Florida State University Top Questions

As a senior, I was very goal-oriented and driven to do my best in school. I suffered none of your typical "senioritis" that seems to hit most high school students around, oh, their freshman year. My goal in life is to become a large animal veterinarian, so this has been the focus for all of my choices in school. Now that I am a college sophomore, I would never go back to high school for anything. For me, the only thing I would tell myself is to quit worrying so much. I was never the most popular student in high school, mostly because I was "weird horsegirl" who always had her nose in a book and did well on most of her exams. Looking back now, I wish I hadn't placed so much importance on the little things. Who cares if I was odd in high school? College is so much freer for me; everyone here is different; we're expected to be unique, and being "normal" is boring. I would tell my younger self to embrace my inner person, to live my life to it's fullest, and not worry about what others think.

RELAX :) I know you're nervous, but once you get there you'll be having so much fun meeting new people and experiencing new things you'll wonder why you couldn't come sooner! Remember how nervous you were to start at a new high school and how fun it turned out to be? Well, you'll get over the college jitters just as quickly, only your time there is going to fly by even QUICKER so enjoy EVERY minute of it. It feels a lot like camp with so much to do, plus you get to pick your classes so they're interesting and exciting too. TRUST ME: - You will keep in touch with your close friends, so don't worry- being at different schools just means more places to visit! - You have a fresh start, so have fun! Don't hesitate to join clubs, meet your neighbors and try something new everyday. - Focus on your studies, especially in the beginning so you can start out with a strong GPA. Lastly, - It's not always going to be easy, but it WILL be worth it... and it will end up being the being the best time of your life.

I would tell myself to get excited. I would say," You're on your own now, but it's not as scary as it looks. Life isn't as bad as everyone may tell you it is. When you get to school party hard, but study harder. Proofread your essays, and pay more attention in Micro-economics ( It actually is different than Macro- economics believe it or not). Don't sell yourself short. You have the resources to accomplish anything you want on that campus. All you have to do is try a little harder." And hopefully I'd listen to myself.

Start making good study habits! This would be the first thing I would tell myself if i had a chance to go back in time. In high school I had poor study habits as well as sleeping habits. I would rarely study for a test and if I did it would be the night before a test. Although I made good grades throughout high school, I realize now that high school and college are completely different. Since then I have adjusted and began studying way more than I used to. Now I spend three to four hours per day on certain subjects to make sure I am comprehending all we do in class. Another thing that I wish I could have told myself is to relax and focus on what I want most in life and start planning on what I needed to do to reach that goal. I knew when I entered high school that it was my goal to become an Athletic Trainer, however, it was not until the end of my senior year that I began working toward that goal. If I could go back, I would tell myself to start working sooner and harder.

With the understanding of college and life as a whole that I have now and an opportunity to travel back in time to speak to my highschool senior self, I would have an earful to talk about. I would explain to myself that college is a different environment, in that the books required for the classes must be read, even if it's an elective. I would detail the situations with scholarships, how there is never too many scholarships to be had and how many of them have requirements that I must meet to keep them. I would also educate myself on the importance of being motivated and to never let anyone get in the way of a dream or passion, whether it be in school or something else in life. These things, I feel, are important to a healthy transition to college life. Even with this information, however, the transition wouldn't be perfect. Though it would be a lot smoother because just having a bit of knowledge can change everything. This understanding that I have now has been of great benefit to my continued education and has helped keep me in school.

As a high school senior I asked every college student I came across dozens of questions regarding their transition into college. The common factor I noticed in every answer I received was that every single person had a different take on it. The transition into college life is a very personal and unique experience to each individual. If I had the opportunity to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I could only advise myself to enjoy every second of it and cherish each memory as stressful or confusing as it may be. The reality is you only experience this transition into a new life once and starting out on a most positive note will heavily contribute to the rest of your days in your new environment. I would remind myself to be gracious and thankful everyday for the opportunity placed in front of me because so many people around the world never have the opportunity I have been given. I wish I could go back and tell myself to worry less and enjoy all the twists and turns of this experience, which I have been so privileged, to embark on.

Do not work at a place the closes past 9 pm!!!

Do not be afraid of not fitting in or feeling awkward. College is a place where you are suppose to push your self out of your comfort zone, so do it and do it fast. There is no reason that you should wait to pursue your passions! Even if there is something that just randomly hit you as something fun to try, FOLLOW THROUGH with it. If you do that then you will not have any regrets from your four years in college. I know you are a social person and making memories is important to you, but you are also here as a student. So, if you want to succeed and have fun at the same time put together study groups, so you can get to know people and have fun while getting work done at the same time!

Don't choose a college just because your sibling went there. Don't choose a college just because your friends are going there. Consider the school you go to now. Does it have a big, or a small number of people? Are you comfortable there? If you're comfortable, choose a college that is similar in size. Going from a small school, where you know most of the people, to a very large school can be extremely difficult and depressing if you're not very outgoing. When you get to college, read the terms and conditions. Don't simply think you know what they are; "this is a one-year program ? you are signing up for Fall AND Spring." Spend a lot of time studying, but don't spend too much time in your dorm. Go out and meet people, otherwise, it's going to be a lonely year. Discover all that your campus has to offer; a gym, a movie theater, a 24-hour diner, a circus, a convenience store, 8 different libraries; find it all, and be a part of it. There are no perks to being a wallflower in college.

Living in the dorms is the best advice I can give any high school senior. Now, you may think, "Why would I want to share a small room with a person I've never met before?" What you don't realize now is just how many perks there are to living on campus. I can simply wake up 30 minutes before class and walk down the street to my first class in the morning. All of the resources you are going to need will be walking distance from you: the library, restaurants, tutors, help sessions, whatever you may need! Plus, by not driving to campus, you are making a difference environmentally, as well. The people I have met living on my floor have become lifetime friends. We are all in this together; making mistakes and trying new things for the first time. Everyone will be there for you for the good and bad times and, trust me, you are going to want them there during the stressful times (like exam week!), too. If you are considering moving to an apartment your first year, you may be missing out on the opportunities that await by living on campus.