James Madison University Top Questions

I would tell myself, don't try to be an adult to fast. That I shouldn't be in a hurry to move in, for college is only the stepping stone to adulthood. I would also tell myself, that experieces in college are one in a lifetime, and that I should grab every single one that comes my way. Last but not least, stay true to who I am, because sometimes jump and sometimes you fall, and with very experince use the knowledge gained because it will only make you stronger.

During my 4 years at First Colonial High School, my experience was usually anything but a dull moment. I’ll just say that I was not your average girl who really carried herself with “grace & poise.” I was actually the chick who always did what she wanted, had no regard for authority & known as the “crazy party girl.” Ages 16 to 18 were the worst of my teenage years, partying & getting in trouble. Over the years, I always found myself learning things the hard way. Looking back, I probably might have done a few things differently: like tell myself to have more respect for others, lose the attitude & inform myself that being 18 doesn’t mean I know everything. Other than that, I probably would not have changed much else. Had I not gone through all of the difficulties, I would have never learned from my adolescent behavior. Nor would I be where I am today, a proud JMU Duke, finally applying myself to be successful. Even though high school really is one of the worst parts of growing up; once you reach college, your experience truly becomes, whatever you make of it.

Go to college as soon as possible and do not quit until you are done! It is really hard going back at an older age because by then you usually have a family and life that you have to rearrange in order to fit college in. Don't wait, life is too short and you will regret waiting...

The excitement of being on your own, having freedom and being independent is as great as you thought, however, it comes with a lot of responsibility. No one will push you to do well, you are your own motivator. Exams are not simply memorize your notes as you did in high school. Professors create exams for you to apply your understanding of what you learned, memorizing notes or quizzes will not help you pass; you must understand the content given to you and how to apply it. Balancing a social life and school can seem daunting, but it can be done, just do not let the freedom of a social life and no curfew interfere with classes. Skipping classes is not like in high school, you usually cannot make up the work or turn it in late. In short, to be ready for this transition realize you are now in charge and the responsibilty of doing well relies solely on yourself, and no one else. It is not a walk in the park, it is hard work and determination, but it is so rewarding finding that major you love.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that I need to work hard on applying for scholarships and really try my best to find money. I would tell myself that I need to take my grades seriously and apply myself in everything I do. I would tell myself that I need to really enjoy my last year in high school because everything changes after. I would tell myself to be more gratefull for everything I have and all the quality time I have with my friends and family because you're going to miss it a lot later. Finally, I would tell myself that things are going to be more difficult but that in the end everything is worthit; everything will turn out ok in the end.

Dear Senior-year Shannon, Breathe. Too often, you have wild visions about how crazy and stressful and hectic college will be. Now that I'm here, I wish I could tell you to relax--that everything will be okay in college. You will make friends, you will have professors you like, you will find time to do homework, and you will have the time of your life. You will have experiences so different from high school, just like you thought, but you will also have similar experiences that you will be able to relate to, I promise. So take a deep breath, relax. Enjoy your remaining time in high school and take in the fun of the last few months with your friends. Do not overthink college--as much as you love it, it will love you back. Remember to breathe! Love, College Shannon

I like to think of myself as the kind of person who believes that past experiences, both good and bad have shaped me to be the person I am today. I also try not to dwell on those mistakes in the past, but learn from them to benefit me in the present and future. That being said, if I could go back in time and talk to myself then, I would offer myself several pieces of advise. First, keep in better contact with good friends from high school. Good friends are hard to come by and too often different schools and states hurt or cause relationships to falter. Second, stick with a field of study that you are passionate about and do whatever you can to succeed in that. Many college students go to school unsure of what to study or focus on, but make a list of things that make you happy, you are good at, and can see yourself doing in the future. Lastly, apply for more scholarships. College debt is not fun and can really make the future more difficult.

Don't be lazy! Wow, if I only knew that in high school. Everything in college revolves around being an organized person. That means from waking up on time for all your classes, budeting time for homework and leisure, or staying fit by hitting the gym occassionally. I didn't realize how much of a difference living on my own and making my own decision would be. I wish that I had started to become more of a responsible individual in high school so that the transition would be relatively smooth. In high school I used to wait around until opportunities were handed to me. In college, I've learned that you need to pursue everything yourself because in the end you are responsible for your own success. Therefore if you don't put the work in, don't expect a reward. Decision making goes hand in hand with being a responsible student. You need to make so many important decision in college that if you are not confident in what you choose, it could set you back a while. In the end, don't forget to set aside time for yourself so you don't go crazy with work!

Well, I didn't decide to go to an actually university I chose to go the other route and go a technical school because I knew what i wanted to do specifically. I would do everything different from what I know now though. I would probably have taken a year off to save up money to be ready for school. I would tell myself to have stayed put in the town I live now and find a school closer to where I live and not have been so stuck on moving away to live with a now ex bestfriend. The good thing is that I'm still young and can always start back over at a different place!

I was lucky. My transition of moving to college was not extremely difficult for me, but the workload had me doing a double take. I have always been an A/B student, so I figured college would be the same way. While I am doing great and loving my classes, it requires much more work that I would have expected as high school was sort of a breeze for me. The advice I'd give to myself would be, "expect difficulty, but enjoy every minute of lectures, labs, and just the subject in general." In high school we were pressured to do well to get the grades to be able to attend the college of our choice; however, in college it is much different. I can actually take the time to thoroughly learn the material and enjoy having that knowledge, rather than stressing over it. I would tell myself to soak it all in and actually learn the material before freaking out over the tests. I wish I had known that before coming to college. As for leaving home, enjoy it. While it's great to come home for break, it's sometimes better to be at school.