SUNY at Albany Top Questions

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM AND STOP BEING SCARED! It's going to hold you back if you don't believe in yourself. You are intelligent and you just have to stop thinking pessimistically. Nothing comes easy and you have to bust your B-U-T-T to get what you want. Please don't settle for an easy route, because honestly, it's only going to make things more difficult for you at the end of the day. Yes, it takes a while to adjust. Yes, it' scary and sometimes you will want to give up - just like you did in high school. BUT YOU MADE IT! And if you made it this far please just go for what you want. I promise you it will be an amazing journey and it will all be worth it at the finish. Push past all of that fear, that is the most important part. You have all of the support you can imagine. When you're afraid someone will always have your back. Now go do what you really desire - never ever settle for less than that. When you realize you settled, you'll also realize you made a big mistake.

I would tell myself to make as many friends as possible and to not stick to one group of friends. I would also tell myself to absolutely join an abundance of groups on campus. Getting involved is the most important thing you should do when going to college. Focus on your studies your freshman year and get to know every professor you have from the first day of college to the last. You do not want to start with a low GPA because bringing it up will be hard. Still have a social life on the weekends but during the week, study , study , study. Also, still keep a close connection to the people in your life back home. It is easy to not talk to your loved ones for days on end while you are away at college. And lastly, learn how to BUDGET your money!

Embrace the nervous excitement you have about college, don’t let it hold you back. Take every opportunity you have to explore something outside of what you’re comfortable with. These experiences are the most rewarding. They help you realize who you are or an interest you have that you may have never known. Take advantage of the time you have to figure out who you are and who you want to become. Try to envision the kind of future you want to have and make the necessary steps to get there. Everything you get from college is earned, not given.

I would not give myself any advice. If I went back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would change my past, I would not have the same experiences as I have had, and I would not be me anymore. Logically, I can't see how the present version of myself could exist, without making the many mistakes I have learned from. I could not encourage changing my past path, because my current self would no longer exist. My point is: regrets are counterproductive. Experience is the greatest teacher. We live, grow, mess up, grow some more, roll with the punches, hit the ground -- running, or flat on our face -- and pick ourselves up when we fall down. Without my many mistakes and "learning the hard way" I would not be the person I am today, and I don't want to be anyone else. If given the opportunity to talk to my high school self, I would decline... he's a smart kid, he'll figure it out eventually... or not. Life is meant to be lived with risk.

Your biggest enemy will be yourself. The stress you pile on, the assignments you let pile up, it is all a self-sabotaging system. Overcome it by learning to breathe and welcoming the future even if it scares you, because I know it does. You do not need to tell anyone because they know too. Your existence seems to rest on the moments you are having now. You make bucket list with friends, you try to fit in some last ditch teenage rebellion. All are good efforts, but it is for naught. Life will keep going and the experiences you have had so far are specks in time to what you will experience as you keep living. My best advice is to take it by the day and learn to breathe because someday you will look back at all the stress and just laugh to yourself at how petty all the drama was. Breathe in acceptance, breathe in relief and breathe to remind yourself to keep on swimming.

When that joyous day on which we receive our high school diplomas finally arrives, some of us have clearly defined the rest of our lives. We know what career to pursue, where to live, and how many children to have. Two years after graduation, I can say that my current plans have greatly deviated from the ideals I set then. Having gained experience outside the realm of high school and in the larger world of academia, the plethora of ideas, people, and places to which I have been exposed has changed my outlook on life and helped me grow in more ways than one. Today, I would go back and assure the high school senior version of myself that goggles are not needed for the dive into the unknown. Intricate plans can be made but they are not always executed; it is natural and okay to change course as we are influenced minimally or tremendously by each of our experiences. Ultimately, shape your plans around your dreams but find comfort in the fact that we are dynamic creatures whose aspirations are destined to change, for it is impossible to foresee the mystery that is what makes the future incredibly beautiful.

I would have told myself that it is ok to be afraid. After high school ended, I avoided making many major decisions with my life, mostly because I was afraid of failure. I loved music, linguistics and history but I allowed myself to be talked out of pursuing these subjects for fear of the lack of prospective jobs. I realize now that, while people who gave me this advice may have been sincerely concerned, I should have listened to my heart. It is ok to try and fail. It is NOT ok to not try at all. That has been my biggest regret. Now, after a few years of staying in my comfort zone, I am beginning to break free from it. I am taking well-calculated risks. I have pushed myself to start playing live music again. I am meeting new people. I have a GPA which I have checked over multiple times in joyous disbelief. So, this fall I will be studying what I am passionate about, not what can get me the most money or the nicest things. Though I will encounter challenges along the way, it will be with determination that I pass through them.

Go to class, join more clubs on campus

It's 6 years later and you've done it! You've earned your bachelor's degree and this Fall you will be a graduate student at NYU. You're feeling good, albeit a bit stressed over finances and living arrangements. That's something I'd like to warn you about, since I am well aware of your saving habits. As you enter college remember you are working towards the future! Saving is key, since I know from experience that we will always work hard (that will never be an issue, it's in our blood!) but also always find a way to spend it. Aside from this, I want you to remember that anyone offering free advice is worth listening to. You will hear a lot of information and it seems difficult to sort through it all but most of it is worth knowing. Be patient and try not to be distracted from what you are being told, in and outside of the classroom. People have your best interests at heart if you surround yourself with those you love and admire! So- be kind, be patient, be thoughtful because the future holds some difficult and fantastic things for you!

Don't be afraid to be bold and out there. I regret not doing that a lot in my freshman year cause it probably would have made it way better. Suck it up and write your damn papers, I know they suck but it's worth it in the long run. Also join the sketchy characters, they're an awesome group.

If I was able to talk to my high school self I would tell me that in the summer after I graduate I should go to the community college in my area and I need to take a couple classes. Something along the lines of calculus or physics would be best. Having some of these classes under my belt before heading off to college would have greatly helped me in my major. Although I had taken some college level classes in high school I didn’t really take any that could really put me a step ahead in my college career. Also I would have told myself that I should probably take the college level chemistry class my high school offered so I could finally get that class out of the way. Maybe even taking night classes during my whole senior year would have been something to consider. I believe I could have done it back then and it would have helped a lot now.

I would tell my high school self to not be afraid to get involved. I would tell myself to sign up for tons of clubs and meet lots of new people because making these connections to other students is critical in being able to succeed in college. Interacting with all these new people will be so benificial to your life in the long run even if it might be hard in the begining. Another thing that I would tell myself would be that college isn't has hard as I thought it would be. In high school I learned things very quickly and I never really struggle with a particular subject. When I heard all of these college horror stories I got really worried that I wouldn't be able to handle it. But now that I'm here I realize that being academically succesful isn't out of my reach. I would tell my high school self just to pay attention, go to class, and do your best and you will have no problem with the amount of work there is in college.

It's the end of GradNight 2010 and all of the seniors in my class are exhausted. We had been at Disney California Adventures on rides, laughing, dancing and enjoying the moment of celebration. Nostalgia is the feeling. It's the beginning of 2013 now and I've spent the last year and a half working for a non-profit organization. They sent me traveling all across the country to speak at high schools and universities. It was the endeavor that I always craved. I left the town I grew up in and saw America. I'm home now, sitting on my parents couch, no money, no education, no car and stories of adventure in my heart that I hope to share. If I could send a whisper back in time and if that whisper could find its way to Nate Pavon who thought GradNight2010 was the mountain top, the light at the end of the tunnel, the dream.......'GO, DO NOT STOP' is what I would whisper. Whatever track your life is on just love the people around you, work hard and above all, love God. GO, DO NOT STOP enjoying the moments that make life beautiful.

Do everything that you can to get to where you want to be, dreams won't come true on their own!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, some advice I would give myself is make sure I am prepared for college. Be prepared to study a lot harder, do a lot of work, and continue to focus more. With these things, I can become successful. Also, I would say going to a community college is much easier than going to a four year community college. Also, going to a communtiy college prepare and give you some experience on what college is like for when I transfer to a four year college. Some other advice is always give my best effort in everything I do for school whether its a project, test, homework, quiz, or a exam. The reason for this is because everything you do for class helps you out in passing a course. Last, just do my best, give my all, and never settle for anything less.

I would tell myseld to major in environmental science and to go to George Mason University. I would also say that you should be who you are and not worry about what other people think, especially your family. Do what is right for you.

"Do not take things lightly. I know you think that college is going to be just like high school, with few assignments, teachers who you have a personal relationship with, an amazing social life, and sufficient time to watch movies and catch up with long distant friends. College is a whole lot complicated, and tough. You have to focus, prioritize, and be at the top of your game. Most importantly, set goals, know what you want to achieve because without these goals, you would be like a man driving without a set destination. College is filled with a lot of distractions. The freedom makes you do things that are insane and these things, you would regret when your end of semester result comes out. Always remember that focus is the key to a successful college student".

The transition from high school to college may be hard, but I think the best way to go thought it is the prepartion and self-control. Prepartion you can know what your schedule is like and arrange proper work time or other things you want to join in the school activity, self-control is improtant because college no body will remind you for anything and you, suddenly have too much of freedom you may lost yourself in a mess.

I wish I could actually do this from time to time. I would have told myself to stay focused on my school work, put aside my family issues and retail work load and focus on myself. I would have told myself to be a bit more selfish for me, I spead myself thin sometimes and it take a toll on a person after a while. I am a people pleaser, but I forget about myself sometimes. I would have tried to focus less on everyone elses issues and kept my head in my books. Everything would have been much different had I tried harder to be there for everyone else and myself as well.

Joe, You have a prospective future ahead of you, but be weary. Don't commit to a major too early. Get more involved and remain optimistic in your endeavors. Try not to let others bring you down. Study dilligently and at least a half-hour more than what you find comfortable.