Northwestern University Top Questions

My transition from high school to college was difficult. I allowed my fears of failure and anxiety about the future to get the best of me. I struggled with the rigorous pace of coursework during my freshman and sophomore years. As a lifelong Girl Scout, I never give up and am not afraid to ask for help. As I adjusted to the workload and began taking courses more aligned with my interdisciplinary interests, my passion grew and my grades improved. My perseverance, preparation, and confidence allowed me to succeed during my senior year and get into a great graduate school. Knowing what I know now, the advice I would give my high school self would be to relax and stay confident. I am smarter than I give myself credit for and it is easy to forget that when I spend most of my time in classes surrounded by incredibly intelligent individuals. Additionally, I sometimes get distracted by the overwhelming nature of the courses and forget to live my life. I would tell myself to remember to hang out with friends and watch a movie once in a while, because spending all of your time studying just leads to more stress.

College, as succinctly as possibly, has been a humbling experience. It was not exactly what I had imagined it to be, but ultimately, this is a good thing. Before journeying to the campus that I would spend 4 of the most important years of my life at, I had pictured myself with endless time at my disposal to work hard in my classes, participate in campus activities, hang out with friends, and take care of my personal needs. For the most part, I was able to do this. But it was challenging. My experience at college led me to understand that I had to truly learn about myself before I could acknowledge how I wanted to live my life. I'm fortunate that I was able to find an optimal balance in my life, but I've witnessed others who have struggled mightily. My advice to my high school self, as well as anyone transitioning to college, would be this: These are your formative years. The ones that will define who you are. So don't fill them with experiences that you may one day regret. Fill them with ones that you will cherish and grow from.

Come into school with an open mind. Sure, it's absolutely fantastic to start your freshman year knowing you want to have a particular career and participate in particular clubs, and you should definitely do everything you can to reach your goals. However, don't let your goals limit your college experience. There are so many different opportunities at college to make new friends, join extracurriculars and intramural clubs, and take a variety of classes - be open to trying out something that you may have never thought to try before. It'll help you to grow as a person and enlighten you as to who you really are and even provide different perspectives that may be useful in reaching your ultimate goals.

NothingI exploredI messed upI learnedIf I changeOr offered adviceWhat would be missedWhat is worth the lossLoss of self made experienceLoss of who I am nowLoss of my then and future selfI'll take the riskI'll take the painI'll take the joyI'll take it allBecause it's mineNo hindsightNo 20/20Just me

Going back in time to talk to my self as a high school senior I would give my self some good adivce. I would advise my self to go to class everyday so that I am already in the process of going to school when needed. In college you have to attend school everyday your signed up to go if not its going to be a waste of money. Other advise is that picking a college is a difficult task and I would have advised my self to make a wise choice my senior year so I knew what I was going to do and where I was going to go. More advice Id give my self is that a big huge transition is doing everything on your own. You do not have professors telling you, you have a second opportunity to do your homework or test. My final advice I would give to my self as a senior student is to work my hardest to get my best grades possible. It truly does effect you when going into college because they do look at your grades.

Looking back to when I was a high school senior, I would get more involved in my college application process. I would also advocated for schools to have a program to help students start the application process for college applications and scholorships. A program that would provide a mentor to students that would like to continue their education, but need the guidance. The college application process was very confusing when I was applying, there weren't enough workshops to educate students about financial aid and the procedure to applying to college. I would tell my younger self, not to take any breaks between high school and college, to go directly to school.

Yikes. Thats a toughy. I would honestly say that incoming freshmen shouldn't worry about all the little things before coming up. You'll learn the game soon enough. That is what freshman year is all about. Chill out and enjoy the summer before you come up to this fabulous place. Everything will be alright.

If my high school self would hear my advice, I'd tell her to learn how to study. The differences between high school and college are huge and I would let myself know that college is, in some ways, just like it is in the movies. I would tell myself to relax and not worry about making friends because somehow those relationships have a way of falling into place. I'd tell myself that orientation week and the first month of school are definitely the worst times of the entire college experience, hands down. Finally, I'd let myself know that while it's perfectly fine to come to college with a major in mind, it's important to listen to advisors and upperclassmen to get different ideas for your future. That's what college is all about!

I would say Soneni, time is of the essence, you are marching on and you must be prepared! There are great opportunities and no matter what, you must take advantage of all of the resources that are available to you! Choose your college, friends and associates wisely! leave all negativity behind! You are walking into a future that you are creating for yourself and it will no doubt be tough but do not lose heart ! the future is greater than the moment!! make the best of all your experiences good or not so good and most of all keep God in your life and keep pressing on until you reach your destiny!

If I was granted one wish, it would be to go back to high school and to talk to myself as a high school student. When I was in high school, I did not see the point of studying what I considered to be unrelated to life. Now that I am in college, I realize that you can apply anything you learn outside of the class. Therefore, if I could go back high school I would tell myself to think more optimistically and keep an open mind. Not only would I tell myself to think more optimistically; I would also tell myself that there is no point in continuing to stress about things that will make little to no difference in the long run. The last but not least important piece of advice I would give myself, would be to seek help as soon as I felt that something was wrong. I would tell myself to listen to my gut feeling and to help myself before a problem becomes severe.

Push ahead. Move forward. I managed to do well in high school but, when it came to the college application process and transition I began second guessing myself and struggled to hold back for as long as possible. There was some time when I refused to think about the college search. My parents never went to college, so the life beyond high school was a mystery to me. Looking back on it all, I want to reach out to my younger self, extend a hand and pull myself forward.You have to think of college, and life in general, as a river. You can stand in the middle of the stream and feel the water push against you or you can lift your feet from the river-bed and let the water guide you forward. Standing still will get you nowhere. The waters will hit your back and sides until you crumble under the pressure. Lifting your feet and accepting that you know nothing, can be terrifying but will get you further than you could ever dream. So take the chance. Push ahead. Move forward. The journey is worth it.

Dear Nadia Murray, I want you to focus on school. Put your head in those books and don't look up until graduation. I want you to apply to several colleges, including the local community college. I want you to spend your summers, visiting colleges and getting a feel for the college life. Now I know what you are going to say, "You will have time for that later." However if you get it out the way now, you could have many doors opened in your favor. College is hard, but worth the work. Think about all the new people you are going to meet and all the new experiences you will have. I know things seem scary, but trust me you are not alone in this feeling. There have been and will be many more people questioning this step. I want you to have the best and college is the way to obtain that. Things have been hard in the past, but you can recover from all that and begin to build yourself a brighter and stronger future. I know friends seem fun, but an education will last you forever. Always be you and strive for the best.

Throw away those purple overalls. Do not let your parents drive you to college in Uncle Frank’s school bus, even if it has enough room for all your stuff. On the first day of class, do not tell that joke about the dog and the umbrella. I know, I know, it’s hilarious, but I’m telling you, people just do not get it. Sit on the left towards the front in lecture hall—that way you have a good view, but you don’t look like you’re trying too hard. Make sure to get the bunk farthest from the door so that if a kidnapper comes in the middle of the night you’re not the one he takes. It is not possible to memorize a semester’s worth of material the night before an exam. Student loans do not equal free money. Do not make glittery posters for the soccer captain—even if you do have a crush on him. Guard your quarters with your life, because come laundry day, they are worth a whole lot more than twenty-five cents. Lastly, forget everything you just read. Relax. Be yourself.

“Isn’t it boring to see all A’s on your grades?” In response to the question, I retorted, “No, I like it that way." Honestly, that’s how I liked my whole life – controlled and free of failure. That is why the wait to hear Northwestern's admission response was agonizing. The questions rolled in my head: “How will I tell so-and-so if I don’t get in?” “What will people think if I fail?” Fortunately, I learned that I would be on my way to my dream school, and as the pieces for my dream life increased, I was determined to juggle them. I would study chemistry and marry a doctor. We would have beautiful children and put our fluffy dog in the picket fence around our house. My plan was thwarted when I received my chemistry grade. My mind reeled, “C+? I’ve never gotten grades like this.” The even shook me, but it also prompted a realization I wish I’d known in high school: my successes don’t define me. I realized that I would never be everything I was created to be without running toward my passions and falling down and recovering.

There are a few things I'd say you should keep in mind before starting as a freshman: First, the quarter system moves quickly. You come back to school later than almost all your friends and its often hard to snap out of that prolonged summer lethargy. If you fall behind on the quarter system, it will always feel like torture to try and catch up. The first couple of weeks might fool you into a false sense of pace, only to find that you've amassed an insane amount of work come the start of midterms. Second, you're not going to go into Chicago as often as you think, so don't rely upon it for your social life. With the heightened pace of the quarter system, odds are you're not going to want to spend your free time commuting all the way into the city. As such, don't write off the activities on campus or in Evanston. Finally, resist the urge to brag about your late start date to your friends on semesters. It'll come to haunt you when spring quarter finals roll around and all your high school friends are already enjoying summer.

Definitely come to college (regardless of whether it's NU or somewhere else) with an open mind about what you like and who you want to be. People show up on campus thinking they've got everything all figured out, but one weekend with some new people can change your whole model of what you thought you were going to be. It's not a bad thing; it's the most empowering feeling in the world to realize that this truly is your life and you can do whatever you want with it, but it's important not to let your preconceived notions of yourself get in the way of opportunity. I think this is especially important to keep in mind at NU, because there is just so much going on, and it would be a tragedy not to try something (or many things), because it's not consistent with your previous interests. ps. It's NU, not NW. People make that mistake a lot, and it's annoying.

Given the opportunity, I would let my high school self know that college won't be as terrifying as I thought. I never knew that making friends would be so easy, people would share my interests, and that I would make some of the best friendships and most important acquaintances of my life. I found that it is important to enjoy the little things and to pace myself academically so as to avoid stress. Don't put things off to the last minute! Also, half of the things I packed to bring to the dorm I did not use or have room for, so consider that while packing.

Take advantage of the fleeting moments. You will never regret the time you spend with your family, before heading off to school. Those moments are precious, and your family makes you who you are. Your identity in college is shaped by your hometown, and you will identify with it strongly. For the transition, know that you can't plan for everything. Lists matter less than focusing on personal health. So eat, sleep, laugh every day, and let yourself cry. College is a chance to improve on who you are now, and you want to be up for the task. Read the news-- your peers will value your voice and input in their discussions. Learn how to boil water, at least. Find a few songs that lift up your spirit, as there will be days when you just need to hear a familiar melody. And, tell your mother you love her.

Sometimes my friends tell me that they aren't getting enough value out of their college education. I used to be sympathetic to this opinion, but recently, I have felt differently disposed. I was cleaning out my room over winter break and I found some essays that I wrote in my senior year of high school. I distinctly remember working my butt off on these assignments and recieving very high grades.. Those essays that I recall slaving over look like the rough drafts I produce every week. When I reflect on how much better my writing and critical thinking has gotten in such a short people of time, I realize how the true value of higher education is often hidden beneath the surface. The difficult tasks we are expected to complete can leave us frustrated, but their benefits are invaluable. In that respect, going to college is sort of like getting older. When I se relatives over the holidays, they always comment on how much older I look. Since we see ourselves in the mirror every morning, it is easy to lose track of how we age, but when you compare in retrospect, the difference is clear.

My college years were the best of my life. I was exposed to a variety of cultures, religions, and economic statuses which opened my eyes to the larger world. When I walked onto that beautiful campus, I was no longer the top of my class; instead, I was just another straight-A student. I had to work for what I achieved, and I grew immensely through my experience. I now have a higher sense of work ethic and a lesser feeling of entitlement. The wonderful thing about Northwestern is that while it is impressive academically, it also offers the Big Ten school feel, complete with football games, parties, and late nights. As I look toward my future schooling, I believe that my experience at Northwestern has prepared me for study groups and all-nighters as well as social outings and lasting friendships.