Coe College Top Questions

“Believe in yourself, believe in your intelligence, your academic skills and your ability to succeed ” is the advice I would have given myself. “You have a superior application, a high GPA and hours upon hours of community involvement. Do not shy away from applying to some of the top schools in the county. Don’t short-change yourself, you are capable of anything and everything you set your mind too. Don’t get me wrong, you will enjoy any institution you end up at, but I want you to be satisfied and happy with your ultimate decision. Challenge yourself, get involved, talk to your professors, and finish each test and each course with the feeling and satisfaction that you indeed performed at your best and highest of ability. Finally, remember this is just the beginning of the marathon. Work hard, believe in yourself and the strength of God, and you will finish and exceed anything you thought possible.”

When I really sit down and think about the biggest lessons I have learned since being in college, there are three key concepts that come to mind. One, in no specific order is the idea of giving your all in everything that you do, whether it be sports, academics, relationships, etc. You can never be dissapoointed in yourself when you give your all, and less regrets as a result. Looking back at my high school years, I regret not giving it my all; I didn't see the big picture soon enough. The second lesson, involves growing up and gaining your independence, which is definently a continuous process and doesn't happen at once. However, mommy and daddy are not always going to be there to help, and you must be able to manage. The last lesson concerns confidence and sureness in oneself. It is said that college is where you really find out who you are, you discover a lot of things about yourself and the world around you. In the midst of all of this discovery and encountering, be sure that you stay true to yourself, don't let the challenges, people, and circumstances change who you are.

I would tell myself to take alot more AP and college based classes in high school instead of just sliding by. Taking these type of classes would help because they teach you how to read and study for college classes. I would also tell myself that if I want to drink alcohol in college that I need to get somewhat of a headstart in high school. I would say this because kids that come from very controlling parents that aren't allowed to do things such as drinking and partying usually come to college and just go absolutey nuts in regards to partying. This can lead to very bad consequences such as drinking too much and ending up in the hospital or getting into situations that they would not have gotten into if they knew their limits while drinking. The last thing I would tell myself is to try and be as outgoing as possible. I like to thing of college as one big slumber party especially in the dorms and if you know how to meet alot of people and make alot of friends its an awesome experience.

Stay home and work hard. Don’t get side tracked by things that only seem important. Believe me when I say that the most important thing in your world right now is shcool. You deserve a shot at real success, but every time that you choose not to study or not to do the best that you can on an assignment you set yourself back immeasurably. Give this whole school thing your all for a little while longer and I guarantee that you won’t regret it. The future really is "only as bright as you make it," so make it brilliant. Learn to care about your work because your successes and failures now are very real indicators of the same in the future. People will not always be able to meet you and see that you are better than the "C" on your last report card. Their impressions of you may be formed solely by way of your grades… and wouldn’t it be pathetic if you were judged a “C” caliber applicant when you know you could have, and should have, been an “A”.

“Get your science general education requirements out of the way. After four years of high school having an 8 A.M. course seems great, but after a semester or two of college it’s ridiculous. Also, don’t worry about the money so much. It’s part of college. You’ll survive. Most importantly, get working. Not on your schoolwork—that isn’t going any harder than it was in high school. You’ve got more opportunity to screw it up, but you know better. But your classes aren’t going to teach you how to be a writer. You know that—though you're hoping you're wrong. So start putting in the extra work so that when you graduate you’ll actually be able to go somewhere. And for the love of God talk to people. Stay away from the frats—you’ll be tempted to one of them, but trust me it’s not worth it. But there are some good people who are going to need your help. Some of them are going to be hermits, but that’s alright. Talk to them anyway. You’ll be talking with them the rest of your life.”

If I could go back, I would convince myself to look elsewhere other than Coe. Now that I am transferring to the Unversity of Kansas, I realize that Coe was not the place for me. In going back, I would explain how to look deeper into the school than just the surface. Sure, I learned a lot and matured quite a bit. But I realize that being one of the only non-drinking students at a school of that size really affects the amount of fun that I can have. If I could go back, I would encourage myself to take a deeper interest into the science and math classes, and gear my college search towards schools that offer more of those kind of majors. I will not say that Coe wasn't a helpful step for me to grow and learn from, but I believe that by telling my senior self to look elsewhere in a college, I would be more successful.

A few weeks ago in the midst of the soul searching that every freshamn in college goes through, I figured out what I'd been doing wrong throughout my entire schooling. I asked myself why I disliked school so much and thought about why I was so negative about school. Someday I want to combine my double major of psychology and art and go on to be an art therapist. When I think of psychologists I think of very intelligent people, and artists seem to me to be very wise and expressive. If I want to be an art therapist I need to be really smart and wise! I should want to learn more things. I should be more excited about the fact that with every bit of information I soak up in my classes I am bettering myself and preparing myself for the rest of my life. I wish I could tell my high school self to be more excited about what I was learning. I wish I could tell me to be more positive about the work that I produce. Lastly, I'd stress to myself the difficulty of doing outstanding work in that which you are uninterested.

Knowing what I know now, the biggest piece of advice I'd have for myself is not to stress so much. The transition really isn't as scary as it seems. I'd also tell myself not to expect to be best friends with my roommate because that often isn't the case. I'd tell myself to not be so shy and show off my fun-loving personality sooner. I'd also tell myself to take financial aid a little more seriously and start looking for those schoalrships as soon as possible. Money is tight in college so start saving now. Finally, the last piece of advice I'd have for my high school senior self is although you're at college to learn, it's important to let yourself relax and have some fun too.

I have gotten so many possitive things out of my experience in college. One of those is making connections and finding resources . There are so many helpful people and opportunites that can be found on a college campus if you just look. For instance I didn't realize how much help could be found in the labs (math, reading, computer, and spanish) at my previous school. Making connections with poeple on campus as well is key to having opportunites open. By opening up to other students and the staff I was able to find the perfect part time job for myself. By taking advantage of connections and resources that can be made on a college campus as well as outside of the campus many opportunites can arise. Had I not attended three years of community college I'm not sure that I would be so open to new people and getting to know them. I feel connections and knowledge of resources are key to success in college and in life.

College was what I always considered just "the next step" in my life. I want to work overseas, and before I arrived at campus, college was just a means to an end. Within the first week of orientation and classes, my opinion did a complete turnabout. My campus is bursting with life; there is always something going on to stave off my normal boredom with the world. In addition to all the wonderful activites, I have met more people with my same interests and goals than I ever knew existed. My small farming community growing up was not enough to encompass all the opportunities for friendship and exploration that I am just now starting to realize are out there. These past months I've grown in intellect, but also in personality as my ideas and morals are continually challenged and forced to a higher level. Going to college was the best choice I've ever made in my life.

If I could give myself advice as a senior, I would tell myself to spend more time looking into the smaller details of the schools to which I was applying. Job opportunities, activities on campus, and residence life are all aspects that I wish I had explored further, as they are a HUGE part of the life on campus. Academics, endowment, and alumni are all things that are very significant, but I do feel that the campus life and energy are the most important factors. I would encourage myself as a senior to do multiple campus visits in order to get a feel of the students and the activities available. I would also advise myself to begin the college search process with an open mind. I knew I wanted a small school when applying, but now that I am experiencing the actual size of a small school, I am sure that I would have liked something bigger as well.

?Stop. Breathe. Everything will be OK.? As a senior in high school, every assignment, every activity, seemed vital to my future success. While peers were eagerly participating in the senior slide, I was spreading myself thin, hoping to look great on paper, thinking, ?maybe it will matter, and then I?ll be sorry.? In truth, high school students are under too much pressure. Colleges, uninterested in the student who lacks the extracurricular laundry list, create a situation in which quantity becomes valued over quality. I fell into the trap and sped through my senior year, always trying to fit one more activity into my schedule. Looking back now, I wish I could tell myself to slow down and enjoy what free time I could. The opportunity for free time does not last. A month before graduation, I found out I was pregnant. I now go to school full time as well raise a beautiful baby boy. Now, with a 280 mile gap between my hometown and my apartment, I understand how precious free time can really be. So, if I could go back and tell my high school self one thing, it would be to relax and enjoy my time.

Well, the first thing I would say would be a word of encouragement. College is not near as tedious and repetitive as high school. I would explain that the material is very fast paced, that it would be beneficial to get in the habit of reading ahead and taking orgaized notes. This will prove invaluable along with brushing up on study habits, this will make test taking much less painful. When your grade is based only on 3 tests it counts to be ready for them. Knowing myself I would take a break from achademic retoric to keep my attention and suggest not spending as much of the graduation money, caf food is not very good and it is nice to be able to buy some variety. I would also suggest setting $200 aside for surprise expences, like the trip the wrestling takes to Las Vagas so I won't have to scamble to come up with the money. Speaking of wrestling, I would make it very clear that I should work out more and watch my food intake, it will make the first couple months easier. Finally, I would say enjoy your room, homemade food, your summer and family.

If I could go back in time, I would let young Audrey know that life in college isn't the fairy tale she may think it is. Most likely, she won't find the boy she will fall in love with forever on that first day or be happy every second. I'd tell her to be patient, respectful and loving to the people that are so different from her, and to just be nice to her roommate; it gets better. I'd also tell her to get her homework done as soon as possible, and set aside "Me Time" so she doesn't just collapse from stress. But most importantly, I'd tell her to trust her loving Father and Savior in heaven, who will take care of every need and heal every hurt. And by the way, she won't need to bring every single possession. Those won't matter as much and she'll be much freer with less and discover how strong she is when tested. Shake the little things off, look at the bigger picture, and don't stress, Audrey. You've got it.

CHILL OUT! You'll be fine. You finally have the opportunity to pick your own classes and that freedom feels great. Relax, you'll make friends and do just fine in your classes. You're definitely ready for this. Of course there will be times where you feel a little lost, but when that happens, just remember that every other freshman here is feeling the exact same way. Be ready to meet your new best friends, they're awesome and they've totally got your back. Be ready for some really fun times, but don't forget to work hard!

Although life is short, you don't have to know what you want to do in life. Take your time and look at your options. The friends you have now are nothing compared to those you will meet as your peers in your career and your friends in college. Everyone has different experiences, be willing to be open-minded. You can learn a lot just by listening to another person experiences. Money will always be an issue and you will be in debt after college, try not to let it stress you out. The world is full of things you are blissfully unaware of, but you'll be forced to see them when you are away from sheltered life. Be yourself. Don't pretend because then people don't know who you really are and that's a huge mess. Things will happen and your life will change, embrace it because the more you dwell on how things used to be, the worse off you will be at adapting to the world outside of school.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would start by telling me to apply for as many scholarships as possible and to save as much money as possible. Also, I think I would have to reassure myself that moving two hours away from everyone and everything I know is not going to be nearly as scary as I thought it would be; the friends I will make will help with that. Academically speaking, I would tell myself it is going to be as challenging as I was scared it would be and that my high school education was not very helpful in preparation for the classes I would take. Maintaining a high G.P.A in high school and getting all A's would not be any help in college. I think one of the last things I would talk to myself about is how not to feel like I am less than the other students at Coe, because my ACT score is lower than the average ACT here. I would definately tell myself to go out, make mistakes and have fun, while being involved on campus.

Personally, I would tell myself not to worry quite so much. Classes here are just like the classes back in high school--just a little more focused with a lot more to read. Also, I would tell myself to start looking for scholarships a lot earlier than I had. School is expensive and every little bit does indeed help. Oh, and I would have told myself to finish the application process two days earlier than I had so I would have the higher value scholarship offered by the college so I wouldn't have to worry quite so much about finances now.

Learn to be more relaxed, and let things go. Don't let who you were in high school define you. A major part of the college experience is the social aspect, so don't be afraid to meet new people. You're going to be trying lots of new things and that's okay. Don't go home too often, or you'll miss out. P.S. Take physics! It's the science with the most fun labs ever!

Going back I would tell myself to go into college with an open mind and don't be worried or nervous. This college is a great place and as long as you are open to new things your four years will be the best experience of your life. I would tell myself to not be worried about joining different organizations and not to worry about trying leadership roles in this school. I would also reassure myself about playing football, because it has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people and opened up connections that I never thought would have been an option.