Melissa
I began my college journey in 2002 after graduating high school. After my first semester I made the decision to take some time off. In 2005 I decided to grab life by the horns and take control of my future by registering for the fall semester. It was the best decision of my life. I have gained extensive knowledge in areas such as marketing, business law, health, and economics among other subjects. I have learned that it is okay if I don?t comprehend something the first time. I took Statistics three times and finally passed on the third attempt. Passing Statistics gave me a sense of empowerment. I never thought I would make it through that class but I did it. I have gained extreme satisfaction in knowing that I have been able to accomplish each and every class while also working full time. Time management has never been my strong suit. College has taught me how to manage my time and it has been an invaluable asset to have. A price cannot be put on my college education. Without it I may not be able to achieve all that life has to offer.
Hannah
Although only currently a freshman, I have gained many skills, and invaluable knowledge at Georgia State University. Since Georgia State is located in downtown Atlanta, it is easy to let yourself get distracted by the energy of the city or loose sight of your goals as a student. Attending Georgia State University has pushed me to develop effective time management skills and a level of independence that allow me to feel confident living in a large city and succeeding at a competative university. For instance, I have found that making lists are a very effective way to prioritize assignments, chores or errands to make sure that everything gets done and that everything gets done on time. Also, I have gained a sort of "academic stamina" that allows me to pace myself for the long hours of study time that are required to succeed at Georgia State. Georgia State has played a key part in my maturation associated with the transition between a high school child and a collegiate adult.
De'Aunta'
I have learned that it is always vital and important to me the specific times for deadlines. It has been quite a struggle trying to pay for college and not having much support however, determination is also needed to be successful. I have also learned that no one will help you with your needs if you do not first help yourself.
Maria
For all of the complaining that I have done about Georgia State University - for every time I felt discontent or frustration - I must be fair and say that I could not have enjoyed such a wealth of formative experiences anywhere else. GSU allowed me to receive a bachelor's degree without going into debt. GSU allowed me to spend a year abroad in France to receive language certification, also for free. GSU allowed me to grow - both academically and personally - without having to worry about money.
Attending GSU has been a great gift. Due to financial reasons, I may not have been able to go to college straight out of high school. Now, almost five years after I first stepped foot on campus, I am prepared to study for my master's degree. My knowledge, experience, and eagerness would not have been at the level they are now had I not studied at GSU.
Rachel
Although I have only been a student at Georgia State University for a little more than one semester, I have gotten a lot out of the experience. First and foremost, I have taken on a lot of responsibility by being a full-time student and part-time waitress. This has helped me to efficiently prioritize my time to get the most out of school and work. Secondly, I have been forced to go out and meet new people that I would not ordinarily meet in my small hometown of Rome, GA. It feels refreshing to be in a completely new environment with brand new people because that in itself is a learning process. Lastly, I have learned not to take school for granite because having a degree allows you to go so far. College is beneficial to anyone, but I personally love Georgia State Univeristy because it has taught me more than just academics. For the first time ever I have school spirit.
Alexis
As a high school senior, I was a complete nervous wreck. The thought of going to a completely new place like college gave me anxious chills and worries. However, if I were able to talk to myself as a high school knowing what I know now, I would simply advise myself to be calm. The transition to college life was not as horrifying as I had initially imagined. At first, it was difficult to manage my newfound independence while maintaining good grades; however, as long as one keeps their dedication to their education intact, one's priorities become quite clear. College is a great place to establish one's independence away from home and cultivate a broader understanding of the world.
Solis
Could I go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I'd tell myself to do much more research on my possible majors and the types of departments they consisted of. By this I mean, "How new is this department? Will the faculty give me what I need academically? " I may have also taken a semester off before I started college. In retrospect, I feel I jumped into college immediately because that was the standard, but I would have liked to sit down and ask myself "Is this really what I want to do?"
Steven
First research the schools that you are interested, find out everything from the costs to the courses, and even the organizations on campus. one thing i've learned is that one should be as knowledgeble as one can when selection a college. it's always good to keep in mind the things that you are interested in or like to do. Secondly, one must become an extrovert. visit the campus(es), speak with current students and/or faculty members, get phone numbers, e-mails, try your best to have contact with people. be sure to do your fafsa in the beginning of the year, financial aid is crucial when selecting a possible college. Be optimistic, most of the college professers or more than willing to aid a student in any way that they can so never be to shy to ask for help. UTILIZE THE LIBRARY!!! there are so many resources and the library is a great place to focus and get things done. Lastly, enjoy yourself, take pictures, participate in different events, make friends, and try to end each day with a smile and a hope that the next day can be just as good!
Nina
If I could go back in time and give myself advice of when I was a senior I would tell myself what a lot of obvious things that people told me everyday. I would tell myself to study more and pay less attention about how I dressed and materialistic things because once you go to college it doesn't matter anymore. I would have tried to do a few more extracurricular activities so I could get more scholarships to help pay for school. I would tell myself to continue with good study habits because once you reach college, no one spoon feeds you what you need to know. Reading through text and picking out points that are important is a wonderful skill to have. The professors don't give study guides and review them over with you and those questions won't be exactly the same on the test as they were in high school. If I could go back in time I would try tell myself to stop trying the "find myself" because that comes a lot easier once you go to college.
Ki'ara
As a high school senior, one does not know what to expect in their near future. After making that transition into college, now in my second semester, there are quite a few things that I would tell myself. I would emphasize how important it is to get involved on campus. As a student, you are always told to make yourself marketable, but of course it is not really clear as to "why." Depending on one's situation, that transition can be very difficult. While it is important to always maintain good grades, having a social life is what really gives you that "college" experience. Stay in touch with family members and close friends.Never let go of relationships because of a change in environment. Order your textbooks early! And make as many friends as you possibly can. I do not regret any of my experiences so far while I've been in college. On the other hand, these few words of advice would have helped tremendously!
Jeff
I would tell myself to stay in school at any cost. That while life has a tendency to intervene and derail you from your passions and it may seem like the right thing to do is to continue down the path of employment that has been thrust upon you, do not follow that path. I would tell myself that if you start your future now, instead of waiting, that the rewards of a life based on a passion that you truely enjoy are far richer than any monetary compensation for the life that is sucked out of you by something that is just a job.
Katie
Throughout my senior year I struggled with making the decision of where to go to college. I am from a small town in Michigan and had a steady boyfriend for the past year and a half. I felt as though I needed to get away and see what life was like outside of this town I had grown up in. I applied for a school in Atlanta called Georgia State. The idea of moving that far away both fascinated and scared me. I had to make the choice on staying close to my loved ones or take the chance on something new. I eventually took the chance and moved to Atlanta. I learned that I am a strong independent person that can make it on my own. It was something I had to do for myself and it has been quite a journey. It has been worth every problem, every lonely night, and every new friend made along the way. So if I could go back a year from now and talk to myself. I would merely say, ?Go for it.? Don't ever sell yourself short because of fear. Take this opportunity and run with it.
JazaRae
If I could go back in time, there would be so much to tell! I would tell myself to actually pay attention. College classes are way more challenging than high school classes. In high school, it was very easy for me to just study last minute and recieve an easy A. There is more to college than last minute studying. You have to study daily and actually look at the material given to you by your instructors. Also, be prepared for freedom! The freedom to come and go as you please, the freedom to simply not go to classes, and the freedom to try new things might come between you and your study time. You need to learn how to manage your moey, study time, and free time wisely.
Tabitha
Tabitha, please sit down and breathe before you freak out. I have wise words to tell you from your future. First things first, I know you think you have all the time in the world to put forth an effort in high school but you don't! Your HOPE GPA is hanging by a thread so RIGHT NOW is the time to start applying yourself so you can get your HOPE GPA up to par! You can save Mom, Dad, and yourself the drama, heartache, stress, and sleepless nights (not to mention student loans) if you bust your butt in school right now. Second of all, don't be so quick to think of science as your weak point. Be more open minded to your science classes; you'll be surprised to know that you might actually LIKE it and want to pursue it even more in college! Start getting used to making and following (consistently) study schedules and set aside time for homework; those are good habits to start familiarizing yourself with my friend. Stay in and get your work done via weekends; trust me when I say you have fun times ahead of you as well. Good luck!
Miranda
If I could go back to tell myself something I know now, I would go back and advise myself to stay on campus the freshman year. I had to live at home my first year of school and I feel likeI missed out on so much! GSU has all kinds of exciting events and programs going on during the week and I missed out on them all. If I had stayed on campus my freshman year I could have gotten so much more involved. Plus, living on campus is a quick way to make connections and friends.
April
College life is drastically different from high school, and I would probably tell myself to not be afraid to talk to the professors, and to pursue a degree in Anthropology instead of Biology. As an undergraduate, I was positively terrified of talking to the professors, and in reality, the majority of them are more than willing to get to know the students, especially at Georgia State University. Getting to know the professors would have given me many more connections in academia, which is where I hope to one day work as a professor of Anthropology. Though my experience as a biologist was invaluable, it took me several years to figure out what I truely wanted to study in graduate school, and having a better understanding of my options while I was an undergraduate certainly would have helped in the transition from high school student to undergraduate student. The last piece of advice I would give myself would be to make sure I took an internship as an undergraduate. An internship would not only have given me experience in my field, it would have helped me find a job after graduation and helped my chances of being accepted into graduate school.
Annette
If I could go back in time and speak to my former self, I would have quite a few (much more informed) ideas to pass my way. I would have informed myself to look harder into my future career options, so as not to choose a university for the social life, but instead for the opportunities that it could present to me. If I could tell myself this, I am confident that I would not have transferred universities, and would instead be at the head of my class and fully on my way to the internship that I will need for graduation with a music industry management degree. I would also tell myself to make sure to save my money, because as an independent adult, it seems to go much faster than it comes in. Lastly, I would tell myself to take a priority in time management, because that is absolutely the only way to survive college life! I would say, "Annette, it is never to soon to look towards the future, and never to late to learn from the past."
Latoya
Get involved in organizations on campus so you will become a part of the campus community. That is the easiest way to meet and interact with people that aren't the mirror image of yourself. Set time aside to have fun, but most importantly, set time aside to focus on your grades. A 3.0 average is tough to maintain but almost impossible to gain back. That 3.0 will be used to judge you for scholarships, grants, and your eligiblity for sororities. Even if you are a little shy, make yourself known to people in a good way because you will run into them later in life. One semester you may be in class with the future President of the United States. You would absolutely want him/her to remember you. Always smile. Some may think smiling on the outside will do but it won't. You have to keep a smile on the inside and it was show through on the outside. Don't overload yourself. Just take things one sememster at a time.
Jeffrey
I would most likely take myself down the right path and not become a follower. I would lead most of my friends down the right path also so that they could eventually become something as well as me. A major thing that i would change was my study ethics because as a senior i really didnt study and do all the things i needed to do to be as successful as i should have been. My main focus would be that i need to get a better relationship with my counselors and get more advise. Another major problem was that i should have started applying to schools and getting scholarships alot earlier than i started.
La'Vonne
The advice I would give to myself when I was a senior would be to take things slow. At that time in high school, I was just ready to leave all my youthhood behind and begin a new life in a new city and get my degree as fast as possible. I know now not to rush things and commit to a career before you even have a taste of what the world is like. I thought college would be about partying from Thursday till Sunday, manipulate my professors so I can pass a class with no knowledge of what the course was about, and applying the same lazy attitude towards my work. I would advise myself to not apply those standards and methods towards college because the two are different. I would tell myself to not think of it as a way to rebel against parents and pretend to be an adult with . I would also tell myself to ask for help when needed and not rely on an enormous ego or false wisdom I had about college. I would tell myself to listen because talking did not get me anywhere but a year of failing grades and disappointment.