Grace
It won't be easy, and by no means will it be the fairytale everyone has sold you on. I know you think you have it all figured out and no one can tell you otherwise, but trust me life still happens when you're in college.
Yes, you are okay without your parents guiding your every decision. But what you really need to know about becoming a college student is that you will be on your own, not just for the day to day, but for big things as well.
You have to decide to fight for time to study, and whether or not to take that loan. If you manage your time and tell people no when needed it will be okay.
Also, bring some dishes! there is nothing worse than buying a bunch of hot choco and realizing you don't have a mug to drink it out of or a spoon to stir it with.
Lastly making friends will be the key to success the first couple of years. They have been where you are and will let you know it's okay to call mom every now and then when you need it.
Erikka
Don't pack that polka-dot skirt, no matter how often you think you'll wear it. It doesn't sit right and frankly isn't worth the space. Take as many AP classes as humanly possible. I know they're boring, and early release sounds like a far more productive use of time, but a semester of Geology and Western Civilization will have you begging for a second shot at balanced grading. Most importantly though; stop talking. I remember in High School you were known to captivate audiences with your "Military Brat" stories and family background, but this is the big leagues. Third day of Psychology you're going to spout about your "travel experience as a military child", and you will consequently look like an imbecile whilst your "audience" relates their childhood in Africa as a Missionary's daughter. People have been places you can't imagine, seen things you wouldn't believe, endured hardships that crush lesser men. You can learn so much from even the most unexpected individuals, if you just take time to listen. College isn't all about the books kid, keep your eyes open for the teachers sitting next to you in class.
Caroline
I would tell myself to stick with what I want to do. It is important not to change my dreams for a person (unless you are changing for God). I have no regrets about attending the college that I am going to. Also, I would tell myself to work toward getting money for school and saving. Saving is a good thing and helps you to have fun and buy things you need. Finally, I would tell myself to enjoy every minute before, during, and after college.
Andrea
I would let myself know that high school is not a waste of time. There are so many opportunities in the world and I have a chance just as much as anyone else does. I need to believe in myself and work hard because it will pay off in the long run.
Amber
I would begin my giving my inexperienced self the knowledge relating to credit and FICA scores. If I would have had the credit knowledge that I have now, back then, It would have prevented me from accumulating and paying off debt unecessarily and irresponsibly. I often wish that they would have offered a "mandatory" credit counseling and information course at my high school during my senior year. I know there are many students who graduate high school without the information they need to successfully build and maintain their credit. I would have also paid more attention to detail; not just in school, but in my every day life. It seems when we are younger, we are more "in the moment", and tend to forget, or not pay attention to the things around us that we can learn from. It isn't until we take a glance back at our past and wish we could strategize differently.
Dennis
Instead of rushing in and going straight into college, take a couple years off and work on serving other people and experimenting, with the support of commuinty, with direction, jobs, internships, and travel. Those years will allow you to grow into greater maturity and give you an appreciation for what you will be learning, as well as an appreciation of different types of people. That time will also allow you to develop your own personal ethos for doing what you do, and it will help guide you in your studies so you know why you are in school and what is important to you. Don't rush just because that is what everyone else is doing. It will also give you time to save money so you don't have to take loans and burry yourself finanically. One other thing pursue wisdom, slow down and think through your desicions and whatever you do, relax, it's okay to take risks and make mistakes.
sonia
I would tell myself that the first thing you need to know about college is that you cannot procrastinate. Also, that off-campus living is much cheaper than living on-campus. Be smart abot yor money, just because it seems like you have a lot does not mean that it will last long. And, just because they do not take attendance in college classes does not mean you should feel the need to not attend, you should always go to class. Study, study, study!
Stephanie
The time that I have spent at Multnomah University has already taught me a lot about myself. In the past semester, I have changed my major five times, decided to drop out, changed my mind, and am currently in my second semester. I came to college because my friends did, and I never knew what I wanted to do with my life.
The classes that I have taken, and the conversations I've had with my professors, have helped me understand myself better. I've realized that I have a natural gift of leadership, and that I want to be a teacher. I really enjoy history, and I want to go to college to become a high school history teacher. I have applied to Central Washington University, and I hope to attend there in the fall.
While I didn't find a career out of my first year of college, I did find myself. I know what I want to become, I know who I want to influence, and I know that I will become a teacher. My education is everything to me, and I will not take it for granted.
Gian
I would need well over a thousand words to fully elaborate on my college experience and its value in my life thus far, but unfortunately I'm only allowed two hundred words for this question.
I'd say that the biggest thing I've gotten out of my college experience is a stronger relationship with the Lord. (Yes, I'm a Christian) I've gone through trials and tribulations throughout my college life, and though the expierences have been painfull emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually, they've only strengthened me and my relationship with the Lord. Through the various impendimenta that I've encountered, ordeals such as basketball and athletic woes, and coaches and players challenging and maliciously attacking my beliefs, or teammates or friends attempting to harrass my decisions to do and not do certain things, and choosing between this and that, i've come to understand that nothing comes easy, and though it may sound cliche, anything worth having is really worth fighting for, but in the end, you find that the struggle throughout the journey was worth the end.
Jessica
I am a re-turning student to college after being out of school for 6 years. I have learned that getting a higher education is very important to growing as a person and growing in my career. No one can take your education away from you and that's why it is so special to me. I want to make a difference in people's lives and hopefully make a difference in this world by creating beautiful artwork via advertisement as a Graphic Designer.
Julia
i have gotten close life time friends while attending school at multnomah. also in the fall of 2009 my father was killed in a hit and run car accident. the school was and has been very supportive to me and my family.
Caitlin
While many people would say that the most important aspect of college education is purely the academics and making the grade, my undergraduate experiences have taught me that there is far more involved in the learning process. Hence, if I were to go back to my senior year of high school knowing what I know now, I would tell myself to be more open to new ideas and to different people. In doing so, I would allow myself to better understand what really drives the world: human beings. One cannot aspire to be a good nurse if he or she cannot show compassion for the suffering. One cannot be a good policeman if he or she cannot fathom life on the streets of urban America. Hence, there is more to learning than simply making the grade and getting a term paper submitted on time, and learning means little if it does not allow an individual to impact another person's life in a positive manner. After all, it is the interpersonal connections and relationships that a person forms with other individuals that ultimately makes life worth living, and no perfect grade could ever match the reward of helping another person.
jay
I would advise myself to research how much tuition costs at the time and research possible pay upon graduation through college and to enroll in a college program that offers a 50,000-100,000 job and to keep optimistic about the future and know that every step i take is a step towards a brighter future and to let myself know that once i finish whichever program i choose that i will make the money to make up for all the studying and money management over the years that i was in school
Kelly
I would tell myself to not stress out so much about picking a major and not to worry about sticking to a major that I choose. As a high school senior, I'm young and have a lot of time to figure out what I really want to do and what I'm passionate about. I would encourage myself to explore different areas of life while I can; while I'm still young and I'm not tied down by the pressures of life. There are so many different options with schools and careers, but I would also encourage myself to follow my heart and my passions. I would like me to know that going into college, I shouldn't settle for a career, I should go into a field of study that I'm actually going to enjoy. My decision shouldn't be based off of money or how easy a certain path would be, it should be based off of what I'm going to love doing. Everything else is going to take a backseat to that, and I'm never going to be happy in my career if I'm not doing what I love.
Kelly
First off everything is new and exciting and it is easy to focus on everything going on outside of the classroom. I would advice myself to put more effort into my classes during my first year. Also I would suggest looking at my academic plan because I took classes that were not needed for my major and I wish I hadn't paid for those classes. The biggest thing I would suggest is to have more humilty from the beginning. I thought I knew everything and I didn't like many people who were so different from me. There are a lot of people from different parts of the country who have differnt political views than me and that was hard. Looking back I would say to be more open to those different than myself. I have since learned that, but I encourage new freshmen to have an open mind and to seek knowledge in a humble manner.
Amy
The advice I would give myself as a high school Senior would first of all be to Study really hard! I did not care about school that much in highschool. Grades are not everything, but I wish I would have cared more about them. Yes, I have struggled having an easy time in school, but I still could have done better. I would tell myself that I need to run the race to win it! I would also tell myself to be more involved in the student body at school and connect more with my fellow students and my community. I should study more for the SAT and apply to more scholarships. If I had studied harder on my grades and SAT's I could've gotten scholarships more likely. I would tell myself to start saving money more wisely and spend less on clothes and pointless items! If I had of had better grades I could have applied to more colleges and applied earlier, I should have done that.Lastly I should've taken more classes and tried more in Running Start;, especially since it was free! I did not realize the value of money until now.
Nicole
I would tell myself that college is not that much different that high school, but, the school work itself is harder and takes more time to accomplish. I would tell myself to make sure to take time to relaxe and hang out with friends. I would also tell myself that finding life long friends is something that happens in college and it is important to take the time to be relational with both new friends and old friends. Next I would tell myself that the teachers in college are just as friendly as those in high school and they are just as caring and eager to see you succeed. Finally I would tell myself that life does not get any less busy, in fact, it just gets bussier. On top of school and social life and volunteering you have to add a job so that you can pay for school.
Kaitlin
The two big pieces of advice I would give myself would be to put effort into making friends and to put sleep as a top priority. I have always been a perfectionist and getting anything less than an A was not acceptable. Getting high grades was not an issue for me; the things I sacrificed to get them are what I wish I could change now. I would stay up late to finish homework, and then have to wake up early to go to class. This developed into narcoleptic behavior which was not only unhealthy, but dangerous! And, also due to my constant studying, I failed to bond with many people during my freshman year. This hampered my social life in the years to come. I wish I could have told myself that getting less than perfect grades wasn't a big deal and that my health and relationships were more important.
Amber
I would tell myself to learn ahead of time not to procrastinate. Procrastination is a bad habit of mine and I need to learn to schedule things on time and do them when they're supposed to be done instead of waiting till the last minute. I would also tell myself to learn how to figure out what each individual professor is looking for and do what they want, not just what you assume they want. .
Melissa
Do not get stressed out over the little things. Getting an "A" is important in that grades make a difference in your scholarship opportunities, but beating yourself up over not getting an "A" is not necessary. The goal needs to be to do your best, and that will at times not look like an "A" grade. Rather than seeing the expectations set by others for yourself as the bar to have to live up to, set your own expectations. Be flattered at the high expectations others have for you but don't kill yourself trying to meet them. Being successful is key to living a stable, financed life but that doesn't come just from getting a 4.0 and being the valedictorian. Try your best, but be more relaxed and be content with knowing that success comes in more ways than just good grades. If it has to be, the "B's" will get you the college degree and that's what the employers want to see. Also, don't be involved in everything just because you can be. Make relaxing and fun time with friends a priority, not just another extra thing to do.