Iowa State University Top Questions

Be sure to get involved with as many activities as possible! It's a great way to meet new people in a new place.

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I would definitely say to myself as a high school senior to branch outside my comfort zone. In college, there is a lot of different things that I'm not used. I feel if I would have gotten into more unfamiliar situations beforehand, I would know how to handle them better now. I would also tell myself to take as many college courses through my high school as possible. I took about a semester worth, and that helped me immensely once I got to college. I am able to register for classes at better times, and avoided taking gen eds so I can take classes that better occupy my major. I will continue to give this piece of advice to kids in high school thinking about going to a university. Finally, I would tell myself to interact with people. College is all about communication, and if you can do that well you'll go far in college and life. By being a well-rounded person, college will definitely be a successful adventure.

As an adult returning to college after a twenty year hiatus, I would finish college the first time around before I was a mom, employee, trying to juggle so many responsibilities at once. The few years spent to earn a degree certainly pay off in the long run, so if you are able, and I know you are, just persevere and finish! Endure the long hours studying. Ignore the temptation to work full time, earn all that money, and get that car. You can have all those luxuries, and many more, if you just push through the hard times.

I think that I would tell myself to relax a little more. I would say that it's okay to choose a field that I am really passionate about. Trying to please other people with career/academic decisions will only hurt me in the future. Also, I think it's important to follow your heart and find out who you truly are. College is one of the best opportunities to be yourself and find yourself - if only you allow it to happen. Having realistic expectations is important, but going with the flow and adapting to struggles and obstacles is just as important.

Assuming I could travel back in time and give myself some guidelines for attending college, I would have lots of advice for mini-me. First of all, I would tell myself get involved on campus. Being a loner not only made the first part of my college experience boring, it also made it harder to learn. I’d tell myself to join clubs, attend meetings, and be a member of the group. I would caution myself against overdoing it, but I know me, I am in more danger of hiding myself away with my books than I am of partying too much. Secondly, I would tell myself to take more hours in fall semesters, and less in spring. The cold takes its toll on my health, and getting more done in the warmer weather would only help my academic success. However, the best advice I could give myself would be to start searching for scholarships early, and to save every cent I could. It’s hard enough to pay for college without looking back and wondering “what if I had been more responsible in money matters?” I would say more, probably, but now I haven't the time.

The best advice I could give to myself is to cherish every minute of every day and don't grow up too fast. I was in such a rush to graduate from high school and move on to college that I did not truly appreciate my senior year. I wished away too much valuable time that I will never get back. The transition to college is anything but easy. While college will eventually be a rewarding experience, it would have been better to have appreciated my time in high school more than I did.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior there would be many things I would say. The most important thing I would tell myself is that college is HARD. Going to a small high school, you never had the opportunity to skip class, because it would be noticeable. When you go to college, no one is there to make you go to class. However, your grades will reflect if you go to class or not. You also have to study in college. In high school, you can normally scan over things before taking a test and still pass it. In college, the work is a lot more complex and you actually have to study for even a week before the exam. Personally, I wasted my first semester treating it as if it were still high school. My grades suffered, but I learned my lesson. I'm now close to ending my second semester and my grades have improved greatly after I learned this lesson and I wish I would've known before.

I would like to tell what I would do if I could do it all over again. Be "ready" to start college when you do. If you are not ready and dedicated to do your best it will make things harder for you. It is hard to go to class every day when you have friends trying to get you to hang with them. Pick those friends wisely, have good study habits, make a schedule that you can follow for your classes and your study time. If you are not a morning person, do not schedule early classes. Pick days to study, go to the library, etc. and try to keep that schedule as much as possible. Pick days as well to have time to unwind and have fun and be with friends. If you have a class you are having a hard time in ..GET HELP.. from someone that is qualified to help you. Some classes you will not be interested in that are required, but they are needed and in the long run asking for help is easier than dropping the class. Make going to college YOUR decision and do your best and you can do it!!!

If i had a chance to go back in time and change the things i did worng, i would. I would be more focus in my grades and research my college that i wanted to attend even more. I would study day and night, until i knew the material. I would just do everything all over again