Eastern Mennonite University Top Questions

Dear self: You are not nearly as wise or cultured as you think you are. When you get to college, you will meet people who know more than you, get better grades, and have traveled farther. High school is fun and all, but you really need to spend more time thinking about who you are as an individual. It's too easy to get wrapped up in the identities of your friends and allow them to define you, so stop! Seek who you are outside of society's pressures and labels, and you will be better prepared for the college world. Now, I don't want to suggest that you will immediately find yourself and stop worrying about others' perceptions of you. This sort of thing is a life process! However, it will be much easier to transition to college if you have already begun thinking about who YOU are and want to be rather than being who others want you to be. Most of all, have fun! College is challenging--and it should be--but it's also the best time of your life, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Stay focused, branch out, stay away from cliques, and teachers are there to help you. Being the first to go to college and potentially graduate from it is an accomplishment! You can do this, the going gets tough but you will make it through! I believe in YOU!

Dont be afraid to meet new people! I was really nervous coming in at the begining of the year because I didn't know anyone! Well it is competely different than the high school drama. Everyone is living together and creating these great friendship so don't feel like you can't just join in on the fun! Also try new things, don't be scared to put yourself out there and be brave. College is like a pool on a hot day, it isn't much fun unless you jump right in!

Dear high school seniors, There is only so much advice to give. However, there is some advice, some I wish I had known before jumping into college life. 1. Be brave and outgoing! 2. Work really hard and don't get behind, it will only hurt you. 3. Try new things. College is a time full of fun, laughs, friends and new experiences. 4. Join clubs, sports, Bible studies and other groups because meeting new people is so incredibly important your first year. and last, 5. Be yourself. College is a time of learning who you turly are. It is a time to question what you want to do and but also a time to enbrace who you are and enjoy the wonderful and unique person that God created for a purpose. Never forget that! Because no matter how small you may feel, you are important! With love, Olivia.

Personally, I would've taken more advanced classes to better prepare me for my upcoming school year in college. The classes you will experience in college are going to tougher than any class you have ever taken in high school. You have to study alot more in college. Therefore, taking advanced classes in high school is a smart idea. Also, you will need to apply for several scholarships throughout your senior year. College is very expensive, and without scholarships one will have a very difficult time paying for their tuition. Getting more involved in clubs and honors programs can also be very beneficial. Several colleges look at your transcript and see how involved in high school you were. So, being involved in clubs and such looks excellent on your transcript when applying for college. These are some of the simple things i would've done to better prepare myself for a smooth transition from high school to college.

I would tell myself to buck up and finish the math classes and even try to take more in science so I would not be as far behind as I am. My consoler ended having me in a UBSCT Math class (which means I had not passed the state test) and also Algabra 2 math class. I was failing the Algabra 2 class so I dropped it half way threw the year and ended up putting myself behind for my future as to which I have to work even harder for now. I would tell myself not to give up in my dreams and settle for something I may not want to do. There is much more I would tell myself but since I cannot go back in to the past, I will simple move on and work as hard as I must to accomplish what I need.

Some advice I would give myself is not to wait untill the last minute to trun things in. In high school you can get away with stuff like that, but in college its the real deal. I would also tell myself to learn how to manage my time because time management is very important in college

Don't stress yourself out worrying about getting straight A's. There is a lot more to learn in college than what's taught in the classroom. Invest in relationships. Try new things. Explore. Have fun. Make mistakes.

Being able to go back in time and talk to myself about to start college, I would have some advice. First, I would say stay true to your dreams and goals. I would tell myself about how there will always be temptations and opportunities to do the wrong thing, but always work hard and not let distractions derail you. Always be happy and confident in your choices, but look at all of your options first. Failures may happen, but you should only learn and grow from them because they are what help mold you into the person you'll be in the future. Lastly, no matter what anyone says, your present and future is your choice and it is up to you to decide where to go, what to do, and who to be. Stay true to yourself!

I would tell myself that the long hall is not nearly over yet, but it is just beginning. The short two page papers that I was use to writing are a thing of the past in college, so I should appreciate them and do the best I can. When it actually comes to the writing of papers, the grammer has to be even better and more thought out in your drafts than your typical final copy. In the start of college it may seem important to make new friends and find a group of people that you can fully connect with. In reality it is a much better idea to get to know your teachers and to develope an effective homework routine, and get better tips on studying. The studies habit of your high school years do not even begin to cut in for college tests. It may seem like alot of work now, but once you are thought all of the hard work and stress. Walking across that stage and starting the career that you have been striving for will feel amazing.

If I knew then what I know I would have taken more classes that required more intensive writing to prepare me for the level of writing expected of a college student. I would also suggest that I visit more colleges to begin with since you don't know what you want till you experience it.

Mariah, You don't have to worry about not participating in all the activities and trying to be popular. When you get to EMU you are going to be one amazing person. I bet you didn't even think about the possibility that the girl you are now will become a leader for a week of campus wide activities dedicated to preventing sexual assault. And you will make that trip to the MIddle East thanks to the university. It will be great. I want to make you aware that you will be raped on the trip and it will be tough, but you will come back so strong and become student government president and a community advisor for the dorm hall! So when you graduate from Patrick Henry and get ready for EMU don't be nervous on move in day. The hall you're living on will change your life and the people you meet will not judge you like you are judged now in high school. I'm not saying college will be easy, there will be challenges, but you are going to turn into a person you never thought you would.

Be ready to study and manage time more wisely, cause in college it only gets harder. Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone and meet many new people. If you need help, get it. Stay focused on school, but do not forget you social life, hanging out with friends, and doing the things you love. Enjoy all four years here cause these are some of the best years of your life.

College is all about balance. For me, the hardest part about this transition was learning to balance athletics, a social life, and academics. Academics was my first priority and playing a sport took up much of my time in the first few months of college. Because of this, my social life was the aspect that suffered. While I ended up with a few very close friends, I wish I had gotten to know many different people. My advice to myself, therefore, would be to be friendly and outgoing. As a freshman you have to remember that all of the other freshman are in the same situation as you, they are also trying to make friends. You can not be afraid put yourself out there because you never know what life-long relationships you will form.

I have gotten that Highschool really never prepares you for what is next. College is a world of it's own. There are new rules and a very different mannerisim between the professor and the student. College may be more lax on the time you take your class but the work is much more detailed than during highschool. It is good if there are friends to turn to during class to ask questions. It is also a good idea to be able to talk to your professor and get help when needed.

While enrolled in high school I took dual credit courses. It is through these courses that I began to foster my love of the college environment and the different clientele that takes college courses. The experience has helped me tremendously and has made the transition to a future employee so much easier. The experience has shaped my future in a way that only college can. No more Proms, National Honor Society inductions, Sr. Girls dance, etc. It is strictly business with eyes on the future. College has allowed me to focus on my BS in Petroleum Engineering and appreciate the things that I learn along the way. This appreciation has committed knowledge to long term memory which will allow me to hopefully one day be a force in a degree field that is dominated by 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} men. College has given me the confidence to conquer regardless of what the odds are. Knowledge is king and without college I would not be as successful as I am today.

Through my college experience, I have grown and matured into a better person. My university has a great education program. I have learned a lot of content and how to apply it in the classroom. With almost every class, we have had experience in the local schools giving us more interaction with students that we can relate our knowledge to. Our professors have a lot of experience as well, that they freely share with us. The professors also have taught us how to integrate our faith with our teaching. Not only have I learned a lot of information and feel ready to join the work force, but I have been included in the community of the school. I have found many places to connect and use my talents. Without going to college, I would not have become outgoing, adventurous, and independent. My college years have made me who I am today, a mature adult ready to live and work in the real world.

From my college experience at EMU, I learned a great deal about myself. Between the Cross-Cultural experience, the friends that I made, and the support of my excellent teachers, I feel prepared to go out into the world with a fuller sense of my priorities and my goals. Since EMU encourages students to take a variety of classes, I was able to take psychology courses and discover a passion for psychological study, especially as it applies to Art Therapy. In addition, EMU, being a Mennonite college, helped me to gain an awareness of my spiritual beliefs and to persuade me to think critically as to why I believe what I believe. Having grown up Mennonite, to gain different perspectives on my denomination, as opposed to the more conservative church I grew up in, helped me to gain a new appreciation for my heritage. However, because of the diversity of the student population, as well as my experience abroad, EMU enlightened me and helped me to gain a sense of appreciation for other religious beliefs and cultures.

I have experienced Professors who are there to see you succeed unlike in high school where their goal was a paycheck and having you pass a test. My school also made it very affordable for me and I have seen them work with many students through grants and loans. That kind of care isn't found in many homes and i feel lucky that I can have it in a school. Also the community of harrisonburg has taught me to be more sustainable, all of our dorms are eco friendly in the sense that lights will turn off if no movement in the room is detected, and we have two way flush toilets and many other things that make a difference in the community. EMU allowed me to create my college experience, which consists of faith, study, performances and fun. EMU has taught me things about myself that I could have never learned in a classroom.

The first thing I think about is the quality of the education. I would not trade the Teacher Education training that I've received at EMU for any other college or university's Teacher Education program, and I mean that. I have also learned about time management, how I learn, how others learn, how to be a coach and a tutor, how to work at a variety of jobs, and also a great deal about the world that I live in and how that will affect my job as a teacher. Much of my education has been the result of a desire to learn and become a more complete individual; planning ahead and thinking of what I can do to better serve the students and community with whom I will be working as a teacher has been a huge part of my education experience. EMU has provided me with a goal and life mission. I wasn't exactly sure that I wanted to be a teacher earlier in my life, but I wanted to serve the community that I would live in. Becoming a teacher and coach will allow me to do that.