Connecticut College Top Questions

I know you are pretty freaked out right now about going to college on your own (especially since you've never been away from your identical twin sister for more than 4 consecutive days in your whole life) but take a deep breath, I promise it is going to be the best choice you have ever made. Leaving your sister will give you the chance to be you on your own , as opposed to you as a part of a duo, enjoy this new journey. Choose vulnerability, always tell people how you feel and don't be afraid to tell the truth because telling the truth sets you free, no matter the response. Transitions are hard for everyone and when you reach out to others they'll reach right back. Take the classes that interest you. Don't worry that you don't know exactly what you want to do upon graduation (you still won't by your senior year, so save the worrying until then). Remember the professor who once said, "when you look forward you never can see where your going, but when you look back you can see a clear narrative of your life."

I would tell myself to get involved in what the school has to offer. The community service program there is extensive for all students to participate in and there are many things you can do. Join clubs that you have an interest in. Talk to more teachers about getting experience in your chosen field on or off campus.

If I had the opportunity to travel back in time to my senior year, I would tell myself to take the application process one step at a time, and to never discredit my own capacity to learn and to engage in academia. I, like many high school seniors, was overwhelmed by the college application process. I did well academically, was a leader of extra-curricular activities, and was the captain of a varsity sport. Beyond that, I had entire plan set out for myself; a plan of aspirations but not one that I would eventually follow. I would tell myself to trust in the application process and the individuals I sought out throughout this endeavor. While everyone has their own unique opinion about what is best for you, it is important to establish your own autonomy without neglecting the powerful resources provided by the wisdom of your peers and those superior to you. Do not be afraid to reach for those "reach schools." Lastly, I would tell myself that it is perfectly acceptable to follow a gut feeling, to picture yourself at each school to see if you belong there. You can do anything, and therefore you deserve everything.

Dear Senior Year Marina College is not what you expected. It is fast paced, confusing, and takes a lot of trial and error to fully understand, but once you find your place, you will breeze by. My advice? Don't be shy. On the first day, don't just wait for people to walk up to you and start talking, go out there make some friends, who knows what will happen, you might meet your best friend (as I did). Sit at a random table in the dining hall, the worst thing that could happen is you find out you don't like the people. In class, if you are confused, go talk to the professor, ask a friend to study, don't be shy and scared, just get out there. The trick with getting good grades is knowing exactly what the teacher expects of you, you're not going to find that out until you go up to them and ask for some help. Don't be afraid to ask. College is about having new experieces and meeting new people, that is not going to happen if you spend all your time in your room, so get out there.

First of all I would say Congratulations for getting into Connecticut College. Even Though you went to a boarding school it is still pretty different from college. First of all it may seem like you have the same amount of free time but truly it will be taken up by work you have to do. Also start interacting with your teachers now. I know you are going into the medical field so you may need them for research or recommendations. In whatever class you have try to make a frind. Its nice having someone in the class that you can ask questions about the homework or get notes from if you couldn't make it to class one day. You will get roommates so make sure you make guidelines off the bat so that the year will go through smoothly. Try to get involved in as many groups that your schedule allows but leave some space for fun! or least some me-time. It may seem like you can handle everything at once but you never want to burn out during your freshman year. Put aside time to relax yourself. Overall good luck with your studies you will do well.

The Honor Code is a huge part of life here and many seniors take it for granted as a part of the system that we have grown used to. Due to the fact that seniors are so familiar with school policies and the general format of the Honor Code, we often forget to emphasize this fact to the freshmen class. It is an integral part to achieving the most holistic education and is definitely worth looking into before arriving at Conn.

If I could go back into time and have a conversation with myself about my up and coming life I would tell myself about all the problems I going to run into starting college, the problems that I am going to encounter and tell myself about the handsome children I am going to have but I would tell myself about the school that I am going to be attending and how awesome the teachers are going to be. Then I have told myself that I was really stupid for not taking any forgien language classes knowing that it would have been a good idea. I would really tell myself that I am going to be coming into some trouble after the first baby is born and tell myself the steps to take to get through it and have a different outcome then what I had. In the long run I would tell myself that you have a great life good family and doing good with what life threw at me and taking it day to day is what you have to do to make your life the way you want it to be. Change nothing.

Good evening high school self. How is the college search going? Do not worry whatever college you get into (it is one that you like) you will make the most of it. I know that right now life seems a little topsy-turvy, but it is time to make a change. College will be the time for you to explore your interests and to not have anyone judge you for them. Despite what people in high school say, Chinese language and literature is a great topic to study. Do not let anyone change your mind! Going to college will allow you to research, explore, and most importantly CHANGE. You will still be “you” but a brand new more open “you”. Attending college will not be easier or harder, just different. Get ready for change, but change for the better. Learn to open your mind to others’ opinions and ideas while cultivating your own as well. Do not let others dictate your college experience. If you do not like a situation change it! College is your time to grow up, do it well.

Making the leap to college takes effort, but it does not require that you lose your high school friends. Instead, it allows you to make new friends, though it might be difficult to really find your niche. Join lots of extracurricular activities and be confident in them. Be social, be active. Don't be afraid - there are a lot of new things you will be exposed to. Don't give in to peer pressure, and just be yourself. You will find people who will appreciate you for being you. Have fun and take advantage of the great opportunities available.

If i could go back in time, i would tell myself to actually get good grades to help myself in the future. Take things more serious about my life.

Even though you may not know what exactly you want to do in the future, the choices you make during your first year in college are very important and certainly impact the years to come. It is important to start out with a stable foundation and then continue to build further. Even if your interests change overtime, it is important to stay determined in anything you choose to do. Do not let the workload stress you out, rather always look forward to something exciting in order to fuel the motivation. Relaxation and fun is just as important as work – you must be energized enough to tackle the assignments as best as you can.

My college experience has taught me that the challenge does not stop in high school. As you were working towards college in high school, you now have to work towards professional school or an actual career. College is almost frightening in the huge reality check that you are no longer a child who has their parents to lean on. You must become independent and self promotive in order to succeed. I am just starting to learn the necessity of a balance between partying and working. The good thing about college is that you're drivin by the thrill of the new freedoms you've been granted. Although its similar to high school in that you still have to do the whole class, homework, study, test thing; there are essentially no rules. To kids like myself were drilled with rules and regulations (not necessarily a bad thing when growing up) since their birth, the freedom is a rush that has been unmatched by any other feeling up until this point. I believe that any new experience is a learning one, and college is an important time to not only advance yourself academically, but more importantly mentally and emotionally.

There exists in my mind something I like to call "The Great Balance." I have been pursuing this Great Balance for quite some time and after almost three years in college, I think I have finally found it. As an incoming freshman, I had no idea what I was in for. College has challenged and stretched me in a million ways, but the biggest hurdle of all has been juggling everything in my life: keeping in touch with family, meeting new friends, working two jobs on campus, attending choir practices, having time to myself, and attempting to succeed within the parameters of what can at times be an oppressively busy schedule. It doesn't sound simple, and it's not. But I will say that it's been worth every minute of the hard work I've put into it. I can say with confidence that I can handle it all, and it's truly a great feeling. This balance helps me stay focused and to keep perspective. It's the greatest thing my college experience has given me, as it is something that will continue to help me maintain an equilibrium and to keep perspective throughout my entire life.

I would tell myself that althought there is alot of free time, the work from classes fills it up quickly. Even though I only had four classes when I incorporated my homework and studying time my day was filled. As a high school senior now is the time to apply for scholarships/grants if they are needed. You can apply for them online but it is better to start the year with them than desperately trying to scrap money together when you need it most. Academics always comes first but remember to have fun! Join a club, a sports team, volunteer in the outside community or on campus, anything. College is not only about expanding our minds academically, it also provides different activities for you to explore. So take advantage of what your school can give you and have fun.

You learn a lot about and develop yourself throughout your high school years. But, you really start to become your own individual when you step onto the campus that will be your new home for the next four years. It is an excellent transition, finally independent from parents and free to govern yourself, but it is not the easiest transition. Very soon you realize that though you are not completely independent, as the college does help you out, the things that always seemed like a given back home is no longer there and you must provide for yourself. Moving to college just doesn't mean you are leaving home to party and study what you want, it means that it is your turn to learn how to take care of yourself while still in a community that can accept mistakes before you enter the real world. My advice would be to mentally prepare yourself for that step out the door. Don't go completely overboard and act as if you just bought a house, but begin to slowly realize you must learn to be an adult and make the smart choices. Yet, still have fun while your at it!

It's hard to make suggestions for college life - I guess try to make friends with the right people as soon as possible, because it makes your life a lot easier. Don't feel self-conscious because everyone came from bigger schools than you - you were the top of 24 students, yes, but they were the top of hundreds of classmates. Everyone has their flaws and faults. Stick with clubs that make you comfortable - you love writing, so write for the school newspaper, and eventually you'll be co-editor of the A&E department! Don't be daunted by the dating scene - you never had a boyfriend before, and suddenly you're surrounded by hundreds of available gentlemen, so the pressure is on! Just relax and make sure you're dating because you're comfortable. Finally, don't feel stressed by the classes. The classes you had in high school were jokes - way too easy, not serious enough - and suddenly you're in lecture halls with professors and essays and group projects - yikes! There are centers on campus willing to help you perfect your schoolwork, so take advantage of them! Good luck!

Hey, you. Now, I know you're going to Provincetown High right now. PHS is the smallest public high school in Massachusetts, waaaay out at the tip of Cape Cod, and you're the top of your class of 24 classmates. Good for you. I know you're proud right now, but when you get to college, you're going to realize a lot of things about your high school life. It wasn't that hard to get the valedictorian, both because your classmates didn't have the same motivation as you and your classes were insultingly easy. When you get to college, you're going to feel really self-conscious. Like, do I deserve to be here? Sure, I was valedictorian, but was it too easy? Don't worry, you're going to have a great time. You're going to make friends and get involved with some great clubs. You're going to earn roles in some really amazing plays. You're going to be an Orientation Coordinators and also the arts editor for the newspaper. About the schoolwork: if you just work hard and do what you do best, you'll do just fine. Good luck!

Vist every school to make sure it is the right fit for you, do a lot of background check of the school and have more choices.

Although academics should be your primary reason when considering the most suitable college, I feel obligated to say that college life is just as much about self discovery and exploration than anything else. As sure as you supposedly are about your future major, I advise you to apply to institutions comprised of a myriad of majors and academic pursuits. Because, again, as sure as you are about your field of study, you must realize that you have not been exposed to a majority of possible majors during your high school and pre-high school years. Also, location and size of the school should play huge factors in your decision as well. As this is the time in your life for independence and self-exploration, you want to make sure that your are surrounded by an environment that fosters this growth. Go to a place where you do not know every face intimately, but also where you do not get lost in the crowd. Go to a place that suits your social life. Because, as satisfactory as your academic life may be, if your social life is incomplete, that will negatively effect your college experience. Good luck on the road ahead.

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