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If I could give myself any advice as a high school senior it would be to maximize my time in college. I would encourage myself to join more clubs, and introduce myself to more people. I would also encourage myself to study abroad and to travel more visiting friends to learn more about different parts of the country and the world.

I see my younger self about to make one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I rush to her side to stop her because I cannot let myself spend $250 on that hot pink velour track suit again! I let her know that she needs to stop being a spend thrift. College is expensive and in another year I won’t be caught dead in that track suit! My younger self looks confused, because she is under the impression that Mom and Dad have a magical college fund set aside for her. She doesn't know that Mom also likes spending a lot of money on velour track suits. I tell her that she will have to pay for college all by herself and needs to start taking on more responsibility. She says that she will be more responsible as soon as she moves far away from of our parents. I shake my head and tell her that she is mistaking responsibility for freedom. I let her know that in college no one tells you what to do but she will need to be responsible in making sure she follows through with what she wants to do.

If I could go back in time, and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give advice on both academic life and social life. Time management is key to sucess and happiness in college. You have to learn quickly how to balance your classes, your clubs, and your social life. Sometimes the best way to focus is to change locations. Trying to study in your dorm room is difficult because there are a lot of things to distract you, so go to the library, sit outside, or find a building your comfortable in to get you work done. If you don't need the internet to complete your work, go somewhere that you can't get online. Minimize distractions. Get involved. Figure out what you like to do in your free time, and find a club that fits you. You can make a lot of great connections this way. Not only can you find people who can become your friends, but something like this can help you network when it comes to finding a future internship or job. The key to any sucessful transition is balance. Learn to have fun and still get your work done.

Stay confident! The most important lesson I have learned while being at college for almost two years now is that having confidence is invaluable. I would tell myself to prepare to expect life changes that I only use to dream about and that I need to maintain a positive attitude throughout every transition. I would also encourage my younger self to learn to become comfortable with speaking aloud my own thoughts and opinions. This is another skill I struggle with sometimes even today. I would tell myself that being confident is the best gift I can give myself.

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Me Now speaking to MeThen MeNow: Hey man, I know you're probably pretty confused right now, what with college decisions and all, so that's why you should just listen to what I have to say. I've already been where your mind has swarmed. I'm not gonna tell you which school to choose; you'll make the right decision. But here're a few ways to make this transition more efficient. Quit refreshing your Penn State web page every 20 seconds in Newspaper class. The decision comes by mail first anyway. I know it was your last soccer season ever in the fall, but don't treat that as a reason to subsequently boycott the gym and/or any other exercise. Things are much brighter when you're active. Please try harder in CHS Calculus, as I really don't want to take any more math classes. And leave the spare sheets at home; they're bulky you're never going to use them anyway.MeThen: Wow..thanks.MeNow: Just doin' my job. Oh--and one more thing...MeThen: What is it, Me?MeNow: Why ever are you still dating her? Save us while I still can...

I have learn a lot in just a short time in college. If I could travel back in time as myself as a high school senior i would have listen to the advice i was giving. It's really hard out here for people who can't afford to pay for college and a good quality education. I myself would have tried more to earn scholarships and paid attention more in class. The advice I would have giving myself would have been to stay focus and on track and to not let anyone or anything stop you from making a better life for urself. I would have also told myself to treat this last year of my high school like it is a semester term in college and that the teachers and students are different and you need all the help you can get now in high school even if you are to afraid to ask for help. I would have better myself a little more work a lil harder instead of trying to hang out.Life is a very important journey so either you are determine to make it in life and be someone or your determine to fail.

If I were to go back, I would warn myself that college is nothing like high school. I would tell myself that while skipping classes may sound fun, but it is not the best idea. I would tell myself to break my habit of procrastination, mostly because finishing an essay or twenty math problems at three in the morning is not worth losing those precious hours of sleep. I would tell myself to study more and to not stress myself so much over a test. But most of all, I would urge myself to not be afraid of putting myself out there for any and all opportunities, whether it be to join an organization or make a new friend. College is all about the experience, and I want myself to embrace every minute of it.

The advice that I would give myself is to make sure that I look for what academics the school have and also can I see myself having a social life at the school as well. I would have make sure that I can afford this school financially not only for a year but all my four years in college. I also would have been open-minded about my college search. I would have want to make sure is this the college best for me as a whole. If I have done this, I would think that my first year college would been much smoothier and less stressful.

I learned how to build self confidence and how to expand my personal brand. Faculty members have recognized me as a hard working student who takes advantage of many of the opportunities presented to me while striving for academic merit. Building a network of mentors and friends has increased my social skills and made it possible for me to receive help beyond the classroom. In addition, completing a variety of courses that interest me has been a valuable aspect in itself. For instance, my multicultural psychology course helped me to develop a level of comfort when discussing difficult issues so I can express my thoughts and concerns throughout the Penn State community. I am also aware that diversity goes beyond one’s race or ethnicity and includes other aspects like religion and socioeconomic status. By identifying these various aspects, I became more sensitive to others’ cultures and encourage myself to promote a positive climate for diversity through interactions with students. An international media course educated me about cultural values in different countries as it relates to their media portals. Learning the importance of relationships with people of diverse backgrounds has motivated me to study abroad in India: an ultimate experience!