Murray State University Top Questions

Do not fear, for Jesus Christ is faithful.

As a college freshman, there are so many things to have thought about. Getting adjusted is the biggest part of the new "college experience". You will go through a lot from missing home, meeting new people, living somewhere new, and having a roomate you may not know. If I were giving myself advice about college, I would say just don't worry to much about everything. Worring just won't help. Then when it comes to the weekends, yes it's ok to go home every few weeks to see family and friends. Do stay on the weekends though because it is fun and you can get closer to the friends you have made. That is all part of the experience and knowing you can have fun and hangout with your friends after classes and on the weekends is important, of course getting all of your work done as well.

If I could give myself advice as a high school senior, it would revolve around getting involved at college. I am an introverted pre-medical student. My primary concern is my GPA, MCAT score, and gaining acceptance to medical school. Because of this, I have done a terrible job getting involved on campus. Originially, I thought getting involved meant "going greek" and binge drinking every other night. I am beginning the second half of my Junior year at Murray and have finally began to get involved. College is tough. You need all the help you can get to stay sane through it. I have found that getting involved on campus is not just for fun. It is helpful also. As a senior in high school, I did not realize this. However, now I am involved in the Pre-Health Professionals club on campus, and it is already making my life significantly easier. Getting involved is not all about partying. It will help you with your grades, happiness level, and satisfaction with your lifestyle.

I would go back and tell myself to practice time management skills to better prepare myself with making it to class on time, studying, doing homework, and extracurricular activities. I would also encourage myself to take as many AP and college credit classes to probably prepare for what college is like, since high school and college is totally different, and less classes i would have to take since I took them in high school. Last but not least, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!! Do and turn in all assignments on time whenever they are due and pay close attention to the syllabus while in college. And have fun, but work does come first.

I would tell myself to take more college classes because when the time comes more credits are going to help. I would also tell myself to enjoy my time and hang out with my friends as much as possible because time flys by. I never realized it until i was in college that i do not get to see my old friends as much as I want to. I would also tell myself to live in the moment and not to be affraid to ask question and get help. When I was in high school I was shy and quiet. If I had a question I would not ask it because I would be nervous someone would make fun of me. Now that I think about it high school was one of the best times of my life and the worst at the same time. I expreienced who I was and the person I wanted to be in high school and I will never forget the people who have got me where I am today.

If i could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior and give myself college advice i would tell myself to make as many connections as possible. You cannot get everything done for college on your own you are gonna need help. Also i would tell myself not to wait for other people to get things done, you have to be persistent and keep calling and checking to make sure the things get done that needs to be.

I would tell myself that I need to set a schedule of when my classes, when to study, and when I have free time. That that is the only way you will be able to make it through college. You need to set up times when to study and actually stick to that schedule. You have to study or you will not make it through college. It is no where like high school.

I was a high school drop out who got my GED. I would tell myself not to make that choice. Life can be so hard and I only made it harder on myself by not finishing school. Not only that but returning to school after I had a family to raise was very difficult. I would tell myself to have the best opportunities this life has to offer finish high school and get a degree first. Everything else will come. there is no need to rush through your life because there are no "do overs".

Follow your heart instead of trying to impress your friends.

I would advise to be as involved as you can. Make the most of every opportunity you are presented. These are four of the best years of your life, and you should make the most of them. These four years help shape you as a person and create the path of your future career. Balance is the key. Grades should always a priority in your life. I'm attending medical school next fall, and if I hadn't have valued grades all of my four years, I would not have gotten accepted. However, there is so much more to college than just your grades. I joined many clubs and organizations which gave me experiences that I can carry on with me for the rest of my life. Experience a different religion. Talk to someone with another political belief than you. Know why you believe and think the things you do. These are four years you become you, and never sell yourself short of that experience.

If i was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior about what college life was like, I would tell myself to apply to more scholarships. This way I would not have to take out so many loans. I would also tell myself to get involved in clubs and sports in college right away, so that way I could become an active student at my school. I believe both of these things would have helped me achieve more throughout my freshman year.

I would encourage myself to stay motivated about school. Senior year is a tough time, but it only gets tougher. I thought college would be a breeze since it would be focused just towards my major, but I found out that I was still going to have classes I didn't want to take. I would be sure to tell myself that everything will work out how it's supposed to and not to get too stressed coming into my first semester. I would encourage myself to join a sorority because it has gained me some of the best friends I will ever have and given me a family like I have never experienced before. I would go back and tell myself that I should have worked more the summer after my senior year, instead of spending more of it with family, because college has been expensive and it would have been nice to have that saved up money. Most importantly, I would have told myself to follow my path and not let anyone tell me I can't do something or that I won't succeed at it.

I would say to myself to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Join the sorority, go to the huge water balloon fight on the football feild. Participate in as much as you can. Donate blood, go to church, do not judge people by what they look like, call home, and dont forget about your friends back at home. Remember when the stress gets so high because you fear you wont make the grades and all you want to do is cry, is take a deep breath, go for a walk or something to take your mind off of it, go buy a coffee, call dad, and know everything is going to be ok. Dad will remind you of that and mom will keep pushing you to not give up. Stop worrying about meeting boys and being afraid that you will never find anyone, give it time. Use common sense, DO NOT drink and drive or be in a car with someone who has been. Know that you are someone special and worthy. Your family adores you and cannot wait to see you again and neither can your friends. Take care of yourself and remember to breathe.

If I could go back in time and give my past self some advice I would say to try harder. I would make myself take the ACT again for a higher score so I would be eligible for more scholarships. I would also tell myself to keep up my grades and try harder in class so my GPA woul be higher and it also would help me be eligible for more scholarships. I also would make myself apply for more scholarships because now that I am in college I am having a hard time affording it. I might even have gone to a differnt college that was cheaper.

If I could go back in time I would tell my high school self to fill out as many scholarship applications as possible. College is all about getting a good education but growing up in lower middle class a little assistance is mandatory. Things can be very expensive, but not if money is being granted. I would tell myself to try and not get more than three loans, they are good for the moment but paying them back will ost likely be a hassle. Picking the right school ahead of time ca nbe very helpful because I could go and see what sort of university scholarships they have available. Trying to get money for my future education is what I would discuss with my high schoo lself.

Don't be afraid to jump in and get involved. There are thousands of people on campus, most of which are willing to make new friends and help new students. Do not limit yourself to just your comfort zone. In college you will discover things about yourself that you never would have imagined. College is the time of your life. Leave all the restrictions of high school behind and be who you have always wanted to be. Start fresh!

Knowing what I know now, I would give myself advice about broadening my horizens and exploring new options. In highschool, I was very shy and felt like I missed out on opportunities that I could have experienced if it weren't for my fear of getting out of my comfort zone. Once I started attending college, I became more outgoing and realized that there is so many opportunities and so much to experience that you can miss out on that if you choose to not take a chance because your afraid. Because of my transition, I had the wonderful opportunity of joining a sorority and taking a study abroad trip to London. I would encourage anyone to broaden their horizens to have the chance to experience new and exciting things. Don't let the fear of leaving your comfort zone hold you back. Wonderful opportunities may pass you by and one day you may wish you had taken those opportunities.

Looking back, I would study more and try to apply myself more. I have completed a semester at the University of Kentucky so I am starting Murray State as a transfer student. Last semester was very difficult for me because in high school I never had to do much since it came so easy to me. College is a totally different story. It was a great experience and has better prepared me for what I am going to have to do to become a nurse. I would also go back and try not to stress over small things. I was always worried about the small things when in reality those things don't matter. There are many more important things in life that need my attention like school work rather than worrying about my friends.

When I was a senior, I wanted to go straight to a 4 year college like everyone else. I thought just going to a 2 year community college was "not cool" because it was where the not smart people went. I thought I was prepared and fully responsible for myself by moving off on my own. I did listen to my parents and go to a 2 year. I would tell myself that it is not easy as you think to live on your own. You are not ready for this. You do not even cook at home, how do you think you will feed yourself other than wasting money on fast food? Now, going to a 2 year I have learned so much responsibility. It was the best decision I have made for my future. Also to take advantage of living at home paying no bills and soak up all the "home cooking". I would tell myself that it will be worth it in the end. No regrets. I would not have to worry about how late a bill was or when to buy groceries. My faith can grow through God more as I mature into an adult.

I would stress the importance of learning good study habits and improving my GPA. College life is so different from high school that many times students are not totally prepared for college. I would discuss the importance of learning good organizational skills, techniques to improve researching of topics and writing papers. I would explain that improving my GPA will only benefit me in the future as it opens many more doors to me. The higher the GPA, the more colleges look at you and the better chance you have of getting accepted at the one you really want to go to. It also allows you the opportunity of being eligible for more scholarships and financial aid. Which is really important as college is expensive and having some help with expenses can really make a difference in the experience of a college student. It relieves alot of burden and stress. I would really go back and change my perception as a senior and would have definitley stressed the importance of learning better study habits and organizational skills to help me as a college freshman.