Miranda
If I could talk back to myself as a senior, I would tell my self to work hard. I should take all my tests, especially SATs very seriously for they will come back to haunt me when college comes around. I should not stop everything and be totally focused and not enjoy senior year, but be more committed to my work.
Madison
One of the biggest things that I wish I knew when I was in high school was how unpredictable the future will be. When I was in high school, I believed that I had to have my whole future laid out. This caused me a huge amount anxiety in my freshman year of college. Once I reached my sophmore year of college, I began to realize that the lack of certainty I was feeling was a normal part of life. I wished I had realized that sooner. I would tell my past self to enjoy the unpredictability of the future. I would remind myself to keep working hard, but to not worry about the things that are out of my control.
Courtney
During high school, I stressed a lot over this life transforming decision that was choosing a college. If I could go back and tell myself one piece of advice, it would be to trust. Instead of incessantly worrying over which school I would get into, or whether it would be the right one, I would tell myself that it's not in my hands. There is no use worrying, because you will end up fine. No place is going to be perfect, but you were placed right where you were meant to be. Also, do not worry about high school. Once you get to college, it does not matter. No one cares if you got straight A's or lost that debate tournament. College is a fresh slate where you can be less uptight because you did not know how to in high school. Just remember that no matter what happens, do not worry, everything will turn out alright and shape you into the person you are today.
Rachel
If I could go back in time I would tell my high school self of the importance of scholarships. I would warn myself of the expense of college and that if I can get free money I should be doing everything in my power to get it. College isn't cheap but when you get there it's worth it. Also, I would tell myself that it's okay to spend money while you're there. Even if college will burn major holes in your wallet it is still okay to have fun!
Carl
Don't procrastinate! Use your social time as a reward for getting homework done. Also, pick and choose what film projects you work on. Being on set is great, but being to exhausted to study is not. Learn everything you can, especially from the graduate students. Don't still around for graduate school yourself, though; move on to learn even more and challene yourself. Above all, never give up, and don't sweat the small stuff!
Serena
Dear high school me,
Cherish the moments you have with these friends and classmates and make sure to spend some time with them this summer. Stories about the memories you made with them are the best way to make friends in college- especially with your roommate. Additionally, take some time to stretch your mind; read a few classic works. While you're still in school, stay true to your deadlines and don't put off your assignements, not even the little ones. Staying on track with what's due and when keeps you from getting too stressed.
Snag a few of your favorite recipes too, before you leave. Nothing's more comforting than a meal that reminds you home when you're sick or trying to survive finals and midterms. Praticing the use of a budget now will help you be able to afford healthier groceries as well as a few treats now and then. Most of all, though, take time to think about what you love and why you're doing this. It's easy to get lost in college, but if you take time for yourself you'll never forget who you are and want to be.
david
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would offer words of encouragment more than words of direction. I graduated from high school in 1995 with plans to become an architect. However, in 1996 I became a Christian and decided to dedicate my life to working amongst those who were most needy and broken. My path has taken me from inner city ministry to church planting to working in a mobile home community in Rocky Mount, NC. and now to an intense desire to complete my education all the way through, by the grace of God, to a Ph.d at Duke or Princeton Theological Schools.
In light of this, I would tell my high school self that it is good and important to make plans and to dream dreams but in the end, my life is not about serving myself but, rather, serving others. I would tell myself to be strong and not to fear the unknown. That it is alright to not know what the next step is going to be but that it is essential to keep walking and to keep knocking on doors until one opens.
Aaron
In all brutal honesty, if I were able to go back to my past self taking his first steps onto the University campus, I would tell him to, in my own words, "get off your butt and start doing things." There are a host of opportunities which I missed out on because I deemed them too silly or not worth the time I would need to invest in them. Student activities and scholarship opportunities were not incredibly difficult to come by, and while they did require a significant amount of work, the time invested in them was better spent than the many hours at home simply spent on the couch with a bag of chips and a frighteningly long Netflix queue. These are the opportunities which I am undertaking now, and seeing all of the opportunities I could have collected on, it's not without a level of chagrin that I look back to that first day of college. With that in mind, however, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities which were taken up, and the experiences which carried through my freshman year of college are ones I will not soon be forgetting.
Kayla
Assuming I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to place much more importance on school work and getting involved in clubs and student government and other similar activities. Now that I am in college I realize how askew my priorities were in high school, as do many of my peers. I feel as though too much importance is placed on the social aspect of high school rather than the educational aspect; teenagers are much too connected to media nowadays and they're too attentive to the so called "drama" in school. I would advise any current high school student mainly to prioritize; realize what is actually important in life-- you only get one chance at being successful in high school so don't mess it up. You must do your absolute best because if you don't give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} effort, it will greatly affect you in college.
Courtney
If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to remember who I am, and not to lose my identity. When I entered college, I was having a hard time making friends, so I changed who I was to try and make friends. When that happened, I got involved in some things that I really didn't like, but my "friends" were doing it, so I did it. A few months later, those people left the college that I currently attend. Not only was I friendless again, but I also had no idea who I was anymore, so I went back to my old personality. To my surprise, I quickly started meeting people that liked me for who I was, and they had been in several of my previous classes. If I had just been myself from the beginning, I wouldn't have met so many bad influences and lost my identity. If I could go back to talk to my senior year self, this is what I would tell me.
Erica
If I could tell my high school self what I know now, I would say, "You need to take this more seriously. You need to apply for scholarships and take your ACT and dedicate your time to this." I would tell myself that it's more important than I think it is, and that I need to stop putting it off. I never took is seriously, and now getting into college is even harder. I would say, "In a few months, the only thing you're going to want is to go to college, but you aren't going to because you haven't even tried. You're going to be applying for so many scholarships that your hands are going to ache from writing so much, and you're going to hope that you at least get one of them. You're going to pray that you get financial aid and that you get to go to the college that you love. So take this seriously, because you're affecting your future drastically."
Emily
I would tell myself not to limit myself. I've done things high school me would never suspect myself capable of - I studied for nearly four months in Costa Rica, I met a family who didn't speak my language and spent the night in their house on the same day, I rode a horse up a mountain while "helping" my Costa Rican family herd cows up the mountain to better pasture. High school me thought studying abroad was something the extremely studious/smart people did. College me has learned it's something anyone can do if they'll just give themself a chance. Since learning this I've done my best to let others in on this often-spoken but little-known fact. I don't want anyone to miss out on a wonderful opportunity like that because they didn't think they were good enough!
Leila
Past Leila you are never alone. When you go into college your first year as an off campus student it will be hard because all your friends are having different experiences since they are thrown into the middle of the action. But you can be there too! Don’t hold back and get involved on campus. Enjoy every moment and learn from it because it all goes by fast. There will be times when you are lonely or feeling defeated but look up and you will find yourself surrounded by new friends and loving family. If by chance that support isn’t there take consolation in knowing that you have future me looking out for you. Remember to give and do your best in everything, no matter what. When we give our best we never fail. You got this girl! Love you!
Denise
Don't waste so much time on AP classes. Often, they don't really count toward your major and you end up missing out on some great college classes. Yes, you may save money, but the experience is not worth it. Also, start out at a junior or community college until you have an idea of what you want to do. This saves money and if you keep your grades up, will help earn scholarships. Then you can attend a nicer university and just spend your time and money on the major specific classes.
Josiah
I would tell myself to take harder courses in high school. The purpose of high school is to prepare oneself for college, so I should have taken harder courses to prepare me for the academic rigor of college. I would have told myself to take community college courses in addition to my high school classes to help me transition between high school and college-level courses. College is drastically different from high school, and I would suggest that high-school-aged-me take steps to ease the transition. I would tell myself to acquire as many college credits in high school as possible. Universities are expensive, and I could have saved thousands of dollars by being a better steward of my time in high school. In addition, I would have been able to finish my bachelor's degree sooner. I dearly wish that I could go back in time and tell myself these things, but I cannot. Instead, I will bequeath this wisdom to my younger siblings so that they may not make the same mistakes that I did.
Josiah
Learn to work independently and work on strong writing skills. It's important that you learn to be disciplined in your work -- learn now not to put things off, but to do your work in a timely manner. Otherwise, you are going to get behind and it's hard to catch up.
taletta
I would advise myself to focus and choose a school strictly based on academics not social elements. I was way too socially involved and if I had been more focused on academia and not my social life, I wouldn't be 32 trying to finish my Bachelor's Degree.
Lubna
I would tell myself that college is wonderful and to hurry up and finish high school because there is no better education than a college education. I would also tell myself that when your in college money is scarce and that looking for scholarships and applying is necesarry in order not to worry about money. Living expenses are rising and I wish I would have known about my current money struggles so that I could have started applying for colleges in my senior year of high school. I would have also told myself tha other thanmoney issues, I was well prepared for college and very happy I started in community college and transfered because it really has prepared me for univerosty life.
Wendy
I would tell myself that college is not always like it is seen on television, it's actually a lot better! I have a fear of being in large crowds, so I never believed I would be able to get a college education. Then I found out I could get a degree in the area for which I was interested online! I would also advise myself to keep refreshed on basic subjects such as math and science, as you never know when you might have to remember what you learned in high school! Finally, I would tell myself not to jump at the first school to show interest, but to carefully research the moral beliefs and educational integrity of the places I want to go and make an informed decision. I spent 3 years at a regular for-profit university and spent too much money on too little education. Regent University gives me the education I desire, with the moral beliefs I hold close to me. I am much happier! (and smarter too!)
Clara
I have always had a strong apprectation for both biology and the arts. As a freshman, I thought about becoming a physical therapist and then changed majors to design. At that time, I thought dedicating five years to your education would be far too long! What was I thinking?
Throughout my life I have always strived to achieve personal and professional goals and grown as an individual by challenging and pushing myself. I have many experiances since graduating high school. I moved to Yellowstone National Park at the age of nineteen to help facilitate park operations. I ran the Chicago Marathon and raised over 3,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society. I also have moved to Germany for two years and learned to speak German while working as a product designer. While working as a product designer I found greatest joy in designing products with a humanistic purpose. Interestingly, I found much more personal satisfaction in helping others than I found in actual product design. This realization has led me to my next goal - earning my masters as an Occupational Therapist.
Today, I would tell myself as a high school senior to follow your heart of helping others.