Colorado State University-Fort Collins Top Questions

I would have prepared myself more. I don't think high school prepares you for college that well and being independent and on your own. High School still treats students as children and doesn't give them any responsibility. If High School had given us more freedom and allowed us to make our own decisions and learn from our mistakes I would have been more prepared. Also, to take college very seriously and know that you are deciding your future but you don't have to know what you are doing right away, not many 18 year olds do.

If I was given the opportunity to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would definitely have some advice. I was fortunately able to handle the workload transition from high school to college so I'd assure my younger self that it won't be as scary as people make it out to be. One thing I didn't focus enough on in high school that could've helped me out more in college is my involvement with my community and my school. I was heavily involved with my high school's German exchange program and marching band but not much else. I'd suggest to my high school self that for senior year to start participating in regular community service and be more involved with my school organizations would help me feel more eager and open to joining the many clubs and communities offered on Colorado State's campus. I've been a little hesitant but have branched out significantly since I started college. I'd smile at my younger self and say, "Don't be afraid, because you have an amazing journey ahead of you and you need to relish every moment!"

You should choose your career based on what you find enjoyable. Everyone working in the professional world spends a considerable amount of time at their office. Make sure that whatever college/major you chose, you enjoy what you graduate with. Ensure that you really apply yourself, even if that requires many hours of work and sacrifice to get there. A little more time spent now, will pay off in the end. I graduated with a degree because I was told that a 4-year degree was necessary by my parents, but I didn't choose something that I found rewarding. I am now going back to get the degree that interests me. I will be spending another 2 years trying to acheive something that I am proud to do. In the end I will know that this is what I want, and not what someone else wants for me. I have found a niche that I am good at, and that I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

If I could go back to my senior year, I would have talked alot more with my couselor at my high school to get a better understanding of scholarship, grants and what classes I should apply for first so I would not waste my time on classes that I did not need. I would make sure as a senior I have taken as many college prep classes as I could handle instead of taking less classes my senior year. I was a 4.3GPS honor student and just assumed I would get a full ride. Surprise it does not work that way so I am paying for my own schooling now. I should have been better prepared.

Ever since my admission and first few months as a freshman college student, I have fequently been asked what advice I would give others who are on their way into entering college. The same advice that I would give to those below me, is the same advice that I would give myself if I were able to go back in time. The solution to a successful college career is not some drawn out complicated explination, it is simple and logical. It is nothing more than to get involved with the school and to place yourself in an area that interests YOU personally. If you can find a group, club, organization or major that makes you happy and really sparks an interest within you, your college experience will be multiplied in success. Having that one thing that you can turn to when you are wanting to get away from the stresses of school and bring a smile to your face will make all the difference. It will also allow you to feel as though you are apart of something and not alone in this huge new world you have just been thrown into. I regret not beoming apart of something everyday!

Hey high school Calli, this is college Calli. I just wanted to let you know, college is an amazing experience if you let it be! Don't spread yourself too thin and do your very best at everything you're involved in. You know that second job you're thinking you can handle? You can't, school is so important and money is not, some people can work twenty hours a week and take sixteen credits, not you and me. CSU has more than twenty four thousand students, you have choices so pick your friends wisely, they have a big impact on the way you spend your life outside of class. A warning about homesickness, it's not fun, but it'll pass; you will survive your first semester. Work hard, get to know your professors (they're pretty cool), sleep well, eat healthy, and have fun!

If I could go back to senior year, I would change how I viewed my schoolwork. As a senior, I was more focused on obtaining a social life, and less worried about making it into a university. As a freshman, I studied hard for every test, and strived for perfect grades, but as a senior, I was more worried about getting a date for prom than my grades. This carried over into my college studies, and my freshman year of college was poorly executed. If I maintained my studious habits, I could have maintained my stellar GPA and started my first year of college in the same manner. Of course, a social life is key to a balanced life, but spending too much time partying in high school could have cost me my standing with Colorado State University. Just be careful.

"So, Rosie, are you ready for your first year of college?" I asked my younger self. With an anxious look in her eyes, Rosie replied, "I guess... But I'm worried about living in the dorms and adjusting to life on campus. I love my family so much; I think it will be hard to be away from them." I gave my younger self a knowing smile. "I can understand that. I remember my freshman year; my first week was nerve-racking ? not knowing anyone and attempting to find my classes on campus.? Rosie apprehensively bit her lip. I grinned at her encouragingly. ?If you?re worried, why don?t you join a campus community? I joined CSU?s Key Service Community my freshman year and the people there helped me adjust to life on campus.? ?Hmm? You know, that sounds interesting. So it helped you feel more a part of CSU?? Rosie inquired. ?Yup. Not only did I receive academic assistance from my mentors, but I also developed relationships with my fellow Key members. It was like having a large family!? A small smile spread across my younger self?s face. ?I?ll look into it, then. Thank you.?

If I could go back in time and give myself advice on entering a college lifestyle, I would have told myself to relax. I spent way too much time as a senior, stressing out and feeling intimidated by college. I was afraid that I was going to have problems fitting in and I was worried that my classes were going to be way too far out of my league. It turns out that in my first semster of college I ended up creating several great friendships and I did very well in all of my classes. Knowing what I know now, I would go back in time and tell myself to calm down. College is a great opportunity and a great experience. My first semster was no less than perfect and everything went far better than expected. Had I known college was going to be this great as a senior, then I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary stress.

Go for it. Live like you'll never live again, ask questions like you're the only one in the room and give every assingment your best effort. Don't afriad to be creative, don't be afraid to meet people, don't worry if you won't find a passion, a boyfriend, a group of friends in time. There is always enough time. Take all sorts of classes in the beginning. Find out what makes your heart flutter and your scalp prickle with excitment. Run on that treadmill next to that skinny girl, dive into that scrimmage soccer game even if you stink at it, cheer louder than the guys surrounding you. Go to parties, be assertive, don't be embarassed about who you are or who you might be. Just be. Enjoy the learning process that college is and use it to learn. This is the time to test the waters of your future.