Keene State College Top Questions

Knowing what I know now, having experienced far more of life and love and friendship and failure and success, I would have to tell myself that that the wonders of the world can be expressed and understood through the pages of a book, but they can't be found there. I was, and still am, a voracious reader, and a lot of my knowledge was gleaned from books and stories on all sorts of topics. But having become a central figure of my college community by being an RA, and having learned from the experiences that come with that position, has shown me that most valuable things in life are the bonds we share with the people around us. I was never really involved in any extracurriculur activites during my time in high school, and that's something I've come to deeply regret. If I could go back and tell myself just one thing, it would be to become as involved as I could, to learn about the people around me and to enjoy the we had together, because the beauty of life is not only in where the journey takes us but who we take the journey with.

Everyone strives to impress one another, changing appearance to fit in, acting a certain way to feel like they belong. Although change is sometimes better, I feel people often mistake these strives for perfection with growth. Acting or dressing a certain way does not change who you are, it just changes your appearance. People may view you differently, but the way you view yourself will stay the same. It is not until you realize being yourself is the first step in growth. I believe over the course of my life through High Shool I made many attempts to fit in. It was not until recently I experienced what would change my outlook on “being myself”. Although first impressions may be based on looks, real connections are much deeper. Connections are based on personality, being able to listen, and being able to communicate. Throughout the connections I made I never once acted as somebody I was not and it was not until it was all over did I realize searching for this growth was no longer necessary. I felt I had already grown! I have learned being in touch with myself is what makes overcoming obstacles of life much easier.

If I could go back to my senior year and give myself advice about college it would definitely be about managing my time more properly. Although at this point in my college career I believe I have a better understanding of it at the beginning I was clueless which effecting my grades in a way I wish it hadn't. As someone who works thirty five hours a week and is a full-time student it is very difficult to balance class, homework, work, and a social life so time management is extremely important. I would have told myself that I need to make sure I had my priorities straight and that I really need to focus on school and work since working is one of the major ways I plan to put myself through these four years of school. If I could have told myself that managing my time in college is going to be much more difficult than it is in high school and that I really need to make a plan for myself so I can do the best that I can than that is the advice I would have given myself.

I would tell 18-year-old Nick, "Read more, watch less television, and concern yourself less with popularity and popular culture. The enjoyable things in life are the things that require deep thought, which is often difficult but brings with it a rewarding sense of accomplishment. Has it ever dawned on you, Nick, that the geniuses of the past concentrated on their fields of expertise for the reason that those fields are the most intellectually rewarding? If not, you should."

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I would give myself is this: take care of yourself. Transitioning into college was more difficult for me than most people, I have type 1 diabetes and really struggled to keep it under control in the first few months. I was finding that I was so concerned with getting perfect grades and going above and beyond what was expected, that I rarely slept and was unable to control my diabetes. Because of this, I was constantly sick, and began to struggle to keep up with work. If I had started the year thinking about my health first, and knowing that I can't do my best work if I am not well, my freshman year would have been a lot easier.

Do everything to the best of your abilities. Don't focus so much attention on work. I understand working two jobs while going to school can be overwhelming for a high school student but make time for yourself. There are so many opportunities that will present themselves if you are just open to them. Learn a new language and how to snowboard like you,ve always wanted to. Now is the time to live, enjoy life. Never give up on your passion of helping others because I can tell you that when your 18 you help save a life!

When we meet it’s a gray day. The kind of day that reminds me of Hong Kong, not England. When you’re my age, you’ll be able to tell the difference. How is that? Hong Kong will be your proof that it was a smart decision to choose the less expensive school. No matter the time period, we’ll run into each other at the Darien library. There the library is quiet, like a morning on a lake. You won’t find that at Keene’s library. That’s ok. You should study with your friends in the halls and in common rooms. But if you need to disappear and find a quiet spot, do it. As we talk, two glasses of diet coke form rings of water on the table. Our preference for soda over coffee hasn’t changed over the years. You know that college students make friends at meals. But that’s doesn’t just mean spontaneous, dorm-wide dinner gatherings. You need to compare schedules and plan a few meals with the same people for every week. Even if you end up only drinking soda, those are the meals that cement friendships.

"Let it go." Those three simple words. I would repeat them over and over to my high school senior self if I could travel four years into the past. Let go of the drama, let go of the pettiness, let go of the things you think are important, like your clothes, your looks, and how many friends you have. Let it go and focus on what matters, like your family and your goals and visions for the future. Do not get caught up in the confusion and terror of graduating high school. Let go of the things you have worried about and enter college without any baggage attached to you. Let go of the small things, and set your sights on the great big world in front of you. Embrace college and let high school go. Make new friends, forget old drama, don't worry about the hottest trends. Be yourself and let go of everything else. Oh...and give your mom a big hug and a "thank you."

To my high school senior self: When approaching college and looking at the options ahead of you, continue to make the decisions that are right for you. Don't dwell on whether you were the most popular girl in high school or the outcast book nerd. The people who matter are the people who will support you in your search of finding who you are. Don't be afraid to take chances, because the riskiest chances can help you learn the most. Make sure you take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you, even if your friends aren't. FInally, learn how to do laundry before moving into your dorm room in August. Trust me.

I would advise my high school senior-self to never wait to ask questions, regardless of their complexity or simplicity. Throughout college I have learned that the longer I wait to ask a question or resolve confusion, the more lost and confused I become. I would also advise my senior-self to make an effort to join as many school clubs and organizations as possible. Joing clubs and organizations help freshman students meet new people and explore various areas of interest that may, or may not, be related to one's major. Joining clubs and organizations is especially important for freshman students who decide to live off-campus because it allows the student to form social relationships that are similar to those formed among students living on-campus. Though social acticity is very important to the well-being of a student, the most important piece of advice I have to offer is to stay focused on your academics. As a freshman it is very easy to slip into "party mode" and neglect school work, but you must remember there is always another party. My overall advice: keep you head in the game and your eye on the prize.

There is no doubt that the first thing I would tell myself is "pay attention and learn something!". All I was interested in back then amounted to girls and sports. I also became a father at the age of 14; this is not something that I would recommend to anyone. I am a father of 5, and I am extremely proud of that fact. My children are my life and I, like just about every parent out there, wouldn't change things even if I could. But I now understand the realization that kids cost a lot of money! It wasn't very noticable until about 2 years ago, when I lost my job due to the economy. I had worked at ProPacific Fresh for over 11 years and did my job extremely well. I never thought about losing my job because I knew I was darn good at it. So I would also tell myself that you can never count on anything so you should always be prepared. Getting my degree will give me the preparation I need to succeed and allow me to take care of my family. Thank you for considering my application.

I would give myself the advice to be prepared to get more sleep and eat healthy. Also to keep up the good work and don't give up on any home work assigned to me. Sometimes I find myself procrastinating like all students, no matter what level of education you are at. Procrastination is a choice only you can make. You either do it or you don't, and I think it's a very bad thing. This is because one you slow your pace or take your time on home work assignments the possibility of falling behind is very crucial to noy only your grade, but also your sleeping pattern. So my advice would be to be on top of my home work, and don't let myself get distracted by distractions.

During my time in college, I've learned how to be more responsible, work harder and organize my time better. I use to slack off more and waste time, but I can't do that anymore without failing the class. I was caught off guard by how different everything was from high school. It was valuable to me because I am learning to handle myself on my own as I get a small taste of the not-so-easy life of an adult. I won't go into the world completely unprepared and I have a chance to learn while still in the safe care of my parents. I've also met people and learned many interesting things I would not have if I hadn't gone to college. My generation in my family is the first to go to college, though most have fallen in the attempt to attain a diploma. I still stand tall and I hope that I can make not just my parents, but myself proud by graduating from UCRiverside, CSUN or UC San Diego (my top choice being UCRiverside). It will be a long way, but worth it. Thank you very much for your time.

My college has given me a new outlook on life. I am much more involved in what goes on in the world around me. I've also learned things that I would never have learned if I had not gone to Keene State. It has been valuable to attend because I have met so many new people and learned so much. I'm glad I'm here because it has shaped me into the person I am now and I am proud of that person.

It is hard to think of one specific thing that I have gotten out of my college experience. Overall, I believe college has been not just a learning experience, but an important stage of my life. Prior to college, I was not the most responsible person, putting little importance on my educational career and focusing more on my social life. After attending college and taking on the full financial responsibility of my education as well as my living exspenses, I have gained a new respect for my education. Overall, I would say that the college experience has given me not only the tools to, hopefully, find a job in our tough economy but also lifelong lessons that I will keep with me. Lessons like learning to be on time, and take appreciation in my work. Lessons that have given me an inner drive to succeed. College has transformed me from an immature child to a highly motivated adult. In my major of environmental science I hope to use this drive to help improve our environment. Many important environmental issues need to be solved and my college experience has given me the tools I will need to address these issues.

I want to contribute to the growth and progress of psychology. I believe that the power to empathize, or the ability to put yourself in someone else's place begins with an open mind. When I say that we must become active listeners in order to understand one another, I mean to say that there are subtle movements in our speech, certain words that we use, certain utterances that are not directed towards us, certain circumstances unrevealed to us. We must endeavor to hear all of them. I will be starting this process at Mira Costa College this spring and then transferring to CSSM or SDSU. I realize that this will be a long and hard road, but I also know that I will get a high quality education that will enable me to be successful in my future career. I expect it to be exciting and challenging. I want to be able to accomplish something great in my career.

I received an Associates degree in Applied Science in 1999. I obtained a great job by having this much education. Now, it has been 10+ years and I am now unemployed. I have wanted to return to school for further education for a while now. Since I lost my job in December of 2009, finding employment has become impossible. I am still currently unemployed. I am more than ready to go back to school and receive a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. I have applied for FAFSA, however, it doesn't seem to be enough finances to even cover one class. I am in need of more financial assistance. I now realize the importance and value to attend school to further ones education. Thank you.

Going into my freshman year I was already pretty sure that I wanted to be in the health and fitness industry. The encouragement, hands on experiences, working with other students, and other challenges only reassured my drive to complete my degree and start working to make people healither, happier and fitter.

Good schooling and great friends. I would definatly not transfer it was the best choice school for me.

College has taught me the value of hard work and how important it is to be focused in order to achieve what you want in life. There is no one to blame but yourself for when bad things happen to you. It has also forced me to develop better time management skills. I value the friendships I have made here, the future job opportunities which will be open to me because of my education at Keene State, and the ability to be responsible for my well being. Being a part of the Cross Country team has given me an experience which I will never forget and will prepare me to make healthy choices throughout the remainder of my lifetime.