not afraid and stand strong. Find a way to provide for my family and study harder. Learn as many study techniques as I can and do not procrastinate. Practice and buy any books that would help me be two steps ahead of everyone. Keep practicing and improve my flaws. The flaws are what may be holding me back/behind everyone, so if I want to be ahead DO NOT BE LAZY. There is no time for my flaws...

You're going to love college. Relax, don't worry about classes being too difficult, just focus on meeting the right people. Relationships with other students are the best thing about college. Friends can help you study and ace tests or relax and forget the stress of a challenging schedule. Just know that you are going to be fine and have a great time at Clemson.

I'd tell myself, "Don't fear the unknown. Sure, there's always a chance things may not turn out like you planned. But, there is always a chance that things could be better than you ever imagined. If you make decisions based on fear - fear of leaving home, fear of not fitting in, fear of failure - every decision you make henceforth will be driven by fear. But, if you take a chance now, do the slightly uncomfortable, and make the decision that feels a lot scary but also a lot right, not only will you be surprised at how well it can turn out, but you will grow, and live life without shrinking back from that which you may not know or have yet to experience. Easy and safe, are exactly that, easy and safe. It is our challenges, our struggles, and our risks that make us. I'm not saying it won't be hard, and I'm not saying everything will turn out just right. But I am saying no matter the outcome, it will be worth it. You'll have no regrets, you'll respect yourself, and you'll be better for it."

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to apply to Clemson instead of Erskine. (I went toErskine College for a year before transferring) I would also remind myself to get involved on campus during my first year of college instead of waiting. College is more challenging than high school, but when you find a balance between social activities and academics, you will be fine. Apply for as many scholarships as possible right now!

I would give myself the advice to be myself, not worry about popularity, and to dedicate myself in all aspects of school. I would seriously want to take more part in high school activites and apply myself more in class. I always did great in high school, but would want to put more emphasis on the importance of school becuase you are on your own in college and the more you apply yourself the better off you are. I would apply myself more to school on an AP level so that I was ahead for college. I would give my self the advice to participate in student government and aspects of leadership ooppurtunities. These bits of advice would be a more sturdy foundation for me to have when I entered college.

As a college senior I only went to school 3 classes and then worked the rest of the day. If I could give myself advice I would say, take all 7 classes and get involved with the things at school, that will keep you out of the trouble you are going to get in at home. Stay away from that boy you think you are "in love with" because he is bad news. I would tell myself everything. I would say " hey Gretchen, he is going to get you pregnant and leave you." Oh well, if I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have a wonderful 13 year old son and had the opportunity to learn some of the greatest lessons I have learned. I wouldn't change one minute of the life I have, I just wish I would have waited a few years to start it and done college first. I probably wouldn't be struggling so hard to pay for it if I would have been able to go right after high school.

The advice I would give myself if I could tell myself as a high school senior is to enjoy every waking moment of your high school life, go to football games dressed in the high school colors, make plenty of friends, try going out on the weekends and not stay stuck in the house studying for a test that will happen on Wednesday, do my homework as soon as possible so that I could do the things that I enjoy most, read more books that entertain you, break out of my shell and try new things that I think I would never try before, and keep being the person that I am every second of the day, because it keeps you going, even in college.

Knowing what I know about college life and making the transition, I would give myself the advice to take more Advanced Placement and dual college credit courses. I would let myself know that challenging myself before college would give me a great advantage in the college classroom, and I would challenge myself to study and research topics applicable to my future major. I would make sure that I saved money every month, make a budget, and ensure that I apply for as many scholarships as I possibly could. With the academic and social obligations, I won't have much time to employ myself in the work field as much as I did while in high school. I would give myself the advice of remembering to build stronger bonds with family and close friends, and I would make sure to push them to excel beyond societal expectations. I would also research all possible extracurricular activities at the institution of my top choices, and I would plan ahead and decide which organizations I would join. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, as a high school senior I would advise myself to take advantage of every opportunity.