James Madison University Top Questions

College life is so much more than the movies and television shows make it out to be. The media plays it up to be a glamorous and easy, but it is far from that. There are great things that happen and there are glamorous parts, but it actually takes work in order to become the educated self you want to be. It is also a lot different than high school. You must study. You must pay attention. You must want to be there. Had I known what a difference there was going to be in study skills needed, I would have sought out the help of the Graduation Club that is offered at JMU from the very beginning. Lastly, I would have taken advantage of the office hours of professors. I would use them for the knowledge and caring that they so freely offer. In the realm of personality, I would have just been myself. I would have learned to love me for me, and not cared as much about what others thought.

Do things for yourself. Moving away from home and going to college seems to be the American dream, however leaving home isn't always a good thing. Keep an open mind and do not base your decision on those around you. Going to a college in your hometown will not make anyone look down on you. Coming from such a tight knit family, leaving home for the first time will not be easy, but try to keep an open mind through the entire process. You are good enough to attend any school you want to, just stay focused and try your best. Try not to stress over the finacial aspects of going to a school (especially one away from home). The numbers will look big and you will feel stressed out but just stay positive, everything will work out.

If I was given the opportunity to speak with my high-school self I would tell myself, first and foremost, not to feel less than for attending a community college. One person's needs are not the same as another's and so their college paths should not be either. Instead, I would tell myself to do what works best for me, fits my morals, and allows me to accomplish all that I have hoped for. If attending a community college allows me to do so it is something to be proud of. Secondly, I would remind myself that while college has become my priority there are other elements of my life that require attention. Without time spent with my family, contributions to my community, contact with the outdoors and opportunities for creative expression, I will find that my overall well-being will suffer, which will ultimately affect my work. Finally, I would tell myself that while student activities are beneficial for the skills they build, taking on too much responsibility as a club officer will leave little time to study. Like all freedoms and responsibilities that come with college life, it needs to exist in balance with the others.

Looking back on the start of my college life, there is not much that I would do differently. If I could give advice to myself as a high school senior, it would be to stop wishing away my time in my hometown. I would tell myself that although it is important to open up to new people, make sure to keep in touch with the friends that have always been there for you. I would also tell myself that it's important to learn about things that aren't taught in classes; to pay attention to the surrounding world. My last recommendation would be to not stress as much, to think about things in perspective and to think about mistakes as learning experiences. Other than these minute but important pieces of advice, I think that I would let myself take on the college transition as I did in reality: openly and enthusiastically.

Meet as many people as you can freshmen year. Speak up in class as much as possible (teachers love students that participate). Declare a minor early. Enjoy the ease of living on campus. Enjoy the four years in college, they go faster than you think.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college, I would tell myself not to waste time. I would tell myself to get started on my higher education as soon as possible because college will be here very quickly. I would have taken dual enrollment classes to help save time and get to my bachelor's degree sooner. I would tell myself that I should have taken high school classes a little more seriously because if I had performed better, I could have gone directly into a university without having to go to a community college to get my GPA up first. I worked toward an Advanced Studies Diploma with a Community Service Award in high school and I held a job along the way as well. I would tell myself not to work and to focus more on my studies, that there will be plenty of time to work in the future and the best way to spend time as a high school senior is definately focusing on your grades.

In the course of human events, it is sometimes undertaken upon oneself to enter into an institution of higher learning. While this arduous task is considered to be of the utmost serious matter, as thy parents will surely remind thyself every semester –if not week, there is to an extent a degree of fun that surrounds this higher institution we call ‘university’. Yet, it is imperative to make known a list of grievances in order to inform thyself of what will happen. First, major in a subject thy is strong in or alas, thy GPA will suffer. Second, roommates can be a blessing, such as hanging out or pigging out together; but they often have an incurable disease of mooching. Third, loud noises will prevent thy from sleep in thy dorm or apartment the last three nights of the week. Fifth, don’t bring everything in thy room from home because thy will only use a quarter of the things. Sixth, don’t eat until thy stomach’s bursting every evening at the all-thy-can-eat buffet because thy will have an unpleasant roundness in the following months. This ‘university’ is filled with adventure and surprises –thy journey awaits.

So far at James Madison University, my experience has been one that I could not have imagined before coming here. It has been mostly a positive experience. I have been challenged intellectually, spiritually, financially, and sometimes even emotionally. These challenges, however, have not discouraged me from pursuing my goals and working hard to attain an education. Attending JMU has been very valuable because at this university, we are not only taugh what we need to know for our major and attended career, but also overall life skills and knowledge through their general education classes, campus activities, presentations, and other opportunities. My experience has been one that I will never forget, but will also draw from for the rest of my life. The only real hardship it poses is that it is a huge financial burden to attend James Madison University, and that adds a stress that puts strain on my education and overall experience.

I have learned that hard work does not always pay off, but that is alright as long as you continually learn. It is very hard to self-motivate, but college is ultimately all about time management and allowing yourself to be your own boss. Knowing that you did your best and that is all you can do is very important in a college environment. College is so far different from high school and students who don't realize that quickly enough really stuggle to get their educational ball rolling. Being at James Madison has taught be how to work with a team of people, through marching band, my professional women's fraternity, and through group classwork. Working as a team is a skill that is necessary and will follow me throughout my life. The world is about team work and working with people that you don't necessarily pick to work with. James Madison has taught me that by working with others and alongside amazing people, anything is possible. Working hard will lead to a great life.

During my time at American University, I have expanded my horizons immensely. My home was like a bubble and my life consisted of suburban culture. In Washington DC, there are no barriers. I am constantly challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone in all aspects of life. I have access to so many opportunities that I feel my time here is too short. Already, I have learned that I can become a leader and I can move away from the crowd. American University allows me to surpass what I thought was my full potential. I am one of the co-chairman of the Greek Programming Broad and I am planning the largest student run event, Greek Week 2011. There is more than 1,000 students and over 50 organizations involved. The website for this event is americangreekweek.com. My career aspirations have developed also. I was given the opportunity to tutor high school students at a charter school and I am grateful for my education and understand the importance of a strong education. The student I tutored had trouble with her there, their, and they're. Now, I want to focus on International Development and education in Latin America.