Metropolitan State University of Denver Top Questions

In high school, I was overwhelmed with the thought of going to college. I thought about the dorms, the new people, the long nights of studying, and intense exams. I had an idea of what college was like, but I was unsure how it would go for me. If I could go back to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not freak out as much as I did. I was constantly worried I wouldn’t do well, and I was afraid to be an independent and responsible adult. I was excited, but also nervous about college when I was in high school, but I also had no idea what my educational goals were going to be. I had no intended major or career path, because of this I was an anxious and nervous wreck trying to find myself. If I could go back, I would tell myself to relax, and that it is okay to be unsure of what my future holds. Stress holds people back from following their dreams, and back in high school, I was tied down by stress of starting college. You just have to follow your heart.

Myself as a high school senior is difficult to explain. I moved my junior year from a big high school in Colorado to a really, really small town high school in Texas. I didnt know very many people and honestly didn't know what to say to most people. Everyone grew up together and I felt out of place. The people I went to high school with in Colorado, I grew up with and knew for almost all of my life. So I knew what that's like. As time passed at my new school I met new people but still always felt out of place. I am not a very shy person, quite maybe but now shy and I think that is something I would tell my high school senior self, don't be so quite to the point people percieve you as shy. It puts a damper on your experience anywhere when people feel like you have nothing to say. I would say, "Be yourself, be happy and if you talk too much at times it's okay, because if people don't like it, you don't need them around. They don't like you for you. "

Hey Chris, this is future you. I understand that there's an ideal amount of uncertainty and fear of even the thought of college. Im here to tell you that it’s okay to have these feelings. It’s not okay to allow those feelings to prevent you from growing into an intelligent and enlightened person. Going to college for the first time gave us a feeling of elatedness and wonder of the times to come. Being able to connect with others that share the same goals of getting a higher education is an amazing feeling. Im not going to sugar coat it, its going to be difficult and the material will be challenging. There will be many times where you spend endless nights trying to finish a final project, due to our procrastination. But I can confidently confide that its all worth it in the end. Having the knowledge that you obtain from college, helps you progress in life and become an awesome person both in mind and heart. Looking back I would tell myself to feel the feelings that came before going into college, and turn those feelings into positive and empowering emotions to tackle college head on.

Dear Self, Graduating as a senior in high school feels like the biggest step of your life thus far, but trust me when I say that it is only the beginning. Graduating college and looking for a graduate program is not something that we ever thought possible, but it is happening and you, my determined little friend, made it happen. In college it is most important to study hard, arrive on time, make friends, attend school activities, and make yourself known around campus. The connections you make in college will follow you through life and will land you your first counseling job when you graduate. You will graduate with honors, and you will only do this by paying attention in class, staying on top of the work, enjoying your internship, and asking all the questions you can. Your professors are there to help you, and you paid them so use it. Also, most importantly, APPLY FOR Scholarships! You will graduate with a 4.0 and never applied for a scholarship, and now you owe money; stupid move. Help is out there and it's available so use it! Good luck, Caroline

We should not procasinate the school work.

If I could go back in time to my high school self I would say what the heck are you thinking right now?! I would tell myself that I am going to regret not taking high school as serious as I should have. I needed a big slap to wake me up to the reality that football and basketball are not as important as my academics. I would tell myself that if I kept focusing on sports more than I did school I am not going to get into the college that I want, and after high school no one if going to care how good I am at football if I can't even get into a college to play football. I would say that the high school is easy compared to college and that if I don't get my shit together I am going to have a rough time succeeding in college and in life in general. I would tell myself that I need to rearrange my priorities really quick. Now that I was fortunate enough to get into college I am making sure I'm not going to make the same mistake twice.

The advice I would give to my high school self is to dream big. There is so much finanical help out in the world and I should have taken advantage of that and gone to my dream school right away instead of going somewhere cheaper and being miserable. Chase your dreams and don't let money be a reason not to. Also, don't go somewhere just to be with your friends. Sometimes after high school you realize you were only friends with some people because you went to school and saw them 5 times a week. Go where you want to go, no matter who or what tries to stop you, and I promise you won't regret it.

Milo....psssst, hey....Milo! Listen dude, you are a freshman in high school, nervous and scared, learning how to find your way and fit in, I know. Classes are not your top priority at the moment, but if you really focus and pay attention, you can take actual college classes in high school and earn college credit. The sooner you start, the more credit you can earn, especially your junior and senior years! This means less time in college classes-earning your degree faster- and more time out in real life, living your dream of owning a fashion and design business and hand-painting those custom sneakers you love! So make your high school classes top priority and keep your eyes on the prize. All your hard work now will pay off big later and will be totally worth it, especially when you look back and are able to feel good about how hard you worked. And remember, when you are a rich and famous clothing and shoe designer, living the life, be sure to go back to your high school and speak to the kids about your experiences. Inspire them to follow their dreams and believe in themselves!

Follow your own path, but don’t be too sure of yourself. You’re an adult and you get to make your own choices now; do what you think is best for yourself, but remember all those older folks giving you advice have a major advantage over you in terms of experience. Exercise every day, even (or especially) if you don’t feel like it: not only will it set you up for a healthy lifetime habit, but it will help keep your mind sharp for your current studies. And stay hydrated. If you decide to “take some time off” from school, you will regret it. Then again, you might regret it if you don’t. Be prepared to make and lose a lot of friends, and try to remember sometimes both can have a net positive impact on your life. Get used to the fact that not very many things are going to go according to plan and learn to accept it—nay, revel in it. You may never work in an area directly related to your major, but that’s ok.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I would give to myself would be to not worry so much and just relax. I spent too much time my first couple years in college worrying about every little thing whether it was about making friends, homework, what I wanted to major in, money, getting a job, etc. The stress eventually took over my life and gave me terrible anxiety problems. One of the first issues that started my anxiety was what I wanted to major in. Once we graduate high school we are thrown into the real world and expected to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives, it’s a difficult process; I went back and forth between what I wanted to do constantly, it was exhausting. One semester I took a women’s history class to fulfill a general education credit and since then I was hooked. I eventually did learn that everything ends up working out in the end, but back then I didn’t view it that way.