Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Top Questions

Dear past self, Although college is a huge transition, don't fear. I'm going to give you three tips that if I knew before, college would have been a breeze the first couple of months. First of all, plan everything. You have to have a plan for when you are going to eat, go to class and study. If you don't have a plan, you will end up not getting your homework done and regretting it later. Speaking of homework, be passionate about learning. Never once in my life did I wake up and get genuinely excited about going to high school and learning. However, here I have a newfound love for learning and if you truly enjoy and are interested in what you are learning, school sure doesn't feel like school. The last piece of advice I have for you is to respect of yourself. In college it's easy to eat junk and not workout but in all honesty, working out for me is a nice way to get homework out of the way and the junk food won't feel great when you're laying in bed at midnight trying to sleep. Good Luck!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have a lot of advice for my future college career. The first piece of advice that I would give to myself would be to go into college with an open mind. You cannot enter college with preconceived notions about the school or the people that you may have seen on social media that will be in your class. College is a lot different than high school. Teachers are not on your back telling you everyday that you have an assignment due on a certain day. They expect you to read the syllabus and stay organized on your own. Another piece of advice that I would offer myself is to talk to and hang out with people that you may not have associated with in high school. I have learned so much from people with different cultural backgrounds than people that I grew up with in high school. My first semester of college has taught me to be open minded to new people and situations!

Dear Past Self, I know that right now you hate high school and people in general. You’ve been labeled a “fat nerd” and feel like that will never go away. Well, I have some news for you. Once you start college, you are going to find that more people are accepting of you. Bullying doesn’t really exist, except for the random sarcastic jokes friends will make. You are going to have a fresh start. During your second year of college, you will choose to join Weight Watchers, will lose twenty pounds, and be extremely proud of yourself. You will struggle trying to keep a balance between studying for your grades and cooking for your health. I would suggest using your calendar to schedule how much time is necessary for everything you’re doing throughout the day. It will be tempting to give up on school, a social life, and your job as an International Student Ambassador. Don’t give up. Remember why you started. I promise you that if you work hard, video chat with Mom and Dad, sleep at least six to eight hours a night, and manage your time, you will have a wonderful college experience.

If I could go back in talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now, I would give myself a lot of advice that has to do with my weaknesses. For example, I would go back and talk myself into being more organized. Whether its setting up a schedule for knowing when to study or setting up money to save for future payments. I would go back and tell myself to stop acting like such a teenager and talk to my parents more, because they make the transition into college easier.

When I as a high school studet, I didn't think that college was necessary. I didn't think I could go through college on my own and be successful. If I could talk to my high school self, I would let myself know that college is a great experience and to not underestimate myself. I am a smart and hardworking student and I know that I can be the best if I try hard. I shouldn't let others put me down. Getting an education is the bets thing you can do for yourself. Noone can take your education away from you; it is yours forever. I hardly ever drink and I never smoke. I have little distractions from persuing my career. The only distraction I had was my own self and my insecurity. If I only knew that I could overcome these years later, I would have tried to push myself to get an education. But, it is never too late.

Never say never, do not be weighed down by people around you and the choice they make. Do not try to become someone else, instead strive to find who you in the Lord, and be determined to improve that person with every step you take in life. Do not feel defeated before you try a challenge. When you meet a road block on your way find a mallet to break down that wall, because God has given you the strength to overcome that wall. Learn to actually read the textbook you receive, because it will greatly affect your grade. Don't try to be anyone but yourself. Listen to your parents a lot more and you will become more successful in your education - eventhough your dad sounds anoying you should hear his words, because he is usually right. Determine to follow through with every challenge you accept and DO NOT back out, because it will build your strength. Learn from other people's mistakes and do not wait to make the same mistake, before you change. Move forward knowing that you have done your best and the rest is in God's hands.

I would tell myself how important it is to keep your focus and not give up. I would also push myself to better prepare for my future so that I wouldn't have to go through what I am going through now in trying to go to college. I would encourage myself to apply for grants and scholarships before it was too late and I halted my education even more, which is what I have done. I'd encourage myself to think and make decisions clearly in order to better prepare myself to be a college student at a younger age than I am.

Don't worry about finding the right group of people to be friends with right away. Everyones in the same boat and you will find the right people. Remember that you are really smart, if you couldn't not handle this school you would not be let in. Don't let a bad grade stress you out. It's not the end of the world. Take your time and have fun in labs, don't stess about doing them right but enjoy the process, the time will go by quickly and theirs no reason to be freaking out the whole three hours. Sometimes the lowest Grade is droped and even if it's not you can do well in lab easily since their are at least 10 graded labs so one bad one won't hurt your average a lot. Last but not least remeber it's okay to be home sick and everyone is at some point, and chances are when you just want to see that famillar face from home, there will be someone down the hall felling the same way, and by the time break rolls around you'll miss them.

Take advantage of any opportunity thrown your way and run with it to allow yourself to grow and develop in ways you would not think were possible.

When I was a high school senior, I used to think I knew what having an academic future meant. It was what my friends who had been able to afford college felt. They left right after their senior year of high school, eyes shining with future academic plans and the back seats of their cars stuffed to capacity with clothes, dorm decorations and younger siblings that were helping them move. Because I had left home early, I immediately needed to work to support myself. I couldn't join my peers as they took off for colleges, on a shining path of schooling and success. Now I've become involved in the community, and I understand what my academic future really means. I've met individuals who have never received formal education, and who come from homes as broken -- or more so -- than my own. They showed me that your future is not what you live up to for other people, but what you build for yourself. I want to tell scared, high school senior me that it might take a little more time than others, but that I'll get there someday. "Embrace your unconventional self," I'd say, proudly.