East Carolina University Top Questions

If I had the opportunity to go back and speak to myself during my senior year I'd make sure to let myself know that no one should decide what you should do with your life. In the end, I need to do what's best for me, and not go where my mother thinks I should attend, or join organizations because my friends wanted me to. The pressure to fit in and be liked is overwhelming now, but there are others just like me who aren't afraid to stand out from the crowd, I just need to find them. Don't hold onto the past, don't let others live your life, and don't worry so much about the future. College is different from any other experience you've had, but you're strong , and if your pull yourself together and hold your head high, you can be the best at whatever you become.

Take more classes during the first year; continue to commute from home; don't worry so much about EVERYTHING; ECU is the right school for your!

Look into all the best schools that are affordale and have fun.

Dear high school senior Hannah, Do not fear! College is going to be the best time of your life! Do not worry about being the only one of your friends to go to East Carolina. Both of your Resident Advisors are going to go through great lengths to make sure you meet and socialize with your neighbors. Before you even know it, you will know everyone's name and will be going to the dining hall with a group twelve people deep. This is a time to stop being held back by high school stereotypes and meet as many people as possible. Living in a dorm is not going to be anything like the movies, but at the same time will be an awesome rollercoaster ride of college living. All of this is important, but most of all, always remember to be yourself and follow your own beliefs while understanding that everyone else has their own standards and morals. Not everyone you meet will think the same way as you, but that just means that you are going to learn about other cultures and beliefs to further broaden your horizons. Always be yourself. Sincerely, College sophomore Hannah

I would tell myself to start preparing. AP credits can be very beneficial when selecting college classes. If I had taken AP classes, I would be further than I am. I would also tell myself to learn to study. Studying is a necessity in college and if I had learned to study earlier, I would not have spent as much time on homework as I did. Last, although I was punctual and attended class in high school, I would tell ALL high school seniors attendance is imperative. Especially as a senior, attending high school classes was never something of importance. Assignments would hardly be missed and students would not miss much information taught in the class. In college, while some professors do not require students be there, a lecture missed could be a lot of information. So I would tell myself to be ready to attend class and be eager to learn. After all, why miss a class you are paying for?

Knowing what I know now, I would advise to myself and anyone else to do your research and apply to scholarships early. Researching your options for schooling provides you with more door ways to get your foot in the right direction. The more options you provide yourself with the better chances you have at finding a college you will truly enjoy. College is a time for exploration and growth as you are venturing into adulthood. You want a college that will encourage these aspects in you while enjoying the time you spend there. When you decide that college is our route, I would encourage you to start applying for scholarships the moment you decided. Scholarships and grants are wonderful gifts from others that are encouraging education. Scholarships and grants elevate stress away from the ultimate question for many students, “How am I going to pay for college?” If you start early you have a better chance at acquiring the funds and insightful tips on paying for college. When it comes to the bottom line, do the work. The work you put in to finding a college and finding ways to pay for it will show in the end.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself some typical reminders about doing my homework, cleaning my room, and studying for my tests. I would also tell myself not to worry so much about making new friends. I would tell myself that college is where I will learn most of what I will know about life. As a high school senior, I thought I knew so much about the world. However, in college, I learned that I did not know everything. I was confident about the wrong things. I learned so much about friendships, love, and life in general in college. I also learned many skills that I thought I would never learn. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be less anxious about the college environment. I would remind myself that I will have four years to do everything that I want to do at college. I would tell myself that I'm not perfect and I won't get an "A+" on every test. I would remind myself that that is okay.

I would tell myself - On your degree it will not day " Nicole received a "B" in such and such a class". College is about being orgainized, studying hard and having fun once the first two things are done. Friends will be there for you even if you do not go to a party with them. Have fun and enjoy life now.

If I could go back in time and give advice to my high school senior self, I would say to put more effort into school. I took hard classes senior year, but didn't put enough time and effort into them, resulting in bad AP scores. If I had done well on the AP tests, I would not have to take certain classes, lightening my course load first semester. I would tell myself to apply to more colleges and do more research on certain universities. I would tell myself to apply to more scholarships because it would have been a lot easier to choose my university if I had scholarship money to help me pay for it. Lastly, I would tell my high school senior self to enjoy more moments with friends and make more memories because school can get very stressful but it's the friends that take the stress away and really help in times of need. I worked too much and spent too much time on homework, causing friendships to fail.

Senior year seems like a good time to relay and unwind, but you would be wrong. Your last year in high school is the most important year. Yes this is the time of your life, but it is the last prep time you have before you venture out into the world of college. It may sound scary now but soon enough it will be a walk in the park. Use these last few months to you advantage, because once this time is gone you don't get it back. Now is the time to teach yourself the basic skills of time management and organization, two skills that I believe are most important skills to have when in college. Time management will eliminate the number of all nighters you will have to pull the night before your finals. Making schedules and lists will ensure that you stay on time of the tasks you have at hand. Organization will be your best friend. If you are more organized you will have no problems keeping your notes and projects together. These kills will make your college experience smooth and seamless. Don't forget these skills, they will be your saving graces in college.