Ferris State University Top Questions

If I could travel back to my high school life and tell my self about college life it would be something like don’t give into fear. That transition was so big that I chickened out of chasing my dreams. It took me fifteen years to face the fear and it changed my life. School will be the most important thing you will do right now and it is totally worth it. If you are shy about new things then face then head on and do it with fake confidence because eventually it will turn into real confidence. 

The first thing I would tell my High School self, is to stop freaking out. I would sit my younger self down and tell them to stop stressing over the things that can't be controlled. I need to relax and just take things in stride, as life is always going to throw some kind of curve ball. The second thing I would say is to stop worrying about what other people think and to be the designer that I want to be. Everyone has their own style, and though I may not be an amazing illustrator, I'm good at and enjoy dealing with typography and layouts. Every person has their strengths and their weaknesses, hence why collaborating and working with others creates such amazing results. Finally, I would tell myself to get more involved. I wish I had volunteered more; it's so gratifying to help another student or bring a smile to a childs face at community events. These three years at Kendall have been amazing, and I can only hope that my final one will continue on being so. So past High Schooler self, stay calm, be yourself, and get involved. You won't regret it.

There is a belief that if you work on something for 10,000 hours , with pure dedication, that you will master it. I would tell myself to put in that 10,000 hours. I would also tell myself that It really doesnt matter what school you go to because your education is what you make of it. If you are going to do what you love then you have to make sure that you can make money doing it. It means you have to be a artist who is determined to make a living doing what he loves. I would strongly stress drawing everyday. to not waste time. i would tell myself to never give up no matter how hard the going gets.

I feel that I made a lot of mistakes in the transition from high school to college. Looking back now I feel that high school students are drastically unprepared for this transition and are left to figure a lot out on their own. The first thing I would tell myself is that nothing is handed to you and you need to put in the work to get the results you want. Secondly I would tell myself that preparation is key in college. The more you prepare and the sooner you complete the work the more successful you will be. This pertains not only to your homework, but for paperwork having to do with financial aid and all the other forms you have to fill out throughout your college career. Lastly I would tell myself that as hard as it may seem it is all worth it in the end and even though it seems like you are making a lot of sacrifices the feeling of reward you receive for working hard and doing well in your courses will pay off in the long run.

Knowing what I know now about college and life as a college student, there are many things I would tell my "high school self" regarding the years to come. If my high school self asked my college self advice about what to expect in the college classroom, I would tell her that college is very fast-paced. Learning in the classroom and individually is required, and there is quite a bit of textbook reading that is required to do well in a college course. Additionally, I would tell my high school self to make as many friends as possible, because they will become some of the closest people to you when you are away from family and other familiar friends. Another thing I would tell myself as a high schooler is to be responsible with money, because college is very expensive and the cost will be a burden if you do not have a plan. I think that many high school students enroll in college thinking that it will be the time of their lives, but it turns out to be a lot more work than they were anticipating. I would hope that my high school self takes this advice.

When i was a high school senior, I actually had the opportunity to duel-enroll. Along with my high school classes my senior year, I was also taking three college classes both semesters. These classes were on high school campus, online, and college campus. Though this duel-enrollment program, I learned how to transition between high school and college a lot easier and sooner. I learned that with college there is a lot more studying needed to be down outside of class compared to high school. During this period, I also juggled working 36 hours a week. To be successful you have to learn time management, and at first I struggled with the concept, but now that I had this experience and opportunity I learned the skill I need that will allow to be even more successful at Ferris State University!

I would tell myself to fight for a spot in the AP art class senior year. I would tell my highschool self that I have so much potential and not to listen to those who did not believe in me or take criticism so harshly. I should have taken control of my own plans and schedules for school, and not to taken classes just becacause my peers were in the same classes. I should have been more focused on what I was passionate about and built a portfolio early on. I also would advise myself to have a bit of a social life outside of school instead of forcing myself to have my passion for art only be an after school activity because I didnt press to take art classes as an elective in school. I would like to have told myself that I have so much talent that I put on that backburner for so many years and I should have been proud of my work and continued in that direction instead of trying to find a more "acceptable" major in the eyes of society.

The biggest thing i would advise myself as a high school senior would be to prioritize my time to better my future education. This would mean that I would enjoy the social life of high school but also crack into the books to set myself for more opportnities in college and get a comfortable cushion finacially going into my freshman year. I would also advise myself about the freedom that college gives and how it is different to high school living. I would explain to my senior self that the freedom in college can be overwhelming in a good way but also in a bad way. The fact that me being in high school and being on a slotted time schedule for 185 days throughout the year keeps you organized with attending classes. In college you have some down period inbetween classes which would force myself to organize my own schedule and follow them to get to classes on time and also not miss them. If i could go back and advise my senior self it would also get my mind wrapped around the fact of how real and grown up college will be.

Dear younger self, Try everything even if it scary. In college having a 4.0 isnt everything. take the time in high school those people you will never see again most likely. Being able to make friends is one skill I wish I had better. People in college are nice you just have relax and not be so anti-social like high school. Join the pep-club, go to football games. Be young wild and free. When you get to college you have to be able to meet people networking I have learned is one of the most importan things you can do. Have fun butt dont lose focus of the big picture. Ferris is where you belong cheering at a hockey game to study groups in the libary. College is the time of your life don't be scared you'll love it! Rachel

You are so much stronger than you think you are, and do not let one not so good roommate experience determine your time in college. Stand up for yourself, take charge and make a change that is best for you. True, you may have to go through more transitions than others, but remember these are all life's lessons they help you to grow and learn, they do not define who you are and everyone there is going through the samething. Do not put so much pressure on yourself to know what you want to do for the rest of your life you are 18 and that's part of what going to college is, figuring out things. Think back to freshman year in high school, remember how lost and nervous you felt then and look where you are now.