Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Top Questions

You're going to miss home and everything that goes with it like crazy. Those first few weeks are going to be brutal and homesickness will start to feel like it is not ever leaving. Take this as fuel for your fire though instead of letting it burn you out. Knowing you are blessed enough to have something to miss and go back to is a wonderful thing to have! Understand that you are exactly where you need to be and those rough nights and harder days are preparing you and strengthening you for a life you are carving out for yourself...something GREAT! Enjoy where you are at NOW instead of constantly looking ahead to the future. This season of your life is not going to last forever, so better to make it count and enjoy its uniqueness, than to look back with regret on what you missed out on. Don't forget to smile and step out of your comfort zone....adventure and opportunities never come from the contentment of what you have always known or feel comfortable with. More than anything, stick to your faith and never be afraid to hold constant and true to your values.

If I was going back in time to advise my high school self I would definetly emphasise the importance of becoming involved on campus. From my experience these past three years it has proven that the connections made at school are the key to a happy and healthy time at college. I think that getting involved and maintaining relationships are something that evert student should pursue.

I would for sure tell me to look more into the cost and what is all involved in going to college. There is so much more than what is involved in high school. You are pretty much on your own. You have to work while you go to school to support yourself. I would also convince me to take more college level classes in high school to prepare me for when I start college. Alot of the advise that teachers and coaches gave me I didnt really process it like i should have. Looking back now it would have been smart to listen to them and follow what they said.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I would give myself is don't be afraid to adjust to the college lifestyle and be ready to work. If I had known that adjusting to the college lifestyle was the key to prospering then I would have done it way sooner. To adjust to college the key thing is to get involved and meet new people when everybody is floating in the same boat. Networking is one of the major things that will help students get connections when they are ready to get a job. Next, homework is the main thing that every student will need to do besides going to class. Being ready to adjust to the method of college homework is very important. Developing new studying habits and making friends that will help you succeed in class is the best way to do well in classes. Also, remember why we go to college. We go to get a better education and to prosper in life. At the time all of the stress and sleep depreivation doesn't seem worth it, but in the long run it will be.

“We can each define ambition and progress for ourselves. The goal is to work toward a world where expectations are not set by the stereotypes that hold us back, but by our personal passion, talents and interests.” This quote by Sheryl Sandberg adequately describes a lesson so many have looked to overcome throughout their lives. Stereotypes ruled my world in high school. Being involved in many clubs and activities and maintaining a 4.0 GPA were only some of the hardships I encountered. I was also “the poor girl”. Even though my father makes a very cushy living, my parents have always taught me to earn what I receive. My first job was at age 11 and I have had 4 other places of employment since then. I always struggled with balancing how people looked at me because of the car I drove and clothes I wore and spending my money on more important things. I learned my first semester at college when all my friends were taking out loans and I paid my bill in full from my bank account that “the poor girl” had only motivated me to break out and accomplish more from hard work and perseverance.

The advice I would give my high school self is definitely to plan ahead. I learned quickly that due dates and deadlines are much, much closer than they appear. I would tell myself to write down all deadlines and due dates in multiple places, such as a planner, calendar, and even sticky note reminders when the deadline is approaching. I discovered quickly that waiting until the last couple of days, while exhilerating, is also exhausting, and more stress than it is worth. I learned that carefully planning my days allowed me to maximize my time with efficiency.

Do not take freebies for granted. If I could go back in time and give advice to myself as a senior in high school, I would ensure that I absolutely did not take the free help offered by parents, teachers, counselors, etc. for granted. Now that I am attending an out of state college and paying for all expenses on my own, I wish I would have been more grateful for and mindful of the help that I was offered in high school. Not necessarily financially speaking, I have always been a very independent person - I grew up doing everything that I could on my own for I was not offered much help from my parents. Without their support, I have always vowed to do things for myself to prove my abilities and show that I could successfully do things on my own. After my first semester of college, doing everything alone has proved to be more than difficult, and now there aren't necessarily other adults for me to lean on for help like there were in high school. Since coming to college, I learned that it's okay to ask for help from time to time.

Rhandi, college is not what all of those teachers make it out to be so don't stress out about it too much. But make sure you do more in highschool. Join more clubs, study more than what you did and be more involved in your community. Sure, you may be a bit of an introvert, but put yourself out there and make sure your name is out there. That way when you get to college, you wont be that awkward kid. Those kids are nicer than you would think. Those kids can be in your study group and help you get through those nasty midterms. But don't be afraid of doing things on your own. You will be eating, shopping and studying alone. It isn't the end of the world and sometimes it is refreshing to be by yourself. Last of all, just calm down and have some fun. Make sure this summer is the best you ever had and actually look forward to being on your own. It'll be more fun than you could ever imagine. These will be the best years of your life!

the best advise i would give myself, would had being to had apply to OSU sooner than later to achieve more financial help.

Going back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior I would suggest to study. Studying is a big aspect of college life. When teachers say, "all you do in college is read", they are not lying. I would tell myself to get rid of all your dress up clothes and shoes and invest in a mountain of athletic shorts and t shirts because it is all you will want to wear and all anyone else around is wearing. Watching netflix tv shows until two in the morning is not going to get you very far, even if it did in high school. I would tell myself to get scholarships as soon as possible. I do not think you realize how much college really is until you have a pile of bills staring you down in the face. I would tell myself to leave the high school boyfriend behind and just enjoy the new experiences coming down the line. Get out and have fun and get involved. You have so many new opportunities awating.

Try to be more social and not to let any peer pressure get you down. Also to be ready to eat a lot less and sometimes be ready to starve a little.

Don't stop believing. The times are rough but you will preserve, so don't break down just yet. I know you're beating yourself up but stop thinking like that because you've given your everything. You should keep studying hard, but remember to breathe and smile. Never stop trying new things even if it seems scary because you might just find friends that will be with you for life. Impressing everyone one else will only wear you down, so make sure to stay focused. Don't forget why you came to college; Let your dream of becoming a pediatric oncologist guide you and keep you on a track to success. And most of all have fun because before you know it a year will be passing you by!

I would have advised myself to apply for more scholarships. There may be unseen expenses and circumstances ahead and paying off as much as I can and staying out of debt is ideal. In order to do that though, I have to work very hard. I would tell my younger self to apply herself more. She should use her talents more often. I'd tell her that even if she had some trials and error that everything would be okay.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take things more seriously. Academics are the highest priority. Scholarships are very important and the search takes more time than you're devoting. The transition to college sucks, to be completely honest. Residence halls are awful, but they're a great way to meet people. You'll make friends in college, don't worry. At the same time, don't worry about your "friends" now, because after you move, most of them won't even talk to you again. Don't overthink your decision about college. While Stillwater is a rough place at times, your Freshman year will be the best year of your life.

As a high school senior I was generally only concerned about the here and now. I thought of college as this foreign, far away stage in my life that I had plenty of time to prepare for. The counselors at our school would encourage us to find out what we would enjoy studying and what our potential major may be. I hardly took these little school chats seriously because I had all the time in the world to figure it out! Well the day came when I accepted my high school diploma and college was knocking at my door. Time had run out. I didn't really have a clear direction for my future education and I wish I would have planned and discovered what I could excel in. I found myself floundering, and I was taking college courses I was severly disinterested in. If I could talk to my eighteen year old self I would give myself a good kick in the pants and counsel myelf to do some serious research and soul searching as to what I was truly interested in.

If I could travel back in time and give my highschool self some advice it would be stop procrastinating and get stuff done. This is still something Iwork on today, but putting things off has been a vice of mine for quite some time. I would warn myself that moving will be here before you know it, and then classes, and with classes test and homework, jobs come and go, and if you procrastinate too much opportunities and deadlines tend to pass by without fanfare and leave you in the dust. But if we start practicing now, then maybe things will get better in the future. That’s what I would tell my past self.

I would start out majoring in Athletic Training instead of spending a year working on a different major. I would also tell myself to find the Catholic Church near campus and make friends there to begin with. I would tell myself to make sure to keep contact with my friends that went to other schools away from me and maintain those relationships. I would also tell myself to work hard and not to worry, and that things will all work out how they are meant to be.

Do not be afraid of Oklahoma State. Do not be intimdated. The campus seems large because you are coming from a small pond. In just a few months you will know this place like the back of your hand. Do not be terrified that you do not know what you want to do with your life. Many people change their majors all the way up to their senior year. Do not think you can't do this. You can. You are capable. Making friends is not that difficult. You think it is the worst thing you could possibly do; but in fact everyone else is just as nervous as you. They are wanting someone else to say hi first, just like you are. Do it. Be the change. Be the smile. Be the friend. Be the tutor. Be the heart and soul of Oklahoma State.

I would entire into my high school senior life in an abrupt way. I would storm in and make a scene to get my attention. I would then provide myself with the following wisdom. " Your family has told you that you need to focus, and that you need to actually do. There are going to be many things that can distract you such as guys, parties, sociallife, but you have a brain in your head that you just dont know you have until you apply yourself. If you focus and study and not have so much of a social life during these four short years of your life you will not only only surpass your own expectations but your family and future employers expectations. There are specific talents that are within you that you have don't take forever to find them. There are times that you feel like you have nothing remember that you will always have your time, talent and treasures and always have faith. To get your treasures though you have to be willing to put in the time to find your talents to make your treasures. You will do great things in this world. "

I would tell my high school self that things in college are so different from high school. You don't the privilage to rely on someone to push you in the right direction, everything is up to me. I have to trust that I do things that will benefit me and my future. I can't just slack around like I did in high school. I have to motivate myself and gain a little determination so that I achieve the goals I have for my life. When the tough gets going I have to push on and believe myself. High school was all childs play. When it comes to college, school is no walk in the park.