Montclair State University Top Questions

I have gotten out of my college experience the tools I need to succeed in life and that will make me a better person. College makes you broke but its valuable because it gives you what you need to stand apart from other people.

A reality check in life. I am now taking out loans for my education. I need to work hard and succed or I am wasting time, effort and money. I learn higher education is very time consuming and very difficult. It has been valuable to attend because again, a life lesson, I know the importance of education and finding a career for myself in life. I realize all this hard work will provide a better life style for myself and in my field I will be helping many people throughout my life, which will be heartwarming and satisfying.

I would tell myself to learn more about about financial aid, and learn about paying for school in general. I would also tell myself that scholarships are VERY important. When I was in highschool I had no idea about how much college would cost. For some reason I never believed people when they told me that college was expensive so I just thought to myself, "Financial aid will pay it off for me." Boy was I wrong. For this same reason i hardly applied to any scholarships. I also did not think very highly of myself. I thought that I had no chance of winning so I didnt see the point of trying. Wrong again! If I knew how much loans I would have inevitably taken out, maybe I would have changed my mind. I often think that its too late, but then I see scholarships like this one and it quickly changes my mind. It gives me hope.

I had a lot of guidance during the application (and for me, audition) proccess. But if I could go back, I would work on the transition from High School to College life. I have pretty servere anxiety disorder that is linked with some depression. I had a small breakdown in my sophomore year oh High School and was put on some medication. It made a complete difference in my life at the time. After a couple of years, my doctor took me off ofthe medication because I was doing so well, but that left me going into a major life transition, having just come off of mood and brain chemical stabilizing medications. My first semester of college was sort of a disaster. This isn't the usual story people hear about why their first semester of college was rough, but I wish I had been better guided in how to handle my disability coming into college. Although once I got past my initial issues, the disability resource center here took really good care of me.

I think that the most important thing I would want to tell 18 year old self would be: take your time. I think that most new college students are so caught up in trying to take in everything and experience everything that they lose focus on the more important things in life. I would also tell myself to figure out a way to NOT work full-time through college, that way my focus could be more on school and enjoying my first years at school rather than stretching myself too thin. It is hard to juggle a new independent life, school work, blossoming social life and work - especially when life in high school hasn't required such multi-tasking as college life demands. So most importanly, my young self: try your best to take a deep breath, relax and try to focus on school first to avoid slumping grades but also, try to enjoy your time and realize that this really is the best time of your life, it will over before you know it. Time management really is the key to success in college!

College can be the most exciting time of your life, but remember if you don't maintain your grades, it will be over quicker than you think. Make friends as soon as possible, it helps the transition. Stay organzied and you will succeed. College is stressful, so have fun! Stay in touch with your friends and family at home, and also know that the friends you meet in college are the ones that stick around the longest. Be proud and happy of who you are!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself about college life I would have so much to say. I would tell myself how important the journey I am about to embark on is and how much I will grow as a person. I would stress the importance of having an open mind and being ready for almost anything because college is so different from any place I have ever been. I would tell myself to save money as much as possible because college is expensive and so is trying to hang out with your new friends. I would tell myself how scary it is to move out but how amazing it is to gain a new sense of pride and independence with each passing day. I wolud tell myself not to worry about college because you picked the best one for you. Most importatnly I would tell myself to hug your family and friends tight not only because you will miss them but because it is each and everyone of them who helped you to make it this far.

If I could go back and give myself advice about entering college, I'd definitely warn, or advise myself, about books and schoolwork! In high school I was always a procrastinator and would wait until last minute to do all my work and projects. I tried that same approach in college and got my butt kicked. I had to work extra hard to make up for some of the poor grades I got in the first part of the semester. Advise: start projects when you find out due dates and 4 page papers aren't as easy as they sound, don't wait til last minute! Second advice topic is books. My first semester books were bought at the bookstore. BIG mistake. They charge outrageous prices for even the used books. Advice: use the book store to find out what books are required for your course and section and then just buy them on amazon.com or half.com. Other than that, the transition was pretty easy, socially, physically, and mentally! Good luck !

If I could go back in time and give my self advice about college life I would definitely say you need to work really hard for what you want. I would say you need to study a lot and get good grades. College life is fun but also very demanding. You need to be able to compromise with others. Living on campus is very nice rather than commuting but it is very expensive. I would say to apply for any scholarships that are available to you. There are many resources available to you so therefore the transition is easier for you. The professors are very understanding and they are willing to help you, so take advantage and get the help if you need it!

Marni, the words that come to mind that is a piece of advice I wish I had when making the college transition are know thyself. Know that college selection is not as important as college performance. Confidence, respect and diligence will serve you well in school. It is good preparation for upcoming endeavors. Never think you know more than the professor or that there is not something to be learned. Don?t ever give up because the class is too hard, too strict, too- anything. Those are just excuses. Accept that it is challenging and rise to the occasion. My experiences have taught me priceless knowledge in my chosen program and in life as well. It has supplied me with the tools to write my own future achievements and has done so through school accomplishment, self realization and has not been without the occasional taste of humble pie. Embrace the experience, it is this time that shapes you into your future self. Who do you want to be? A whole world full of opportunity is open to you, see them and seize them.