Cleveland State University Top Questions

If I were talking to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to save as much money as possible so I can avoid loans in the future. I am currently working full time making barely enough to get by and yet still more than enough not to get money from FAFSA. It amazes me how this government works some time. If students want to get an education, it shouldnt cost an arm and a leg for a degree. Cleveland State has not made significant upgrades in the past 20 years. Yet they still raise tuition annually and give the President of the University a huge bonus at the end of the year. So my advice to myself as a senior in high school is save your money or don't go to college.

I would tell myself that community college is only really good if it's part of a plan. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, and I ended up taking a lot of classes I didn't need which is making the years at college more complicated and difficult to schedule. I should have chosen CSU right away and I would have gotten more scholarship money.

Growing up, I always had this sense that I could do anything; I could just feel it in my bones. Yet, somehow I lost that sense in high school. The entirety of my senior year centered on academic perfection, college visits, athletic recruitment, and, primarily, stress about my future. I remember thinking about my future college life and all I imagined was homesickness, impossible classes, unfamiliar faces, and an urban environment where I would never fit in. In actuality some of those challenges did exist, but I was able to work through them the same way I always do: by putting forth my best effort, believing in myself, and trusting that there is a promising future waiting for me if I want it badly enough. Overcoming those challenges proved that I am capable of thriving outside my comfort zone and adapting to unforeseen circumstances, two feats I never dared hope to accomplish as a senior. Therefore, my high school self needs to know that if you give life everything you have, the only thing left to do is take a deep breath and have a little faith. Everything works out the way it was meant to.

During my unconventional senior year of high school, I enrolled full-time as a Post-Secondary student at Cleveland State University. I lacked thorough preparation for the subsequent, drastic environmental transition from the conformist, immature high school atmosphere to the diverse and intellectual college campus. If time travel were possible, I would encourage the confused, unmotivated Teenage Elisabeth to avoid stagnation and procrastination at all costs. If persistent dedication is absent, goals cannot be achieved. Perhaps the greatest importance of higher education is its application to progressively influencing peers, the community and society. Daily human interactions are inevitable while attending university, which inspire opportunities to share, relate and motivate. The most pertinent advice to my younger self would be to recognize these instances for their worth by staying connected to mentors, acquaintances and classmates. Furthermore, I would argue the benefits of communal participation: self-actualization, maturity and human communication. Imperative was familiarize myself with constructive outlets for stress and frustration, including writing, yoga and optimism. These channels could have aided Teenage Elisabeth in evading harmful influences. My adolescent identity needed to address ignorance and cognitive dissonance to further explore her intellectual capacity, willingness to strive and eagerness to learn.

If I ever have the chance to speak to the high school me, I would tell him to choose a major that relates to the subject you are best in high school, do not waste time and money trying to explore majors that only seem to be interesting but don't know anything of the basic of that course's materials. Work harder during your senior year, do not become lazy and slack off, college work is at a whole other level. If you were lazy during high school, you will carry that laziness through graduation and into college. Used your time wisely in high school, practice a lot of writing papers because there is no college class that doesn't involve a lot of writing. Familiarize yourself with writing a lot before college, so by the time you reach English 101, you won't feel that the course is a big load of work. Be brave and look for colleges around the nation, not only around the city you live in. I was afraid to move out by myself, but knowing some of my friends still manage to study out-of-state, I wish I took the chance too.

If I could go back to my high school senior self, I would tell her to start studying more. College is no joke and no matter how prepared for it you may think you are, you really are not. I would inform her of the classes she will be taking in hopes of it helping here prepare mentally. Lastly, I would tell her it's okay to be behind on some classes if it means taking your time and graduating with higher grades.

If I could tell my high school self anything about college life, I would say that 'this too shall pass'. In high school, I did not truly realize that my perspective and thoughts would evolve and grow. I heard a lot of cliches about how everything changes in college, but having never gone through it before, I had no idea what that actually looked like. When you've gone through college, you realize that those girls that made you angry didn't mean much in the grand scheme of life. Or that the teacher that 'had it out for you' didn't really have an impact on your future academic career. You learn to move on with your life and learn from those experiences. You mature a lot in college, while also learning how to live life at the fullest.

Honestly. before this moment I had never really thought about what I would say to my high-school senior self. The person I had always wanted to talk to had been my freshman-year self back in 2009. Of all the things I would say to myself at that time, only a few still stand for what I would say 2 years ago. Of these few things, I think the most importaint is that I tell myself to always try to be happy. It's too easy to be overwhelmed, feel underappreciated, and to be taken advantage of. Types of constant abuse like these take a toll on any sane person's well-being, leading to hard feelings like depression and lack of self-worth. Sometimes you have to make yourself step back and smile about things that do make you happy instead of frowning over the things that don't. If I had told my past self to list three things a day that I was happy about, I feel like I would be in a better place in my life.

I would have advised my younger self to study harder as an undergrad and to get more involved with groups and meeting others of a like mindset. I would have also said to my younger self "Don't stress so much about everything, and don't worry so much. Believe in yourself, be confident and others will naturally follow you. Oh and don't give so much of yourself to others that you have nothing left. You need to take care of yourself first before you can give to others. When it comes time to go to graduate school in the future, choose Ashland University and not Cleveland State University. Ashland has a much better reputation and will give you a much better quality education with better contacts too.

Pretty much nothing in life is permanent. Everything has a “do-over.” Bad marriage? Get a divorce? Don’t like your house? Get a new one. Don’t like your car? Get a new one. Nothing is permanent except education. Education and degrees can’t be replaced. There aren’t do-overs. You are only a true college freshman once. Make the most of it. Don’t worry about trying to get in where your friends went. Study in high school and apply to great schools. Don’t rule out the Ivy League schools. Aim higher than you think you’ll achieve because you never know what you might get. Just because someone else doesn’t think you can or should doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t. Go for it and give it your all. You only get one shot at this. You can’t go back and get your bachelors in business from a better school later. Don’t underestimate and undervalue what the power of going to a good school can do. Don’t settle and don’t stay because someone else wants you to. Do everything in your life for YOU.

I'm an adult student. I completed some undergrad work, but never graduated. I returned and am almost finished with my Bachelor's degree after being out of school for almost 10 years. My advice to my high school self would be to enjoy my late teens and early twenties; take risks, travel and do something crazy - just don't end up getting into any "real" trouble. There will come a time in your life when taking risks and being irresponsible isn't an option. Suddenly, 40-hour work weeks, fixing the house, raising a child and being a responsible adult will take the place of the spontaneous fun that used to dominate your life, and you'll be ok with that because you know you spent your youth wisely. At 20 years old, the world is yours for the taking. Go out and experience it to the fullest!

Staying focus and give it my all. Not allowing any obstacles to defer me from getting my bachlor's degree and opening my own business someday. Encourage all family members how important it is to further their education. Just from the present time I have also discovered that college classes will not decrease in tution prices so getting into classes would be the best oppurtunity for students who are attempting to enhance their education. Knowing what school is best for me before signing up, knowing wheteher the flexibilty of on campus or online (elearning) classes are best for my schedule. take classes at my pace and not getting overwelhmed by taking to many classes at once. The gretest goal that I have accomplished was returning to school after all these years and striving to complete my challenge in the next 36 months.

Don't work during the week while in High School. This messed your grades up big time. In conclusion, don't worry about trying to be cool.

I am attending college late in life, in my fifies. If I could go back and talk to myself I would tell myself to stay in school. I would tell myself not to be in such a hurry to grow up and to just enjoy life. I would tell myself to pursue a college education, good career, do a ton of research, and to really enjoy college life. I would tell myself that college prepares you for the future and it shapes you into a more diverse and knowledgeable person about the world around us. I would also tell myself that college life introduces you to friendships and mentors that will last a lifetime.

I would not any anything to say to myself as a high school senior becuase I knew about college life and everything that I had expected while in high school about college was true when I started college.

Dear Lauren of 2008, Hello there, this is Lauren of 2014 and I writing to WARN you. I know right now you are all worried about prom and leaving your friends in a few months, but I am here to tell you that that will be the least of your worries. When you start Cleveland State, PLEASE FOCUS!!!!! It is okay to go out and have a little fun but do not get distracted by the parties, boys, and freedom. I took the freedom to a whole new level and boy do we regret that. When I first got our semester grades I could not stop those tears from falling and worse of all it made our mother cry as well, and we both now how much we hate to disappoint her. So if you want to spare yourself from all the pain, disappointment and humiliation that we are living with now, please focus and go to class. I will be honest and say that college is fun but do not let it ruin you or who we are, and I hope you are listening because I am YOU, and who knows you better than ME!!! Love, You :)

Lauren!!!!! College is everything you imagined and more!! It's fun, it's freedom, and it's exciting, which is all you care about right now, right? Well im here to tell me that it is also expensive. You will graduate in 2012 with your degree in Health Science and a loan debt of 45,000 and that is only the beginning since you will definitely be planning on returning to school right after that. I also know that you really want to live on campus for your first year and you will have a blast but please do not let it distract you like it did me already. I wasted my first two semesters partying and having fun instead of studying and going to class and that was my biggest regret and such a waste of money. I can honestly tell you that the thought of making new friends, staying out all night, having no parental guidance, and falling in love will cloud your mind and take over your thoughts as soon as you hit the campus, but the greatest moment was walking across the stage and receiving OUR degree. So lastly , Dont Give Up and Keep Going!!!!

I would advise myself to take my education more seriously, that the mistakes you make in your early twenties with school will follow you through into your adulthood and may affect your ability to return to school should you choose to do so later in life. College is not easy and was not meant to be easy, you have to study, not procrastinate, participate in class, care about what you're doing there and care about your future. You should always strive to do better and appreciate the opportunities that are being given to you at that time, and to not waste the education you've been given by settling for less once you enter the working world.

Dear High School Me, Ever since your sister, Ashley, began looking for colleges to attend, you have been eagerly looking forward to the day when you could begin your own search. You dreamt about going off to college your freshman, sophomore, and junior years, and now here you are as a senior beginning that search. However, you are not going to find what you are looking for because you have worn yourself out looking for the wrong thing. You should be looking for yourself. Stop listening to what other people think, stop waiting for permission, and stop worrying about Jess. I know she is your twin sister and you worry, but she will be okay. Start blogging about things that matter to you and have conversations with your friends and even your teachers. Ask your teachers, parents, and grandparents for advice and listen closely to what they say and think critically about it. Spend time with grandpa and ask him to teach you how to tie a tie and take pictures. I know you hate cameras, but you will regret not taking the time for it. And one last thing- quit being afraid of everything. Sincerely, Your College Student Self

I wish I could have done internships back when I was in highschool. I also wish I would study more and work really hard to get better grades. I should have asked for help when I needed the assistance and not pushed things off until it was too late. Stay in college, ask for help, learn how to study/take notes, enjoy school, and spend less time doing things that don't matter in life. I really wish I would have finished college so long ago before I had kids! Education is the most important thing in life! Use all of the resources that the school has to improve your grades, math and writing. Don't just "get by" thinking you won't need the information - because you do!