Spelman College Top Questions

To remember the saying my mom would always tell me when I was growing up, “God put erasers on pencils because we all make mistakes.” This advice would remind me to never forget to use my eraser. It’s imperative to make mistakes because the process of learning from those mistakes is how success can be reached. If mistakes are not made then there will be no growth. College is the place where students will take some of their most challenging courses. No longer will there be classes where it’s possible to still pass without understanding the material. Mistakes will be made with every turn of the textbook and as a student; I must embrace these mistakes as stepping stones to success. Mistakes causes a person to search for the right answers. When you finally get that problem that has been giving you a headache correct on a test, reaching academic success does not seem like such a daunting task.

As a sophomore in college if I could go back in time and talk to myslef as a high school senior I would tell myself to remain true to who you are and organization is key. During my freshman year of college I struggled during the transition from high school to college. In high school I perfromed extremely well although I did not have to completely apply myself. When I came to college I was shocked to find out that I actually had to study for exams and I had to have a sence of organization in my life, so that I would be able to balance my academics and my personal life. Learning to organize was one of the hardest things I had to learn as a freshman becuase I had to learn to allot time for every aspect of my life. My collegiate career was completely in my hands and no one was there to ensure that I got things done. Looking back I wish I was more eqip for what college had in store for me but now I am grateful for the struggles I endured becuase they made me a stronger person and a better student.

Dear High School Self, Make sure you learn how to study and look over your notes after class. I know you think you are smart know but you are about to embark on an adventure that will take you for a wild ride. When you sign up for your classes make sure you sign up for at least one AP course so you are used to the workload so when you get to college it won't fill like you are hit with a bag of bricks. I also want you to apply for scholarships because your tuition is $45,000/year. Just remember to enjoy your life because soon you will be doing homework for way longer than you do your homework now. Enjoy all the good treatment and the good food you are eating now because the food they have in the cafe is no where near the food you eat at home and the people are not going to treat with the warm and fuzzy you get at home.

If I was given a chance to go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I'd definiltey give myself great advice. I'd start off stressing how much grades and involvement in clubs and activities really mean while applying to colleges. Another thing I would stress to the younger me is the importance of applying for grants and scholarships. Even though I did apply to several scholarships as a senior, I could have applied to way more in order to decrease the cost of my education. Taking AP courses in high school is just another piece of advice I'd give to myself because it prepares you better for your college career and introduces you to the curriculum of your classes. Last but not least, I'd tell myself to vist as much colleges as you can so you are fully aware of what you want out of college and university. I am very satisfied at the decision I made to go to Spelman but I still find it clever to explore all of the options you have as a senior.

With almost two years of college life under my belt, I would give my high school senior self a few pieces of advice. First i would tell myself to get involved! College is all about making new connections and meeting new people. Getting involved is a sure way to establish life-long friendships and learn from different types of people. Second, I would tell myself to build relationships with my professors. Teacher-student relationships are extremely important as the professors you form good relationships with will be willing to write strong letters of recommendations that will help you achieve assist you in achieving your goals. They also will be more apt to give you insight into opportunites they know of personally and share network connections with you. Next, I would tell my high school senior self to master time management! Time management is a vital part of having a successful college experience. Keeping track of assignments, extracurricular activities, and simply just being able to prioritize will ensure less stress mentally and permit good sleeping habits and help maintain good grades. Ultimately, these three pieces of advice are very important and when followed will ensure a smooth college transition.

If I could go back in time and talk to my senior self I would have told myself that college is a whole new world. I also would have told myself that it is very expensive . I would have stressed the importance of applying for scholarships. I would have also stressed that it is important to take care of oneself. One of the main things i've learned from college so far is that my health is very important. Not just physical health but mental health. Its important to find my way to deal with stress. My first semester was very difficult and stressful, and if remained that way because I didn't know how to deal with my stress. College is all about time management. I would advise my senior self to not take that information lightly. I thought I was an expert at time management because I did so much in high school but still kept good grades. College, was a whole new ball park and I underestimated it. So I would tell myself to not underestimate it. I need to be as prepared as I possibly can, because the first time I wasn't.

Dear High School Senior Imani, Stop crying please. The people who are upsetting you will not matter next year. Just think about it: the ones who you are mad at are not contributing to your success. Focus on school. School will take you to the next level. Use this year of your life as a time to become closer to your family and better yourself as a person. Make sure your mind, body, and soul are healthy. This is important. Be a better you. Relax, breathe, and meditate while you still have the chance. This is the easy part. Life has not gotten hard yet. Senior year should be fun! Make it fun! Laugh, smile, and make friends. Make friends that will stay with you when life gets rough. Find friends who you can trust and friends who believe in you. In college, you will need some of the people who you "cut off" so be nice. Trust that not everyone is out to hurt you. Most importantly, be happy. Senior year is your time to shine! Show these people that you are going to be successful one day. I love you, Spelman College Sophomore Imani

Don't just settle! That would be the first thing I would tell myself throughout my high school years. If you don't try hard then it will show in your results. And even if you did try and your results don't show, just try to improve for next time. I would also tell myself to always strive for better, and never do the bare minimum to get by because in the end you won't accomplish much in the long run. Procrastination is NOT the key to success! Bad habits aren't easily broken, and procrastination is no longer a solution in college, unless your okay with stressful all-nighters and dry eyes from staring at a computer screen all day and night. Another major thing I learned in college was that "sometimes you have to say no," I know college is full of distractions but you can't always attened every event or be at every party. At some point you have to buckle down and get your work done. Now don't get me wrong college is time to have fun but also remeber your paying to get an education, not to party all the time.

When I was in high school, I spent a lot of time doing things my way and not really understanding the importance of other people's perspective and insight. When I got to Spelman and chose to major in Sociology, I quickly realized how the experiences of others could have helped me to develop a better understanding of myself. Within the sociology program, we spend a lot of time analyzing our experiences and how social institutions such as school, family, religion, recreational arenas and areas of the like influence the functionality of our society as well as our personal narrative. I believe that if I was aware of the importance of understanding the personal experiences of others, I would have been a lot more inclined to look at the wider scope of a lot of my personal troubles, creating a less dramatic senior year. I would also have developed maturity prior to attending college that a lot of my Spelman sisters had already acquired. Also, I would tell myself to focus more on creating lasting relationships as opposed to trying to be popular. Popularity does not support you through midterms and finals; strong, goal-oriented and supportive friends do.

Be fearless! The first step to getting anywhere is to decide your not going to stay where you are. Network and explore. Self , use your time wisely! Challenge yourself by taking advantage of the best your school has to offer. Don't settle for the minimum requirement. This determines whether you are going to be able to balance the realworld! Procrastination is a killer of success! Focus on your academics ! I know it dosent seem important now but, later it would surely pay off. Find Your Passion and stick with it! Don't let ANYBODY tell you that you cant do something! If its for you cant nobody take your blessing away!