St. Mary’s University Top Questions

I would go back and tell myself that it is important to take college seriously and to choose wisely. I tell myself that it is okay to not know at first what you want to do and that it is okay to change your mind. I would tell myself that it is okay to take it slow and not to overload myself with work, to give myself time to live life and enjoy my time. I would say how important studying is and how it is even more important to attend class if I want to do well. I would inform myself that if I get lost or if the program or school is not fitting my personal needs it is okay to take some time off and find the correct path to success. Most of all I would tell my high school self that it is about learning and doing what you are passionate about and love. If those aspects are there nothing will stop you from becoming everything you dream of.

When going to college you need to know that it is not all about having friends and going out. You need to focus on your school work and study as much as possible. In highschool there was really no need to go to tutoring but in college if you do not understand a subject I suggest you really do make the time to go to tutoring. You do need some time to relax and have fun but it will be best to finish your work before going out with friends. Become friends with those who will not bring you down and don't be afraid to ask for help.

I would tell myself to listen during orientation because though it may be a lot of information it is all important once the school year starts. I would tell my self to study for and really figure out what studying technique worked for me in order to be as successful as possible. I would tell myself to continue to be involved and help out around campus but make my school work my number one priority. I would make sure i knew just what i could do to get help in my classes as well as get to know me teachers and go to them during their office hours for help with what ever was a problem for me at the time. I would for study groups with those in my classes to help before tests and most of all i would want to know who to talk to when i had a problem with my school account and not be afraid or nervous to go to them with questions or concerns. I would want to know that they are there to help me be successful and there is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of.

I would tell myself to try getting into the Honors Program and taking all and any help that I can get in order to get a lot of financial aid from the school and outside parties. But the most important thing would be to concentrate on my studies and to not miss any of my classes in order to get a high GPA. A higher GPA brings more opportunities and pride in one self. I have realized that I have been stopped from pursuing several opportunities because of my GPA. Also, it is hard to maintain a good relationship with professors when you are missing their class or not turning in their assisgnments and this is not good since they are sometimes the person that may help you find a summer job, internship or a job after graduating.

You really should have applied to more schools. You also should not have picked the school that offered you that much money. They just ended up taking it away anyway. While it was awesome getting an athletic offer, it was a lot more than you bargained for. You're worn down and out of your prime. The thought of running now aggravates you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your major, it's actually the best decision you could have made. Where you studied it, however, that was the worst decision you could have made.

I would tell my high school self that you cannot party and still make good enough grades to pass your classes and keep your gpa up. I would also tell my self that you have to keep you scholarships becuase if you lose your scholarships your going to have to pay that money back and that can increase your debt even more, especially if you have student loans your first year in college. As fun as they make college look on tv and in the movies, it's not like that at all! College is hard work and dedication, not so you can get a degree in whatever you want to study, but so you can get a job with the degree you recieve.

I would tell myself to hit the ground running and work really hard my first semester because if your grades are really low in the first semester it is hard to bring them back up in the following semesters. I would also tell myself to try and get involved in on campus activities more instead of sticking to yourself and the people that you already know.

Transferring Wisdom Soren Kierkegaard once said, “Life must be lived forward, but can only be understood backwards.” Experience serves to teach valuable lessons as we pursue a goal, such as college. Instead of learning from our decisions as we have done, I believe college students would rather transfer their wisdom unto themselves as high school seniors just as I do. If a student desires to undergo the journey of the college successfully, he or she must master the characteristic of maturity. I would tell myself to take deadlines seriously and not procrastinate because regret may follow. Therefore, I would emphasize to myself the importance of planning and prioritizing school tasks as well with those outside of school. Furthermore, every college student should become acquainted with the resources their institution offers whether they are needed or not. I would encourage myself to become informed of the available services to utilize when needed. There is nothing wrong with asking for assistance when it pertains to a student’s educational success. As any college student knows, there is more to this journey than maturity and knowledge of services. I, however, consider this important and worth sharing with myself as a high school senior.

If I had known then what I know now, I believe the message I would tell my past self is “don’t give up, you can do it, and don’t let them tell you that you can’t achieve the best”. That might sound like a cliché, but when I was in high school I felt I was anything but smart. I am a student with Epilepsy, with daily petit mal and occasional grand mal seizures. In high school I saw my peers succeed, while I struggled. My motivation took time, but with faith, perseverance, and determination, I did a 180 degree turnaround. I attended Northwest Vista Community College and took a proactive approach towards my education. I accepted and took control over my illness. I asked questions, got involved in class, and became a better student. Later, I transferred to St. Mary’s University with an Honor scholarship and, after my first semester, earned a 3.60 GPA. Now and then I remember the lost girl who almost gave up on her education. I tell myself, “Don’t give up, you can do it, and don’t let them tell you that you can’t achieve the best”.

I would tell myself to seek advice and mentoring so that you can have a clearer vision of where you want to start your career in. Be flexible with yourself. Not everyone knows exactly what they want to be when they are 18. Take different courses in college and let yourself change majors, change colleges, and take longer to graduate if you need to. Get a degree you want, not one you don’t just because you want to make lots of money or finish in 4 years. Take the opportunity to study abroad and have the opportunity to broaden your cultural palette and develop the confidence to survive out in the real world. Learn as much of personal finance and start saving as soon as you start working.

Knowing what I know about college life and the transition, I would give my high school senior self the advice to be proactive in all I did. I would have applied to colleges immediately so that the stress and pressure would have been dealt with and resolved quicker. I would also have continued to work hard in my studies from the first day of school so that my grades and grade point average could have been the best I could achieve. I would have also found better habits with studying, finance, and communication. Perfecting these would have made my transition smoother and more manageable. I have found that there is a lot more reading in college that I was not use to in high school. Similarly, being self-sufficient has made me be extremely conscious of what I am doing and spending my money on. I wish I would have started better habits sooner. Lastly, I would have practiced better communication with everyone. It is viable that I have a relationship with my professors, friends, and roommate. Communicating impeccably would have given me a jump-start to what I would come across in college.

If I have the change to go back I will teach my self about efective tools to plan my career life. I noticed how thousands of students are strugling in order to pay for their classes without knowing that there are thousands of companies and organization that help the students to succes in campus. In addition another important advice that I will consider is the fact of what kind of institution I'm looking for, because there are my college in our country. However, each college has their specialization in a specific topic. Attending to the right college might be they key fact to sucess in life after college. Also I will motivate myself each year to improve my grades and do my homework in the most efficient way to increase my possibility of winning scholarships which will help me a lot to afford college tuition and help my parents with the college expense. Finally I will do the best that I can to succes and enjoy my high school experiences and I will try to get the most accurate information to get in to my major.

The advice I would give myself would be to take more advantage of exploring and researching scholarships before entering college. I had no idea how many scholarships were available to high school seniors that can be renewed throughout your college career. I would also suggest that I make more time for engaging in on campus activities rather than focusing on work. Interacting with your fellow classmates is part of the learning process and can lead to great networking opportunities. It is important to note that college is similar to high school in that your instructors treat you as an adult and somewhat of an employee. Treat your school work as it is your job and keep that in mind when you prioritize. The most important advice I would give would be to pick the classes that interest you the most and will contribute to your career! Don't just go for the ones that fit best in your schedule or the ones your friends are taking or just because you heard a professor were easy. Receiving a college education is a privilege not a right and should be treated as such.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, there are two things I would advise: to apply for more scholarships, and to end the relationship I was in. Applying for more scholarships would have been a lot of work, but I would rather have done that then than rely heavily on loans to fund my undergraduate education. Although I was awarded a significant amount of financial aid through the school, including scholarships, grants and work-study, I still needed assistance for tuition and other fees. If I had had a better understanding of these financial circumstances as a high school student, I would have devoted more time and energy to looking for and applying to scholarships. Thus, the advice I would give my high school self would be to seek help in finding scholarships. Although this would have been a struggle, because even to this day I have trouble asking for help, it would have been worth it. I would have also advised myself to end the relationship I was in earlier. Looking back now, had I ended the relationship earlier, I would have saved myself a great deal of emotional stress.

College should not intimidate you. It is a special opportunity to expand your horizons and discover new things about yourself. Jumping into a whole new world, it may seem difficult to adjust, but the more you push yourself to become involved, the more friends you will make and the more enjoyable it will become. It is also important to remember that in college, you are considered an adult and bear the responsibility of more than making good grades. As a full time college student, it is your job to manage your time and money. College is a learning experience, and a necessary stepping stone to maturity. The stress and struggle now will pay off in the long run, making you a responsible and dependable adult.

The first thing I would say to myself would be, push yourself and do not let things get you off track with your classes because at the time high school courses seem like "whatever" but it gets harder and when you are not prepared you will start to slack off just the way you did in high school. Always be on time with turning in work also arriving on time to class, little things such as being late sort of creates a chain reaction because you start to think "I am only a little late to class" but it turns out you missed the most important part of that class, also "This paper is only a day late" and you recieve a B when you could have easily earned an A if you had been on time. Lastly, in high school there are many opportunities to do well and maintain a high GPA, and earn great scholarships for college so, try your best to stay on track and stay focused because high school is where it all starts for you.

I wished I know how hard college would be. I would tell myself that I dont need to do everything at once. God will only give you what you can handle. The most important thing i would tell myself is that YOU need to study a lot more and to ask for help when you need it. Dont wait until mid semester to get help. Also just relax a little while.

I have had the opportunity to reach our in the community and help people in ways I never thought was possible. I am learning the responsibily of caring for yourself. College has been a great experience so far. I look forward to my next years in college and everything I am sure to learn and all the opportunities God will place before me.

St. Mary's small classes have helped me do better than what I thought I would do. The professors are willing to always listen and help in whatever is needed. The campus itself is a beautiful place filled with green trees everywhere. Being eight hours away, St. Mary's makes it so much easier for me to adjust and not be as homesick.

My college experience has been one that has developed me mentally, physically and emotionally. Mentally, I have seen myself grow from a child into an adult. I learned to take responsibility for my actions and that ultimately my life is what I decide to make it and I'm working as hard as possible to make it right for myself. Emotionally I have learned to love and to appreciate and to experience the moments I will never get back. I have recognized that my childhood is fleeting and while I feel I am growing into a strong and independent person, I have learned to take in my life one day at a time and be grateful. Physically, I have learned that the health of my body is essential to my success in the world and have begun to ensure my success by leading a healthy life style. My college experience has changed me in ways I would never have imagined. I wouldn't say that it has defined me, but rather that it has helped me to define myself.