Indiana University-South Bend Top Questions

If I were able to go back in time and teach myself something it would be to quit being ignorant. I believed since I was going to a local college I did not have to apply for any scholarships I thought I would be fine; however, throughout my first year in college I have seen my Mom struggle. My parents are seperated and my dad does not help with my college leaving my mom and I to do it by ourselves. If I would have known that my mom would be struggling to help me earlier on I would have tried harder in high school and aimed to get more scholarships. In the end this would not just benefit my mom but my future as well. College can be fun but it definitely takes time and money.

To focus only on school for the next 4 years, beacuse they are very important. To get the best grades posible and maintain a good attendace.

I would tell myself this. Be yourself. The mistakes you made in the past dont matter in college. This new life that you are about to experience is a clean slate for you and you have a chance to change your ways. Transitioning isn't bad at all. You would think that it would be hectic and overwhelming but its quite easy. You meet some pretty cool people and make new friends who will be their to support you. Classes are going to be easy at first then gradually get harder as the weeks go on. The study skills you have now will be no where good enough for college. Study as much as possible. The teachers give you a syllabus that tells you when the tests are and when homework is due. Dont fall behind! Dont get distracted with your phone or ipod while you do homeowork. It takes forever and it hinders what you learn. But most of all, have fun and enjoy your new life. Do your best and above all, Honor God.

I would tell myself to not get caught up in the 'college life' and to try and not be over whellmed. It's okay to fail, but it's important to learn from those failers and make yourself a better person. And if nothing else, please study and do the homework.

The advice that I would give myself as a high school senior about the trasition to college life would be to not take some many classes that a stressfull and challenging at the same time. I would tell my high senior self this because adjusting to college life is very stressfull and requires time. You are trying to adjust to a harder work load and the stress of making a new friends all while trying not to get lost on your way to class. It is better to take the first semester a little easy to keep you sanity and to maintain a higher GPA. It will also give you the confidence you need to tackle harder classes if you have sucessful semesters to begin you college career. You will know that you are able to achieve academic sucess in the classroom setting. In return, you will enjoy your educational expreience for the next four years, which is very a rewarding and fulfilling. It will also giving you time to enjoy the many experiences that college has to offer and the oportunity to make life long friends.

"Dear self, as you make this transition into college times are going to get rough. You will lose some friends and make some new ones. You will grow closer to your friends and grow further away from your family. I could just tell you what mistakes you will make if you do this or do that, but instead I just am going to give you some advice so that maybe you can save yourself and make better decisions than your already future self. If there is one thing to say, it's to sit back and listen. Even though you want to be an adult and not listen to your parents trust me they know so much more than what you think. Even when you think they are wrong and they don't know what they are talking about take note of what they say. They only say it because they love you and can see that you are getting yourself into some difficult situations. Keep true to yourself and don't let anyone change you and try to change what you believe, they just aren't worth it. With that I say good luck and have fun! Sincerely, Yourself"

If I could go back and give my high school self advice I would encourage them to do their best and not give up. This is something I have always seemed to struggle with because I don't always process the material the first time, in turn I get discouraged and frustrated, but I always knew college was the direction I was headed. After taking a year off to save up for college I decided to begin with general courses, with time I found my direction and have learned how to better stay motivated, as well as better study habits. I would have liked to start off stronger in my college education, but I value my mistakes as well because I am able to strive all the more for a degree!

Go with the flow. Don't worry so much. Everything will work out in the right timing.

I would tell myself not to wait to get involved. It's so important here to actively seek people to interact with. I would tell myself not to be afraid and to challenge myself because that's the only way I'll ever learn. Don't underestimate myself, I'm stronger and more confident than I ever thought and it would be nice to have heard that going in. I would tell myself to not be afraid to change your mind and follow your heart. It's important to make sure you are doing what you love. Mostly I would just remind myself that I am an amazing young woman and I can do anything I set my mind to.

Dear Rob, This is you two years in the future. I know you may be bummed about not getting into a 4-year University, but it's okay. You should really look into engineering your first semester at college to see if it's right for you. Waiting a year just to find out it's not is not worth it. Plus it will set you back another year to find out what you really enjoy. Don't ever stop in your athletics or else you WILL regret it. Lastly, make sure to try and be as open with people as you can and get social, you do not want the next couple years of your life to be lonely, trust me. Remember, you should be having fun in college, but school ALWAYS comes first. Love, -Rob

Do as well as you can on AP exams so that you can receive as much college credit as possible!

I would tell myself to go to sleep earlier and check what will be needed for class ahead of time. Get ahead on the work when possible because playing catch-up is harder. Don't hesitate to get involved in extra-curriculars and find what sesne of community there is on campus. Because so many people commute to this school and many also work there is not much of a community but it is there and worth finding. Don't stress so much over your professors, they can all be dealt with with a healthy dose of apathy towards their opinions and a focus on the actual coursework. Don't hesitate to take more ellectives. Make sure to look for other places to find the textbooks a few weeks before classes start as they charge too much at the campus book store.

I would advice my self to aquire good time management and study skill as a high school senior to be better prepared for high school.

Going back, I would give lots of advice about college and what to expect once you attend a commuter college, such as Indiana University South Bend. I would tell myself that the options in finding parking spots are very limited and you must arrive very early in order to get a great spot and arrive to class on time. I would tell myself to get more involved in on-campus projects or clubs/sports because getting involved helps you meet so many new people and get comfortable with your institution.

If I could go back and talk to myself during my senior year of high school I would tell myself to not be so nervous. I would also tell myself that high school and college or completely different. That once I got into college I would need to actually study more then what I needed to do in high school. I would tell myself to read the textbook and to work the problems at the end of each chapter for practice. I would also tell myself to have some fun. Go out and meet new people. People dont act like they did in high school. College is a place to start over and to make new friends. I would tell myself to join more clubs and go to more soccer and basketball games. To not be so shy in class and make a group of friends that I can study with before major test. If I could have started doing this my freshmen year of college instead of my junior year then college would have been a smoother transition for me.

Ask more questions, expand your horizons, and don't be afraid of change. The plan you make for your life at age 18 does not have to be set in stone; things change, plans change, people change. Change is good--and if you embrace it and make the best with what you have at your disposal, you will be a success. College is harder than high school--more work is required, but the rewards are greater. Don't limit yourself or your dreams, because anything is possible with hard work, committment, patience, and a little luck.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself some much needed advice. First, always go to class. Not every professor teaches the same, and sometimes missing a single class will get you really far behind. Second, do not be afraid of being wrong when answering questions in class as it's often the wrong answers that reinforce the correct ones. Third, take advantage of the professors' office hours to get help with unclear material, and also use the tutoring resources, which are free at IUSB. Don't feel that you have to try to succeed on your own, the professors really want you to do well and will gladly help move you in the right direction. Fourth, don't ever put off studying until the last minute, this is college not high school! And finally, study early and often, and ask questions, ask questions, ask questions!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I probably would of told myself to be more serious about high school and not joke around. I could of had a lot more opportunity to go to different schools. I would of told myself to make the best I could in high school, taking every class seriously, going to seek help when I needed to and to not give up and slack off like i really did. I would definitely of told myself to transition a little better than I did this time around. Coming from Honolulu Hawaii to South Bend Indiana was definitely a transition I was not ready for. I would of prepared myself psychologically, mentally, and physicaly to come here. All in all I was glad I did what I did but if I made those slight changes I would be better than I am today.

My college experience has given me confidence and it has given me an open-mind. Growing up from a poor family gave me a strict world view, self view, and cultural view. In many ways, the limitaions on my outward viewing lens had caused myself to loose great opportunities. IUSB has given me a sense of professionalism and I can now view others as collegues rather than authoritarians. I have learned where my educational passions lie by continuously refining them with the help of acedemic counselors and work/research opportunities. I have discovered ways to help fellow students or neighbors ranging from next door to around the world. I have been shown a whole new world that contains arts, music, and career positions that I may have never known to exsist. There isn't any area of my life that education and this university has not touched. I have become unbound to my strict views I learned early in life and know that I have wonderful tools to use for my own success and to use to help others find their successes.

My college experience has really helped me understand what it's going to take to succeed in the outside world. I was homeschooled through high school and jumped into college work with minimal experience in public schools, and it was difficult at first, but I learned to adapt to new situations and make the most of them. It has taught me that hard work is really the only way to succeed in school, and that work has led me to a job that I love.