Oglethorpe University Top Questions

As much as I blew off the cheesy pieces of typical advice my parents gave me, one piece has become important to me, and thats "don't rush growing up". It never made sense in Highschool, but now looking back it means a lot. You only get to go through highschool, college ,and well life in general once, so why rush it? I'd tell my seventeen year old self to enjoy my friends without putting my studies aside, to study hard but don't forget the man upstairs, and most importantly to enjoy every last minute with your family because going to college is the first step to living on your own. Bishop, stay young and don't rush growing up, because the time will come befoe you know it and then you will only want it to rewind.

There are many things I want to tell you before going to college. It's okay to make mistake. Do not beat yourself up over the small things. It's okay to give your self "me" time but "me" time should not get in the way of school work. You have to leave your room to make friends. Being antisocial is only going to hurt you and only you. It's okay to say no. You are in control of your life not your friends, peers, or family. They may want the best for you but you have to live the life not them. Lastly, love yourself. There are a million people in the one but only one Leah Rolle. She is a beautiful, kind, and a supportive person who needs to love herself before she loves anyone else.

I know where my high school senior self would be: at the BBQ place down the street from the school with my closest friends during our lunch break. "Time to head back," I'd say. My friends would protest. "We don't need to be in third period. You already have an A!" And, we really didn't need to be in third period, and I wanted to stay, but I was worried because of the advice that my teachers and parents, my "superiors," gave about dangerous habits like skipping class. And I believed it. I heeded them. Enter college self. I'd tell senior self what I now firmly believe to be: that age, credentials, and prestige mean very little. That advice is most often an autobiographical do-over for the giver and usually has very little application to the life of the receiver. This isn't license to be ignorant or insolent. Rather, just a reminder to trust my intuitions and be prudent in judgements, rather than blindly trusting the critics and self-help specialists. When it comes to my happiness, only my perspective matters, so that should hold true for the advice I take too.

Looking back on my college experience, I learned that life is about balance; one must discover and maintain a healthy balance between work and leisure. Finding that balance is different for each individual, for some students tend to study more, while other students may have no trouble finding a party. The hard work necessary to maintain grades in a variety of classes teaches a student discipline and focus, and this will show future employers your willingness and ability to learn new tasks. Similarly, participating in college activities, societies, and clubs are extremely good network development opportunities that can often teach students team building, leadership, and how to interact with a variety of different people and cultures. For myself, I kept a schedule for classes and job in order to ensure I could fit in any homework or study requirements. Once those requirements were complete, however, I was free to socialize with my sorority and enjoy any campus events. My ability to balance classes while having fun allowed me to graduate magna cum laude, quickly find employment in my field, and have spectacular memories. I look forward to attending graduate school where I will continue to balance classes, job, and family.

If I could go back in time I would tell my high school self that mom was right, I need better study habits, and cramming is not the way to go! I would tell high school me that this is just the dress rehearsal as far as my education is concerned, the main event is coming up so get better prepared. In our conversation I would also tell high school Keith that spending the time now to take as many advanced classes as I can would give me a significant advantage the first year of college. I'd tell high school Keith to pace yourself when you get there, there will be plenty of time for the purely social activities. The focus needs to be on the work and what is required to graduate, which is our main goal. True friends will understand your need to study and skip that awesome party. Ultimately, I'd say that I need to spend more time preparing for the SATs because better scores will qualify me for more scholarships, and save me from having to get really creative later figuring out ways to continue to pay for college.

Work harder. Even if you slacked of some in your fist years work hard during junior and senior year and you can still do very well when applying to colleges. Don't just assume that you aren't able to get into schools. Look into a lot of schools that fit your basic interests i.e. location, cost, etc. Then narrow them down based on things like student activities, classes available. Just because you think you won't get into a school doesn't mean you shouldn't try. The worst thing to do is not try.

The most important advice that I would give to myself is to apply to as many scholarships as possible. Due to my demanding schedule as an accelerated program student in high school, I had to balance an inordinate amount of schoolwork with college admissions and extracurricular activities. I made various attempts to apply to scholarships, but I wished that I had made the extra effort to pursue for more. Even scholarships as small as $100 are vital and would accumulate if more time was devoted to finding a pool of them. I was awarded a scholarship from my current university, but my expected contribution was still too high. Scholarships would have greatly lowered such expenses to make my education more affordable.

Sarah, You are a brilliant young women. Never doubt yourself and never doubt God. Never forget your faith, because it will bring you through trying times. Always look up; never look down. Rather than focus on minute details, focus more on the big picture. Focus on your goals, and don't get side tracked by entertainment and things that do not matter. Remain loyal and faithful, and be true to who you are. It will be far from easy, and at times you'll question your abilities, your purpose in life, and your will. You WIILL be tested, but that doesn't give you the right to fail. God will never leave you, and he did not bring you this far to stay here. Hit the books more than the game, and enjoy every second of life, because you only have one life to live. Love, SJ

High school was a wonderful time for me, but with the gained knowledge and experiences I have now I would have made better decisions. If I could go back in time and speak to my former self, I would suggest maintaining good study habits. Discipline and focused driven goals will carry you far and I would tell my former self that. I will tell former me to make a five year plan to decide where I would like to be once graduating from high school? Once the five year plan is in place, I would tell me to come up with a step-by-step process on how to reach that plan in detail. After the plan is broken down I would suggest the former senior to get a Summer job and save for college and start budgeting as if you are an independent student. In addition, I would tell my former self to start looking at colleges earlier in the school year, to plan campus tours with your family, andto speak with current college students. Lastly, I would say keep a journal of notes and contacts just in case you may need future references.

STOP! Take a moment to look around you. Are they really worth arguing with? Will going to college make that person just go away? No. There are people of all different personalities in college. Chances are, there will be a person there who is just like the one you are struggling with now. If there are people like that in college, then there will definitely be people like that in the workplace and the local grocery store. Understand, that everyone has something to offer, whether it’s simply a friendship, or a hard lesson. You must learn how to deal with the people around you in the most positive way possible. I’m telling you to fight for what you believe and challenge the views in others, but do it wisely. Pick your battles wisely. Not all battles are needed to win the war. Stay focused, and you will succeed.