Pepperdine University Top Questions

Making friends might seem hard but keep reaching out to people and attending events. Relationships will develop but they take time. Cliques form very quickly so be sure you hang out with people you genuinely like and do not be defined by just one group. Just because groups seem rigid doesn't mean you cannot be a part of several have friends in many different places.

Don't choose a school because you feel pressured to or because someone else wants you too. You need to choose a school because it is the school that you want to attend and that you feel passionate about. If you go for someone else's benefit, it hurts you in the long run because they are not the one attending college 8 months of the year. You may have made them happy briefly, but you haven't been fair or true to yourself. If you think you will be a better fit at another school, chance are that thought is correct. So never let the opinions of others influence you. Don't just go somewhere because of the reputation, or the location, or the esteemed academics. Allow yourself to choose the school that you best see yourself at, and that you see yourself being the happiest at. This may not be the best academic school, or the most fun school, but it will be the school that you will be proud to call your own.

I would say, "hey buddy, good job." Throughout high school, I ran with the crowd that you would normally find partying and playing sports. I even managed to have some complications with the law enforcement of my town, that was typical for most of my peers in my high school and the other high school on the other side of my town. While doing this, however, I was able to maintain my 4.0 GPA, attended national comeptitive swim meets, joined in clubs as well as other sports, while still have all the fun a high schooler would hope to have. That being said, I am ever so grateful for my wildness because it pushed me to attend a tame school, like Pepperdine, that had a strict dry campus policy and was known for its enforcement of such policies. This was very different than most schools in the greater part of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (where I am from). I found that as I grew tired of binge drinking, that most of my peers, who came from stricter environments than me, were just getting started on their wild phase at a time, , where academic competition thrived and only gets stronger and stronger...

Don't worry about anything and just trust that the right situation will come up allowing you to go where you are meant to go.

Starting college is the biggest period of change that we experience in our young adult lives, and I have learned so much about myself and my life in the short 7 months that I've been here. Knowing what I know now, and observing how other people have dealt with the change, my biggest advice on making the transition would be this: College is a time for starting over, to be sure, but you don't have to reboot yourself and abandon everything that makes you you to thrive in college. I struggled with identity issues my first semester because I was so concerned with what others thought about me. I tried to build up a persona that I thought would fit 'the college life'. Life is all about personal relationships. I've come to realize that there are lots of people out there, and the ones whose opinions I actually care about are the people who will like me for who I really am. Your surroundings change day in and day out, but you have to deal with yourself for the rest of your life, so invest in who you are and who you want to be.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself, "Keep your head up. Mom and dad won't end up back together, but it's for the best, I promise you. Let go of dead weight, the person you think you love is dragging you down and will only continue to do so. It's okay to be angry, it's okay to be upset. No one can hurt you anymore. You are strong, you are giving, you are timeless, you are YOU. Don't let yourself fall through the cracks, don't give up on school. That senior research paper? It'll turn out just fine. As a matter of fact, you're going to do the best in your class. Baby, don't cry. Wipe your tears and stand up. You have every right to feel the way you're feeling. Don't give up now, you're so close. You're going to figure out who you are, and you'll love her. You're going to make it through this. You're alive and you're successful, and you're now happy. So, So happy."

I would tell myself how important it is to find balance in life as early as possible. I would also tell myself not to put too much on my plate, especially early on, and to not be afraid to say no or stand up for what I need/want. Learn how to be comfortable outside your comfort zone, and enjoy the adventure. I would also say not to worry so much about all the change, and that's what meant to be will be. I would also remind myself that all the change that seems so scary isn't easy, but for every difficult part there are just as many hidden blessings. Things have a funny way of working out, as long as you remember to keep your chin up and your feet moving forward.

Do not let what you did in highschool define who you are. Your potential is so much more than a high school student body president or yearbook editor in chief. Those achievements are just titles, instead take those experiences and find what aspects you enjoyed to figure out how each activity has shaped your personality. Go into college with expectations, but don't expect for things to always go as planned. College tests are a lot different from high school tests. One simply asks you to reiterate facts while the other involves more critical thinking - I'll let you figure out which is which. Most importantly do not fall in love in the summer of your senior year. Also bring a sponge, you don't know how handy that comes.

Time traveling, everyone's unattainable desire. "If only I could go back and tell myself what I know now", this phrase has somehow found itself to be a staple of our society. However if we were truly able to go back and give ourselves advice, would we even take it? It's human nature to believe that we won't make the mistake people are advising us against, yet nonetheless we would all take that slim chance and attempt to talk to our previous self. If I could speak to myself as a High School senior I would simply tell myself that time management is the key to everything. Too many incoming college students believe they can do it all: have a social life, receive the straight A's they easily received in High School, join greek life, sleep...the list goes on. The reality is that we can't. We have to prioritize what truly matters; without priorities, the college education that you have longed for, and the efforts of your family can quickly dissapear. Even if my High School self ignores this tidbit of advice, i'd offer it regardless a thousand times.

Wisdom comes with experience. If I could write a letter to my high school senior self, I would tell advocate one phrase when adjusting to college..."work hard- give every job, even the most menial one, a hundred percent. Keep your eyes open. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Trust God and be patient. It’ll unfold." To make the transition easier, taking risks is a priority. This year I ran for Freshman Class President at Pepperdine University and won the election. Meeting people while campaining and bursting out of my comfort zone helped me in more ways that I can count. I would also remind myself that thinking about a vocation, can be quite overwhelming. At eighteen do you really know what you want to do career-wise for the rest of your life? My dad, one of my mentors, said something I thought was very profound recently. He said, “Every step of your life should continue to be great as long as you are loving the Lord.” I would challenge my high school senior self to trust that God has plan bigger than you can fathom. This would put me at ease during a period of transition.