St. Mary’s University Top Questions

Dear Amanda, Coming into college is going to be incredibly different than anything you endured in high school. No more studying last minute, or at all for that matter, and no more not paying attention in class. Be prepared to attend every class and make sure to listen and take notes thoroughly because you are actually going ot be tested on exactly what teachers teach you! CRAZY, I know! Learn how to manage your time the best you can, especially as a student athlete. You are going to be missing a lot of classes so be sure to inform your professor at the beggining of every semester so they can work with you the best way they can. VERY IMPORTANT: You're professors and advisors are going to be your best friends!!!! Especially at this school every one of them wants to see you succeed and will do what they can to help you reach your goals! Lastly, have a blast, its college! But remember that you have years to party, drink, and have fun so why try and get it all done in one year? Have fun, stay safe, work hard, and never lose sight of your dreams!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would say the most important piece of advice I could give myself is to be disciplined. If you go to class, work hard, and study college is a breeze. At times it may seem like it's not worth it, but in the end the experience and education you gain will be invaluable. If you can maintain your discipline and motivation you will be successful. I think John Green said it best, "One day, you’re 17 and you’re planning for someday. And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life." I would tell myself, this is what life will be like from then until you graduate. Always making big plans, and never knowing where they will lead.

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take the scholarship hunt more seriously. It is astounding how expensive living on campus can be, and for that you need to have money to spare. I would tell myself that I should not be paying my school for my education; the school should be paying me. This can only happen if I have enough scholarships to pay off the full year and still have money remaining. Additionally, I would remind myself to not stress too much about final exams and graduation. Everything will fall into place as long as I am patient. I would tell myself that the more I stress, the harder everything is going to get. This advice would hopefully help my transition into college be a lot easier than it originally was.

Back in high school i might of not being as honest as i shouldve. Being a freshmen in a university, I learned that I am now on my own. I do not have my parents or anyone by my side to rely on. It was a big transition in my life, I matured and I sure am a better person. Looking back, i wish I couldve had better study habits than I did in the beginning of the semester and better reading skills. I am now in a complete different atmosphere with new people. Being in college, I learned that i need to be more accepting, understanding, and open for anything. I do not regret anything from my past, I know better to move on, and be the best I could be.

If I was offerred to sit down and talk to my senior self, I would only need an hour. I would tell myself that you do get homesick the first couple of weeks, but that's okay. The change is different, but it's a great different! I would advise myself to become comfortable with talking to complete strangers, because they can become your next study partner, and yes, you will want one no matter how much you think you won't. I would tell myself to start practicing my use of self-discipline, because that's all college is. No one is going to make you wake up on Friday morning for class. No one is going to care whether you get a C or an A; you have to push yourself, you have to strive for the best. It is okay to have down time though. Do not push yourself to the point where you crash and burn. Just prioritize and balance it out how it needs to be. Last but not least, I would tell myself to enjoy it, because the next four years will be some of the best years I'll ever experience.

Hello Jennifer F. Mendez. As a triple major, approaching my year and a half, I want you to understand that your freshman year means everything. Freshman year is the cornerstone of your entire undergraduate career. If you do not take serious your grades, although classes might seem easy, you will suffer for it. Your grade point average can can go down easily, but to get it up, that takes effort and years! Please be cautiuos of your assignments your first year. You are turning 18 and are experiencing college for the first time! Experimentation and rebelliousness will be on the rise- try to not feed these develish temptations. Do what you do best- work hard at everything presented and don't give up! After your first year is over with, time will pass by and you will mature with the relationships you are presented with in college and outside of your college environment. These coming years will shape you into who you want to become. You know what you want to do when you graduate, just keep connecting the dots to make your dreams come true. Remember, freshman year is the crucuail point Jennifer F. Mendez!

I would encourage myself to be the best I could be in my school work and take advantage of every opportunity that would come my way. When i was in high school 20 years ago there was no internet cell phone or ipods and ipads so the research was more difficult to achieve . I think things are better now knowledge has become more achievable and access has become better.

As I write this statement, I realize that the answer to this question is obvious. If I could return to the time when I was a high school senior and give myself advice, it would be but one phrase : "Think about the consequences of your actions!" Yes, this seven word phrase may seem simple but it is in fact the most relevant piece of advice that I can concieve in my mind. At this very moment, I am applying for a scholarship as a college undergraduate at a community college because I failed to think about the consequences that would follow my long nights of partying and my reluctant attitude towards my education. Those long nights deprived me of time and sleep, which in turn deprived me of study time which caused me to get mediocre grades as a senior. If I had considered the consequences that followed my desire to sate my worthless and insignificant appetites, then I would have been a valedictorian at a four year undergraduate university. Now, I am full of regrets and I relax my conscience with "what-ifs." What if I had studied? What if I had focused? What if ? That is the question.

Hey, Take it easy buddy, you have plenty of time to make life happen. There is no need to rush away from school just yet; working a dead-end job is not all it is cracked up to be. You are definitely going to live past twenty-five so stop worrying about that. You need to focus on the present and plan for the future... your future is not so pre-determined as you think. You have to start making the right choices. Just a couple more things; your Dad is not against you, your Mom is not always going to loan you money, and your brother is actually way cooler than you. Your sister is alright too, man. Trust me. I do have one last thing for you, now listen closely to this one; the Raiders are going to go to the superbowl in with Tampa on January 26, 2003. Do not bet on the raiders dude, they are not going to win. Also, they are never going to win again. Also, they are actually one of the worst teams in the NFL. Get over it.

Given the opportunity to go back in time to myself as a high school senior, I would have told my seventeen year old self to suck it up and listen to everything mom and dad said about school. Although I made it into one of my top three schools, I did not try as hard as I should have to get into my other schools. I had really wanted to get into Texas Christian University, but my hopes were shot down when I was put onto the waiting list. By having this conversation with past self, I believe there would have been a greater chance at me getting into that school. As a senior, I did not fully appreciate my parents advice about college. Most of the time, it "went in through one ear, and came straight out the other". Now, I know that they nagged because they love me and only wanted what was best.