Northeastern University Top Questions

If I could go back in time to my senior year in high school, I would sit myself down and say, ?Always do what are you afraid to do.? This quote changed my freshman experience mid-way through. In high school I was very self-conscious, which prevented me from doing the things that I wanted to do. I didn?t do as many student activities as I wanted to, simply because I was afraid. Now, this quote hangs on my wall and I read it every morning and every night. If I had just known that there was nothing to be afraid of, I would have taken advantage of my senior year in high school, and had an easier transition into college. With nervousness, I began the year with uncertainty. I wasn?t sure where I belonged, and I was too afraid to try and find my way. But I realized that the window of opportunity for making friends and finding a place was quickly slipping away, so I forced myself to do things that I normally wouldn?t do. If I had this mentality before college started, I wouldn?t have had such a rocky beginning.

As a high school senior, all I could think was how fast I wanted to get out of school. My rush to move on left me short of taking the time to appreciate all the great things about high school. Having been in college almost three full years now, I always wonder what could I have done differently. I feel that I was closed-minded, and ignorant in wanting to grow up too soon. When I came to college, I realized that my eagerness to grow up had been silly, because I was now a "baby" at this new school. I used to think growing up was getting more priviliges, but in fact it is about responsibility, learning to fend for yourself, getting a job, and fulfulling expectations. I wish I had known all this in my senior year of high school to have taken more advantage of the time when hardships were miles away. High school is a time to cherish, to open doors for the future, and to do everything you may not be able to do later in life. If I could go back I would take more risks, apply to more schools, and treasure my age.

Don't worry so much about what other people think because those that matter don't mind and those that mind don't matter. Don't get discouraged in the first month when you're not meeting people you really connect with. Open yourself up more to people in your freshman dorm hall, those are the ones who will end up being your closest friends in years to come. Don't neglect your friends from home, it's a sad thing when you go home for the holidays and realize you don't know much about your friends anymore. Cherish, take care of and keep in touch with your family, they are the ones that will be there through thick and thin and do anything for you. Don't miss out on good times so you can sleep. Years down the road you won't remember being tired but you will remember the good times. Don't neglect your schoolwork. And SAVE. A recession is coming hard. And one last thing. Don't have any regrets because everything happens for a reason.

Don't waste your time doing what you think will make others happy. Do what you want to do while you are able to do it instead of wasting time and floundering in attempts to do what you think is expected or wanted by other people. There is no such thing as a stupid major.

Don't fret - enjoy what is being offered to you, make the most out of this time of your life, dedicate yourself to hard work in both the classroom and workplace, thank those that have helped you get here, and have patience and understanding. With these virtues you will succeed indefinitely while making the most out of this experience. It only comes once in a lifetime (unless you win the lottery) so it is only wise to keep your head help up high through the best and worst times. Despite what you may think, college is not a place to be feared, rather embraced. Make all your deadlines, not just for homework, but for paying the bills, rent, and personal expenses. Learn to cook for it will save you much needed money and most importantly - health. Beware of offers that are too good to be true and stay away from the mountain of credit card offers you will undoubtedly receive. Spend your earnings wisely and choose your friends with care for college life is the stepping stone into the real world - the door leading from the bubble your friends and family have created to your independent and successful life.

I am from a small town in rural Pennsylvania, so when applying to schools, I originally shied away from schools in cities. After visiting Boston, though, on a whim, I fell in love with Northeastern?s campus. When it was time to make a final decision, I had gotten into PennState and Northeastern and had to make the difficult decision to stay in state at a university town, or venture far away into a big city. If I could go back, I would tell myself to go with my gut and accept Northeastern?s offer without hesitation. I would have saved myself months of indecision and worry. I adjusted extremely well to the transition to city life and I don?t think I would be the person I am today if I had gone to the school that was so similar to where I had lived my entire life. The city life has been good to me, and the experiences and memories I have made at Northeastern have proven to me that I have made the right decision. Knowing that simple fact earlier would have made my senior year in high school much less stressful and more enjoyable.

After experiencing college life, there are a couple of pieces of advice that I would give myself if I were back in high school. The first would be to develop good study habits. In high school, I was so confident in the knowledge that I obtained, that I could not foster up enough motivation to study. I could not fathom that I would ever need to study. My first quiz in college shriveled my little ego, big time. From then on, I tried various study methods, some of which worked. Had I developed study habits in high school, I could have carried them over into my college years, and created a better transition for myself. Another piece of advice that I would give myself is to not believe in the college life displayed on television. Despite what I saw in movies about college life, I could not late, skip class and still pass. Active participation was required in most classes. Professors graded based on my attendance and contribution to class discussions. Participation was about 15{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my grade in each class. Knowing that beforehand would have saved me some frustration and allowed a smooth transition as well.

Being a college student now I would look back and tell myself to become more prepared financially for college. I believe I should have looked for more scholarships and opportunities so that I could ease my way of living here. I would also tell myself to be prepared for a lot of work in the coming years. Being an architecture student is demanding and I would give myself the advice to learn better time management. It would be good for me to get my work done before the last second so that it would make my life easier. In that way I would also have more time to study for other classes and get even better grades. I would also tell myself to get involved and not be scared to try out for anything in the school. Everything here is for me to use and I should take advantage of it. By doing this I would expand my horizons in college even more than I already have. All in all, I would tell myself to be prepared for a new way of living. All responsibilities are my own and there is now way around them.

When I was in high school I never had any desire to attend college. I grew up in a blue collared family and had intentions of just working at the factory like my dad. It wasn't till after I met my wife and had kids before I decided it would be a good idea to get back into school. If I could go back in time and give myself advice I would tell myself that life will never be handed to me on a silver platter. The dollar is worth less than I think and that I can never make it anywhere without a good education. I would tell myself that when I get older I am going to have two beautiful twin daughters and a lovely wife that deserve a great life, and that the only way to give them that is to get an education and to value every minute I study, and to not take it for granted. College is hard and it is important to stay motivated and to schedule your time wisely. Don't get distracted and keep your eye on the prize. Lastly, take advantage of every tool your school offers.

Although the essense of being a high school senior is less than a year behind me, I sincerely miss it. If I had the opportunity to go back I would tell myself to relax. Senior year is filled with so many opportunities that will soon pass you by. Instead of fretting about admissions, I would encourage myself to strive for schools I felt I might not get into, just to see what doors might open. Looking back on the months when acceptance letters were sent out I have come to realize that they truly are amazing things. A slip of paper acknowledging you for your hard work and in turn giving you the chance to actually strive for your dreams. Not to mention, the absolute rush you feel when you read that your dream school wants YOU. It simply makes you glow with happiness. All in all, I would tell myself to enjoy this time as a senior because although the future is exciting, you don't