Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Top Questions

First of all, I'd tell myself to take a deep breath and reevaluate my first day of school outfit. That thrift store dress was absolutely aweful. Then, I'd tell myself to sign up for scholorships early and sign up for each and every one. Don't slack off and don't forget your goal. I'd tell myself to take the job at Forever 21 and not Macy's cuz managements nicer. Finally, I'd give myself a kiss on the cheek and say "You can do it" because i really needed to hear that around Christmas break.

Don't waste time procrastinating. Take everything slow but work efficiently so that the outcome is better. When it's time to apply for colleges take the time to go over your choices with an advisor and your parents they will most definitely help you and relieve some of the stress you will feel. When you're deciding on a college remember to find a place that feels comfortable to you and has a program that you are passionate about. Don't just choose a college based on one factor like cost or proximity to home. This is your time to leave home and flourish as an adult. It may seem scary but you can do it and you are never alone. You have friends family and school officials supporting you and helping you every step of the way. When you've finally decided where you want to go have fun along the journey as well as study and work hard to achieve the success that you have dreamed about since you were little. You can do this and everyone you know loves you and wants to see you succeed so get out there and grab life by the horns.

The college process can seem overwhelming but it is important to remain calm. There are several schools out there so you need to narrow your focus right from the start. Even though out of state schools appear picturesque staying in Massachusetts is a better decision. Looking in Massachusetts there are several colleges and you have to keep an open mind to all of them. Each college has a unique design and one of them will fit what you are looking for. For your first four years try to find a college you will enjoy going to that has a good reputation but is affordable. College is expensive and you dont want to be in too much debt before you even get a chance to work on your master's degree. Finally don't be afraid to ask for help during the college search because there are several people out there to help you through it.

High school can be mastered, and vastly completed, via mentally cramming information for long enough to complete tests and assignments. I received some of my best high school grades and GPAs this way, however if I could talk to my high school self, I would strongly advise against exercising this method. Although I often received the desired grades, at the time I did not recognize the insubstantiality and counter-productivity of cramming. The revelation came to me in college, while taking courses that were similar to classes I had previously taken in high school. I noticed that my knowledge of subjects that I excelled in throughout high school was insufficient, as I did not retain much of the information. This was particularly evident in my college business course, as I needed to spend much of my personal time in my professor's office learning about the stock market, despite attaining an A+ in a high school class that looked into the topic exstensively. Advising myself to truly learn, rather than cram information, could have potentially saved me countless hours of studying in college; hours that could have been spent learning new things, as opposed to revising information of the past.

I am a firm believer that the past is the past. I believe all mistakes and events led to a person’s character. I have made more than a few mistakes. If I could go back to my senior year and tell myself anything, I would not say much. I would say relax. I would tell myself you will make friends – friends so great that within two months you will forget you ever lived without them. Moving into a room you will share for the first time is not as terrifying you think it will be. Remember to eat breakfast that day; there is no need to pass out, so seriously eat a muffin. Though the passing out story did gain some laughs and make you a friend or two… so maybe skip the muffin. The most important piece of advice I can give is enjoy your senior year. From National Convention to your job to prom to graduation, the year will fly by – make some memories.

To go back in time and talk to myself as a High school senior I would resist the urge to explain to my younger self how uneducated and unexperienced he is, and would instead say one thing which would provide a lifetime of benefit, saving myself my making poor choices. My words to my younger self would start with an explaination that he must listen to himself, even if it is an older self who comes back in time. However listening to yourself is not always enough, sometimes you can give yourself bad advice and make poor choices. I would explain to my younger self that you need to strip away the emotions and desire which warrant and require this choice, exposing the for what it is really worth. Then you can see this choice in it's raw form and determine if their are any side effects or bad consequences which may come from this choice. Poor choices happen in the blink of an eye, but their consequences can have a lasting effect. It is better to know that you missed a lifetime of poor choices, than to miss out on a lifetime because of a poor choice.

I probably would have told myself to have graduated earlier. I had all of my credits halfway through my senior year but I remained at school for the rest of the school year. I really wish I left earlier. In college I am not bullied everyday, people care about their education, and it is just a better environment. I also would have told myself to sign up for a lot more scholorships because a lot of themk have a deadline of having to be under 18. I would have also started taking a college class during high school because it is a great way to adjust yourself into that environment. You learn to enjoy school and want to learn and want to write papers.

Stay focused. Yes, your parent's divorce will take some time to get used to and get over with, but the process is temporary. College is four years of your life - don't lose sight of it. The time you and your parents waist on this battle is time you lose focusing on getting money for college. Time spent agonizing over high school drama within your circle of family and friends is time better spent pinning down what you'll need for college. Losing your focus your senior year of high school can only spell trouble your freshman year of college. And believe me, there are problems. So like I said, stay focused.

The first thing I would tell myself if I could go back in time and talk to myself is to smarten up. I would tell myself to be prepared because the transition from high school to college is much greater than what some make it out to be. I would give myself the advice to be putting effort into school work and caring about school now, not waiting until college to start caring. I would tell myself high school is a big stepping stone into your college future, embrace it, cherish it, and do well.

As a high school senior, I wasn't very involved in extracurricular activities. If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to participate in activities beyond the classroom. By getting involved in clubs and various extracurriculars at college, I have established lasting, lifelong friendships. Furthermore, I currently hold executive board positions in several campus organizations; I never would have seen myself holding any leadership roles as a high school senior. I would also advise myself to ask for help whenever I needed it. As an intelligent high school senior--and an academic role model--I was too embarassed to ask for help. At college, I learned that I'm only preventing myself from learning to my fullest potential when I do not ask questions. I shouldn't have been so ashamed to raise my hand, as many other people may have had the same question (but were also too afraid to ask). Fortunately, I've learned these lessons now. However, if I could have learned them sooner, the transition to college would have been much easier.