Old Dominion University Top Questions

It will be a lot harder than high school, but you’ll be treated like an independent adult. You have to be responsible for yourself and ask for help if you need it. College is a whole different ball game than the last 12 years. You may say goodbye to some old friends, but you will make new ones if you try. If you want to meet people, you’ll have to go out and get involved, because going home as soon as possible won’t get you many friends. Try studying in groups or with classmates, or even tutoring if you need it. It will take a lot more than before to get good grades, and maybe some new work skills. You may make mistakes, but keep moving forward, don’t give up, and believe in your own ability to get things done. It’s going to be a challenge but you can do it if you apply yourself.

The advice I would give myself would be during the summer before starting college, set up a personal meeting with an advisor and a tutor to help me refine my study skills. Throughout high school, I did not have a certain way of studying. As a matter of fact, I did not know how to study very well at all, so I would definitlely give my high school self the resources that I didn't have at the time, to make my first semester of college a lot easier.

If I could give advice to my senior self, I would advise myself about the aspects of transitioning to college life outside of academics. In high school, my parents and teachers always stressed the academic side of college. I've had plenty of advice about the rigor and work involved with college courses. The social side, however, was much more surprising and different than I expected. I would advise myself to be prepared to be up late many nights, and to be flexible with my schedule. Unlike living at home, you have to be flexible about when and where you do everyday things; my schedule in college is constantly changing. I would also advise my senior self to make sure to find the class schedule that would make it easiest for me to attend (and be awake) during class. I would tell myself to consider before scheduling, if I could really handle taking a tough class too early in the morning or too late at night. Other than that I would tell myself to simply have a good attitude and be ready to work!

I would say make sure you study study study. Don't wait until last minute to do anything because it will not get done. Make sure you find a schedule that fits you, and don't try to make yourself fit into a certain schedule, because it will add stress to your student life.

Dear Seniors, College seems like the easiest thing in the world. Going wherever, doing whatever. What you don’t see are the downsides of it all. It’s going to class, managing a job and extra-curricular activities, maintaining an acceptable GPA, and trying to have a social life all at the same time. You’re so stressed because there’s no free time and you’ve pulled two all-nighters in a row. It’s that when one thing goes bad, everything seems to fall apart. All you want is to go home to the people you were so desperate to get away from, but you can’t afford to drive twelve hours for a weekend trip. So cherish your senior year and the memories before college; they’re what are going to get you through the horrible times when you fail a test, get dumped, and have your car broken into all in the same day. They’re what will give you hope that things will turn around. They’re what will make the terrible things seem not so terrible, because college can be the best time of your life- if you let it.

Going back in time I would tell myself that I need to take my schooling more seriously. I need to be applying myself more than I am. I would take the opportunity to seek help from my counsler for advice on colleges to attend, career choices, and information I would need to know to prepare myself outside of high school. I would tell myself to buckle down and take my senior year more seriously and raise my grade to the best of my ability so I can have the highest GPA possible when I graduate. From knowing what I know about college now, I would have told myself to apply for as many scholarships that I could to help me with my college, beacuse it's very expensive. I would let myself know that nothing in life comes easy. College is something you have to apply yourself towards, that it may have its hard times but is well worth it. I would tell myself that college is not at all as bad as I thought it would be and to forget my fears and go for my dreams. Anything is accomplishable as long as I put my mind to it.

If I could back in time to the year I was a high school senior I would tell ask myself what do you want to do forever. I would tell myself to be sure you know what you want to do for the rest of your life and plan for that. Decide on your future now before your future decides you. Take all the classes you can and study hard. Take things serious because your life and future is serious business. Be prepared and complete your education, you never know where you will be in 15 years without one. I would tell myself that relationships change and you will mature. The things that seem important now will not be your main focus in 15 years. Do not let relationships and other experiences at that age control your choices. Stay focused on what YOU want, set YOUR goals high and YOU will become happy and successful. YOU are the most important person and YOU are the only one who can determine YOUR future.

Be careful of those that you make friends with and don't be afraid to deny friendships that will not benefit you or your studies. Never think that if you put something off then you'll get it done later because it won't happen. Try to keep off-campus socializing (clubbing) to a minimum during your freshman year until you've gotten the hang of things.

I would tell me that I'm so happy at KU. I'm pursuing a major in both Journalism and Global and International studies. Currently, I am enrolled in an Honors seminar course that focuses on understanding the nonprofit sector. This course has given me a broader global perspective. I now plan to use my leadership skills and education to focus on international education efforts in the nonprofit sector. As a first generation college student, education is extremely important to me. I’ve used my education to help others by giving back to my community. I am now a well-respected campus leader, I have gained experiences through student government, the Journalism school’s ambassador program and my university’s community outreach center. I have volunteered over 100 hours every semester with various groups in my community. These experiences have helped me grow to be an effective leader. I know that my future is bright, butI have acquired over $12,000 in student loans, so apply for more scholarships. Furthering your education; I know I will continue to grow as a person and as a leader. Have fun along the way!

I would tell my high school senior self that "it's not that bad." "Don't worry about being away from home, you're going to love the independence and freedom." I'd tell myself that I'm going to make a few new friends and learn so many new and extraordinary things. I'm going to form new ideas and thoughts about my life and life in general. I shouldn't worry, I'm going to love college.