Seattle Pacific University Top Questions

What should every freshman at Seattle Pacific University know before they start?

Marymar

The opportunity of going back in time would be something assistive in terms of affecting the future. For this reason if I could encounter myself back in high I would give three advices about Collage. The advices would be about life as a collage student, expectations, and desires. Fist of all, to be a collage student is not as easy as we think it is when one is at high school. To be a collage student requires commitment and strength; is not only a privilege of important to maintain focus in your own expectations. Ask yourself what is that you really want in your future? The goal of being a professional starts at collage not by acquiring a degree but by learning the responsabilities as a person, is the ability to be committed to something more. Therefore, one as a student must not be lead by desires and impulses that could jeopardize the expectations of future life. As a student one must be able to place some priorities. Life as a collage student is much more than what we expect.

Diamond

Some advice I would give myself as a senior would be to save money, and to study harder. Saving money is important because college is extremly expensive. Even if the college tuition and fees are paid off, having an emergency savings account is important in case a gratuitous amount of expenses come up. Finally, studying harder would be the most vital portion of my advice. If my grade point average was higher, more scholarships would be available to me. I would also have a wider range of universities to choose from. In short, I would tell myself as a high school senior to make better academic choices, and avoid reckless spending.

Raven

Really start thinking about scolarships now. Make things easier for yourself when you start applying. Have all your paperwork together, so everything is easier to find. Drive even more slowly when it's icy out, It will save you a lot of money. Don't let people get you down, or get in the way of what you're going to acheive. Keep on keeping on.

Micah

I would tell myself to work even harder to obtain good grades so that I could recieve more scholarship for school. I would also tell myself to start looking for a job in the area that I was planning to go to school in. That way I would not have to worry about looking for a job and getting good grades the first quarter of school. I would also make sure to tell myself to cherish the time I had left with my family before I left for school. I would tell myself the same thing about my friends from high school. I would also tell myself to start networking even before I got to college. I think it would be good to have a good network of people before school started. Overall I would tell myself to make sure I prepared for college while still enjoying the time I had left at home.

Hannah

Don't be afraid of doing things. Even though they might be scary, they are wonderful. Don't let your body get in your way. It may not be perfect, but it has no right to keep you from doing what you want, from wearing what you want, and from feeling good. I know it is awkward and hard to get that into your mind, but is so much better in the long run. Also, hang out with the people you know who love you. Don't try to be with the so called cool people. It will never be as satisfying as you think it will. Do. Do. Do what you love. Do what you wouldn't normally do. Do it, because you never know who is watching. There might be a young girl who has problems with her weight too, and is watching to see what you do. You have the power to encourage people. But you also have the power to discourage with a single action. Choose the former. Do it. Do love people. Do love people that seem unloveable. Do love with your whole heart. It is always better that way. Do. Do. Please, please, do.

Maci

If I could return and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to prepare for a wonderful four years ahead. College will be more work than you expect but at the same time it will be much more fun. Prepare to be matured and shaped more than you thought possible and to realize how much your family truly means to you. Don't wish for the time to go by fast and don't take any moment for granted. Enjoy all four years because it goes by so quickly!

Toms

Live in the present moment. The longer I'm in college, the more I am soaking in the reality of becoming an adult. The older you get, the more responsibility you begin to have. Being a high school student is a season in life that goes by so fast. I used to worry so much about my future and I remember stressing over tests and AP exams. Being academically driven is important, but in the midst of all this craziness, there are so many times that I simply spent way too much time worrying about my future rather than simply enjoying the present moment. Most of my conversations were about the future and not about how things are in the here and now. I wish I could've spent more time basking in the sun with my friends, talking about girls, personal opinions, faith, philosophy, and much more rather than being consumed by the uncertainty of my future. I would tell my old high school self, "The only moment you have for certain is the present moment. You can't change the past, and you have no control over the future. Just spend every moment to it's fullest capacity."

Olivia

Get excited! Enjoy every day of college because it is an incredibly, fun, unique, challenging, and eye-opening experience. Be open to everything at first... all the clubs, activities, service groups, intramurals, and late-night adventures, the new ideas, people, areas of study and career paths you haven't considered. Explore and take advantage of the countless opportunities available to you. But remember, don't overcommit; choose the things that really interest you and dive in. College can be scary because of the new ideas you'll encounter in class or in relationships... you'll realize you aren't right about everything! Consider all these new concepts, weigh them against your morals and convictions, talk about them with friends, professors and mentors and be humble enough to accept new ideas. Also, remember that although you're away from home you can't outrun your personal problems; find those you can trust to confide in and walk with. Who knows, these could become lifelong friends! Most of all, don't be afraid to take risks. Everything is new: the academics, the pace, the people, the place, but take the risk of diving into every aspect of college. It's worth it!

Caleb

I would suggest taking AP classes and studying hard for the AP tests. If you do well on them, then you will receive credit in required areas for them and allow you more time to take other classes. College is harder than high-school so just be prepared to work harder. College is all about time-management and balancing your academic life with your social life. Try to be open to new things and be adventurous. However, it is imperative that you have the ability to say no to things when you need to study or complete a project. You must be disciplined in order to get good grades. Professors are more than willing to help you succeed if you are willing to work hard. If you ever have any questions, ask your professors in person or e-mail them. It is important to make quality friends who are motivated and will be a good influence on you in all aspects of your life. Do not focus so hard on getting your degree but rather try to learn different things in and out of the classroom. Enjoy the journey in college because you only get to do it once!

Heather

I was not the student I am today, in high school. This being said, my first set of advice to myself would be to work really hard to get my GPA as high as possible so that I could get into the school of my choice and receive scholarship money to attend. To give you an idea of how much I have improved as a student since high school; here is what my high school GPA looked like. In high school I was barley a 3.0 student graduating. Now, I have been attending a community college for 3 years and working on average two jobs at a time. But I have also maintained a 4.0 GPA at my school and have recently become a Phi Theta Kappa member. The second set of advice I would give to myself, as a senior in high school would be to study hard for the SAT. Finally, I would urge myself to search for financial aid no matter how frustrated it would make me. I have noticed over the years that there are not many financial aid opportunities for current college students as there are for graduating high school seniors.