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As a high school senior from a small town I was very naïve to the amount of diversity and competition that college withholds. I graduated third in my class and with the same students I went to kindergarten with. Coming to Purdue was a culture shock in a positive way as well as a realization that a small town was extremely small compared to Purdue. My advice for my senior year would be broken up in to two parts. First, try new things. Just because something is different to you does not mean it’s wrong. Understanding different communities makes you grow as an individual and better understand the world around you. My second part of advice would be to not give up. Going from high school to college it was hard for me to accept the fact that I may not be the smartest person in my class or in my school, but that is okay. If I didn’t get an A on a test, that does not mean I am not smart or that I am not capable of becoming an engineer. These two pieces of knowledge would have immensely helped me this past year.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would tell her that it will all be okay. She will go through a lot of ups and downs but those low places are the ones that will make her stronger and wiser. She will make mistakes, but remind her that everything happens for reason and always for the best even though she can't see it now. She will find out who her real friends are and those who aren't, but to love them regardless because that's the person she wants to be. I would tell her I'm proud of her she doesn't give into pressure and drink before the age of 21, but still had so much fun- if not more- with her amazing new friends. I will comfort her that she still won't know what she wants to do, but she finds a good job, good people and a good life while figuring that out. But most importantly- I will warn her not to eat that off-campus chicken sophomore year that gave her one heck of a case of food poisoning!

Go out on a Tuesday night with your roommate. Hold back your friend's hair while she pukes in the bathroom stall. Talk to the person sitting next to you in Calc lecture. Ask your professor questions, no matter how "stupid". LEARN. Learn by meeting new people, experiencing new thing, and yes, study. But don't get too bogged down in your school work. Enjoy your time in college. You can retake a class or two, it's not the end of the world. Engineering is hard, but C's get degrees. You'll make it through. Use this time to get real work experience in the industry and figure out what YOU want to do. Don't be afraid. Gain confidence and get out there and talk to people!

Some of the advice I would give myself would be to not worry about what to expect out of college. College is always overwhelming at first, but it's an easy adjustment. Do not worry about missing your home-town friends because you will make so many more at college. The best advice I could give myself is that your college experience is exactly what you make of it. If you do not try knew things and open yourslef up to new ideas, you are just reducing the possibilies of making amazing memories. Try your best to get involved on campus socially and academically. You will create great relationships and most likely learn a lot throughout the process. The last piece of advice I would tell myself would be looking into studying abroad. There are hundreds of places all around the world that offer study abroad programs. It is one of the greatest oppurtunites provided by Universities as well as an easy route to take if you are looking to go on an adventure and learn about a different culture.

If I were to go back in time and have a conversation about college life and the transition from high school to college, emphasizing things like time management and getting involved would be on top of my agenda. From the moment a student steps on Purdue's campus, they are given a level of freedom never experienced throughout high school. Recreational facilities, social events, and limited required events allow students the chance to sculpt and mold their time as they see fit. Social life, academics, and sleep tend to be the three largest slates needing to be balanced, and the earlier this is recognized, the better. Getting involved in a student organization or social group remains another essential in college. Companies in the industry often emphasize the importance of leadership and there is no more direct way to accomplish this than through student involvement. They’re well over 200 student groups and a strong Greek presence at Purdue University, giving my high school self a bevy of options the minute I stepped foot on campus. These key points could have revolutioned not only my Senior self, but many other prospective students. Boiler up.

If I could provide some insight to myself as a high school senior, I'd have to begin by choosing a more practical approach to college. I naively believed that colleges would not offer majors that didn't lead to high paying careers. Be sure you're researching jobs that interest you and then define the majors that will lead you to success in your chosen field. At one point, my parents insisted that I study something that would support my independence; I chose nursing. After a one year certificate program, I was earning quite a bit more than my peers enrolled in nursing programs. This was a major advantage as I could make my own hours each semester and maximize my study time, which in turn, led to the successful completion of several courses towards my BSN during the associates program. Choose to join professional associations when you formalize your major. Memberships are often discounted for students. You'll have opportunities that classmates are often unaware of including seminars, continuing education credits, job postings and other resources. If you take advantage of these opportunities, you'll be bulking up your resume and will stand out among peers after graduation.

The advise i would give is if you can take some college course while in high school, because it really helps. Do not be afraid to take some challenging course because when you get to college it will help. Another thing is choose a school because you love the campus and what that university has to offer. It will be hard going to school just because a friend is going, or because of a sport. Lastly i would say have a passion for what you want to major in. It will be very difficult to learn if you dont have a passion for it. The passion will drive you to want to learn more, and will make learning more fun. This informantion is all from experience and i am living with this everyday.

I have no regrets about my decision to attend Purdue University. None at all. But I was absolutely sure that I wanted to go Big Ten. If I had the chance to go back and do it all over again, I would spend more time looking at smaller universities and seeing what they have to offer. I currently live near the DePaul campus and I'm in love with the area yet I never even considered a college in a city. I probably still would have chosen Purdue anyway but I think I cheated myself by not looking at other schools. In terms of making the transition, I would NOT choose a school that has 100 people going there that I already know. College gives you a chance to reinvent yourself without anybody knowing anything about you. Also, the less people you know at first, the better. It might help to maybe have a friend or two but you might use them as a crutch and not venture out and meet more people. Being on your own forces you to step out of your comfort zone and do things you wouldn't normally do and that is how you grow.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself. When you go to college take the leap of faith just put yourself out there and do not doubt yourself. Purdue is a hard school you have heard that time after time but really listen to everyone. Push yourself to succeed! You want to go to medical school? You want to go into pharmacy? You better push yourself and show everyone around you that you are going to make a difference and you are going to help people. Put more faith in yourself and stay confident. Finally, step out of your comfort zone, say hi to every person you walk by or at least smile. Take that extra step out of your way to pick up that piece of trash on the sidewalk. You are going to feel less stressed at relieved if you just take it day by day and smile. Classes will be tough but you are going to make amazing friends there to support you and your family is always standing beside you.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myslef to consider every opportunity presented to become familiar with student life, plus most club callouts have pizza. Everyone is in the same boat as you and and the more you take advantage of the opportunities presented the more your college will provide you in return. Make sure to keep track of all your money. This is a great time to learn to manage money. You are independent enough to make financial decisions but dependent enough to seek parental guidance. Getting to know a professor isn't being a teacher's pet, it is in your best interest. When professors know you care they are willing to help. they will assist you in learning and can connect you to the business world. After graduation, they can be excellent references for furthering your career. Most importantly, be your own person. This is the best time to find out who you are. Take advantage of exploratory studies in order to find your strenghts and interests.