Murray State University Top Questions

The advice I would give myself is to not jump staright into a 4 year university. If i could have done things a lot differently I would of started at a community college to get my basics out of the way and then moved to a 4 year college to get the rest out of the way.

You don't yet know what you want from life, a profession, or your college experience. You shouldn't feel insecure about not knowing these things yet & people who say differently have unrealistic expecations of you. Immediately declare a major you like, it will give focus. Remember, it's alright to change your major. Trust mom's advice, but don't let it define you. Making friends with the same type of people you've known before is easy, but remember, you have always had to wear your "mask" with them. Your environment so far has been more isolated than you were led to believe, this fact should not be underestimated. Making good friends will require taking your "mask" off. Meet the outcasts, they're more philosophical, but stay conscious of your naivete. Be uncomfortable, it will help you mature. Develop a strong, healthy group of friends early on. 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of succeeding in life is following others' directions, you're going to be held responsible for the other 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. You're creative & many are not, this isn't a weakness, it's a strength. Break up with your boyfriend, it will not work out; go to events alone, stay safe.

There is nothing you can really do to prepare for the stress, and the joy, of college life. What I would tell my high school self is that everything works out in the exact right way. Fill out college applications, fill out scholarship applications, work hard to get into the school that you want to get into, but don't get disheartened if something didn't turn out precisely how you planned it would. Everything works out in the exact right way. The college you go to will be more than just a school to you. College is your place to find great, long lasting friendships, your place to date a few cute guys, your place to be on your own for the first time, your place to find yourself. The college you go to will be your home for the next four years, and honestly it will go by a lot faster than you would like. Sure you will fail a couple tests and skip a couple classes along the way, but don't worry. Everything works out in the exact right way.

I would give myself the advice to take more AP classes for college credit. I would tell myself to start building a budget, and to start saving as much money as possible. I would encourage myself to be more involved so I could open myself up to other opportunities more. I would also tell myself to mentally and emotionally prepare for the distance of being away.

If I could write a letter to myself, I would tell her to not blink. I would tell her to not worry about growing up too fast. I would tell her that in a year from now your boyfriend cheating on you wouldn't matter because there is a better guy in your future. I would tell her to take in every last football game she was cheering in. That was the last year I would ever be cheering and I wish I could go back. I would tell her not to worry about deciding on a college; in the end you will pick the perfect university. I would tell her to have fun and relax. It will go so fast. I would tell her to thank thank Mr. Gavin everyday. No one would of guessed that our last day of high school would be the day he takes his last breath. I would tell myself to spend all of my free time with my mother, she is the MOST important person in your life and always will be. I would also tell her to save every penny: college is expensive!

If I was gifted with the opportunity to talk to myself as a high school senior I would take the opportunity to tell myself to stop being so caught up with what other people think of me and truly be genuine to who I was. Coming into college I was excited about the chance to be whoever I wanted to be but trying to reinvent myself from the person I had grown up in high school to be resulted in discontentment and misery. It wasn't until a friend introduced me to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ that I understood that I had identity outside of what other people thought of me that I was able to look at the world with joy and live my life as the person I was created to me. I would tell my 18 year old self to take a look at my own heart, realize that Jesus loves me for who I am and then live to be that person to His glory. This would have made the transition into college much easier and I would have developed lasting frienships from the begging of school rather than delaying them.

Elizabeth, You know that boy you're thinking about? He's not worth your time. You know that test you didn't do well on? It's not worth the worry. You know the bullshit you have to deal with at work? It's not worth your energy. You know about the family complications? It's not worth losing sleep over. The only thing that you need to focus on is yourself and what makes you happy. That means taking a weekend off of work and putting the books down to go out with your friends, spend time with your sister, and make memories. Your little sister won't be so little soon and she will miss and need you appreciate it while you can. Keep your standards high in college. Get out of your comfort zone and meet new friends. Work Study. Party. Laugh. Nobody is as good at being you, xcept you. You're going to go through rough times, but the good ones make up for it. You're well loved here at MSU. You have people who have your back and will help you up when you fall. So smile. You're prettier that way. Elizabeth

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, advice that I would give myself would be to research the different colleges that are out there. Make sure I know what degree I want to pursue and stick with it. Make appointments to attend the colleges for visits to learn more about how that specific college works. Get involved by asking college students to give me one line of advice as a prospective student. Research to find out how long it will take to receive the degree I have chosen. Get an estimate of all related college costs. Make a financial plan and stay with it. Always order used books or rent because it does save money. I would say to take the first semester after high school off and after that go full time. If summer classes were an option, I would choose to take one class online every summer to finish my degree early. It pays off. The final piece of advice I would give is to make sure the classes I am enrolled in will count towards my degree and not to enroll in any that won't.

Dear Madison, I would like to commend you on trying to get yourself ready for college by taking all of the A.P classes that were offered at you high school! It will truly make college easier, altleast in the begining. I know you mom is constantly telling you that you need to learn to do laundry and cook simple meal and you keep pushing it back....DON'T! Go ahead and get comfortable with those simple daily duties. Plan you time wisely. That has been my biggest ajustment at college. I was always a late studier and doing homework last minute. Big mistake to do that at college because everything will pile up quick. As soon as you know an assignment start it and finish as soon as possible. Fortunately, I had a few professors that helped get me on track with leniency. Get involved with your campus clubs and campus sports as much as possible. Its a great way to meet friends and future study buddies! Thank your teachers before you leave because even though you thought everything you were doing was stupid they have totally prepared you for college! Go MCHS!

Transitioning from high school to college is an experience unlike any other. The emotional mix of excitement and nerves can leave a person feeling overwhelmed. However, whether going away from home or attending a local college or university, the possibilities your future holds are endless. College is all about experiencing new things, stepping outside of your comfort zone, and striving for the best. When the anxiety from change brews in your stomach, remember; every incoming freshman is in the same situation: new surroundings, new people, new opportunities. So go out and try things you otherwise wouldn’t, take chances, and strive to be your best. Don’t worry about how you look or what others will think of you, any thoughts of negativity will keep you from pursuing your dreams. Talk to everyone that crosses your path because just like you, everybody’s looking for new friendships and experiences. Most importantly be yourself and strive for want you want like never before. Lastly, always remember why you are attending college—for the education, so make it count!