Iowa State University Top Questions

Don't live in Helser your first year. Live in Richardson court. Switch to mechanical engineering right away. Join a club earlier.

Don't take yourself too seriously. You will be a very different person than you are now in two years. There is no reason to try and be an adult before you are one. Be excited about learning. Be kind to others, and be kind to yourself. Remember to smile, you have so many things to be grateful for. Practice self-discipline, puncuality, and stay focused no matter what life throws at you. Form good habits now, not later. Carry on these traits into college life, and it will be a recipe for success.

For starters, I would tell myself to join the military straight out of high school, instead of leaving halfway through my freshman year. The next thing would be to focus more on getting all of my general education classes done sooner, instead of still taking them my junior year. The last thing would be to enjoy every minute of it.

Your freshman year you will feel anxious about making friends. It's easier said than done, but do not be nervous. Try hard in school, but don't forget that your social life is good for your sanity. Remember why you are here. Take time to think about how lucky you are to attend Iowa State University, and make the most of it. You have no reason to succumb to peer pressure, so just be yourself and be friendly to those around you.

If I could go back and transition back into life at Iowa State, I would remind myself that I am worth so much more than the first guy I meet. Not all guys are what they say they are. It's so important to value who I am and what I believe before getting attention from guys. Other than that there is nothing that I would change. Each step of the way has been a great experience, though it may have been hard, the lessons that I learned and the people that I met have changed my life. I wouldn't change that for the world.

I would tell myself not to be afraid. College life is much more difficult than high school because you are on your own but the funny part is that college teaches you how to be your own person. Everyone in high school is metaphorically holding your hand because there is always someone to hold you accountable. Once you are out on your own, it's all you. You have to hold a full-time job to pay the bills and tuition for school which means balancing the responsibility of class work, hours on the job, and taking care of yourself. In all of that, I got scared and for my entire associate's degree I spent the majority of my time at work or with my nose in a book. I would tell my past self to relax because everything will work out according to God's plan and that even when times seem rough or those long hours at work just won't end, I don't have to worry because I can do all things through Christ and I will succeed in the end and capture that dream I've so longed for.

Stop. Think. Breath. Take a moment to step back for a minute, and take in the vastness of the world today. Fully connected by technology to those around us; information sprinting in every direction; amusement around every corner, yet, you may still feel lost. Distracted. Off-course. There will be pushes, there will be pulls. But your time is precious, so I’d advise you to use it wisely. The free time you’ll gain in college will be the most beneficial resource for your future, if you stay focued. And after those four short years, you will be amazed at how much you’ve grown. The world you once knew will become a land of opportunity. So, practice your talents every day, because those are things that will help you go places in your life. Takes small steps each day towards those big wins. You already know what you want out of life, so don’t hesitate to reach out grab it. Last of all, remember that you can do it. The opportunity is yours. Now go make some music!

Looking back in time after completly one year of college, I would have given myself the advice to have fun while still working hard. I found the transitition different from high school to college because I was not mentally prepared for the increased amount of work and the higher level of difficulty. I would also say to have fun with the people you live with and get involved in several organizations on campus because you will meet the most incredible people and they can be huge tools towards your achievements throughout the years.

Get study habbits down now because it only gets harder from now on.

As I walked across the stage at graduation almost a year ago, I knew my life would be completely different once I walked out of the doors after the ceremony. It was entirely possible that I would never see some of my classmates ever again. It was also very evident to me that I would never have the simple work load of a high school kid again just as my friendships from high school would never be able to stay unaltered after we all left for our respective colleges. All of this change frightened me, I was terrified of what was to come. If I could go back to that very day I would tell myself several things. It may seem as if you won't meet people as awesome as your current friends but you are about to go to a school with 30,000 other people who also want to make friends: it won't be a problem. School is not hard if you actually do your work. Most of all, take a deep breath and enjoy yourself. This is the time of your life, live it.