George Mason University Top Questions

First I would tell myself, "Stop wasting your time"! I kick myself every time I think of all the stupid stuff I used to do to impress my friends or girls. I would tell my younger self to think about where I want to be when I'm twenty-five. Then I would say, "I'm barely closer to that goal at twenty-five because I did not put myself in classes I needed to pursue that career". Staying in school would be the main point I would stress. Having a few years of working minimum wage jobs and living the poor life was very effective in getting me motivated for school, but I should have learned that it was a dead end from watching others while I went through school. It would be important that I told myself that I'm not worthless and that only through following my dream would I feel truly happy. So all in all, a simplified version of my speech would be, "You have a wonderful life ahead of yourself and the amount of work needed to reach this better life is insignificant when compared to the joy and wonder it will bring you".

If I could go back to high school and tell myself one piece of advice it would be to do what you love. Prior to George Mason University, I attended another 4-year university not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. However, I ended up falling in love with my first school. I joined a sorority, made friends, went to football games, loved my academic program, etc. While at this school, I was also trying to figure out what I wanted my career to be. My parents and friends were trying to tell me what I should do but nothing seemed to fit my personality and what I wanted in life. After seeing my roommate go through nursing school, I decided that was right for me- a career that I would love. My senior year, I applied to nursing schools and received my acceptance to George Mason University. Although it will take me 6 years till I will be able to have career, I would not take back my first 4 years of college because it made me who I am today and I loved every second of it.

If I could go back and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would encourage myself to not be afraid to explore. My freshman year of college, I tended to avoid social outings and potential friendships. Most of the time, I was simply afraid it would be a wasted effort, or that I would end up getting into trouble. Now, I know that the most fun I've had thus far is achieved by taking chances, and not being scared to try new clubs and organizations that I would have otherwise turned a blind eye to. I would also tell myself to relax and have confidence, because everyone is nervous about doing well. I would encourage myself to foster a group of friends that would support me and encourage the values I hold in high esteem, and to remember that while college is academic, there is just as much to be learned through social growth and through that, personal growth and understanding.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to lose all of my expectations about what the college experience should be and accept that change is inevitable and also helpful. As a transfer student, I feel that I made a lot of mistakes before finally attending George Mason University and being happy. I chose the college I first attended based on unrealistic expectations of who I wanted to be and what I wanted to achieve in life. I wanted to change who I was and I ended up unhappy for the better part of a year because of it. Now, I would tell my high school senior self that it is okay to be yourself and you should completely explore your options to find the perfect school to fit you. With that said, it is also okay to be unsuccessful at first, as I did initially. You almost always have a second chance to find the school that makes you happy. Changes are good and help you grow as a person and it is important to accept your ability to change as well as accept yourself and honor your desires and goals.

I would tell myself to participate in things and events earlier because this allows you to be involved in the university more and with the community more. I would tell myself to make a point to get to know those in my residence hall and make sure to go to all the events offered. I would also tell myself to get involved and have school pride because this is extremely important and will help form lasting friendships and help with networking down the line. I would also probably tell myself that I could study a little bit harder :)

Don't be so scared, it's not as bad as you thought it was going to be. You spent way too much time worrying about what college would be like, not knowing where to go, and what to do, that you forgot to enjoy you're last year. You're smarter than you think. Just becuase you didn't do as good as you wanted to in high school doens't mean you can't do great at a university, and even if you don't get A's in every class that doesn't mean you didn't learn a lot and get smarter. College is about finding out what you want to do and who you want to be. It's about making mistakes and learning as you go in a way that you were never given a chance to in high school. Being an adult in college is hard, I'm not going to lie, there's more responsibility and accountability, but it's worth it. You have to learn to accept things as a challenge instead of just worrying about them.

My advice would be to take control of your own life and plan out a future. If you plan to go to college, imagine yourself three years from now as a junior in college and ask if this is really what you want. Plan to go to college by taking into account the academic program and your capabilities. Then push your own boundaries to become more independent and really work towards school. At the same time, learn to take care of yourself; become responsible for everything you do. After high school, life becomes more serious and you need to begin thinking for the future as soon as possible. Pick an obtainable but meaningful degree program, avoid excessive student loans to get there, pick a career field that you will enjoy and also make a living from. And do not be afraid to take on more work than you think you can handle; you will surprise yourself what you can deal with when you really commit. Keep in mind that this is working towards your adult life, make it worth living. Along the way, give yourself small rewards to remind you how your hard work will pay off in the end.

If i Had the oppertunity to go back and talk to my self as a senior in high school i would tell my self to keep up the good work and grades for my senior year. Then i would tell my self that once i left home to go to school that i would need to make sure that all of me leaves needs to leave home and to focus on the school work, and stop thinking about whats happening back home. For if you focus on the school work college will be a lot easier and don't worry about working all the time, because what you sacrifce now to get the schooling done quicker will pay off in the long run. Also i would tell myself to prepare if i ever went to a community college that they are like high school and the the students complain alot, so to try and stay with the bigger universities. Also have fun and enjoy that time period of life.

As a high school senior I was very stressed about getting in to various colleges. I didn't know what program I wanted to get into and all I cared about was the prestige of the institution. If I could go back, I'd simply tell myself to stop stressing out so much about the prestige of an undergraduate institution. I know now that the job market has become so competitive that the majority of career paths that interest me require a master's degree to get anywhere. I would tell myself to focus more on finding an institution that has a very strong curriculum so that I could become a desirable, well-trained, and well-educated candidate for a prestigious graduate school. I could then happily recommend George Mason University to my younger self as an undergraduate institution that would provide me with the best education that I could ever hope for.

Hey Farah! you are nice and naive so be prepared for college. Have fun and study hard. Always ask for help when you need it. Professors are just like rest of us, they want to be appreciated and want to know that you are interested in learning.

Knowing what I know now about college life, I would advise myself as a college senior to think ahead more. I didn't apply to very many schools, and I only applied for a few scholarships-- and now, in college, I find myself wishing that I had fully considered my options and taken advantage of every opportunity. The best advice is simple: Be prepared.

I would advise myself to think about my future major and career as soon as possible. You may think you have a lot of time to decide, but guess what time passes by too quickly to count.

college life is real. It isnt about having fun, its about building a life career by learning and educating yourself. Teachers work hard to teach us and we should work hard to set an example for our next generation. As senior, I'm step ahead to graduate and I'm more focused than ever. Studying over materials after class helps understand what you just learned more clearly. college life is fun, not as bad as it seems. You can study and have fun at the same time. You can do things on your own time, you're more independent and focused.

In order to be successful you need two things; some time and desire. With this you will be able to get exceptional grades. You will want to study and learn everything there is to know about every subject. Knowing what field you want will keep you focused and not switch from major to major, and take unrequired classes. Here are a few pointers i picked up durring my years in college. some you already know but all are important. College is just like highschool but getting an A is more important than just passing the class. Your GPA will be more important and its the driving force into getting into graduate school. Doing some research in your junior year is important. Knowing how to have fun and relax is as important as not procrastinating for an exam.

Experiencing a situation is the best way to learn how to handle it the next time you are presented with it again. With that being said, there are so many things I would tell my high school senior self when preparing for college. First off, is that college is not like high school and allows you to have more free time. Balancing my schedule was difficult in the beginning, but with planning and focusing on my goals, I developed useful time management skills. I would also suggest to get involved with more than one extra cirricular activity that will force you to step out of your comfort zone. We all have interest and passions, but being in a new environment will reveal new interests that you never knew you had. Hard work, dedication, participate in volunteer activities, building relationships with professors, and meeting people of diversity are all key actions to ensure a prosperous and enjoyable time of one's life. College is for enjoyment, developing oneself, and determining major and career that you are passionate about, therefore make the most out of it and do not stress.

If I could go back in time and give myself some college advice, I woul tell myself to apply for college. Do not take a break after high school because it will become more difficult to find your way back to education. It becomes a very rough road without proper schooling under your belt. College may be a scary place and you may think that college is only for those that have money but there are many ways to get assistance. College is actually easier for a bright mind like yours.

I would tell myself to relax more and have more fun. Sometimes I feel like I get too caught up in the academic side of college and forgot the other parts. It feels like I'm just learning now to get more involved and my college career is almost over. I wish I had realized this sooner.

This may not seem critically important to most people, but one piece of advice I would give my high school self is to not enter college in a long-distance relationship. There are so many aspects of college life that I separated myself from in order to please my boyfriend and make sure I kept our relationship strong. In high school, I pretty much knew everyone by name. I was the student body president by my senior year and involved in numerous activities. In short: I was comfortable with my environment and comfortable with myself. Unfortunately, things changed when I got to college. Since I went to a considerably larger school than my Catholic high school, I knew close to no one. Instead of remedying the situation by going out and meeting a lot of people, I kept to myself a good amount of the time and just talked to my boyfriend on the phone or through text messages. I started to only focus on what made him happy and neglected my own personal needs. This made me hate my school because I cried so much, when really the dissatisfaction came from within me, not the school itself.

I can try to write this essay in 200 words or less but I can honestly say that it wouldn't be done to the best of my ability. I initially wrote it before I completed the survey and before I knew that there was a word limit and I am proud of what I have written because it's the truth. Cutting out all the other parts and just leaving it with 200 measily words would make it incomplete. I've worked hard on this as have other applicants and put so much time and effort and depth into this essay so I hope that you'll take a chance and read it. I didn't know any other way to post it except through my tumblr so I ask that you just take the time to still consider my entry. http://amiramiraonthewall.tumblr.com/post/28458862370/what-i-would-tell-my-high-school-self

Being from a family of 7, I wasn't able to attend college right out of high school. Instead I took a full time job to be able to pay for a truck in order to be able to attend college out of town. Now that i've paid off my truck, I am finally able to attend college and be an example for my younger siblings and teach that an education is most important. If I could turn back time to high school, I would tell myself to follow the Dave Ramsey course that we took in one of our economics class. That would of helped me pay off my truck so much faster and would of been able to attend college alot faster. Also, having to take my ACT or SAT in high school would of been alot easier for me and taking duel credit classes would of helped. I will be attending Victoria College in the Fall of 2012 for LVN, and eventually turning towards RN.