Mercyhurst University Top Questions

I would tell myself not to worry about all the small things that bother teenagers so much, and to let go of all the small upsets that stole so much of my energy back then. None of those concerns matter even a year or two down the road. I would also reiterate how important it is to concentrate on school, because not doing your best in High school sets you up for greater difficulty down the road of life. It is so easy at that age to get sidetracked, or not to take things seriously, when even a little bit of seriousness as a High School Senior allows one to enjoy the experience of the last year of high school and set one on the path for success as an adult.

I quit school before I made it to senior year, but if I could talk to myself before I quit school, I'd tell myself that there's a big, big world out there and that there are untold numbers of possibilities if I just work for them. I'd also tell myself not to waste the years I did and that education is the key to a new and different life. I'd tell myself not to get caught up in what I think I can and can't do, but instead make the attempts and see where they take you. Nothing is ever accomplished in life by avoiding experiences just to avoid possible failure.

Get to know as many people as you can off the bat while you are all still generalized. As your major becomes more intense and specific, it will be more difficult to create new friendships with people not in your major. Also, going out on friday nights will not kill you- you deserve to destress occasionally. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT- don't try to take on more than you can handle. Bring good snowboots- the salt on the sidewalks of erie will destroy all of your shoes.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would tell myself that college is going to bring good times and new experiences, but also bad friends, stressful late nights studying, and hardships. The best way to handle the ups and downs of college is to never forget those back home, and to learn to earn trust from the new people that you meet. Never trust people too easily, because those who you think you trust may be the ones to turn around and stab you in the back. Its those who are always there for you no matter how bad you treat them who you need to rely on. Also, don't take things personally. The professors are there to help you, not to make you feel bad about yourself. They only want to tell you what you're doing wrong now before your boss does and humiliates you in front of your colleagues. Finally, trust yourself. Although you may fall down, trust yourself to get back up and accomplish your goals, because with hard work anything is possible.

I would first give myself a hug and a reminder that everything is going to be okay. Then I would get myself excited about college life with stories about the wonderful friendships, the late-night conversations, the dances, the laughter and fun, the camaraderie of people all going through the same things, and the honor and humility in the knowledge that I'm blessed to be attending this school. I would remind myself that not everyone has this privilege, and although it is often extremely difficult, the result is well worth it. I would tell myself not to stress out so much about not knowing what the future holds, because soon enough I would learn that is fine and it makes life all the more an adventure. I would say that it is okay to cry, and it is also okay to sometimes fail, as long as you pick yourself up and keep going. I would tell myself to hold fast and steady, because there is a lot ahead that will challenge me in ways I couldn't imagine. And after I told myself all of this, I would smile, knowing full well that the best is yet to come.

As a high school senior I remember hearing all the time that time management is the one thing that will make the transition from high school to college easier. If I could go back in time I would take that advice more seriously. Now I know that it is vital to my success in college to manage my time between school, work, and homework. As a freshman I never realized how dificult that was, and now I completely understand. I would also tell myself to start better study habits then. When you get to college the work load is significantly more, and if you do not have good study skills you will not perform as well. Unfortunately, I had to learn this lesson the hard way, but it is one I will never forget.

Work hard in all my classes and study for the SATs and ACT. Research about the weather and the surrounding area of the college.

I would have told myself then to prepare myself to actually have more of a life. During high school I worked most of the time, up to 25 hours a week. My friends became second priority to going to school, so when I arrived at school I had a hard time letting loose and flying the coup. I was afraid to let go of my home life, so transitioning was tough. I would have also told myself that to live life you have to but yourself out there, get hurt, and stand right back up. College is a time for making mistakes and learning how to deal with these mistakes your own way, without your parents to clean up the mess. It is a time when parents should back off and see if their child can stand on their own, which is important because no young adult is going to move back in with their parents for life. It is important to stay close to family, but to not stop your life everytime you feel a little homesick. Every student needs to take life head on and put themselves out there for life is one big mystery.

While choosing a undergraduate school to attend, pick a place that feels like home and is inviting to you and your interests. Make sure you and your child feel safe with the surroundings and have everything that they are looking for offered to them.

Make sure that the student does his or her own research to dermine which college to attend. My parents did offer alternatives to consider but I had to make the ultimate choice and I did not want to feel as though I made a decision based on someone elses research or influence. I spent many hours on the internet viewing various college websites and this did give me a feel for those that I wished to visit. Do not consider a school simply beacuse your friends are doing so. Lastly, do not room with a friend from home.