San Diego Mesa College Top Questions

I would have to say that in order to become a successful college student you will have to learn to be very discipline amongst your peers and even yourself. I noticed so many college students showing up to a test or quiz on a Monday morning looking like they could pass as the Grim Reaper for Halloween. They have no discipline to buckle down and study. Then, they have the nerve to ask the professor if they could take the test another day and still get full credit. Some students might have the full intension of studying for a situation like this, but end up getting talked into going out and consuming alcohol all weekend by their peers. In high school you have people like your parents and, more often than not, even your teachers constantly pushing you to finish your school work. College doesn?t work like that. You are now your own person, your own driving force and your own self. Your parents won?t always be there to ask if you?ve done your homework, and your college professors won?t be willing to help you if you aren?t willing to help yourself.

When I was still in high school, I was ignorant and careless. I was still able to get by with average grades but it wasn't good enough to get into a good university and at that time I had no sympathy. Senior year came along and just then I realized that I wanted to get into an ivy league university. I joined several clubs, got into the Associated Student Body and played sports at the varsity level. However, I was missing a key ingredient. Amazing grades. I was stuck with a handsome list of clubs and sports but my grades were definately not up to par. I have always wanted to go back to my freshman year in order to tell myself to simply care. I would have told myself to look up the necessary information on how to succeed. I would have told myself to put down the car keys and study for once. I would have told myself to become aware and to think. I always blamed my friends for not helping me when really, I was the problem. I know now that it takes genuine time and dedication to succeed. That's all I needed.

I would tell myself to just try to get through school and worry about the other aspects of life afterwards. I would also tell myself that although relationships may seem important (both friendships and otherwise), school should come first always. I learned my lesson the hard way and I took a year off after I graduated high school. I worked two jobs and I am positive that it helped me mature and I gained a lot from the experience; however, now I am a bit behind in school and it has been a constant frustration. I think it's important to continue your education and go through the process of attending college out of high school (whether it be a 2 or 4 year institution). I was fearful because I was unsure of what I wanted to major in, yet after taking different courses you begin to see what your interests are.

The advice I have for high school seniors is probably very unconventional. My experience in high school was very tough. I got terrible grades and eventually dropped out of school for almost a year. Eventually, I got my GED. Then I even went back and finished high school. What was particularly interesting about my situation was that, once I returned to high school, I managed to stay on the honor roll the whole time. As a college student, I maintain a 3.95 GPA. Given the rollercoaster of an academic track record I have, my advice is as follows: Don't let your past become your future. Make your mistakes before college. Take time to gather self motivation, it will carry you much further than doing something because you are "supposed to."

Get everything done as early as possible and have the big things planned out. Get some help from a few particular places and whip your parents into gear (so you can become independent of them sooner).

If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school student, I would pass on the advice that going above and beyond the cirriculum would be to the best of my benefit. In college it is expected that we are spending excess time on our projects and homework and that we are not procrastinating on our assignments. To push ourselves beyond what is expected by our teachers, we are allowing our brains to expand and grow. Also, we become more responsible and open-minded because we are allowing our minds to view the project from all different angles and points of view. In high school, students tend to be one-minded and straight to the point. They like to finish their projects quickly and at the last minute just to get them out of the way and to be done with them. They do not put effort into their assignments and only see what the question/problem asks them to see. By starting to see beyond the problem in high school, it would save a lot of trouble and adjustments in the students studying habits for when they get to college.

As a senior in high school, my biggest problem was procrasinating. I procrasinating in all aspects of my life. If I could go back and give myself advice, I would tell myself to stop procrasinating on everything. I would also tell myself to stay focus during the entire year. I would apply to colleges earlier. I also would take the SAT's more than once. As a senior I would also advise myself to be more involved in the programs that occured at my school. My biggest regret of high school was quitting basketball as a senior, therefore I would advise myself to stick with it. Lastly I would advise myself to stay take my senior year more seriously.

If I was given the opportunity to go back and give my high school senior self some words of wisdom about life after high school, I would tell myself to take better care of myself in regards to health and school work. Once you leave high school and enter college, it is up to you to take the fate of your education into your own hands. No one will be there to constantly remind you that your English Literature paper on Beowulf is due tomorrow morning. At the same time, you need to start paying attention to your health. Procrastinating assignments to the night before they're due may have been essential in high school, but all those nights will take a toll on your body. Make sure you are drinking the right amounts of water daily and taking your iron tablets because going to the hospital again is not fun. Lastly, enjoy the time you have left with your friends. After high school, your friend count will dwindle so make sure you are cherishing the little time you have left. You will have the rest of your life to grow up, so live for right here and right now.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would emphasize many characteristics that are needed to excel in maximizing every benefit of the education provided to me. By joining the armed services outside of high school, and not having the opportunity to attend college until the age of 27, I encountered many different transitions most students do not typically face. If this were to still be the case after traveling in time, I would explain how difficult it will be to continue education after such a long lapse, and that determination and concentration are crucial to success. In addition, I would explain the importance of community and campus involvement, and be able to give examples of how I have been able to make a difference in not just my life, but the lives of others, and how truly rewarding that can be. By advocating these principles I believe I would be further instilling that the values I carry within are essential to my overall achievement.

The most important advice I would have given myself is to not stress over school. Don't get me wrong, school is very important. You are going to college to figure out what type of person you are. Take chances and make mistakes, but learn from those mistakes. One thing I want you to focus on, is managing your time.