Fairfield University Top Questions

In high school, all I could think about was being in college. I could not wait to get away form my family. I was so ready to be on my own. Now that I have already finished a semester, I have a completely different mindset. I love my college life and all my friends here, but it isn’t home. I don’t have my mom cooking me my favorite foods and if I am sick I don’t have her to take care of me. It’s only after you leave that you realize how much you miss your family. That is something I would definitely tell my high school self. In high school I tried as much as I could to be away from home. If I could talk to her now, I would tell her to appreciate the time she has left. I would tell her to appreciate all the memories she had. Now that I am in college, I realize that the experiences my family gave me because no one else has those memories. And those memories shaped me into the person I am today.

Do not listen to anyone else. Make your own decisions. Who cares about anyone else's opinion but your own.

My college experience has been ok. My school is not the biggest on diversity which is something i miss. I would like to go to class and see people from different cultures not the same faces. Everyone looks the same here, if anything , i stand out. Other than that, the scholl is very active with creating activities for the student body, the party scene is good but gets boring after a while. The college is in the middle of nowhere which makes it hard to go out but there is a campus shuttle, even though it is the size of a mini-ban and only goes to town. You would think you would get more out of the school since you ar paying 53,000 a year.

Good experience for my future career.

What I learned most in college is not only about my field of study but of what is experienced outside the classroom. The interactions with people, the social atmosphere, and the genuine care of everyone around you is hard to come by. I feel that sometimes you learn the most from classes that you were forced to take. It challenged you to self motivate in order to succeed in something you don't particularly enjoy, which tends to happen in the "real" world. It allows you to be knowledgable in not just your expertise, but in current events, or philosophy, or any other passion. I have learned that both nothing and everything is the way it seems. Always question life, your existence, and your compassion. Always have a plan for the future but live today because tomorrow may never come.

I have returned to school after a 35 year absence from higher education. I have overcome many obstacles including Chemotherapy 2008-2009. I have disabling AIDS. I am recieving my AS next month with a 3.4 GPA from City College San Francisco. I have applied for my Associate Teacher's license for Preschool in February for the state of California. I am an AmeriCorps Alumnae and also am on the board of a not profit organization that provides quality housing for low income/ senior/ disabled residents. TODCO. Even though I have started later than most students I truly want to get my BA/BS and work with Preschool children. I am an Acolyte at my parish church St Ignatius San Francisco.

Assuming I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stay strong, and keep an open mind. College is an extremely hard adjustment, and I almost didn't come back to school after my first semester there. I was so negative about everything that I found myself hating the college and with few friends. I spent the first semester telling myself that I was going to transfer as soon as the semester was over. But during winter break, my parents urged me to stick out the year at least, to give Fairfield University another chance. I came back from break, with an open mind, and ended up loving college. Perhaps if I had kept an open mind, I would have gotten the most out of my first semester in college, rather than counting down the days until the end of the semester.

I would ask myself, first am I mature enough to handle all the possible situations that I can be confronted with i.e. soical environments, drugs, alcohol, a relationship, living with a roomate. I would tell myself to go abroad, some place foreign and try and get to know people in order to experience social networking. This would also help me walk in other people's shoes to get their perspective allowing me to see how and why they act. I also would have told myself to maybe take more time to look into my major and ask high school professors, college professors, or people in the workforce about what it entails. In addition, I would have to tell myself that I would need to be less high strung in order to handle situations much better. Overall, had I been able to give myself this advice back then, it may have made a huge impact on where I am now.

Dear Kristin Who Is Ready to Go to College, I know your senioritis is in full force by now, but there a couple things you should know about life at Fairfield U before you start your first chapter in college life. First of all living with a roommate is a game of compromises. Don't just do whatever she says, but also let her know things that would make your life in room 103 better. It's ok not to be best friends with your roommate, don't try to change yourself to fit in with her and her crew. If people make you feel uncomfortable and give you attitude, they aren't your friends. Don't forget about all your high school friends from back home. In the end when you come home or you have a terrible day at college and have no one to talk to, your friends from home are always there. Join Student Council and get involved. You'll meet your best friends there. Don't procrastinate because you will have a 48 hour day and it won't be fun. Love always Kristin the Frosh P.S. Be Proud of Your Jersey Roots!

You need someplace where you feel comfortable. College is a wonderful experience once you choose a place where you think you would fit. Weigh your options; decide what kind of area would be best. Decide how big of a school you would like to attend. While big schools can be exhilarating and could be a nice change from small-town life, it may also seem overwhelming when familar faces are rare. Smaller schools typically have a stronger sense of community. Decide what type of place you would like to attend in terms of values; do you want a religous school? One that promotes sororities/frats? What fits your personality and where could you see yourself starting a new life? Which school provides options for financing? What school can you afford? What types of financial aid does this school offer? Evaluate these aspects as well as the scholastic arena and the professors in your potential field of study, and decide what school would be optimal. Most of all, approach college with an optimistic viewpoint. In the end, college will most likely be an unforgettable and amazing experience if you choose a school with care.

Going back, I would let myself know that I will be okay. Reassuring myself as a high school senior that the choice I made was the right one would haven given me a far more positive outlook than I came in with. Because I chose to go to a school that was across the country from my own family, I think finding the optimistic outlook on your school of choice is crucial to enjoying your entire college experience. There is so much stress on picking the perfect and ideal school that sometimes people get caught up in it, expecting more luxiurious perfection out of their school than they receive. Actually, one of my rejection letters from my first choice school told me not to worry about the school I went to, for the school would be exactly what I make of it. I truly believe in that now. Although Fairfield University has its own problems, the problems uncovered a proactive part of my persona that helped me learn more about myself and my potential as a person. As long as you come into college with a more assuredly optimistic and proactive mindset, then you will have a wonderful first year.

As a full time student at Fairfield University, I have experienced the joys and stressors of being in college. If I could give myself advice, the first thing that I would point out is that college is different. As a high school student, I expected college to be exactly what our culture describes them as, full of parties and good times. I knew it would be hard work, however, my expectations were more focused on the social side versus academics. Furthermore, in high school, I was under the impression that college professor did not care about their students. I thought that professors were just there to teach and leave, not really caring about the students. The professors truly care about the students and wish for us to do well in class. They are readily available for help on exam as well as papers, or if I just had a question. Therefore, if I could give myself advice for college I would say, ?Even though college will be a lot of work, focus on your academics. The professors are there to help you succeed, ask a lot of questions and they will be happy to help you.?

Dear Tommasa, the high school senior, Please relax; you will get into a great university that you will end up loving. You should be enjoying your college process, it is a once in a life time experience filled with an abundance of emotions. Embrace your fears and excitements about venturing off on your own. I advise you to study hard for the SATs, apply to ?reach? schools, and have more confidence in yourself. You should also take some honors courses and a few APs here and there; they will benefit you in the long run. I suggest that you to think hard about your future and decide a path you wish to take so that when you arrive at school you can make the most of the classes offered. Do not waste your college years with classes that will not benefit you in your future goals. Choose a university based on its academics, location, and social life. Be open to new cultures and ideas; involve yourself with new clubs and activities. Treat freshman year as a learning experience, try out different things. Make the most of these years, for they will go by quickly. Sincerely, Tommasa , the college junior

Don't panic about applying to a lot of schools. Pick a few that you're really interested in and concentrate on those. Don't worry about fitting in! Everyone is in the same boat, and now is your chance to make a fresh start and be whoever you want to be and do whatever interests you. Get involved right away in an activity - it doesn't matter what it is, just something that you think you might like and try it! You'll make instant friends and have people to hang around with. Even thought you might miss your family at first, the freedom is really exciting, although you'll realize no one cares about you as much as your family does. College is great - just go for it!

Don't be in a panic to apply to a lot of schools. Select fewer schools to look at and focus on the ones you really want. College is great in that everyone is new and in the same boat as you. College is where you get to make a fresh start, to decide who you want to be and what activities you want to be involved in. Don't worry about fitting in! There is so much to do and try that you will definitely find your niche. The best advice is to get involved with some activity right away. I got involved in a sport I never did in high school, and it is the best thing ever because you make friends right away. You'll miss your family but the independence is nice, to be away from home, to know that you have lots of freedom is fun and exciting. But you will also learn that no one cares about you as much as your family does. Whatever you do, don't be afraid to try something new - go for it!

I would have done a lot differently. The biggest thing that I wish I learned in high school, was prioritizing. My senior year of high school was extremely busy. I soon found out in college that you have to down size. I would definitely say "less is more". I did WAY too much my freshman year (last year). I am a film major and I wanted to prove myself to the other people in the program - but I took too much on my plate. And I am still trying to work on this, just saying no. I'm not reffering to anything sexual or drug related (still say no then too). I mean saying "no" - that you have a lot to do. I would tell my past / future me to plan out my time. To stop and take a moment and block out time for study, time for projects / extracirricular things, and especially time for me. Just in case you forgot - my message is 'Don't do too much'. My smaller peice of advice is to make sure you have time for you. Keep your hobbies, enjoy the college atmosphere, because pretty soon, you'll be in the real world.

In high school, I didn't think the size of a school matters. Being at a somewhat smaller school (around 4000 undergrad), I'm extremely happy I made this decision. I feel like I'm always meeting new people, but I still see somebody I know on the way to class, lunch, etc.

Make sure you check out the college for at least two days to see if you think you would fit in and if you'll like it. A lot of people make the mistake of choosing a college because of the financial aid packages. Remember thoses packages aren't promised to you your second year on. Your college should be a place where you know you can adjust well so you can do well academically.

Do what you like, like what you do and the rest will come with hard work, determination, and a steadfast attitude. Don't ever give up on yourself and don't be afraid to try new things and have fun along the way! On your college visit, get away from parents, tour groups, etc.. and find a bench. Sit there by yourself for a few minutes and try to picture yourself living and learning there. If it seems like a good fit, it probably is and you should seriously consider attending that school.

Visit the school and just talk to one of the students about any fears or questions you might have. Students attending the school are not afraid to let you know the truth about the university they attend. The first year is always difficult, so don't abandon a university without giving it a chance to grow on you like the gloriously educational fungus that it is.