Oregon State University Top Questions

If I talked to myself as a high school senior, I would definitely have advice. I would explain that while socializing is an important part of life, it is more important to find a place where healthy acceptance is present. That doesn't mean popularity, but it means feeling good in the company of friends. I would also stress that this might mean having less friends; however, the friendships might be more long-lasting and authentic if based on commonalities and learning. As far as dating, I would advise myself and others to focus on developing friendships rather than long-term relationships while studying. It sidetracks from the original purpose of schooling, which is to engage in learning in a safe, rich environment. I also would indicate that while grades can be rewarding, excessive focus on them or the end result of a degree or job can be counterproductive and take away from the process of school. Too often, students will look at a graduate or a program for money and/or see it as easy. Ignoring the process of learning and not being mindful might land a student in a unhappy state in school or down the road.

When you first get to college make sure you get out and get to know people. It will make life so much easier because you will have friends to study and hang out with. When you miss a day of school you will have people to get notes from. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and be social. Also, go out and get involved. You do not want to be stuck in your dorm room all day doing homework, it is not fun and makes you get homesick a lot faster. You also need to realize that speeches are not that scary. You can do it, you do not need to be nervous about it. You will take one class with these people then probably never see them again so if you make a mistake that is okay. Go out and have fun. Join clubs even if you do not konw anyone that goes to them. After awhile you will get to know people and make new frineds. Lastly, go to the pre-vet club meetings. You learn a lot and they are worth it.

If I could go back and talk to myself, I would inform myself to make decisions for myself and not base my college choice on what my parents and family think I should do. I wasted a year and $25,000 picking the wrong major and going to the wrong school. If I could tell myself what I know now, I would have used that $25,000 to come to Oregon State University and to go towards the classes that I need to graduate here. I would also tell myself that the real world is crazy and to appreciate the little things such as good friends, sports, and good food. I would also make myself get a job on the weekends to start saving up because having no help from your parents is so much harder than you can begin to comprehend. Also to save up because when the loans don't cover the tuition costs and you have to skip classes to make enough money to pay for it and the apartment and food, your GPA suffers and it can ruin your dreams. But I would also say to work hard because it's worth it.

be patient

I would tell myself to take college applications seriously! I would love to apply to different colleges as a senior and have my options open. I would have also told myself to apply for FAFSA and take that seriously as well. I didn't know much about financial aid and the free money that I would have earned had I taken both the college and FASFA application seriously. I also, would have told myself to not limit myself from applying to in state colleges. I would apply for out of state colleges as well because maybe I could have earned a full ride to a university not in Texas. One last thing I would have told myself is to talk to my counselors more about colleges and have more questions to ask them.

If I were going to go back and talk to my high school self about college I would tell myself to branch out sooner. It took me a long time to learn that college is a place to expand your horizons and to grow and meet new people. I came into college struggling to meet new people and I didn't know how to ask for help. Slowly I have gotten much better at putting myself out there and I have realized that most everyone is ready and willing to be friends and to help in any way they can. So if I could talk to my high school self I would get it through my thick skull to not be so skeptical of people and to throw myself out there. Worst case scanario you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and you do it again!

Take the time to understand yourself. It is the simplest of concepts that many people take decades to realize and some never do. It is something that you do not find on a school retreat, it is not something you find drinking with friends, watching TV, or even, sad to say, reading books. The characters in other stories moving across screens or twirling across pages can only, at best, provide a glimpse into the world of who you are and who you would like to be. It cannot be found through the fabricated identity that Facebook or Instagram provides. Deep quotes plastered on landscape photographs do not invoke its presence. Experience life through your own magnificent lens and elegant prose. At the age of 17 you will move away to go to school and within a year your grandma, who helped raise you, will be diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. The decision that family means more to you than your new life in a different state will be the best decision you will ever make because it will teach you that understanding who you are and what you want will always take you exactly where you need to be.

If I ever got a chance to go back in time to talk to myself about the expeiences I've had as a college student at Oregon State University, I'd tell myself, "it's worth it." I've learned so much from the new friends and teachers I've made, and it's been a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Words cannot descibe the joys, tears, laughters, and heartfelt memories that I have created, and I wouldn't and cannot ruin that for myself by telling that to Jeffrey Burrow from 2010. I would want him to experience it himself by doing exactly what I did.

If I were to go back to myself in high school I would tell myself to really think about the decisions that were in my future. I would proceed to have a heart-to-heart talk about why making the decision not to go to college right away is not in my best interest. Telling her that waiting to go will only reduce my self-esteem and confidence, making the transition of going back more difficult. Additionally, I would tell my past-self that waiting to go to college was only going to make my future endeavors harder. Instead of having a career by time I am 30 I would only be recently graduating and starting my life. I think that if I had someone to talk to me on a real and personal level about going to college than I may have decided to go right out of high school.

I would tell myself not to give up because your pregnant. That it was worth all the wakeing up early and taking time everyday to finish up to graduate with your class on time. That no matter what gets in your way to keep your head up high and not to drop out because getting pregnant is not an excuse to give up it a motivation to push harder.