Cornell College Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior and give myself advice, I would tell myself to stop stressing. I spent so much of senior year stressing about applications and decisions that I did not fully get to enjoy so much of my final year in high school. I would have told myself that there is a certain feeling you get when you know what's right for you, in this instance which college is right for me. I knew as soon as I visited Cornell College that that was the school for me. However I didn't do that until February so I could have spent so much less time worrying about making the wrong choice.

The first advice I would give myself is to enjoy my senior year and also to look into more schools. I did not look into that many schools, although, I do not regret attending Cornell College. I would also look more into scholarships and grants. The best life advice I would give to myself is to live life to the fullest. I worried about a lot of things during my senior year and forgot to actually have fun. That everything is temporary and we should appreciate everything we have.

Calm down, you stupid girl. Don't judge people as soon as you meet them. When you do that, you've already judged yourself. You have immediately found yourself worthy of being judged by the bane in others' stares. You've already found yourself soaked in their disdain as their eyes pass over you, another average face who can't accept them for who they are. Look in the mirror. What do you see? I see a young confident girl who should be filled with confidence peppered with humility, not conceit and arrogance. Don't shut people out just because you're scared. Don't be afraid to admit when you need help. Everything will be alright, you just need to open up a little and let people in even if you're feeling alright.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would've told myself to keep an open mind about what I want to study. Throughout high school, I was completely sure that I wanted to be a journalism major. It was my dream, and that was all that I focused on. Once I started college, I quickly realized the field wasn't going in the direction I wanted, and so I felt lost. I wish I could've told myself that it's okay to not know what you want to study; most people I know that came into college with an intended major has changed it several times now. It's good to have an idea of what you're interested in, but you'll have time freshman year to try out all sorts of classes and majors, and the most important thing is to find a field you are truly passionate about. Nothing is set in stone when you enter college, and you don't need to force yourself to continue with a major you don't love. Take time and find you passion; that's what college is for.

Dear Claudia, As a senior in college who will soon be attending Graduate School, I would like to advice you about your undergraduate life. I will tell you now, do not worry or stress too much. You may feel like a failure when you receive your first B; however, you will understand that your grade does not reflect the amount of knowledge that you gained from class. Also, be prepared to change your professional goals. Finding a profession that satisfies your desire to help people will be both stressful and exciting. However, you will create the best memories along this journey. Along the path, you will find your passion of wanting to become an Art Therapist. In addition, don’t be afraid to make friends. The relationships that you create are going to be unforgettable. Everyone you meet will teach you something new about life. For example, your first roommate will teach you that there is no need to get angry. On the other hand, your second roommate will make you appreciate the fact that you are able to manage stress, and not become upset over small things. Enjoy, and remember, "You cannot fail if you do not give up."

If I had the chance to give my high school self advice there is a lot I could tell myself but, listed and explain here are two main points of advice. First of all, I would say that all the classes you are taking are very important even if the material seems to be senseless. The course work in college is a much quicker pace and the things you learn in high school will be extremely helpful later in college and in life. The "senseless" work trains your mind to think in different ways which helps with problem solving. Secondly, my high school self would need to know that I should not only complete the bare minimum to just pass the class. Even though you passed the test do you really know what you learned because you will have to know it later. Retaining the information in high school will be much easier in two long semesters rather than in one short semester. If I would have been able to convince my high school self of this I would be doing much better in college and I would have had my degree and be applying for graduate school by now.

Be more outgoing! Everyone is in the same situation, it's okay to act a little silly. Get involved on campus right away. Leave your door open. Talk to people!

Be flexible and don't get caught up on the little things.

Knowing what I know now about college life and transitions, I think the biggest advice I can give is to, “B.E”. B.E stands for Be Efficient. It’s something I’ve kept telling myself to keep me motivated. After graduating high school you are responsible for your own being, learning, responsibilities & choices. Be prepared about making life decisions, be prepared about giving up what you “rather” do, for what you “need” to do. Most importantly be prepared for stumbles in your educational journey. You may feel as though, the world is caving in—that’s just reality settling in, letting you know you’ll be okay. As a second year college student and first in my family to go to college, I had the choice of either getting a job or attending college and maintaining career. Now self, be smart about all decisions being made and whether it will affect your ability to learn effectively. You will have all sorts of events that you will be invited to. Now whether you go or not, might take away from you being fully focused. Just remember, WORK HARD NOW, AND PLAY EVEN HARDER LATER!

Attending college has been the most valuable opportunity I have been given, and I am so grateful that I am able to attend. None of this would be possible without hard work and education. I have learned time management and how to prioritze by having to complete assignments before a deadline. Challenging assignments have inspired my creativity and developed my good work ethic. I have become a stronger writer and more dynamic verbal communicator by writing papers and giving presentations. My confidence has grown as I participate in class discussions and build relationships with my professors and advisors. But what I have gained from the classroom is only the tip of the iceberg. Part of a great college experience is actively participating in extracurricular activities such as mock trial, Spanish and kinesiology clubs, and Cornell Republicans. Not only that, but I have become independent and responsible by living in a dorm where I have to keep the room clean and do my own laundry. College will prepare me for living on my own and holding the job of my dreams by instilling a strong work ethic, creativity, motivation, communication skills, and independence.