Florida State University Top Questions

My high school was a technicial school that did not have any sports so therefore there was not much school spirit. If I could go back in time I would go to a different school where I could experience a real high school experience. With the parties, and sports games, and more students. Being that the school attended was so enclosed with less than 600 students, that when I got to college I feel sheltered. I did not really know how to socialize and in a big class of 1000+ students it was difficult to adjust to the bigger setting. So if i could go back in time, I would choose a more well rounded school so when I transition to a bigger college I would know what to expect.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior I would tell mesely to enjoy every moment of high school because they truly are years you'll remember forever. In your last year of high school it is so easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of the future, as well as feel the strain of high school holding you back; but I would tell myself to love those last days in those gray halls. To smile when I go to my locker, and laugh in the lunch room because once those times are gone they'll never return. I absolutely love college, but it comes in time, and if I could change anything I would have warned myself to appreciate the moments still in high school, because one day I would have my freedom, in my dorm room, loveing it, but some days I have a glimmer of sadness missing those times I had senior year. Dont waste a single moment!

Study even harder! Your high school GPA and ACT scores are very important when applying for scholarships. College is more expensive than you will anticipate, so you will need all the financial help you can get! Also, apply for more scholarships. Just when you think you have done enough... DO MORE! Another thing thing you should give thought to is living off campus. There are a variety of nice apartments VERY close to campus andthey generally cost about half the price of a dorm (& they're bigger!). PEople will tell you that you wont get the same friendship opportunities as living on campus but I don't find that true so these apartment buildings are so close. Continue with your curiosity in community service organizations! You will enjoy giving back to the community and you will a few good friends in the process. Last but not least, don't be shy!

Most people wish that they could turn back time and fix their past. I believe that what is overcome in your past builds a great deal of your character. However, if I were to go back and tell myself some things, I would have a lot to say. One of the most important things I woud have told myself was to try a little harder. In high school, I could easily keep a low A or high B, therefore I never challenged myself. I would have told myself that high school is a "right-now" deal. After you leave high school, everything that happened there dissappears, excluding the grades I made. If I were to tell myself that high school IS going to go away, I would have saved myself a lot of trouble. I would have also told myself that I should be more true to myself. If i were more true to myself in high school, I could have saved myself a few horrible haircuts at the least. Being in college and being completely concerned with acheiving my degree, I understand that the whole process of life is mainly concerned with the betterment of yourself and your success.

The most important advice that I would give myself would be that going to college is about becoming the person that you?ve always wanted to be, the person that you have always looked up to, the person that you are going to be for the rest of your life. The second form of advice would have been to save up more money. I went into college with little to no savings and that was my biggest mistake. I would have told myself that I needed to be more prepared financially for college. I would have also told myself to make sure to keep in touch with family. Since going to college I have not set talking to my parents as a main priority. If I could go back I would without a doubt made sure I talked to my mother, father and little brother more often. Some other advice I would give myself would be to read and study more often. Other than that I wouldn?t have wanted to give myself too much advice because college is about figuring out all those things as you become the self defined ?you.? That?s the fun about going to college.

I would constantly tell myself how important it is to apply for scholarships and to find a job. It's common to be stressed out about your school work, but all I can think about is how I'm going to continue to pay for my schooling. I ignored my parents when they asked me what scholarships I had applied for. I ignored them when they asked me what job applications I'd picked up that day. If I had known that I would be pulled in so many different directions financially, I would have spent every waking minute writing essays and filling out paperwork for scholarships. I would also warn myself about the dangers of laziness and apathy. It is so easy to get caught up in your free time. There is a lot for freedom and a lot less time in class. You can sleep in, or stay up all night watching movies. There are better things to do with your time. When you spend all your time watching TV, you get behind in your classes and end up on a slippery slope to a grade you didn't want. Be brave and wise "high school" Allison.

The college experience has taught me many things, including things I never expected to know. If I could go back to my senior year of high school to tell myself what I know now, there are so many things I would say. Coming from a small community with a small high school, standing out was never truly difficult. I would tell myself to prepare to be a nobody. Universities are massive, and in general, no one cares who you are or where you came from. Facing this knowledge enables you to realize you must work ten times harder to stand out and be noticed. Another thing I would love to go back and tell myself would be that high school "smart" and college "smart" are located no where near each other in the dictionary. I have had the unfourtunate experience of watching high school superstars fail classes and drop out of school. I would love to go back in time and tell myself to try harder at everything and never let one success get to my head. The next challenge is always harder, and for now, college is my next challenge.

The college experience is when you truly begin to grow into your own skin. Given a chance to be a senior in high school again, I would inform myself that the following year to come would be the biggest transition I will have ever endured. As a person who is very involved with family, sports, and volunteering, I would remind myself to continue to strive for these same values through my college career. Challenges that you may face are just stepping stones to the future ahead. There are times when you feel that tasks are too difficult to complete or impossible, but try to understand that "A set-back is a set-up for a come-back." Any goal that you seek is in your reach if you stay determined and disciplined. Surround yourself with people who will push you to be all that you can and believe in your dreams. The reward of making good grades is far more important than a social event you may miss, because that part of your life will always be there and waiting, but academics may not. Take advantage of all you can learn in college and stay focused on just being yourself.

If I could go back to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not worry about going to college. Don?t freak out about being away from home or from not knowing anyone. I have been able to make friends very easily, and everyone is so nice and willing to help someone who is lost. It is a big transfer from high school, but it is such a great one. Classes are harder, but they don?t consume your life. You will still have free time to be with friends and explore your new surroundings. Life is great. I would also tell myself to not worry about roommate situations or not knowing what my major is. Though you might have a horrible roommate, that thought shouldn?t define your life. You barely spend time in your dorm. And with the major situation, take the first semester to enjoy yourself and truly figure out who you are before jumping into a major that classifies you as something. You have time to figure out what you want to do.

Perhaps some college students would tell their former selves to be "free", to experience the world, or to be more relaxed about extra-curricular activities and school. I, on the other hand, have some different advice for myself. First of all, I would have told my high school self to make lasting friendships, to make my faith my own and not my family's, to know what I stand for. Of course, I would reassure my old self that it's good to do well in school. It's important to spend time studying and learning. But more than that, I would tell myself to think about my entire life, not just my time in school. What was I doing in high school to prepare myself for life after college? Was I forming bonds with friends and family that would last my entire life? Was I cultivating leadership, public speaking skills, and character that would be important to me in every aspect of life? Sometimes I did focus on those things. But if I were to go back, I think four words would adequately sum my advice up: "Think about the future."