Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Dear 16-year-old Jemille, Congratulations on graduating early. You’re being pressured to go to college right away. You should take a year off while working to decide what you really want to do. When selecting your school, try to look at how well-rounded the program is. The difference between an education at CalArts and an education at CSUN is enormous. Both schools can be fun if you make them fun. As hard as it is, since your school options are close to home, deal with your folks until you graduate. I know this is not what you want to hear, but you will thank me. Most of the things that you are looking forward to in dorm life are exactly what you should be trying to avoid. Speaking of the wrong crowds, you should stick with your choir friends. They’re good people and they care about you. This new party group that you’ve joined is not going to take you anywhere. You will have some fun times, lots of scary times, and it will take you years to recover. I love you and please take my advice. You will thank me! 32-year-old Jemille

Work as hard as you can, and don't get behind. While it is important to have a life and enjoy your time at school, make sure you don't waste time and keep up with your classes. Cramming for exams doesn't help in the long run and setting aside time each day for course work and studying will make a huge difference.

The first term at school is the easiest time to meet people, because everyone is trying to make friends. Even if you don’t like the first few people you meet, there are plenty of other friendly faces. No one knows who you were in high school, so you can have a fresh start. You’re going to learn to work with people you don’t like, but don’t always trust first impressions. Go to your professors’ office hours for help. It may be intimidating and awkward, but it will be worth your time. Leaving people behind is a choice, not an inevitability. Make the choice not to leave the ones you love behind. Distance is difficult, but the important people have a way of keeping a place in your life. Time will fly. One minute you’ll be homesick wishing to be back home, and the next minute you’ll be home again and wishing you were back on campus. By not going home as often, you’ll feel more at home on campus and think less about your old life. Try something new, especially if it scares you. Odds are it will be a great experience.

Emily, I am writing to you from the future to tell you about college and things you need to know. So pay attention! The most important thing you need to do is take your studies seriously. I know you have the tendency to just hangout with all your cool new friends and blow off work but that is the worst thing you can do! The gpa you have controls everything, not only the scholarships you are ellligible for but also for applying into the program you want to study.Trust me, at OSU it is hard work to get good grades... there are lots of all nighters ahead of you! Another thing you need to know is that getting involved and taking all the opportunites that present themselves to you is vital. Volunteer, join a club, get a job, go to that dance recital that you think will be weird but will actually be the funnest night of your life! Just do everything you can because these four years will fly by and soon you will be out in the real world soon. Enjoy this time and meet new people everyday, make crazy memories and keep doing what you love.

If went back in time and talked to myself as a high school senior I would give myself advice about several important things for college. The first advice would be about working and studying longer/harder to keep good grades in college . For instance I would say, study everyday for 2 hours instead of 1 hour and don't study minutes before the class nor start an assignment the day before. If one doesn't study hadr enough everyday for their classes then they won't get a good grade and they maybe excluded from receiving student financial aid. The second advice that I would give to myself is to go get help from the teachers and ask for IEP acommodations such as, extended time for tests/homework. With out the help of IEP documents for acommodations or the help of teachers, the classes may be more challenging making it harder for a student with disabilities to succede. Finally the last advice would be to find a job as soon as possible to be able to pay for the classes incase if financial aid is not awarded. Otherwise, the eligilbility to stay in college will be more difficult to maintain.

Looking back, if there is one thing I could tell myself or any incoming freshman, it would be to make the most of every opportunity and to always give 110{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in all that you do. All people and experiences are a chance to learn and grow and you never know what might have a lasting impact on your life. Some opportunities will only come knocking once and you don't want to look back and have any regrets, so follow your heart and your passion and never let fear or doubt get in your way. I read a quote recently that says, "The world is a university and everybody is a teacher. When you wake up in the morning be sure you go to school." For me, this says it all and truly embodies the mindset that I wish I had as an eighteen year old entering college for the first time. So, as I enter graduate school and a new chapter in my life, it is the advice I am giving myself now and the same advice I would have wanted to hear four years ago.

"Geeks", in the end, get the pretty girls . Be a "geek." Always listen to your teachers, they are there for YOU. take more notes now, because you'll wish you could write faster to take better notes. even though you might want to sleep in, WAKE UP and get to that class on time. Lastly, always smile.

Make sure you stay active throughout high school and keep involved in clubs and sports. Try to figure out what study skills work best for you and focus on perfecting that. Learning your study style early on will help immensely in college. Learning to manage your time and keeping organized in all aspects of your life will lower your stress level in college. If you can find a stress outlet, some kind of hobby or activity, college will be much more delightful. Also, do not be afraid to be yourself, try new things, and hang out with different types of people then you did in high school. New experiences are what make college so fun and exciting. Do not stress about school work and financial problems too much, enjoy the new experiences and friend making.

My biggest challenge in college was staying on campus. I was assigned to a suite, so I had three roommates and six other suitemates. One of my roommates was my friend from high school, but everyone else in the suite was unknown to me. The year was rough. All of the girls were different from my friend and me- they were all into partying and drinking on the weekends, and they even got written up twice. It was difficult living with girls that treated me like I didn't belong in the suite or just ignored me altogether. However, I survived the year. Part of college is learning to live with others and telling myself that got me through the year. Always be nice to others no matter how they treat you or act towards you, and don't change who you are. Another thing I struggled with is honors chemistry. In high school, I loved AP Chemistry and I assumed I would be able to handle chemistry in college. However, honors chemistry very difficult, and I considered switching to regular chemistry for the rest of the year. But sticking with honors chemistry and studying paid off in the end!

If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school senior, I would mention the following things: 1.)First and foremost, it is ok to make mistakes. 2.)College is a time to discover who you are and define yourself as an individual. 3.)Apply for as many scholarships as possible before starting college! Every penny counts! 4.)Do not be shy, the friendships you make in college can last a lifetime if you allow them to. 5.)Just because you are a freshman does not mean you cannot compete for an internship. 6.)Get to know your RA, they are there to help. 7.)You will learn most lessons outside of the classroom. 8.)If you are in doubt about taking a certain class, take it. It will probably turn out to be one of the best classes you have ever taken! 9.)Go to every class, no matter how early in the morning or late in the evening it is. 10.)Have fun! College should be the best time of your life.

Firstly, I would encourage my past self to apply for more scholarships. Even though I have lived in the United States for 13 years and in the state of Ohio for 12 years, I am not eligible for FAFSA because I am not a permanent resident, meaning I had to apply to colleges as an international student. Furthermore, internal scholarships that are provided by The Ohio State University are rarely bestowed to international students. Attending college for one year has put my family in debt and we find ourselves in desperate need of scholarships. I could have avoided the current frantic searching for scholarships had I applied to more last year. Additionally, I would also fortify myself mentally, and tell myself to never give up. College can be very trying and challenging at times, especially when one is taking difficult courses alongside very intelligent and disciplined students. Even though my confidence withered away at times, I persevered through it. Upon finishing my freshman year, I felt accomplished not only academically but also socially and mentally. If I had braced myself for an onslaught of work I would have been happier and more confident towards the beginning of this year.

Take high school very seriously as it will give you a major advantage once attending college. The more you accomplish in high school the more it will translate to the college world.

I would say to myself and any other high school senior to learn as much as possible about the field you want to study. College become much easier and more enjoyable the more certain you are about what it is you want to do. Make sure your finances are in order, because you dont want to add any unnecessary stress to your life. Also, be sure that once you get to college you are ready to get involved and meet people. It is a good idea to start now. Get outside your comfort zone, and begin to talk to people you dont know. When we were little kids we were always taught not to talk to strangers, now that we are adults, the opposite is true. Especially here at Ohio State is is important to be good at meeting new people and to have the ability to get involved with different activities and groups of which you have no previous aquaintances.

If I could wind back the clock of time and give myself some advice when I was back in high school I would tell myself that I need to pack a lot of pants and t-shirts! Being that Southern Adventist University requires me, or even Andrews Univeristy, requries you to wear pants during the school year. I would tell myself to work harder on scholarships and grants to help pay for college. If I could wind the clock further back in time I would tell myself that start doing scholarships back in my junior year if possible. I would also tell myself to trust God more. He is ultimately in control of my/our financies. He is creator, redeemer, my "Go'el" as the Hebrew word puts it. I would kick myself in the rear for not telling myself these things, and one last thing, I would tell myself that I should've put more work into my freshman year at high school then what I did to get a higher GPA and do better on the ACT than what I did. These are the things I would tell myself

The choices made today create the life lived tomorrow. I wish that I had gotten this advice as a high school senior. After graduating high school last May, I was utterly thrilled to embark on the city, dorm life, and the various opportunities for self-development, education, and fellowship that are presented at the university level. Simply stated, I could not wait to see what the world had to offer outside of my parents' house. After attending The Ohio State University for a year, I have been reassured that college is a great place for personal growth, education, and new friendships. However, there are a few aspects of college that I did not understand or expect prior to being a student here. Namely, I did not fully grasp that being on my own meant being responsible for every decision that I made, big or small. After being in college for a year, I have realized the importance of making morally sound and beneficial decisions in life. I know that if I want positive things and privileges in my life, I am responsible for taking every step down the road of success. Life truly is whatever you make it.

The advice I would give my high school senior self would be "don't be afraid to study anything!" When I first started college I thought that I wasn't smart enough to major in something that had a strong science core, but now I'm doing it and realize that if I put the work in I can pass any class. Since I didn't have enough confidence in myself to major in what I really wanted to, I wasted three years working on a degree I knew I wasn't happy with. I was uninterested in my classes and couldn't see working in the field the rest of my life. I would also say to my high school self, "if you don't feel like the major is right for you, change it! Don't just keep going with it so that you will graduate on time." I did this and ended up realizing that I just couldn't go through with the degree, so I wasted time and money pursuing somthing I knew I didn't want just so that I could graduate "on time."

Make the transition with a positive, open mind. These years are meant for exploration, learning and understanding. Speak up. Dont hold back. Go visit/research university of choice extensively. Don't let yourself get behind, buckle down from the beginning. Have fun! Time management and self discipline is crucial.

If I could advise myself as a high school senior, I would remind myself to be grateful. I once bore a lack of gratitude for the opportunity offered by my college education. Though I appreciated the financial assistance provided by my parents to help send me here, when I applied to college, my dreams were centered on the prestigious schools I'd once heard about. Always a high achiever, enrolling at the university most impressive was my goal. My attitude was challenged when I was accepted at the less romanticized university where I'm now a proud Buckeye. Initially disappointed in where I found myself, I struggled to find motivation to take full advantage of my education. Reading about two Sudanese refugees who recently graduated from Ohio State inspired a reality check. To them- and now to me-- Ohio State is a place where dreams can come true, with hard work and an open mind. I've since embraced my univeristy, but I lost time pitying myself for not precisely following the path I once imagined. Going back in time, I'd remind myself to be cognizant of the huge blessing that being a student here is.

The transition from high school to the first year in college is such a monumental and stressful period that, in many instances, students feel that the decisions they make will forever impact them for the entirety of their respective lives. Being diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder at the age of 9, I have had a particularly difficult time in my life keeping a clear head and simply breathing before making decisions. Now that I have become accustomed to the rigorous, fast-paced college schedule, I am now more comfortable in my day-to-day life. However, originally, I was quite stressed every day and simply did not enjoy my early experience. So, should I be able to go back in time, my advice to my senior year self would be to relax and enjoy myself while still placing a firm emphasis on academics. While I am pleased with my scholastic performance in this first year, I believe I should have allotted more time for personal enjoyment and still done well. Obsessing over school work and daily routines may have kept me organized for academics, but heeding the aforementioned advise would have helped me take more from my first college year.

That foreign exchange you did? Make you sure you use every opportunity to learn, every opportunity to make lasting friendships and connections. You'll need it and the confidence that you'll have coming in will be even greater. It's a big place, and you'll just be one face of many, but don't let that get you down. Education is important, don't be skipping classes, or thinking it's okay to put things off to another day. Work hard and you'll be able to get through easily.