Michigan State University Top Questions

If I could go back in time to when I was a senior in high school I would tell myself to stay more focused in school and take each class seriously. I would advise myself to read and write more and change the way I study. I would also tell myself that the experiences that I will encounter will change me for the better and I will eventually figure out what I really want to be. I would advise myself to relax and to keep plugging away with summer classes because it will all be worth it in the end. I would also tell myself to stay focused on my volunteer work and improve my people skills. Other advice that I would give myself would be to take everything one day at a time because it is very overwhelming to think about how many credits you need and what you to do in order to get volunteer hours in and raise your GPA at the same time. I would tell myself that with dedication and self motivation that I will get the career that I want and I also will have the most challenging yet beneficial time of my life.

I would tell myself not to worry. I remember constanty worrying during senior year about too many different things. "What if I don't get the grades I want?" "What will happen to my relatonship with my friends?" "What if I can't make new friends?" "What if my roommate is horrible?" The questions were endless. Looking back now, however, most of those questions were over-reactions. I would tell myself not to worry about my grades and just do the work I'm required to do and study and everything wil work out fine. I would tell myself to just try to stay in touch with my friends and nothing will change. I would tell myself I wil be able to make many new friends as well. I would tell myself not to worry abotut my oommate because it's only for two semesters. But most importantly, I would tell myself to have fun and enjoy the small things in life.

Knowing what I know now, I would most certaintly slap the younger me in the face and tell me to keep my head on straight. There will always be girls, there will always be friends and there will always be parties, but there won't always be the opportunity of college. If you don't take advantage of the resources presented now, then all the hard work leading up to this opportunity was for nothing. I allowed myself to believe that I deserved to do all the fun things I was doing, while in reality, I wasn't accomplishing any of my real goals. I stopped caring about school and more about my social life, not realizing that if I wanted to live a comfortable life as an adult it was my education that mattered most.

If I could go back to my senior year in high school I would tell myself to be more patient, open to new ideas and learning new things, and to take advantage of more opportunities. I wish I would have been more patient because patience is part of maturity that helps you to realize the value of yourself and your actions for the short term as well as the long term. If I would have been open to new ideas and learning new things I would have a better understanding about the world around me and could help make it better. I wish I would have taking advantage of more opportunities to help myself as well as others. I have learned these things over time. But I know the older I get the more I will learn and the more I will grow and I?ll keep striving to be a better person than I was the day before.

If I could talk to my senior self, I would definitely warn her. I would let her know that the work she does in high school does not cut it in college and that studying the night before an exam is not gonna cut it. I would also tell her that she needs to keep up on her work and that procrastination only makes it harder in the end because catching up is extremely difficult. I would also let her know that even though she was one of the smartest students in high school, she should not expect that in college. I would let her know that in college, she is the underdog and there are so many people that are much more intelligent than she is, but that shouldn't discourage her. She should still try her hardest and in the end that is what matters. No matter what, she is going to be successful.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior the first thing I would tell myself is to explore. During my senior year I only applied to Michigan State which I thought was exactly where I wanted to go. But after being at MSU for a whole semester, I'm struggling with not only my program being cut but also realizing just how much of a party school MSU really is. I don't drink and I find it very hard to find friends who don't enjoy that aspect of college either. Ultimitely, these two things have encouraged me to explore other universities for next year. On a positive note however I would encourage myself to investigate all the on campus groups. During the fall semester I found my niche at a co-ed, community service oriented Fraternity called Alpha Phi Omega. Since my passion in life is volunteering and helping others, I felt as though I fit in and gained so many fantastic friends. If I could dedicate one word to my high school self it would be Explore.

Christian, you might think what I am about to tell you is strange, but I am you in the future. Just bear with me, and hear me out, since I am only allowed to pass on a small amount of information. First, you think that because you are an athlete who trains and competes nationally, as well as being a 4.0 student, that you will have an advantage learning to budget your time appropriately in college. While it is true that you had to do a lot of "time juggling" in high school, in college it will be even tougher, since you will play Division I tennis. Do not stress about the work load though; you will get through it. I would suggest, though, that you try to squeeze in a little more sleep and trust after studying countless hours that you know the material so you do not feel compelled to get only an hour or two of sleep on many nights. Second, please choose to room with Charlie, your high school friend. As it turns out, he will be a great friend to you, and good friends are invaluable in college. Enjoy the adventure!

If I could go back in time and speak to myself as a senior I would tell me (him) to take more AP classes. Just do it. I remember hating going to the AP classes because they are...well, hard. Now that I am in college I realize what I missed out on by only taking three. I paid for only $200 to get credits that would have cost five or six times that much. Of course, knowing myself, I would not listen to me. So I would have to account for that by using strong language (probably swear at myself to TAKE AP CLASSES YOU DUMB ****). Only then would I understand, mostlikely.

Be open minded about everything. You know what your ideologies are on the current paradigm of high school, but when you get to college just let yourself see everything with an open mind. That way you'll enjoy everything with far less skeptism. Also, yes you will want to party every night. If you are looking to go out every single night, you will always be able to find something, however, DON'T. It is very easily to get distracted here, but everyday when you wake up at 8:30 for that early 9:10 class you have to remind yourself that yes the option to sleep in is attractive, but you want to be a surgeon. That takes hard work, studying everyday, and proper prioritizing. Yes, have fun, but you must do it responsibly! I know it sounds like I am preaching what Mom and Dad have been saying, but listen, from yourself, that you do need to be responsible. Don't worry, the fun will come :) . I know your working your butt off to try to ace those APs right now; just keep that up through undergrad. You have no idea how great college is, You

If I could go back to being a highschool student I would charish every school day like it was my last. Now being 24 years old and backstepping in life to go forward, I see if I would have focused and listened to the positive people around me, I wouldn't be struggling today. I am leaving loved ones behind, the life I am used to, just to better myself and establish a CAREER, not just a year to year job. My advice to myself would be explore every aspect of life in every angle especially the continuation of school; because the angle you may have looked passed, could have been the light at the end of the tunnel. The sky is the limit, you can do anything you put your mind to, school is very important these days and in today's world you need education to move up in life.

College is one of the final stepping stones to entering the "real world." While the priority of college is receiving the best education possible to go on to a successful career, it is also suppose to enable you to grow socially. When your looking at all of the colleges out there, keep in mind practicalities such as finances, location, size, degrees offered, etc. but do not toss aside the other aspects like the social atmosphere, the intermural programs, and the housing. Picking the right college can be overwhelming but its crucial to know what you want. It may be cliche and over-used, but there is significance to the phrase "be yourself." College can be a fresh start from high school but the only way you can fully embrace that experience is by really thinking about whats best for you, not anyone else. After all, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend college. If you only focus on the academics and do not stop to consider other aspects, you may walk out with a solid degree but have passed up living your four years of college to the fulllest.

Life is full of instances where I reflect upon the good old high scholl days. Now, as a undergraduate studying psychology I realize that hindsight is deffinitely 20/20. I think about what I would tell the teenage version of myself about college, if I had the chance to step back into time. One very important piece of information that would have really helped me through this sometimes difficult journey is that, "you are never alone". With this statement I simply am referring that there are many campus counselors chomping at the bit to help any student transition to college more efficiently. Another thing that I would advise about would be, that it doesn't matter what other students think about you. Choosing to work hard at school may not allow you to have the best social life now, however it does help to shape it in a positive manner in the future. If the time spent with my teenage self were short, the aforementioned would be the essentials that I would teach myself. I ponder if the past version of myself would heed this truly important advise...

If I could go back and give myself advice before college I would tell myself not to worry about all of the small issues that may come to the surface and not to stress about getting bad grades during the first month of my freshman semester. I have always been a worrier and coming to college didn't change me. On my first math test I got the worst grade that I have ever gotten; I can't even begin to describe how I felt after reading the e mail that enclosed my grade. I worried enough about my grade that I made myself sick. Now, after my first semester is over, I look back on that time and wished I would have just relaxed. I know now that life is so much more than a test score!

I think I would tell myself to do the proper research. If you have a list of schools in mind figure out what they are about and what their programs are about. You do not have to know what you want to do before entering school but by doing the research you may get an idea of some of the things that are out there. Doing the research will also allow you to figure out if these schools fit you and your needs. It is important that one has a feeling of being accepted in any aspect of life. Someone that has a negative feeling about this situation may find themselves struggling in their first year of adjustment to college. Another word of advice is be open to the experience. It is alright to be afraid of new things but college is about the challenge of stepping outside of your comfort zone. This is a chance for personal growth and in order to truly do that you have to be open to new people, things and experiences. Sometimes you do not find out what you are truly capable of until you are put into a difficult situation. So enjoy it!!

I would inform myself that study skills are a must. One of my biggest problems in coming to college was that I did not know how to study. So far I hadn't needed to know. High school was a walk in the park for me, I graduate with Magna cum laude honors and not an ounce of proper studying technique in me. Freshman year was not easy and I learned a lot about studying. I would also tell myself to not be afraid to experiance new things. When fear over takes, you spend a lot of time holed up in your room, not making any friends or socializing. Most college campuses have tons of extra curricular activities and events that you can partake in. It is also a good idea to get out. Studying is a must but there is also a needed to party, safely and responsibly. It helps eliviate stress and helps you meet new people. Being safe and responsible is important, I know too many people who have recieved MIPs/ruined their lives because of a night out. It IS possible to still have fun and not drink, you just need the right set of mind.

As trite as it may sound, get involved. Even though there are times when it seems like there is too many choices, it is important to take advantage of the ones that are germane to your interests and ambitions. Never take anything for granted and never put anything off because the only experiences that will be regretted are the ones that are never attempted. And make sure to keep an open mind when examining various opportunities in classes, clubs, or careers. Though it may be seem like you have it all figured out and you know exactly what you want to do, the truth is you have not even discovered your ultimate passions. So remember to loosen restrictions on where you will go and who you go with and you may find through the good and the bad, things you never even knew about. As long you open your mind to the experiences all around you, you will not only discover things about yourself you never knew, you will also help other students in their own self improvement pursuits. For as others are influencing you, you are also influencing them. Make sure you are one of the positive influences.

The advice that I would give myself would be to stay focused on academics first and social life second because friends will always be there even after you have your degree. Also, pick a major in something that you know you will be happy doing and in which you will be very successful . As far as making the transition into college the advice would be to get to know as many people as you can because you can make lifelong friends and this could help with networking in the future.

I know we've all looked back at life at one point or another and wished we could go back and change something. I know if I had the knowledge I know now about college I would have been much more prepared freshmen year. IIt's important to step out of your shell and get acquainted to new people. early on. I also wish I had known about all the resources available to freshmen as well as all students when it comes to academics. You're not alone at college and there are plenty of students, advisors and resources available to anyone who needs help. Another thing I wish I would have known was a better knowledge for the credits and classes that I should be taking. Being able to decide your major early on makes a huge difference in your freshman year. The sooner you decide the sooner you are able to enroll in classes that are specifically for your major. Why waste your time and money on useless credits that won't benefit you in the end? Overall I would say that you must come to college with a good additude and an open mind.

As a High School Senior I had no idea what college life would be like. I had older siblings who had attended, but I knew that my experience would not be the same. I had so many expectations and plans. College life was exactly what I imagined. It's having the ability to decide for yourself, to grow up, to have a different learning experience everyday. If I could go back and give myself advice I would say this; GO FOR IT. Don't be afraid to take some risks, go to student meetings, talk to that friendly guy in your math class, enjoy being exactly who you want to be. Embrace every moment, be careful with your head, and your heart. Remember you are there for one very important reason: TO LEARN. Go to class, talk to your professors, work hard during the week so you can reward yourself on the weekend. Just like high school, you won't get these years back. Experience new things, do something you would have never attempted in high school. But lastly don't be afraid to mess up, fear will hold you back. Don't rush through life, live it!

If I could go back in time, I would plan my decision on what university to attend based upon my future goals and not soely on financial aid and location. I feel that students in high school, especially during economic times like these, are faced with a stress of how they will afford school. The best advice I can give to that is to worry about that when you get to where you want to be. If you are happy where you are, and you are doing the things that you want to do, you are more likely to work harder and be more acadeimcally successful. With that being said you can find ways to assist the financial aspect of your education, but getting the degree and being satisfied with the time you spent working on it is far more important than how much it cost.