Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

If I could go back to my high school self I would tell myself to just breathe. Take a minute out of my day and just breathe. That all the stressing out and anxiety attacks are not needed because it's not as bad as I thought it'd be. I would especially tell myself that no matter what you'll always end up figuring it out with any problem, it may take a hot second or a couple months but in the end you'll figure something out. One last thing I'd make sure to say is to always put your mental health first, because no test, homework, or grade is more important than your own mental health.

I would tell myself that I'm not stupid. While my classmates were going out partying, doing drugs, and drinking obsessively. I was always in my bedroom, surrounded by an array of shiny new hardbacks. I always thought I was stupid for choosing to do that rather than being a regular teenager. Crawling out my bedroom window and catching a ride with my friends. Dancing with boys in a skirt way too short to even be called appropriate. Instead, on saturday nights, it was just me, myself and I. I never did these things in high school and I'm glad I didn't. I studied my butt off and graduated with successful grades. I'm proud that I was never like my classmates. I'm very mature for my age and an education comes first for me. I wish I could tell the girl sitting in high school that its okay to read. To fill your head with information and beautiful stories. Not being like everyone else doesn't mean you're stupid but authentic.

Dear Vanessa: You're about to enter the terrifying but exciting world of college. I know you think you're about to become a "real adult," however there are some things you don't know. The first and most important bit of advice is that, you do not have the answers for everything and you are not always right, and that is okay. You'll learn throughout your years in college and blossom as you should. You also need to know that no matter what age you are, you're going to experience mountains and molehills. How you deal with these mountains and molehills will help to mold you to who you are going to be. Don't overstress, everything always has a way working itself out in the end. The last bit of advice that I want to give you deals with time, you can't get any of it back, so make your own decisions and own them. At the end of the day, the only person you have the face, is the one in the mirror. I promise you, follow this advice and when you look at her later in life, she'll smile.

Be prepared to read, other than that I almost completley knew what to expect.

Never give up the idea of college. Keep your head up and prepare yourself to have ultimate freedom to indulge in the concept of discovering myself and discovering things that are not their for me to experience where i live. Don't just get a job because its easier than trying to get into college. You will excel and experience things and open your mind to an entire other world. To not be so introverted. Open up, make friends and stay focused on your education and the changes you want to make in the world once you are out of college. Remember that you want to make a difference and make connections you need to reach out and get involved in all that you can. Focus on your schooling and find what attracts you and motivates you. The transition is easy. Be the idepedent woman that you have always been and continue to be. Use the advice always given to you. Let your wings soar.

Dear Self,

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and give myself a few words of advice ; then I would advise myself to stay focused and to study hard so that I would graduate with a higher grade point average. Hopefully the extra studying and focus would keep me in college at a younger age so that I could graduate from college at a younger age and maybe attain a career with a higher salary.

I wanted to write to you and give you a few words of advice about some things you are going to encounter before and in college. Take more time filling out scholarship and grant applications. Doing this will mean less time with friends, but it wil help you avoid increasing student loan debt. Once at Edinboro, be open to meeting new people and having new experiences. Do not call home the day after you move in begging to go home, that wasted time. Take that time and help others move in, or introduce yourself to people in your hall. You can go to the gym with your roommates when they go, which would open you up socially. Entertaining the idea of pledging a Sorority wasn't at the top of your list, but when you turned twenty-one that changed. Join before you turn twenty-one. Don't spend so much time socializing. Your grades suffered. It's normal to have a rough semester, but you bring your grades up. These three things impacted your life in many ways. You do owe money for the education you gained, but the memories will be with you for years to come.

Okay, hmmm… so, you’re not even fazed by a visit from a time-travelling, future version of yourself. You’re always playing it so cool. You forget that it doesn’t work on me. I know you. I know that beneath that placid demeanor, there lies a tumultuous current of fear. That fear cannot be diminished by side-stepping it. It is diminished, quite simply, by moving forward. Move one step toward the positive opportunities available to you. Just take one more step towards your happy destiny, then another. Go to college, you will discover yourself there. You will find that which makes your heart sing. You will forget your fear, and you will let yourself soar. College will set you free, if you let it. You start with that first step, then you… Make friends. Be honest. Be a friend. Work hard. Make yourself proud. Make yourself.

If I could go back and talk to my senior self I would tell her to keep her grades up and try not to let our grandmother's death cause her to make some of the regrettable decisions that I did. I would tell her that taking a year off before going back to school is necessary to pulling herself together and realizing how badly we need to go to school. I would tell her that while all of this college stuff is overwhelming, you aren't the only one dealing with it and you'll make friends in your sorority who will help you deal with the stress. I would tell her to not take things too seriously and enjoy the little things because it only gets harder. Most of all though, I would tell that no matter what you must keep your head up and remain positive. Depression is curable. You will get better, things will get better. Just stay strong.