Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Top Questions

Dear 17 year old me, Hello. This is your future self from college. There are a few things I wish to tell you and advise you on. I know you had already planned on staying close to home to study for college but ultimately, you will branch out into searching for schools outside of the state once you realize that your dreams and aspirations reside elsewhere. Kudos to you for that because guess what? You will end up on the other side of the country to go to school! And a pretty darn good school at that. But anyway, I digress. I also wanted to let you know that you must take advantage of your time now looking for ways to save for college, because you and I both know no one will be able to help. At least not that much. Look up scholarships online and apply, apply, apply. Save up your money while you work, budget your spending, and be prepared. Know what's important to you and think ahead because unless you want your family to have more faith in your abilities while working toward higher education, then show them just how much you really do care!

Looking back at my senior year of high school I wish I would have been more prepared for what was to come. College is not easy by any means and I would have wanted to be more prepared for classes and have someone explain to me the work that has to be put into each individual course you take. The whole transition from high school to college is a scary thing. My advice would be to go in prepared, plan everything out starting with your schedule down too how much studying you should do for each of your classes even if you don't have a test in that course. Also getting involved on Campus is the key to success the more involved you are on campus the more you are likely to be successful.

If I can go back in time and give myself advice, I would tell myself to practice better study habits and read more. College is something that you have to give your all and more. Always go above and beyond in your work because in the end it will pay off.

Don't be too hard on yourself. When times get tough, you can ask for help through the tutoring department and they will help you stay on track. Stay focused, keep studying and have fun on the weekends. You will meet alot of nice people and you will really enjoy college. Remember to work as hard as you can and call home once in a while to keep grounded with the family.

I wish I would have had family members who had taken part in the college experiance so I would of had some refrence. The number one transition issue for me was study habits so I would have deffintly told myself to try out different study habits and study dedication. High school was a lot different exspecially in the content of exams so I now wish I would have pushed myself much more beyond to be prepared for college material. Making up an exam that I knew would be much harder then the one we would be taking in class would be a very good study method that I would go back and have myself try. The money is of course an issue also I would have a job all throughout high school to save up before starting to college. Scholorships and grants would be a must for me to do, I would advise to start looking into opportunties early into the year so I had time for a back up plan also.

Now that I am graduating college and going on to graduate school, I can look back and say, enjoy every second of school and being a college student. Looking back on my college career it was one of the best times of my life. I made many good friends and met people from all over the world. I would tell myself to be open to making as many friends as possible, and go to as many college sponsored activities as I could. You get to experience life while making friends. The transition from high school to college isn't that bad as long as you are open to different types of people, ramen noodles, and studying (something I didn't do in high school). Transitioning is only scary because you think about it, in reality it makes you grow as a person.

My college experience has been a whirlwind of activities and life changing lessons. As a sophomore in college, I have learned more about myself personally than I ever thought I would. I have learned how to be a sociable person, a good friend, and most importantly I have learned what my values are. The students and staff are so helpful and friendly that I feel completely comfortable asking any questions that need to be asked and getting any help I may need. To me, it has been a valuable experience to attend college because of the friends I have made, the education I have received, and still put to use, and the lessons I have learned about life. There is no better way to learn about life than to live on campus and have to support yourself and all of your needs on your own. Its such a wonderful experience that I would highly reccommend to anyone thinking about on campus living.

If I could go back in time to my senior year and talk to myself, many things come to mind to discuss. But there are two suggestions that stand out. First, I would tell myself to not be afraid of getting involved. Getting connected within the community gave me a chance to meet new people with different views. I have learned about many different cultures from people who grew up in what seems like different worlds. I have turned into a whole new person since high school because of the people I have met. Another piece of advice that I would give myself would be to stay determined. I always used to find myself getting stressed out over the smallest things, but now I know that as a college student you have many opportunities to redeem yourself. As long as you know you are doing your best, thats all a student can do. Through the ups and downs of college it's easy to become discouraged. But if you remain focused on your goals, you will achieve them and more.

As a high school senior, I didn't know much about college nor did I know what major to take. In a case where I can go back in time, I would change many things. First, I would have liked to know what major I really wanted to pursue. Second, I should have been more displicined. In example, having better study habits and an optimism to do good in school(it just hit me my junior year). Third, apply for scholarships so the college tuition can be less and finding a job won't be mandatory, but optional. Fourth, learn to love what you do no matter what others say, but make sure it is within the boundaries of a reasonable job market. Fifth, learn to be independant, such in a way that you won't always depend on friends to make things fun or fall into peer pressure and do things you usually don't do. Sixth, keep a good habit by having enough sleep, excercising, and eating healthy. Finally, just be yourself and make friends, which keeps the other six reasons in cycle. Always keep in mind, happiness everyday brings peace of mind.

After careful consideration, I would have to admit to myself that listening to your parents is an integral part of preparing yourself for college life and leaving home. I would tell myself that it is normal to want to slack off as a senior, but to not do that! Keep studying. Keep learning. Keep working as hard as you can, because that first day in college is going to be an eye opener. No one cares if you don't show up for class. No one cares if you get behind. There's not a weight added to your college class. All those things I took for granted, just disappeared the second I stepped into that classroom. I would tell myself to enjoy those home cooked meals because the cafeteria food doesn't even come close to what I was used to eating. I woud remind myself that college comes with a very hefty price tag attached to it so enter every contest, every essay, and every scholarship opportunity that becomes available to you! College is a learning experience, but so is high school. Take advantage of it and appreciate it!