Concordia University-Saint Paul Top Questions

In my senior year, I felt as though I held my future in my hands, but I didn't know what to do with it, or how to even begin my search for colleges at all. It seemed like an impossible task, one I almost preferred avoiding rather than addressing. It was only when time started running out and I knew I had to make the effort that I discovered the true challenge. With the use of a few search engines and some website browsing, choices can be made easily, and the insurmountable task became manageable. The true challenge in finding a college and a direction was not paperwork, or school searching, or even the funds to attend; only the idea itself and the work required to achieve it. If I could go back, I would tell myself to stop, put things in perspective, and realize that college is not the end-all-be-all, nor a simple matter. It's a great opportunity, one of learning and adventure, and one that requires time, commitment, and releasing one's fears to take a hold of. It's my future, and it's my job to take responsibility of it.

One thing thta I would tell myself is that it is not going to be easy. There will be times when you want to give up because the workload is too mch and the stress is weighing you down, but you have to keep going. I would also tell myself how important it is to study and turn in assignments on time. Also, it would be good to try and save money so you can buy books, but still have enough if you want to hang with friends!

The advice I would give myself is to be more involved during highschool. I also should have taken harder classes even though at the time they seemed impossible but I think back now and realize that they were far from impossible. I would have told myself to get a job sooner and save money better becasue college is expensive and the transition from your parents paying for you to you paying for everything is a lot of stress to take on during school. If I were to have a savings of even just a small amount of money that would have helped me today.

I would tell myself to stay on track and do not give up. Stay focused on the goals you lay before yourself and keep moving forward. This is something you have to take serious, it can take you far in life. College is harder than high school so make sure you keep up!

I sat down at the dinner table, about to eat my usual pregame meal. I was about to cut into the salmon, when a piece of paper fluttered through the window and landed lightly on my plate. It was a letter. From me. Dated May of 2012. As I sat, it was the year 2005 and I was a high school senior. It read: "Younger Maria, stay true to yourself. Drinking and partying are commonly unfortunate parts of college athletics. Eventually, you will positively influence teammates and show them that there is more to the college experience. It's okay to feel lonely sometimes. You'll find like-minded friends, and will become close with your teammates as they mature and you grow. You don't know exactly what you want to do for a career. That is okay! Just remember to work hard and make connections with people. I won't tell you now what your future career path is, it's important to learn about yourself though the many passions you have. Don't feel like you need to specialize. Explore." Explore. It seemed like good advice. Somehow, this letter from the future made perfect sense.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I would tell myself to take a deep breath. College is not as scary as I once thought it was going to be. I believed that college classes would be very difficult and I would never be able to handle them. But I know now that while the classes are challenging, they are not too much to handle. As long as I stay dedicated to going to class every day and stay on top of the assignments the classes will not be too much to handle. I would also tell myself to not put off the classes that I do not enjoy because, especially with math and science, the longer you go without practicing the more diffiucult it becomes to remember everything you have learned in highschool. And lastly, I would tell myself to stay involved with dance because sometimes school can get stressful, and having something familiar and relaxing to do to get away from the stress can help alot.

A confused black dude with no idea what was coming up next, what really to do, or what he wanted? I know what I'd say to him, but I don't know if it would be the right advice. I'd tell him make sure to get involved with the public, just, fun, and legal campus life. Make sure that you talk to everyone because you never know who may need your help and whose help you may need. Take advantage of the free time you have now, preparing College portfolio Items; Enrich yourself with things you want to study and that are worth studying, but won't be able to in your College classes because time is limited. Finally, make sure you got everyone from your earlier years to now that you want to keep in your life. But like I said, I don't know if I should've been told this. If I was told this, I wouldn't be who I was today. I wouldn't have really learned from the experiences that I have now. If I truly was meant to know that stuff, it would've found me then.

Knowing what I know now about college, I would want to go back in time and be able to tell myself to start applying for scholarships much sooner than I did. High school seniors are eligable for a lot of scholarships and I was involved with a lot of activites so I would have qualified for some of them. School is very expensive and I underestimated it. I would want to be able to tell myself not to underestimate the costs of things and not to take for granted the money that people are willing to give away to college kids. I would also like to tell myself to actually do the reading in college. In high school the teachers would tell you to read but then go over it in class so you really didn't have to read. In college if you don't read you won't understand the material. I learned that quickly.

College for me was much more than an education. Yes, there was definitely much that I had to learn and times my mind was challenged more than I ever imagined but it is the experiences I had through college that made it unforgettable. At Concordia it was the people that brought me to life. Even though I am a shy student I was not overlooked at Concordia. The teachers got to know me well and worked with to help me find my own personal strengths and weaknesses. Amidst the diversity (in culture, age, and background) of the studnets I bonded with many people in experiences that I enjoyed and that challenged me. Most importantly, in college I explored and learned about life, about myself, about who I am and what I want to do. Although I know I am still growing and learning more everyday, college made me open to the opportunities of life. It wasn't until college that I felt like I truly gained independence and through some struggles I learned to completely explore and accept myself, something I couldn't have done without the support of those around me.

I personally see college and getting a degree like an investment. The money that goes towards you getting a degree will help you make enough money to pay it all back. By investing loans/grants/ and scholarships toward this degree to better help you in the real world. These days a 4 year degree will only get you so far; more and more nontraditional students are going back to get their 4 year because the economy and the careers these days are demanding higher degrees. Plus, the things you learn at school, as much as students don't feel as though it might help them in the long run, pays in the long run when one is working within the field one went to school for.