Ohio University-Main Campus Top Questions

Transitioning into a new chapter in your life is definitely hard. It is important to read inbetween the lines. By this, I mean what is happening around you or to you may not be the big picture. Sometimes things are going to seem rough. It's a new home with new people who you may not click with at first. There is no need to stress. Sometimes a rainbow can come from a rainy day. There is always a reason for what is happening, and it is all worth it in the end.

When I was in high school I didn’t think much about college. I thought I might travel or get lucky and find a great job without more schooling. I can definitely see now that I should have taken more advice to heart when people tried to explain to me that getting as lucky as I want to be is going to lead to a situation where I my life would be going nowhere and that I had the chance so take it. For some reason I did take it. If I could go back in time I believe the best advice I would give would be to listen to other people’s advice and plan better. Slacking is only temporary unless you are a fool. Look into scholarships immediately, plan where you want to go early and why. Most of all I would say I am currently doing well but you can make it better.

Knowing what I know about college life, I would make this suggestion: Find yourself early. Better yet, I would sternly say to myself "Hunter, dont be a psychology major. That's not what you're really interested in, and is simply a sure way to waste a couple of quarters. Also, don't get sucked into the party scene, Hunter. It is huge, and your GPA will end up being fine, but if you apply yourself and don't deliberately make stupid mistakes, you can graduate in the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of your class, because that is the kind of potential you have pent up inside you. You are great. Stop being insecure about everything you are, and simply be it. Also, the love of your life is named Sarah Pol. Dont waste time, find her early. Thank you and goodnight." I would say "thank you and goodnight" because I've always thought it sounded cool in my head, and I'm really curious what my voice sounds like saying it in the third person. Having said that, my dialogue is correct. My time here has been amazing, and my last year will surely be the same, but regrets, unfortunately, happen.

I would tell myself to go somewhere closer to home. Knowing now that being 3.5 hours away from home is way too far I would tell myself to pick somewhere much closer. Along with that, I would probably tell myself to take and explore more classes in my freshman year of college to see how I might like another major. Lastly I would let myself know how hard it has been for me to adjust to being away from home and try to prepare myself for the college life.

I would tell myself to keep close to the good friends I had then, rather than allowing them to slowly fade away. I would also advise myself to take CCAC classes for the first year to knock out general education requirements and save myeslf some money.

As a high school senior, there is so much advice that I would give myself. First, to take advantage of all the resources you are able to get in high school, such as guidance counselers. There are so many scholarship opportunities that I had no idea about; however, if I had talked to a guidance counseler they could have given me a plethora of resouces for me to find scholarships to apply to. In addition I would give the advise to meet friends that are a few years older that go to your University, especially ones that are in the same major. Getting another perspective scheduling about classes and work loads from a student that has experienced it, instead of just the adviser, can be very helpful. I wish I would have gotten that advise prior to going to college; it definitely would have helped me during scheduling for my first semester. Finally, I would tell myself to enjoy senior year of high school. I was so caught up in thinking about college, that I did not take full advantage of a relaxing and much easier school year that would be eons different than my first year of college!

I think about all of the little things that helped me transform into who I am today. It is true that I loved growing up with the friends and family that I did, but I do think about what I could have changed in the past. I am, however, a firm believer that everything in this world happens for a reason and that every individual has the ability to learn from the mistakes.Would I change a couple of little things? Of course! I would not have worn a cream-colored homecoming dress, had I known that the waitress would drop ketchup on it. I would have made a stronger effort to spend more time with my best friend, had I known that she would move away. The most important thing that I would tell my high school self, would be to take college classes during my senior year. I am one of the hundreds of undergraduate students who are worried about paying off college debt. I realize that if I had taken a few classes in high school, I could have scheduled better in anticipation of graduating a semester earlier. That alone could have saved me $12,500.

As a current college student, I’ve learned the system and its requirements very well. If I could go back in time to my senior year in high school, I would not only tell myself to study harder for the AP exams, but also to start doing a lot of research based on my major and what colleges offer me the best fit. It’s amazing motivated I get when it comes down to doing research based on my future; however, I did not take such advantage during my senior year as much as I would have liked. If I could go back and advice myself, I would definitely ask the teachers themselves. Many times the one who know the most are teachers who’ve experienced it all already, thus asking them for advices on majors and tips to know the system could be of great benefit. I also would’ve told myself to take advantage of the opportunity of more AP courses; apart from being hard, the greatest benefits and college experience comes from them. Lastly, I would’ve advised myself to take greater opportunities of scholarships apart from only applying for financial aid.

I would tell myself to wait for college until you are going to be in one place long enough to complete your degree. I started my first college experience in the state where I lived at the time but then due to family had to move within 6 months of starting. Fortunately that college did allow online classes but I learned through that experience that online classes with a campus that isn't at all accessible can make things very complicated. I ended up discontinuing my education from that school and didn't go back to continue my education until 2 years later in a different state where I was able to go to campus regularly to obtain my associate degree in the Graphic & Web Design field that I have such a passion for. I would also tell myself that there is no reason to stop at an associate degree because I have found in today's market that a bachelor's degree is necessary.

My priorities graduating from high school were much different than my now sophomore-college self's ambitions. Like many, I was sick of being cooped up in the cement-block prison they called school for four long years and was looking to hit the party scene. Unfortunately I allowed this mindset to determine where I was going to spend the next four years of my life. Upon arriving to Ohio University, famously the #1 party school in the nation, I had a ball of a time. I was never a slacker by any means, but I did not fully apply myself to my studies as my major truely required. But in the middle of the school year something in me switched. I got bored with my new, shallow friends and began yearning to spend time at the library. So i did, and got a 4.0 that quarter. As i sit here, dreaming of my future in Kent State's Honors Nursing program, I wish I could have told my high school self to imagine what life would be like 6 months from graduation, when the party fades to a dull, boring fad and the future exudes determination and promise.