SUNY at Binghamton Top Questions

We go through twelve years of school at home, sheltered in a bubble with the same friends and classmates. Our parents provide us with shelter, food, and help with homework. Going away to school made the biggest difference in my life, and if I could go back to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to definitely go away to school instead of staying home. Going away gives you a new sense of independence, and truly allows yourself to see if you are responsible enough to live on your own and make "adult" decisions about things. I would tell every high school senior to try to go away from home for school as it is an experience that can't be replicated easily.

If I were to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself do not be so eager to get away from home. Staying home and attending the local community college was the best option. Although you are staying home and getting your degree, you have a wonderful university with incredible opportunities. Transferring to SUNY Binghamton is amazing because you will meet many friends and learn not only about others, but yourself as an individual. One more bit of advice I would give myself as a high school senior is to take chances. Do not be afraid to join organizations, go for a new job, take up a recreational sport, or become part of a club. This will open many doors and make you a stronger individual. As a high school senior I was afraid to be myself. I appreciate that through college I learned to love and understand who I am. Having the ability to love yourself will help you attain and remain ambitious in your journey.

Knowing what I know now about college, I would tell myself not to worry about transitioning so much and try to engage myself and make more friends. Like most new college freshmen, I was worried that my first few nights were going to me missing home and feeling alone in a new place, hundreds of miles away from home. Truthfully, I had never been a homesick child, but going away to college is much different than a sleepover at a friend’s house or a week-long vacation abroad. The first few days on campus, I met so many people it made my head spin. I felt I was in a constant state of introducing myself to people and learning new names. Yet somehow, I had managed to isolate myself from the people on my floor, and I regret it. I was too shy to go out in the common room and get to know everyone. Of course, I see them and we exchange our hello’s and goodbye’s, but I miss out on the personal touch of it. I would go back in time and tell this to myself; don’t worry and try to be friendlier.

Dear High School Senior Kaitlyn, You are going to meet so many people that are way smarter than you when you get to college. You better keep that ego in check, because nobody wants a part of it. I know this is a thought that never crossed your mind in high school. You excelled academically in high school, but now you are at a place where everyone excelled in high school. Do not let your head get too big when people find out what school you are going to and say, "Oh wow, that is an excellent school." Your ego will say otherwise, but you need to work harder your first semester of college. Do not get too caught up in missing out on what your friends are doing at every hour. There is plenty of time for that after you study. You are going to have so much fun these next few years, don't let your ego get in the way. Good Luck, College Kaitlyn P.S. A few other things that you should know: you are not as friendly as you thought, remember to call mom more often and apply for scholarships sooner rather than later.

The advice I would give myself is do not be fearful and stay open to any new experiences. College is scary, but everyone is in the same boat and it is better to embrace the new environment and just have fun with it. By opening yourself up, you can gain so much knowledge and find hobbies you never thought you would be interested in.

I would tell myself to not stress about the future as much. Binghamton was not my first choice, but I am happier here than I could have been at any of the other options I applied to. I would tell myself to enjoy high school, and not worry as much about what other people think about me. I would also stress to myself to take more AP courses; I don't become valedictorian anyway so class rank doesn't matter. The transition to college life is fun and was not worth the worry. Everything that is supposed to work out, does.

Don't take high school as seriously as you do. Not every bad grade or missed homework assignment is as life-shattering as you think it is. All those all nighters you pull just to get A's in all classes are not vital to your success. As a matter of fact - it might be detrimental to your outlook on work and school in general. Don't get too excited about the freedom you get in college. Balance out your social life in high school (go out more and stop studying!) and you won't be overwhelmed first semester and do poorly. Also, in college, you will actually choose to pursue a path that makes you happy and not just for money. Be true to yourself and work hard for what truly makes you happy and your life will play out positively.

I closed my eyes and saw my high school self sprawled over acceptance letters. Even though that was four years ago when I was just 17, it felt like looking at a baby's face . We could have stared at each other like looking at funhouse mirrors all day, but my wisdom had to be imparted. "Stop looking through theose letters and get online," I told her. "These financial packages might sound nice but it won't be enough to cover everything. You think you won't take out any more loans but you will--and it will accumulate to about $26,000. Please, do us both a favor and scour the internet for scholarships now, because the number gets smaller as you get older. " I knew it was a lot for her to take in, but I also knew that she was listening and felt shame that her ignorance caused me such stress. Before she could answer, I told her, "Make it up to me by applying for scholarships." I shot up in bed. I was myself, still a senior but not in high school anymore. That was the only time I wished I was in high school again.

Follow your heart. Do what you want, and don't let anyone hold you back. Also, it's very important to be yourself. This is a time to enjoy YOU, so focus on yourself and making yourself happy.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to relax and believe in myself. Senior year brings about lots of college related stress. I was fortunate enough to get into my first choice at the time but after being accepted I felt anxious and scared. As soon as my freshman year began I decided I wanted to be a part of the School of Management (SOM). I was immediately overwhelmed with thoughts that I would not get accepted and that the coursework would be too hard. Once I met with a junior in SOM they reassured me that if I was committed to my academics I would get in. With hard work and support I was accepted into this school and am now studying what I love. During senior year I was also worried about how I would make friends because I did not know anyone going to Binghamton. My first few weeks at school made me feel overwhelmed and anxious. Once I got involved with extracurricular activities everything fell into place. Looking back I would tell myself to calm down and enjoy the journey.

The food matters! I don't care if you're picky, being picky about poor quality food is going to be even more difficult than being choosy between good choices. And couldn't you have looked at schools a little closer to home? I know the dream was to go to New York but there isn't even a train that goes to New York City. Being 3000 miles away from home is only cool for so long. Soon you'll miss your parents and that adorable little brother and a whole semester will seem like a long time. Aside from that, good job with the actual school choice. Obviously you knew what you wanted there because you've had actual experience with those choices. But socializing matters more than you realize. You are going to be living with people who aren't your family and although it would be the dream to go find the theatre department and live there, that isn't a realistic goal. So make some friends, find out how to get involved with things right away so you don't waste a year, and don't just assume things with figure themselves out.

I would tell myself to take more chances and really dive into the new setting.

Find a space to study and do work earlier in the semester. Too much time was spent trying to find the appropriate space to do work. Also, just in general to make better use of your time in general.

Being a high school senior in Albania, is totally different than being a high school senior in the United States. High school students here are lucky to have the opportunity get involved in a young age, in organizations, clubs, and activities that school offers. Taking advantage of this opportunity since highschool, it's easy then following the same way in college. Well i didn't have this opportunity. Only you could basically do during high school in Albania was only studying and nothing more. That means that if i was a senior now, i would attend the high school in New York , and also get involved in as many clubs, organizations as i could. So it wouldn't have been hard for me to get socialized now in college.

Two years ago when entering Binghamton University as a Freshmen I was ready to embark on a new journey ; I had a litany of goals for myself, that I at time thought would be accomplished by now. However, as reality sat in and I began to realize that the adjustment from high school to college was tougher than I originally thought it to be I found myself discouraged and not taking advantage of the diversity of the school and all it has to offer. However, I decided to utilize the ounce of drive I had left, and as I Finish my sophomore year, I am wiser, and happier than I ever was before. I would inform my high school self that my potential and worth is not a measurement of what I have accomplished in a small amount of time. Instead it is a measurement of my will to take on new and exciting experiences that in the end would help me grow. It is also about stepping out of my comfort zone and not being afraid to stray away from what I have planned for myself, for the unexpected things may bring me greater joy

I would tell myself not to worry about the school's name or standing necessarily. Those things really go out the window. The moset important thing is that you feel that you belong on the campus. I would also tell myself to try any crazy club that catches my interest. There are so many new opportunities for new experiences on a college campus and it is best to find what you like early.

When you become a college student you become an independent learner. In high school many things were laid out for you and teachers were constantly there to remind you of your assignments and show you what you need to do. In college you you learn that teachers aren't like the way they were in high school. They don't always care if you come to class or not, you are ultimately responsible for your own learning. If I were to give my high school self advice, I would have encouraged myself not to slack off, because in the long-run it turns around on you. College is a time spent on learning things for you, so you can have a career and you can have a life.

SUNY Binghamton is certainly the best public school in New York. Also, the town is very quiet, nice, and beautiful. SUNY Binghamton has the best accounting program. However, I would say if you are thinking of pursuing your career in any other fields, you may consider other schools that have strong programs and are supportive.

Dear Lacy, Life is so much bigger than I thought it was. I know you think you've seen it all, with your Europe-trip and some "cultural experience" under your belt, but you have no idea what's waiting for you. Within the next few years, your entire life is going to float by your eyes - you'll imagine yourself as a scholar, an interpreter, an educator abroad in Africa, and a mom at home with kids. But college is about deciding who you want to be - not "what" or "when." Nobody ever knows that. Don't forget where your self-worth comes from: as a child of God. Never forget that every human life has worth, no matter what we look like or where we were born and raised. What we put inside our hearts & souls is what matters most. Don't let other people push you around so much - this is your life to live, not theirs. "Others cannot make you feel inferior without your consent." (ER) You are so easily affected by others; remember that sometimes you'll need to walk alone with God. Trust him. He makes beautiful things out of us. With affection, Me

- If you have a smartphone, download the bMobi app. It's incredibly invaluable and has class schedules, maps, news, and more. I wish I could have had that interactive map during the first day of classes. You WILL get lost. - If you don't have a smartphone, take your own self-guided tour of every building BEFORE classes start. You have about 5 days before your first class - what I did was print my schedule and spend that Saturday going through every weekday, visiting every classroom, so I know what shortcuts to take and how long I have between classes. - Get to know your dining hall. Know the general prices of different options. Healthy stuff here like salads are very expensive, especially for a broke college student on a budget. Plan out what you'll allow yourself to buy and what you'll limit. Understand that even though the Late Nite cafes (those open until 2 or 3 in the morning) are delicious and amazing, they are two to three times more expensive than dining hall food. - Use RateMyProfessors to compare professors and schedule classes. You will be very sorry when you realize that your friend has an easy A professor and you're struggling with hours of homework for the same class with a different professor. - Use Amazon, Ebay, whatever, to buy books. Try not to buy them at the bookstore. If you absolutely have to, try to rent instead. In fact, don't buy anything at the bookstore except Binghamton clothes. You can buy your pencils and notebooks at Walmart. - Get to know the general bus schedule. Look it up online. Remember that the bus to Walmart comes at a completely different time than the bus to the mall - I've sat and waited for buses for a while because of mixing up the two. Don't make yourself suffer. - General party must-know's: That taxi that just pulled up? No. It isn't yours. Even if you called it. It now belongs to the tough group of guys next to you. No, that taxi that you're trying to flag down ISN'T coming to get you. He doesn't care about you. Remember this, and try to make connections. Personal connections. Right now I have the cell number of one of the more reliable cab drivers - he is one of the few that will actually come pick my friends and I up. Use this technique - know taxi drivers on a first-name basis and create a list of your favorite ones. You should probably also know the whole "don't put your drink down" rule. Don't get date raped. Seems like a myth? Won't happen to you? Yes. Yes it will. Be safe.