Michigan State University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and advise myself on college life when I was a senior in high school my first piece of advice would be for me to begin starting good habits in regards to studying, eating healthy, exercise, and sleeping. Senior year I would strive to sit down for a minimum of two hours a day to study, sleep at least seven hours a night, and try to eat healthy and exercise regulary. I think the biggest problem for students when they first enter college is balancing their time wisely. School is stressful, and can hinder a healthy lifestyle if that student doesn't manage their time wisely. I would also advise myself to really try to understand what are some of the best techniques I use to learn, as these techniques will be very vitale to studying productively in college. I would also try to set specific days or times when I could relax and enjoy doing whatever I want as it is important to balance fun with work in college. I would also stress the importance of cleanliness and maintening a neat living space as this can help reduce sickness. Lastly, always work hard!

I would try to convine myself to apply to many more scholarships. I would let myself know that Anthropology was the major I actually would graduate with, and so then I'd be able to look around at other schools and their programs instead of waisting a year and a half on zoology; not that it's technically a waist to get an education, but I could be farther along in my major than I currently am.

If I could go back in time as a high school senior there are many pieces of advice I would give myself. Freshman year of college is a big change. You go from living at home with your parents to living on your own with a campus full of new faces and many new responsibilities. One thing I would do differently would be to apply for scholarships before I enter college because there are so many out there I did not know about and am just starting to see. Also, I would focus on time management. College is a place where time management is key because you have different classes, in different buildings and your classes don't run from 7:15 am to 2:25 pm in the same building anymore. Not only do you need to manage time for your classes, but being involved extra-curricularly is great to get involved on campus and also allows you to practice time management as you adjust to the new atmosphere of "college life." My last piece of advice would be not to get discouraged and keep your chin up because it gets easier to adjust as the months go on.

Study harder, it's a lot tougher than high school.

Slow down. That?s right. Relax. You?ve been living so many years ahead of yourself that you?re going insane. You?re like a runaway train, hell-bent on crashing into college full-steam and plowing your way to success. Don?t worry: you?ll graduate from high school with flying colors, as salutatorian of a class of 511. Unfortunately, your high-strung, overachiever mentality will bring you dangerously close to burning out. You tried so hard in high school ? National Honor Society, Interact, Hot Topics, Environmental, and Diversity clubs, newspaper, community service, and six Advanced Placement classes worth 29 college credits. By the time you?re easily accepted into college, you?ll find yourself exhausted, lazy ? yes, you, lazy ? and unsure where to concentrate your energy. For the first time in your life, you?ll struggle, and you?ll nearly fail a class before you?ll wake up and realize that, like the Tortoise and the Hare, you ran way too hard in the beginning, took a nap, and (nearly) lost in the end. You need to pace yourself. Relax and have peace. You have the ability to achieve incredible things. Don?t lose control of that ability.

As a high school senior, I was undecided as to which of three career paths I would pursue with my college studies. Had I taken a year off from school, perhaps I would have had the opportunity to work or intern in any, or in all three, of my career choices. This work experience would have been advantageous in assisting me to focus on a major field of study, once enrolled in college. As well, perhaps I would have begun as a college freshman, more confident of my chosen, career path.

Don't stress. You will make friends and the adjustment period will only take about 3 weeks!

I would tell myself that while college is my first time being on my own, not to get caught up in the freedom. To remember that with freedom does come responsibility, and to make good choices. I would also tell myself not to be afraid to be myself, and let other people know who I am. Don't panic when you get your first bad grade or a failure, it happens, just like in life, consider it a learning experience and grow from it! Sometimes what you think you want more than anything is not what is meant to be; don't waste time wondering what might have turned out with it, look for the next open door.

Ever since I've attended college, there have always been many things I wish I knew before I was in this position. Of course there are the little things, like taking advantage of the ?advance placement? classes, taking summer classes after my senior year, volunteering, and joining more clubs. These are the things that will save you so much time and money by the time you get to college. But if I can give one advice about college to myself as a high school senior, I wish someone would have encouraged me with a recent quote I?ve learned from Colin Powel, an American statesman. He had said, ?There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.? When you go through college, you will be faced with hardships, failure, and sacrifices but this qoute reminds me that at the end, there will be that success I've have been working for. Once I learn how to endure the hard work, fix my mistakes, learn integrity, and be patient, college will only be the path I've taken to the next chapter of my life.

If I could go back to tell myself how to transition to college life, it'd be mostly don't worry about anything. Going in it's so worrisome about what others might think of you, how you're going to handle school work, what you have to do to be 'cool', but really, the best thing to do is not to worry at all about any of that stuff and just live life to its fullest without worrying.

I would tell myself to come into college with an idea of where I want to be when I'm out, but not to get set on having that goal/idea. There are times when partying seems like a better way of spending time, but studying is important too. Don't miss out on doing fun things too though, otherwise upon graduation you will regret the times you missed out on. Never take one second in college for granted. Your friends will become your family, so cherish the times you spend together.

spend money wisely

If I were to go back in time, the advice I would give myself pertaining to school would be to figure out a definite studying system, schedule each day very carefully, and schedule relaxation time. As for study plans, make sure to include a plan for short study time and long study time. You can even get ahead in your classes if you really focus on a small amount of information for a short period of time. If there is an hour break between classes, find a quiet place near the second class, and study until class. Use every break between activities as if cramming the morning of an exam. Scheduling time efficiently can make or break a semester. From the very beginning of a semester, following a strict daily schedule will allow time for learning all the material, getting all your homework done early (so you don't have to worry about it the day it is due), and also time for relaxation. Relaxation is more important than students let on. When enough work is done during the day there will be adequate time for relaxing at nighttime, allowing students to wake refreshed and ready for the next day.

Corey, you are going to study harder than high school. You are going to get involved with activities and learn serious time managment. Form study groups with other students and be helpful where help is needed. Make sure you apply for hundreds and hundreds of scholarships and/or have a perfect idea of paying for college. Just take your time their is no need to rush, try to be perfect in all the classes. Visit professors office hours and go over course content to become more familiar with your studies. Sign up for tutoring for every challenging class and attend helpful sessions for specfic classes. Most importantly find yourself but don't lose yourself.

I would tell myself to make a jump for it and go to a college in a larger city and to get away from my comforte zone.

I would tell myself to find the joy in my classes and relax, their is so much tension related to applying for college and to declare a degree program, that I didnt truly realize what I liked. After starting college you change, and all that planning and worrying seems so unwarranted. Also, do what your love, yes making money is important, so is being happy with your life.

Take pride in school work by putting the effort in to learn the material thoroughly, and start the homework as soon as possible after it is assigned to allow time for answering any questions that may arise. Also, the sooner you realize the importance in life of becoming a competent and contribution member of society, the easier it will become to assume the competitive lifestyle of a college student.

I would tell myself that it is much harder work in college and u need to study harder and more often.

Be a lot more assertive and confident in the first place.

I would tell myself that going to a community college first would have saved me a lot of money, but that in the long run, the choice to go directly to MSU was the correct one. I would also tell myself that no matter how badly I feel about my relationship with someone, to not let it affect me, especially when my mother tells me she is disappointed with me. As long as I am happy with my decision and it leads me towards a better future, I am content and trust that everything will work itself out in time. My high school self will have no idea how hard it will be freshman year, especially when she is paired with difficult roommates. If she can stick it out, however, she will gain two new permanent friends, and the love of her life as well.