Stony Brook University Top Questions

I skipped a year of college right after high school and if i could go back i would tell myself not to because it is wonderful. i love college and could be farther along if i wasent scared that first year out of high school.

I would have told myself to not to slack off as much and to be more pressing about my college application.

If I had the opportunity to talk to myself as a high school senior I would have so much advice to give. First, I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible! Its amazing how much scholarships one can get and they IMMENSELY decrease the amount of those daunting school loans. I would also advise to know your options when registering for classes. Many times I suffered through classes that I didnt really need to take. Speak to your advisors, they are there to help and support you. I would advise myself to take advantage of any tutoring that is offered on campus. Many times I struggled in math and chemistry, not realizing that I had several opportunities to get great help. Most importantly, I would tell myself to relax and ENJOY COLLEGE. Yes, college is about getting a degree and positioning oneself for a career BUT you only get four years of college. Dont rush to graduation and enjoy it while you can because when you graduate, LIFE HAPPENS! Join clubs and/or sororities, gain lifetime friends, obtain experience through on campus internships and jobs. Have fun.

I would tell myself to not be so shy and once I got to college to be more active my freshman year. I should join more clubs and be more open with people and talk to them. That way I'm able to make friends easier and not rely on one person continuously introducing me to people and I can make my own friends, which I did eventually. But I should have done it from the beginning.

I would definitely have to tell myself to not even second guess the decisions I made about career choice and college choice. Since kindergarten, as my year book from that time states, I have always wanted to be in the medical field and when in High School I did think about changing that career path. With changing that path I thought about changing my first choice for a secondary education which was Stony Brook University, the college I attend. Now that I have finished my first year and I feel more positive than ever that the medical career, more specifically Developmental Psychiatry, was the right choice. Along with choosing this amazing school. I would have to go back and tell myself not to worry about feeling alone and left out because the amount of new friends that I have made that feel like family took those feelings away in an instant. I was worry about course work then but not anymore. I will now be able to reassure myself that I can do this all the way to the finish line because I successfully made it past stage one.

I am now 10 years out of college and in the workforce. I am a mother and I am bogged down with bills that make paying for my doctoral degree next to impossible. I would have told myself to take time off after high school to work in two or three fields of interest, to help me get to know myself better and help me have a career focus. I would have advised myself that the true value of college is not the social and campus life, but rather the skills I would come out with upon graduation. I would also advise myself that no matter what career I pick, my focus should be realistic and about making positive change in the world rather than wanting to be a hero who saves the world. This way, I won't be overwhelmed or disappointed when real life shows me that I am only human and can't fix everything. I should steer my focus more on making small successful changes and looking for the fruit that even small changes can make.

Try to make more friends. A social life is important.

I would advise myself to accomplish more, especially to improve my grades. Considering my high school had a very good reputation, if I had put a little more effort into myself I would have been able to achieve more.

The number one thing I would tell myself to take more seriously is the scholarship search. Paying for school out of the pocket was difficult and I was not paying attention to the stress it may cause while I was breezing through my senior year. I would also tell myself to enjoy the easiness of high school life to the fullest. College is that major step that brings one closer to the hardships of adulthood, financially and responsibility wise. I know that my senior self did not try to enjoy high school as much as she should have, but looking back on it I know that I should have. Myself as a senior probably would have appreciated knowing that financial preparation is just as important as academic preparation.

Although you got straight A's in high school to maintain a 4.0 GPA, you will have to study HARD to get straight A's. But professors wiil note your hard work and your drawing talent and constantly commend you.