Florida State University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself three pieces of advice. The first being to trust your gut feeling when it comes to where you feel like you fit in. I know personally I was pulled in so many directions my senior year that when it came time to choose a college I ended up choosing the school my parents had wanted me to attend, not where I had wanted to attend which eventually caused me to transfer schools. You decide what feels best for you and make the most of your time there! The next piece of advice I would give myself is to know going into college that youre going to change your major and, if you're like me, probably two or three times! I've gone from classical vocal performance to elementary education and finally to social work. You're going to change your mind, just go with it. Finally I would tell my high school self to slow down and enjoy the next four years, in the midst of homework, volunteer work, working, and applying for scholarships time flies by!

I would have told myself to get involved on campus sooner, and to get involved in volunteer opportunities so much earlier. Doing either one of those allows you to get out of your comfort zone that may or may not be being pushed already, make some friends, and network to make some connections at the least. I would also definitely tell my past self to bring a rain jacket--the amount of days i was subject to terrential downpour without a jacket was abusrd!

Kristen, the person you built up, the person you feel you now know you are is not really you. You have no idea who you are or where you are going. All this time you tried to be someone you were not and now that people are not watching your every move, you blew up. It is time to face the world and try to make the dream you didn't make come true. It's time to be someone, but right now you feel like no one. You need to do what you can to go to Pepperdine. You need to get out of Miami and grow and feel and find a place where you can start all over and make yourself something. I believe in you. Just trust yourself and don't let other people make your decisions for you, in any situation. Keep your head up. You got this.

Dear Kierra, These four years of high school have felt like a piece of cake. It has been a long journey but you did it. Now you are taking on a different journey. This one is not as smooth and consists of a lot of pot holes, speed bumbs, rest stops. You have to step up your game. College is not the same as high school. Things are not as easy and there are not as many second chances. You are now in control, there is no one to their to remind you of important tasks. You are now making your own choices and theses choices can either make or break you. You are in school to learn before anything else. Never place your social life before your classes. You will regret it in the end. As long as you keep your eye on your true goal, you will be great. Your future is in your hands. Enjoy these new experiences, just not too much.

Get involved right away in organizations and stay focused in school from day 1 until the end. Make a strong effort to find a good group of friends that are also focused and dont give up on trying to find this good group of friends that could possibly be the friends you have for the rest of your life.

Be open to new things and people.

I have had 13 years to reflect on this question and there is an enormous amount of advice I would give myself. The main thing I would say is that I am good enough to go to college. I never believed that until a few years ago. I believed I was going to be the least successful of my family and one of the only one of my friends never to go to college. I always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a lawyer but I had this notion that I wasn’t smart enough, or hardworking enough to go to college. I didn’t realize until I had two combat deployments under my belt that I can do anything. So, I would tell my younger self, “You can do it. You have the intelligence, you have the drive. You just need to find that place in your heart that makes you go.” I would tell myself that I have the support and the people around me want me to succeed. I would tell myself that I don’t have to choose a degree program that is going to make me miserable. I can do anything!

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to volunteer more. A lot of opportunities in college rely on experience. In high school I thought volunteering was just to go towards my service hour log for graduation and NHS. I wish I had more experience in leadership and activities that would get me recommendations. I also wish I would have taken part in volunteering towards major related activities. I am now in college and have a small indication of what I want to do in life, but I wish I had explored with volunteering when I had all of the free time in high school.

Hey Erica, I know you just want the best advice in order to make it on your own in a collegiate atmosphere. But here is the honest truth about college- expect the unexpected. Your college experience is going to be different from the next person and it is up to you to dictate whether or not the experience is fulfilling. College will be the place where you find your purpose in life and find out who you really are. You probably do not think you won’t, but you will; you will change and evolve into a more mature human being. Remember, expect the unexpected. What you think and perceive college to be is not exactly how it is. Some of the things that you hear are true, but some things are just outrageous myths.College years are full of experiencse in maturing, failure, success, and doubt all in one. No one is able to dictate what you receive from college but yourself. You don’t just receive a diploma but you receive memories and guidance for the future that is to come.

I would tell myself to loosen up and get to know more people in those first few weeks of school. I am satisfied with my social life but I wish I could have met more people when I first arrived.