Northern Virginia Community College Top Questions

How many times I've asked myself this question. I would tell myself to slow down. College isn't a race. You have to be able to spend time enjoying what you're learning. It's not about just picking a major or minor and sticking with it. College is about finding yourself and figuring out the type of person that you want to be; values and morals and things that interest you. Understand that there is no rush. Everything will come in time. Just remember to enjoy everything. Join clubs and groups so that you can meet amazing people that will impact your life. Get a part time job for the experience. Make a lasting friendship with the last person you would ever be friends with. With all of this said I think the biggest and most important thing I would want to tell myself is to be happy. Be happy with myself and with the choices that I make because most times you only get to make that choice once.

I would tell my self quiting is not an option. I would encourage myself to have a wide horizon as to what I want to do with my life, work on my general education requirements first, and explore areas of interest to find my true major/minor. I would warn myself to be very protective of my study time. I would encourage myself to get involved in things I have never tried before, or have always wanted to try, but limit my social involvement so i can stay focused on my studies. I would tell myself I must look for scholarships, and handle my money wisely - and encourage myself to search and find a system. And again, I would strongly urge mywself never to become a part time student, because allowing one foot out the door often causes the second to follow soon after. I would also remind myself that with out a college degree, I will have minimal oppurtunities for promotion. I would encourage myself that I can do this! I can be a college graduate!

looking back on myself as fresh out of highschool, there are many things that I wish I had known. If I were able to give myself a pep talk at that time from the point of view I now have, there are a few things I would have strongly highlighted. Primarily I would have impressed upon myself the importance of consistency in mental motivation as well as academic motivation. I would have reminded myself that the goal of education is not the grade, but fulfillment of your intellectual abilities. I have discovered learning to be about so much more than grades and in order to learn anything correctly, the subject must be appreciated and cherished. I wish I had known how to develope a relationship with my studies as I now know how to do. One should choose classes like one chooses freinds, there should be something about them that already interests you, which will captivate your mind and motivate you to get to know the subject more. Being driven by grades and not love of the subject matter ends in exhaustion, frustration, and ultimate unhappiness. If you study what you love, good grades will follow as will intellectual fulfillment.

Get yourself out there! The best advice I could give is that no one can get to know you if you don't let them! Even though it can be difficult to talk to new people, others are just as nervous as you are and will appreciate a friendly conversation. Sitting silent in class, leaving as soon as class is dismissed, and avoiding extra-curriculars out of a fear of not knowing anyone only ensures one thing: that you will continue to not know anyone. The first step is to strike up a conversation with someone in class. Since you are already taking the class together, you have something in common and have straightforward topics of conversation. Once you get to know people, you can find out their interests, what campus activities they do, and where they catch up with friends. Even if you don't become best friends with the first few people you meet, they may introduce you to other people or to great activities that will become a lasting part of your life. If nothing else, you will have reached out to others and made their lives better. Now that's something to be proud of!

To start off, i never really tryed very hard in my classes because all i was really interested in was culinary, but i still did all my homework. I would start off by saying not to mess up and to try in this world because it is very rare that you can catch a break. If you dont try in this world you will not succeed because you have to try hard and study to get where u want to be. Money, nice cars, big houses, good jobs dont just fall on your lap. If you wont to be the best then show that you are the best by trying and doing all you can to be something great in this world.

Given the chance to go back in time to tell myself all the things I now know, I'd only have one thing to tell: be better prepared. I'd let myself know to start working as soon as possible so as not to have to worry about financial problems. I'd also most likely tell myself to stay focused, study hard and quit procrastinating. After that, I'd wish myself good luck and hope for the best seeing as how I'm a bit too stubborn for my own good but still determined. Nothing more and nothing less.

I would make it a distinct point to tell myself to do what makes me happy. Happiness is key. From what I learned, you can make a good living and be extremely happy by doing a job that you love going to every day. When I was a senior in high school, I only wanted to be wealthy when I got out of college. Throughout my college career, and going from major to major, I have finally decided that I don't need to be rich. I NEED to be happy and enjoy what I do. I need to do something that makes me feel important. Like I matter. Like I make a difference in the world. That is the main and most important point of advice that I would give myself 4 years ago.

If I were able to visit myself as a high school senior to give advice, I would tell the old me to be more mature. The importance of maturity in life as well as the classroom would have done wonders for me now if I had it. High school was a time when my maturity level was quite low, I would neither study nor complete assignments when they were due. Maturity is the single most important aspect in succesful learning. Focus and drive are both derived from maturity and having that at a young age is extraordinary. In retrospect, my former lack of focus and drive was repulsive compared to the person I am now. I am a completely different person than I used to be and I see education as a reward and not a hassle as I once formally did. If I had known to follow my own path sooner and act more like an adult when those around me were nothing but, I would be in a much brighter future. Seeing as that I cannot actually go back in time, I will continue and strive to be the best I can be in my academic career.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to focus more on school and not worry so much about friends and if my hair looks good today or if I look good in a certain outfit. Having started attending my local community college during the summer, I realized that goofing off during high school wasn't such a smart thing and how important it is to study hard and make good grades. In college, you are given the respect as an adult however you are expected to act like an adult. You don't have the luxury of missing an assignment and getting away with it, your actions have concequences. When you have to work to pay your way through college you have a different outlook on how well you will do in that class because you may have to meet a certain grade and if you don't you have to take the class again and pay for it again. I realized that the decisions I made during high school do have a reflection on my college education.

I would have done better with my grade so i could have been eligible for more grant so i wounldn't have to take out loan. Been more active with sports and school activities