Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Top Questions

My college experience thus far has been about way more than simply reading books and studying. Although this has been a great place to learn about my acedemic major of nutrition, I have learned so much more than just that. As a college student at Penn State I am learning how to be a lifelong learner. Being in college even for this short amount of time has helped me to grow in my ability to think critiaclly and process new information. I have learned how to work with people of all backgrounds and personalities to solve problems and help eachother. I am learning how to be independant and I am finally learning what things in life are the most important to me. There is a delicate balance to putting in hours studying, serving the community, and making sure you have time to take care of yourself. Being at Penn State has put me in a great atmosphere, surrounded by influential people who are helping me to grow into the best human being I can become.

I do not regret going to college at PennState at all. I made a lot of friends who I am still in touch with, I had amazing experiences with students and faculty and fun community service. The school spirit is unique and they made everything so much funner that it is, we did so much good for other people and learned a lot in the process. My academic experience was one of a kind and I feel like I learned everything I could to go out into the corporate world like a prepared person. I wish I had a chance to go back to PennState for another year or two, I want to continue my education and I would not do it anywhere else. I can honestly say the college years were the best years of my life because they made me who I am today, emotionally and professionally.

Graduating from college has been the most valuable experience of my life. Granted, I made lots of friends, learned how to handle myself under stress, meet deadlines and make decisions, but that college diploma has opened more doors for me than I could ever have imagined! I've switched careers several times due to different circumstances, and having a college diploma has given me a definite edge in obtaining jobs, even if they weren't in the area of my degree. The simple fact that I persevered through college and got my degree evidently gave employers assurance that I was intelligent enough, and determined enough, to succeed at most any position. That diploma has been worth its weight in gold to me many times over.

Having atttended Pepperdine University and not graduating because of personal issues this is something I talk about all the time. The first thing I would say to myself is that you have an incredibly strong family that will be with you no matter what. I would also say that it is important to realize how succesful you are for getting into a college like Pepperdine and to not get depressed about things you cannot control. It would also have been great advice to concentrate more on my school work the first time around since the reason for going to college is to learn, and the other stuff is just icing on the cake.

If I coud go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself that Penn State really isn't as scary as it seems. I would encourage myself that I was stronger than I thought I was and that I can handle college. I would remind myself that I am an independent woman and will do fine without my parents constantly being there. I would tell my past self to trust in my decisions and put myself out there. That people in college are accepting of others and others' thoughts. I would encourage myself to join clubs and make friends and just break out of my shell. An important point that I want to get across to my past self is that there are people around to support me and that if I need help, asking for help does not make me weak or dumb. As a high school senior, I was shy and the most important advice that I could give now would be to open up and just be true to myself.

Hey! Get off the computer; don?t you know you have a test to study for? Yes, it?s tomorrow! You know, you should become better organized, at least write stuff down on that calendar you have. Your life is only going to get more hectic once you go to college; and you know, and you won?t have mom to pester you to get things done. It will all be on you, and if you keep up your organization skills, you are going to miss some important events ? I, um, kind of know this for certain. Seriously, open that book up and study! You are not going to be able to get by in college with just glancing over the material. Sure, you don?t need to put that much effort into your math and science classes now, but trust me, it picks up - you just won?t be able to do it in college. Similarly, you should understand just how bad procrastination is. You might have to stay up late some nights now, but in college, procrastination means all-nighters with poor work. In case you were wondering, all-nighters feel horrible, so? how ?bout studying now?

Being in college for jsut one semester I learned a lot about myself and how things work when you are on your own. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to learn how to be more independent. As a high school senior I was to dependet on my parents to stay on my back and to tell what to do. They would make sure I did my homework and wake up for class. Once I got to college and was on my own I thought that this treatmeant would continue but I was very much mistaken. I had to dicipline myself to do my work, to go to class, and to get my priorities straight. Part of being an independent is learning how to disipline yourself. As I transitioned into the college life I began to learn what was important and what wasn't. College is supposed to be the best years of your life but you have to know when to put the fun on the top shelf and handle business, which is school work. Once I learned this simple lesson college life went much smoother.

I have several pieces of advice about college that I would give myself in high school if I could. The first two concern academics. Don?t skip classes and actually read the assignments. By going crazy with your new found freedom, you will miss information that is critical to getting good grades. The other area of advice is social. Get involved. Joining a fraternity, sorority, club or sport will introduce you to people that share your interests, giving you an easy opportunity to make new friends. And the activity will fill the hours between your schoolwork and sleeping. Don?t get stressed over making friends. Making close friends like you had at home will take time. Real friends will come along naturally. Friendships that you have to work hard at will not last a year, let alone a semester. You will find people that care. Finally, don?t be afraid to try new things. The college life and different people can expose you to things that you may not have considered before. Take a dance class, take trips, study abroad, try a new sport. All of this will better enable you to adapt to changes the rest of your life.

Always remember why you are doing this, college is the best opportunity to prepare yourself to achieve your goals in life. Focus on those goals, don't get sidetracked with things that seem important now and won?t matter in the long run. Every person you meet has something different to offer or teach, give them a chance. Make sure you take the time to listen before you judge. Learn as much as you can everyday because that knowledge will get you farther than anything else. Don?t waste time wishing for what could be, work for it instead. Perfection is not a realistic goal, your personal best is. Don?t be so scared of making a wrong decision that you don?t make any at all and life passes you by. The bumps and bruises of life are what take the edges off the diamond in the rough we all start out as and turn it into a sparkling gem. Remember that the easiest way isn?t always the best and the most profitable isn?t always right. Most importantly make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. There are no second chances.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that college is not as easy as I think it is and that I should really take the time to study for each of my courses. I would also tell myself that the parties are not that great and I should focus more on my academics. I would also inform myself to take as much help as I need and as if offered. No matter how proud I may be or feel I would need to accept any help that people offer me. Finally, I would tell myself to be sure to get to bed early each night and get enough sleep so that I could get to all of morning classes on time.