Missouri State University-Springfield Top Questions

I would tell myself not to stress out so much. College is not as hard as it seems as long as you try to find things to keep you busy. Homework is not excessive like on t.v., but work is still required to get all of the grades that you want. It might be hard sometimes, but sleep will never be taken away. It's going to be fun and people want to help and make you feel like you are not alone.

I've borrowed Marty McFly’s DeLorean to go Back to the Past on a mission to 1991 to open the eyes of my high-school-senior-self to better grasp the big picture through the small picture blue-tinted contact lenses she pops in each day. I have one minute to make a difference, so when I catch a glimpse of her hopping into her sweetheart, Steve’s, Buick Regal, I shout! “Barb, this is your 40-year-old self! Things turned out pretty great. You and Steve are married and have two amazing kids. Here’s the thing... you’re kind of blowing off high school. Do you want to have to start college in your forties? Come on! You are a smart girl! Spend more time studying and less time chasing him (trust me, he’s not going anywhere). Join a club, play a sport or pick your violin back up. You know how you want to move out ASAP? The quickest route to that - and a better life - is doing well in high school to get scholarships. You can become the first ever in your family to follow your dreams to college. Focus! Your dreams await!”

Dear High School Self,

Nathan, if there are two things I wish I could have told you before you started college it’s 1) to manage your time better and 2) to get your psychological issues addressed as early as possible. Yes, they’re closely related, as your mental health problems will just continue to exacerbate your poor time management and studying skills. It will certainly take a stable psychiatric regimen to maintain sanity with your condition, but your lack of ability to manage your time has been present even while you’re sane for various reasons. You need to learn how to use a planner—actually use it, not just keep it in your backpack due to the embarrassment of being one of “those kids” who actually uses one and actually gets things in on time—if you want to be able to pass all your classes with the knowledge you need for college. And Nathan? I’ll add a third one. Get involved in clubs with people you can connect with, and in activities you like doing. It’ll show that you at least took the time to get involved with extracurricular activities in high school. And ... it could save your life.

I would tell myself to spend a lot of time with the people that really matter. Forget about those who don't care about you. When you move to college, you will make new friends, amazing friends. You will also be away from the friends you made before college so spend time with them, and your family.

Try to get involved in some sort of campus activity. Don't focus so much on working, try to have fun and enjoy college while you can; it goes by faster than you think. Be outgoing in class. Try to talk to people around you, this can be good for future tests and you might even make some friends. Don't get bummed out if you don't get all As, this is college afterall. Have good communication with your professors. If there comes a time when you need their help, you want them to know who you are; don't be just another face in the leacture hall. Try new things but also stay true to yourself; don't give in to pressure.

Be sure to experience all paths of college life! Knowing now, that great group of people from the Pride Marching Band, I believe that having a core group of friends makes the transition easier. Yes, some old friends from high school may be attending the same college but they are also trying to find their own path in life. Your two paths may not cross anymore. Opening your world to different aspects of education and social activities will make you a more well-rounded person. You can’t bury your head in the books for 4 years and expect to come out knowing everything. Having friends to experience a new city and new activities with will help you learn to work the social aspect of a group. This will aide you later in life when working in an office space. College is what will help prepare you for life’s roads ahead. Learning how to interact with all groups of people while maintaining your studies in your fields of interest will be important. You’ll work to find that balance in life that works for you. Never forget who you are and don’t change for a group of people.

I would tell myself to be determined and optimistic, to be willing to go outside my comfort zone and try something new. I would let myself know it's ok to fail as long as you learn from it, no one hits a homerun everytime. Mostly I would tell myself that there is nothing I can't do or learn so be confident and enjoy the experience.

Hi there, you scarred little thing! Remember to eat, sleep and breathe! Ask for help, and keep asking until you get it. Join a group. Make friends and get involved. Slow and steady wins this race. This should be fun and a little hard but not miserable. If it is, then you are doing it WRONG!! What do YOU wish to do with your life? Aim towards that goal and take baby steps towards it. Get rid of some of your stuff, and find a cheap apartment so you don't have to work so much! Apply for scholarships!

I woud tell myself that I am worth the time , effort. Getting good grades is for me and no one else. The counselors and teachers that tried to push me didn't matter, the other kids didn't matter. Stop worrying about everybody else and dig into your own life. You have talent, you are going to be a very sought after artist some day. It all gets better from here but only if you believe it will get better. Focus on goals, big and little. Step by step you will climb out of your depression and self loathing. Make yourself better and the world will smile back when you choose to smile at it. Good luck and go get 'em!!

I would tell myself to rush for a sorority sooner than I did, joining a sorority was one of the best decisions since coming to Missouri State. Make sure you are involved on campus and don't be stressed if you don't know what you want to do for the rest or your life, you'll figure it out. Also don't worry about what others think about you, they will constantly judge no matter what you do. And finally, cherish the friends you make and don't be sad if you lose friends from the past because friends come and go and make sure to value your family, they will there for thick and thin.

I would tell myself to be prepared to have homework. I need to pay attention in class closely to complete the homework. I would also tell myself to meet with my advisor at least once each semester so I don't accidentally take any classes that I don't need. Taking classes you don't need can be a waste of time and money. I would tell myself to get in a habit of doing homework the day it was assigned. I wish someone would have told me that because when I started going to college I found I was a huge procrastinator. I would find myself staying up until three am completing homework because I had put it off. Procrastinating causes a huge stress that makes school hard to enjoy. I would also tell myself to make friends in my classes because then you can study together and become good friends. Lastly I would tell myself to always allow an alloted time to go out with friends and have fun. At the end of the week you deserve to go out and reward yourself for all the hard work you put into school.

Dear High school senior, These last ten months of your secondary education is here, the moment you have been waiting on. This is no time to become lazy, but to work harder and relax because it’s almost over. You may feel clueless on decisions you will have to make soon but make those decisions with what you want and not what anyone else wants. Homecoming, turning eighteen and prom are all the fun things but Graduation, 8am ACT test days, and acceptance letters in the mail, are all the days that will mean more in your future. You are a beautiful, intelligent, hardworking, and a loving young lady to say the least and most definitely on the right track to prosperity. So remember once you graduate on May 21, 2011 to not stop there, but to go out and uphold yourself on a pedestal of academic achievement. Show those Scholarship donors how proud you are and unbelievably grateful for their gift towards your academic career. You are a black girl that rocks and whichever choice of University you will go to that that will be the best choice for you to grow wiser while embarking on a new life.

You have to learn to communicate in order to be able to establish contacts with people. This would be a very important skill that would help you out in your future. Never forget a simple truth: this is the easiest way to get friends at school beacuse later it would be more difficult. Concentrate your attention on the important things. Set goals for you then achieve them, enjoy your little victories and get pleasure from them. Repeat this process over and over again. Be epic. Work on your character all the time. Improve yourself. Find new information. Read more.

Past Forward “Ever-growing self-explorer, make this senior year more memorable, having discovered that the power to positively influence isn’t in looks, neither that being street-smart (or misled) in brands, parties, drugs, violence, sex equates to sophistication and knowing how life works – what are my losses, what do I gain that I would resort to desire and feign I belonged?... >>> …But find ME and be content as a humble star amidst the night, and see what thing on earth can dull or move me? All the lessons repeating tears and bloodshed in the chapters of human history, including those pages of my family’s incredible journey to America, consider now truly appreciating their consequential benefits for my present life, especially my education, which should yield this commonly overlooked end. Experience at the college level reveals that many, even the most knowledgeable, who may esteem themselves civilized lead their entire lives unlearned of the foundational discipline of integrity: self-respect. These are never too distant or abstract, and possessing them would see me defy those petty judgments and heavy regards for the external, to devote my educated concerns to greater matters of poverty and injustices in the world.”

Save your money. It is important to do things and make friends, but there is so much to do that is free. Research these things and make experience memories rather than just sitting in the dark theatre making memories about movies. Go be adventurous. Try new things. Meet new people. There is more to do on Firday than party, check out the free stuff!!!!!Not kdding, there is so much to do for free, use your money to pay for school, so you are not in debt when it is over.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to take more college credit courses, detach yourself from your mother and save some money. Every student gets the speech about how hard the transition is from high school to college so I won’t say all that again. Being in college now, I see some things that I should’ve applied to my life. I am a really family-oriented person so my biggest problem is being far away from my mother and father. Even though I am only three hours away, when I am having a bad day it feels like we are countries away from one another. While I was in high school, I took multiple classes that I could’ve potentially gotten college credit for but since I wasn’t very happy with my grades I chose not to but if I could go back, I would’ve done better and paid for the classes. Savings, Savings, and more savings is the last thing I would yell at myself because it would surely help me right now.

College was something I looked forward to for a while before I graduated high school. I eagerly anticipated to the opportunity to learn things I was truly interested in while being on my own and living independently. The advice I would give to my anxious, pre-collegiate self would be quite simple: savor every moment...All too often you find yourself thinking ahead, as you’re very much a goal-oriented individual, which is a positive trait, but now that you’re about to experience college, just remember that living in the moment is such an important thing to keep in mind. Now that you’ve reached your goal, you need to study hard, just as you did in high school. However, with all that studying, you should remember to have fun, also. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that you’re about to embark the most crucial moment of your life. I have no doubt you’ll do your best, but never forget how blessed you are to have this opportunity and if you do this, I have no doubt you will not only be successful, you will l also have a great college experience.

Go all the way through college at once, dont take a year off between ASN and BSN.

Past!Me: Wow! You're me only older! That's so cool! Future!Me: Yes, yes I'm amazing. Listen I've got something important to tell you. Past!Me: Are there flying cars yet? Do zombies take over the earth? Are we-- Future!Me: Ssh! Be quiet and listen! I can't reveal anything to you about the future because it will create a time paradox! The only thing I'm allowed to do is give you advice! Past!Me: Oh, well what did you want give me advice about? Future!Me: It's about when you transfer to MSU. Look, I know that you hate doing anything that's college related and you get bored easily, but it's very important that you make sure you take general education classes that are transferable from Southeast Missouri State to Missouri State University. In the future you attend SEMO and later transfer to MSU but not all of your gen ed classes will transer. So make sure that you only take transferable courses. Got it? Past!Me: Okie dokie! Future!Me: Oh, and one more thing. I--oh no it's wearing off! I'm fading back to-- !