Gustavus Adolphus College Top Questions

Hey, silly, younger me! Don't go in with your heart set on everything you're going to do; this is the time to reinvent yourself! Be open to trying new things, and it's okay to feel like you're making a fool of yourself. Everyone else feels really awkward at first, too, so don't be afraid to be the one to ask them to go somewhere. Have fun!

There are so many little insights that I wish I could go back and give myself looking back now. I think the greatest of these, however, is to just let go and take it all in. We as a culture tend to focus so much on the future we forget to live in the present. We forget to enjoy the little things until they are gone, and that is a shame. I have struggled up to this point, and at times still do, with trying to figure out what I am going to major in and what my future is going to look like. While, yes it is important to look ahead and make a plan for yourself, it is okay to not know every aspect about your future. That is what makes your life worth living! You have the ability to learn and discover as you grow as a student and as a person. If we knew what our life would be, it wouldn't be worth living. Life is about the journey. I remind myself that now, and if I could go back, I would challenge myself to have fun, explore different subjects, and just live.

Study HARD. Do as many different things in high school that you can possibly do. Maintain the highest grade point average you can. DO NOT DRINK OR DO DRUGS OR SMOKE OR HAVE SEX! DO NOT post stupid pictures on facebook that would defame or belittle yourself or OTHERS, your family, your church or your God. GET LOTS OF SLEEP. If you have to work outside of school, try to keep it to a minimum. Money isn't everything. SCHOOL is your NUMBER ONE JOB. DO NOT own a car. It is outrageously expensive, insurance is crazy and it does NOT make you look cool. VISIT every college campus you are interested in. You will know in your gut which one is right for you. Go to school EVERY SINGLE DAY unless you are violently ill. RESPECT your teachers in every possible way. BE KIND TO EVERYONE as you will never know who or whom just MIGHT BE YOUR BOSS one day. DO NOT burn bridges. When you are getting ready and packing for college and when you are all done, put AT LEAST half of it back. Dorm rooms are SMALL! last but not least, RELAX.

Dear High School Senior, You are about to graduate from high school, a very small fish leaving a very small sea. You have been accepted into a fabulous college and you are no longer in a small sea, but a very small fish in a very BIG ocean. My advice to you is that if you didn't score at least a 32 on your ACT, TAKE IT OVER and take it until you get a high score. The more scholarships you get, the less loans you will have to take out. Do EVERYTHING extracurriuclar that you can that might involve your major. Take PSEO and advanced placement classes. Take at least ONE foreigh language. Go out for the plays, the musicals... play in the marching band, sing in ithe choir, keep your cell phone locked up all day while you are in school. Learn what your :womens intuition: and gut feelings are and LEARN TO TRUST THEM. LISTEN to your parents. Listen to your teachers. Keep stupid pictures of yourself off of all social media. Do NOT let 5 minutes of stupidity be forever remembered on facebook. learn to prioritize, DO NOT SMOKE, DRINK, or do drugs. EVER

If I could go back and give myself advice about the major change I was about to experience I would tell myself to always have an open mind. Leaving high school, I left behind a part of the comfort I've felt in school for the past thirteen years. Going into college everyone meets new people from all parts of the state or country. I would tell myself to not be so narrow minded and expand my horizons and get to know new people. Another thing I would tell myself that college is the time to find yourself and to explore new things because you'll never know what may be the best fit. Being open minded will allow any incoming student to learn new things and will make the time spent in college much more enjoyable.

Even though everyone tells you that high school is the best years of your life, that is not true at all. College is so much more enjoyable than you could ever imagine. Don't worry so much about having to start over and make friends; they come with time. In fact, the friends you make in college are going to be very good friends that are going to be there for you when you need them. I know you're worried about not fitting in and about being thought of as the nerdy girl that you were in high school, but believe me when I tell you that college isn't like that. People here accept you for who you are and if you're smart and do well, people are actually proud of you and don't belittle you. Also, the classes aren't as hard as you fear and the homework doesn't take you hours. You have plenty of time - too much time, in fact - to meet people. Just remember, the most important thing about college is finding yourself. Keep an open mind and go with the flow and everything tends to fall into place!

The reminiscence of time brings us back to the days of friendships, schoolwork, and serving our community, all with the ultimate goal of getting into college on our minds. Now that I have been in college, and discovered how different it is from high school, and the caliber of academic expectations, I would go back in time to advise myself to make some changes. I was always a great student all the way through school, striving for success and driven to complete goals, but there are always areas that could use improvement. I would first advise myself to take as many advanced placement (AP) courses as possible. They may seem hard at the time, but will only lead to greater success in college. Beginning to learn the workload, demand, and expectations sets you off on a better foot sooner than later. I would also advise myself to make stronger networking connections with local employers and community members. It always helps to have connections already implemented, because you never know when you may need to contact someone for advice, a letter of recommendation, or even future employment. Lastly, I would get more involved, because it never hurts to do more.

Don't sit by yourself so often it is a good thing to ask if you can sit with someone, especially if they are sitting alone too. You might just meet a few interesting people that way.

Make sure you set aside enough time for homework. It is important to actually re-study material throughout the semester instead of just right before finals. Don't be shy; be brave and go out and get to know people. Your first year will go by a lot faster than you thought it would, and you'll regret the times you missed out on hanging out with friends. Don't be afraid to try new things; even a game of football with friends can be fun and help you bond with people. It's okay if you don't get along with your roommate very well. There are plenty of other people on campus to be friends with and next year you'll get to choose your roommates. Enjoy college because you only get to be there for four years! Make the most of it!

Be prepared for changes-- some will be minor, but others will affect your entire life. College is supposed to be more challenging than high school, but depending on your major, your classes will be more difficult than your hardest AP class. In high school you were able to be in sports, maintain top grades, and be in countless other groups; consequently, because of the difficulty of classes, you'll need to use your time much more carefully. Dropping sports or extra groups does not make you a failure; it just means that you are prioritizing your precious time. Everyone is different, with various class schedules, preparation, and areas of study. The first year on campus is important for making connections and friends but don't overdo it; transfer students make friends just as easily as anyone else. You won't ace every test to come your way; in fact, you will fail occasionally for the first time in your life. What matters is how you change your study habits and prepare for the next exam. Lastly, truly cherish your final year at home and time with family. Once you leave, it will never be quite the same coming back.

I would tell myself that the transition to college is not as terrifying as it seems. All you have to do is be prepared for new things, keep an open mind, and be yourself. Your classmates will accept you for who you are and the professors are truly interested and dedicated in your life and helping you succeed. Never be afraid to ask for help!

I would say to my senior high school self, “Girl, you better start applying for scholarships NOW. If you wait until after you entered college to apply for scholarships, you will be sorry. Also, make sure you look at all possible was to get text books cheaper. And make sure you do the homework, even if it is not for a grade. Also, don’t take peoples ‘advice’ when they say not to take a mathematics class during the summer semester. With the amount of math you need you will not be able to get them all done in two years, no way no how. If you hear about a study session held by other students in one of your classes, MAKE SURE you ask if you can join. Do not, I repeat do NOT, allow you to talk yourself into procrastinating. Even if your homework is not due for a week, do it either that night or the next evening. I know for a fact you WILL forget and the evening before class you will be up until 11:00 pm trying to finish it. Also, when you enroll in Physics I, GET THE SOLUTIONS MANUAL! It will help.”

If I could go back in time to my senior year of high school, I would stress the importance of being confident in the person that I have become. College presents countless new experiences to incoming freshman students that they may or may not have ever encountered before. In my own personal experience, I had not faced many of the wide-ranging decisions that I was suddenly presented with in college. While many of the people around me started to succumb to peer pressure, I was faced with a dilemma. At times I started to question everything that I felt to be true about myself and my values. If I had been more confident in the strong person that I have become, the decision making process would have been a lot easier. I would not have even thought twice about the choices that I have always thought to be right prior to college life. College is a time of transitions and of struggles but being fully assured of yourself as a strong individual then a lot of the stress can be pushed to the side and the fun and exciting times can prevail.

I have learned so much from my time at Gustavus. The most important thing I learned is time management. I thought I was prepared when it came to time management, since I practically lived in a car driving from one town to another for athletic practice. I knew what it was like to have to get a lot done in little time and to do it well. Then came college and you say, “Hey! I only have 3-5 hours of class a day! I’ve got all the time in the world to get things done.” I hate to burst your bubble but that is not how it works. For example, they say to be successful in a science class you need to spend two hours outside of class for every one hour of class to be successful, add in lab time and you have about nine hours per week for just one class. Each week you have to say, "I have this, this, and this to get done", and decide when to do it. Time management isn’t limited to class. It allows me to pursue activities that enrich my life as well as the lives of others.

Not only have I received an awesome education so far, I have come to appreciate those around me and little things I used to take for granted. I am very close to my family so leaving for school was a struggle but it made me realize how fortunate I truly am. I'm so lucky to be able to attend such an amazing school, have a family that supports me, and friends that stick with me through it all. Although the interesting concepts and lectures I have listened to this past year will stick with me forever, one thing that has completely changed me is my love and appreciativeness for everyday I?m blessed with. Attending Gustavus College and experiencing that separation from my family and old friends has given me this opportunity for self growth, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

What have I gotten out of my college experience? All the tools I need to be a great nurse. I thought about taking my classes online in fact, I took a few online. When I started the nursing program things changed, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done and still strive to do. The personal contact with my classmates has made the whole nursing experience worth the attendance. Breaking the barrier of touching people is one of the hardest yet most basic things we have to do as a nurse. Getting out of my comfort zone and laying my hands on my friends was extremely difficult. Contact is hard for a lot of people and as a nurse our contact is with strangers which makes it ever harder. Attending at a campus helped me and my classmate break out of our shells and into the healing world. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and gained everything I need to be successful. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner, sure it's hard but it's worth it!

My college experince has strengthened my confidance and taught me to never give up. I remeber my first year in college, I felt so overwhelmed with homework, exams, classes and everything else that comes with being a student. I knew i wasnt doing my best in class or studying as hard as I could. By my second year I was determined to be more organized and self motivated. I went to the student help centers, I got myself a tutor and talked to my professors more often. Thats another thing college taught me, hardwork and scarafice do pay off in the end and also to surround myself with others who have similiar goals and high expectations for themsleves. My last semester was tough, my classes werent the easiest especially my chemistry class. I remeber when I took my my first exam, I was so confidant I would pass with flying colors, to my surprise I got a C. So i changed the way i studied and by the final exam i was making A's. That class taught me to believe in myslef again and made me realize that whatever i put my mind to i can acheieve.

I have attained a wonderful love of learning, an amazing group of friends, and the determination to have an amazing life. I will use my scholarships to attain a higher education, and use that education to see the world, find a job I love, and continue learning throughout my adult life.

I would like to suceed in Life , actually be something and make something of my self.I would like to have a Job a house,& my own truck/car.And Not have to rely on other people,I would like to be self sufficient & make my own income. And above all I would like to have a Education that will help me suceed in my future career.

I have grown up alot through my year at college. I had a daughter and worked part time but always like to go to class. it was the one thing i got to do for myself. its very important to me to go to college because me and my sister are the first to get an educated for five generations. I hope to someday make enough money to pay for my son and daughter to go to college.