Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Dear, Dillon This is your future college self. I would just like to give you a few friendly suggestions to what lies ahead in your life. First and foremost, learn to be easier on yourself. While college is a very intense and spasmodic schedule, you must learn to take some time to relax or you will burn yourself out quickly. Secondly, do not be afraid to try new things. This is the time in your life that you will never forget. If you do not try things out, how will you ever know if you're missing out on something incredible? Thirdy, and most importantly, humble yourslef before others. You are not better than your peers. Adopt a perspective that you are lesser than everyone else, and can learn something important from each and every person. You will never make friends if you think of yourself as better than others, and you will not have the mental capacity for wisdom if you believe there is nothing to learn from your peers. Take it easy on yourself, be brave to try new things, and humble yourself before others and you will find the road to success much easier. Sincerely, You.

If I had the knowledge that I have gained from my time in college, in high school, then I would have invested more time in taking AP classes to prepare myself for this challenging experience called college. When I was in high school, college always seemed so far away, a goal impossible to reach. I figured I had plenty of time to prepare myself for higher education after graduation but the time came much faster than expected and I now realize there were so many things I should have done to prepare myself. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to try harder, take more notes, study longer, and produce the work I knew that I was always capable of. I would tell myself that all of these things are absolutely necessary and will be worth it in the end to achieve the ultimate goal of success.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself a year ago, this is what I would say: okay Cassidy, the first week or two is going to suck. You're going to miss home, and you're going to miss your group of friends, and you're going to hate it. But give it a chance, because you'll love it shortly after. School will pick up, and football will pick up, and cheerleading will pick up and it will be great. You will get busy and literally before you know it the semester will end. When you move in, make it as homey as possible. DO NOT leave the walls plain because it will make you sad. Oh and don't room with Shelby. You guys will fight and it will be miserable. Oh and call Mom between classes and she won't gripe at you as much. Anyway, keep pushing through because eventually you're going to love it and its going to be completely worth leaving Claremore.

I would tell myself that regardless of how much skill you have required in sewing, that doesn't mean you can put things off till the last minute. Go to class! Make sure that you double check your work too, because sometimes you can comprehend things wrong. Just keep one step ahead and never stop trying to study. Join all these things together, and things will go alot smoother.

If I could have a chat with my high school self, I would say that organization is pinnacle to success. Keep track of when applications, homework and other assignments are due. You'll soon learn that life is full of deadlines. Also, grades really do matter; when it comes time to apply for scholarships, the grades help. I would also tell myself to never pass on great opportunites, follow your gut and many door will be opened. Finally, I would tell myself to always remember who you're doing this for and how proud they would be to see you accomplish greatness.

Dear high school self, I know that you have been stressing out about everything next year and are nervious and undecided about where to go. I would just like to tell you that is is OKAY! You ARE going to make mistakes and mess up and cry. But you know what? That is NORMAL. You will come out of this so much stronger than you went in. Everything that happens, including mistakes and the stress, will mold you. I know what mistakes I have made, but I also discovered what I want to do! And now I know exactly what I want to do in college and as a career and how to get there. SO through all the stress, and oceans of applications, you can do it because this will teach you what you want to major in. Now, take a day off. Sit outside. Read a book. Relax. Because tomorrow, everything that you needed to do will still be there, but it will be easier. And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! Stand a little taller!

Relax and go with the flow, treat school as a full time job.

I would tell myself not to worry so much about school. Although college sounds scary and “grown up” at first, but it can be a lot of fun. The classes are not all that different from high school classes, and in some cases, if you get the right instructor, they can be enjoyable. Also, you have different classes from day to day, eliminating the burnt out feeling like in high school. But, you should learn to manage your time well. Allow time for schoolwork while also having fun. Another thing, be free to be yourself! In high school there was always an urge to follow the crowd and be like everyone else. In college, you can be whoever you want to be! Everyone is different, and in college, nobody is afraid to show it, so you shouldn’t be either. Find something you love to do and do it, plain and simple. So, follow these words and everything will be fine.

Hannah, focusing on school work is very important... but do not forget the fun things. Why not go to Zumba Fest on Library Lawn? There is a delicate balance between worrying about school and having fun, it is very important to figure out where that balance is. Oh, and beware of Biology 1114, it is much harder than you think it will be. The one thing I did not do my first year in college is look up my professors on 'ratemyprofessor.com'. This will help you immensely. The key to doing well in college is having a good professor. It is not necessarily who is the easiest, but who delivers the lectures the best. Make sure you stay active or the 'freshman 15' will haunt you and your waistline. Go to all of the football games. Figure out where all of your classes are at least the night before; do not wait till 5 minutes before your class starts the first day of school on that August morning (being late will leave a bad impression on your professors). Oh, and may the curve be ever in your favor.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I should remember to have fun in college, but to take my grades seriously and do the best that I can. I would talk about the choices I would face as a college freshman and the importance of saying no to things that could hurt me in the future. I would also tell myself to save up as much money as I could. Having extra money for food and gas and everyday things would be so helpful instead of wasting it all on spur of the moment things that wouldn't benefit my college life. But most importantly, I would tell myself to go after my dreams and not worry about what anyone else did to try and stop me.

If I could give myself advice as a Senior in high school, I would tell myself to spend time finding out who I am. I believe the college process is an incredible opportunity to find out who you are, but if you can establish your foundation and be confident in that, you will fare much better when you get to college. Also, be okay with yourself. You are who you are for a specific reason and there is no one else like you. So be okay with that, and build your interests and your life around you, not others. This is your time. Pursue the things you actually love in life, and make a career out of that.

Hey Izaak, how’s it going bro? It may seem a little weird to be reading a letter from yourself, but pay attention to what I’m about to say. You’re going to make some mistakes in high school and that’s ok because you will learn from those slip ups. I know that your wanting me to give you all the answers for the next two years, but that’s not how it works. However, I will give you some basic concepts to keep in mind. So you know those concurrent enrollment courses your about to take? Well instead of slacking off could you make sure to actually watch all of the online lectures, because I could be sitting pretty with a 4.0 GPA if it wasn’t for you. You should stay away from women, never lose your drive to be successful, and apply apply apply for scholarships. The last piece of wisdom I’m going to impart upon you is to never lose sight of God and always keep him first. He is going to bring you through some rough stuff and your going to need him.

I would have advised myself to study harder in my dual enrollment classes that I was taking at the community college. When I was taking them, they were harder than high school classes, but my motivation for passing all of them wasn't very high. I dropped out of a human anatomy and physiology class because I didn't study enough. I was a big procrastinator in some areas, and once I got to college, I realized how much those classes would have helped if I had done better in them. Even though that was the only class I dropped out of in high school, I added a few more to my list when I spent four semesters at the University of Arizona. I would advise my high school self to work hard, never procrastinate and do not drop out of anything that you know you can succeed in just because I was feeling lazy at the time. In a university, that will not cut it and I think if I had not started that in high school, I would not have been so accepting of it when I went to the university.

Scholarships, scholarships, and more scholarships; That's what you need to focus on. You know how you planned to attend UNT as a freshman? Well thanks to your procrastination you had to attend Weatherford College. Now it may not be a bad school, and it's definitely worth the tuition cost, bu I would love to be at UNT right now enjoying the college experience to its full potential. So I will say it again, do as many scholarships as you possibly can, trust me, it will be worth it. Keep up the good work in calculus and don't let Brittney distract you too much alright? Don't forget to program as much cool stuff as you can while you have the free time, college doesn't offer as much free time as you may think it does. I'm usually too busy studying to do anything else, but just as a reminder, I am actually applying for scholarships right now. So good luck, enjoy your senior year, but not too much!

If I could go back as a highschool senior I would remind myself that procrastinating never pays off. During my first few weeks at college I realized how much procrastination can effect the total outcome of each and everyday life. By putting off different obstacles and waiting til the last minute, it only makes it harder on oneself in the long run.

If I could go back in time, I would most certainly tell my high school self to study more play less. I did well in high school, but i now realize my potential. I would tell myself that college isn't going to be a walk in the park or a four year long party. If I could do it over again I would make sure I had the best grades possible. Being involved in the high school is also very important. I would tell myself to look into more extracurricular activities.

If I could go back in time and give my high school self advice I would advise myself to ignore negative comments from my peers. Peers have a large effect on you if you believe it or not. I was told repeatedly that I would never study abroad and I could never receive scholarships; I did both. High school is hard, time-consuming, and sometimes cruel, but with certain motivation you can do anything you set your mind to. If I had known about the financial struggle that is involved with going to a university, I would have applied for many more scholarships. High school is supposed to prepare you for what lies ahead, but honestly nothing can prepare you for this. I learned that I have to go out and take life for all it's worth, but I wish I had learned it a few years sooner. If I could go back I would tell myself what I know now; You must fight for what you want, never give up on a dream, and work hard for what does not come easy.

I would take every AP course available to me. I would also put more effort into my classes in high school. And I would tell myself that when I go to college that I HAVE TO GO TO CLASS. I made the mistake of not going to class my first year, and I am still paying for that mistake to this day.

Don't sweat it. College is as tough as everyone makes it out to be, but making the grades is no problem if you follow instructions, take notes, and study hard. Join clubs, too. They're by far the best things I've ever been apart of, and right away I gained some amazing friends who share my same interests. Being a part of my college, and putting myself in a situation where I have to take care of myself, has helped me become a more socially active person, and definately more confident. And if you can make the grades, try to get in to the school's honors programs as well. If you join an honors dorm, you'll be a part of a great community of hard workers, and you work to keep each other on the right path. Sororities and fraternities are also great ways to make friends and keep ties. The more positive people you surround yourself with, the easier it is to survive in college, and you may even begin looking forward to every day to come!

If I could go back in time, I would go back a little farther then high school senior to middle school. I would tell myself that staying in school would be important, and to finish high school. I would tell myself that it is a lot harder learning everything when you get in college, and how you miss a lot of opportunities by not going to high school. I would tell myself that if I don't stay in school then I'll spend the first two years of college struggling to catch up and even though it's possible, it's not easy. I would tell myself that Oklahoma State University would be the best choice I ever made. The main advice I would give myself would be to not quit school, and to try my hardest at everything, even if it does not seem most important at that time.