Spelman College Top Questions

College is a big transition and it is easy to get lost in that transition period. It is okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them and stay true to your beliefs and who you are. There will not be people just like you, and there will not be people who are just like your old friends. You will meet people who will impact your life, and be your friends forever. Be willing to accept diversity in people and ways of thinking. Most importantly, I would tell my old self to live in the moment. College will be some of the best years of your life. Do not rush it. Appreciate being a Freshman, because Senior year will come sooner than later. Take advantage of all your resources and opportunities to explore the world, yourself, and your intellectual capabilities. Study hard so you have many career options in the future but do not forget to have fun and get involved on campus. Make your own path. Do not come into colllege thinking of what previous friends or family accomplished. Create your own story, establish your own legacy.

Dear younger self, You may feel overwhelmed transiting to college and all that is expected of you but pace yourself. The worst thing to do during your first year is to overload your schedule because it will be hard to bounce back from that initial shocking GPA. Be more open-minded than you think you already are and try everything that is offered, at least once. Join the activities that interest you even if you think they will take up a lot of time, you never know what connections you will make. Be persistent in all endeavors that you seek because if you aren’t someone else will be. The large groups of people that you start out with will dwindle down to those that will be lifelong friends and will be all the more rewarding. Seek advice from upperclassmen because they are more than willing to talk about their struggles and achievements. Remember that everyone’s road to success is not the same, so be true to yourself and focus on the tasks that work best for you.

The advice I would give myself is to be involved, spend time with your professors, and to figure out a schedule that works best for you. Becoming involved in student organizations would not only help you meet people who have similar interests as yourself but it could help you to step outside your comfort zone. Spending time with your professors can help you to get to know your professors more by asking questions that you didn't have time for in class, and with help for recommendations. Having a schedule that works best for you helps you to figure out the time you have for homework, free time, and sleep. It also avoids stress, anxiety, and better sleep!!!!

If I was given the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now. I would definately have pushed myself harder. I would assist myself in producing a few well grounded study habits that would help in the long run. But most importantly I would apply for scholarships. When I was younger I did not listen when people told me to apply for scholarships, but little did I know that they were so important. I know students who are on full rides, simply because they applied for one scholarship. I definately try to get myself to be one of them. Overall I would consistantly psuh myself to put my best foot forward because at the end of the day in college hard work really pays off and if they see you working hard people are willing to help you.

If I could back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would want to say many things. I could start with the simple advice like study for tests and read all assigned materials. But, that advice is too simplistic and fails to capture the life lessons I wish I would have known before college. I would tell that high school senior to be brave. I would tell her that obstacles will arise, but that doesn't mean obstacles aren't conquerable. I would tell her to be brave every time she speaks in front of a classroom, because she is not a lamb, but a lion. Be brave when it comes to standing for what she believes in because her words are the prolific keys to the truth and what is right. Be brave and never fear anyone, not even her own greatness. Be brave enough to stand for what is right even in the very ugly and evil face of injustice and immorality. Be brave enough to tackle and exceed every expectation, on every assignment, every time. Be brave, be bold, be beautiful, but most importanly, be herself because she is mind-blowing!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to explore all my options; do not feel pressured to but all my "eggs in one or two baskets." Even though my mother really wanted me to go to a HBCU entertain the option of going to a PWI (predominately white institution). Think about schools closer to home and those providing the most financial aid. Network with other students, especially upper classmen early in your college career. Do not feel intimidated to participate in campus activities and if you feel passionate about something do not feel affraid to network and make something happen. Be confident in who you are and do not stire away from your beliefs. You are enough and capable of great works. College is hard and stressfull; it is nothing like what you see on TV. For that reason it is easy to loose your head but stay focused on what you can control....your grades; at the end of the day stay focused on the bigger picture, your future what ever you want it to look like and it does not have to be picture perfect.

I would tell myself to pay attention and be as organized as possible. I didn't earn the grades I should have because I forgot or never knew that assignments were due. I would also tell myself to not be so afraid of failure or putting myself out there. In a way, I was intimidated by being around so many successful, beautiful, strong, popular women that I didn't take advantage of as many opportunities as I should have. I would also tell myself to find a passion and make a difference on campus. In high school, I was so involved in extra-curriculars, and that involvement crashed in college. I am a leader and I am capable of leading. Therefore, I'd tell myself to be confident in my ability and brave enough to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. Finally, I'd tell myself that it is important to befriend others and not to be so focused on my schoolwork that I forget to build meaningful relationships with those around me. I have meaningful relationships that I'm very grateful for now, but I should have put myself out there more and as my college career progressed.

As a high school senior, I had my career goal and my path planned out. I came to college and my goal stayed the same but I learned a whole new world of pathways. When you enter to college have a goal in mind, it does not have to be a career goal, just your passion. But do not ever be so set in the idea that there is only one path to your goal that you almost lose your passion.

Writing -- Several college courses require you to communicate or demonstrate your knowledge through the written word (essays, papers, presentations). Pay attention in your English classes. Good grammar and writing skills will take you a long way in college. Writing skills can be the difference between earning an A versus a B. Time Management -- Develop good time magagement skills. Plan and allocate your time so that you are progressively working towards completing long-term projects sucah as term papers or other class projects. Do not wait until the last day or week before something is due. Allow time to research, draft, and edit your work. Ambition -- Challeng and stretch yourself. Take challenging courses that will inspire you to learn new skills and not settle for less than your best. Build your capacity to multitask and accomplish massive amounts of work on time and well. Community Service -- Give back to the community and share your talents with others. This will help to build character and make you a well rounded person.

If I was afforded the opportunity to go back, and talk to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to just be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} true to myself, unapologetically. More often then not, high school is all about fitting in, so we forget to embrace our personality. We do things that we think will make us cool, but you will realize how irrelevant those things were once you get to college. Things that were a big deal to you then, will seem trival once you step into your dorm freshman year. That is why it is important to start accepting yourself completely, and realizing that although not everyone will like you, if you love yourself and your personality, it shouldnt matter. There will be people in college who will love you unequivocally who exactly who you are, so no need to change to fit in. If you stay true to yourself, while also allowing yourself to grow, college will be one of the best times of your life. So be you, let people embrace you, stay true to yourself, but allow yourself to grow, and there will never be a goal that you can not reach.