Syracuse University Top Questions

Do not pack too many bottles of shampoo. The bottles take up too much space and force students to pay too much up front for a product that can be purchased over time. Other than these practical reasons for foregoing multiple bottles, life lessons can also be learned from restraining this purchase. Buying many bottles of the specific shampoo you know and love from home is a representation of cutting yourself off from new experiences. Without testing many brands and being open to finding a more satisfying lather, rinse, and repeat a student may be stuck in their comfort zone. It is important to try new things at college and let yourself be unprepared for what is to come. If you free yourself from a cycle of sameness you allow for a more interesting and memorable college experience. What may leave your hair silky and fresh in your high school days can isolate you from finding your true passions and true friends during your time at college. Remember to seek that ultimate shine for your locks and open some space in your plastic storage bins.

?You can?t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.? This statement, made by Mark Twain, embodies a truth I wish I had known upon entering college. Coming from a small high school, where people seemed to fit into stereotypical categories such as jock, nerd, etc., I felt confident determining who would and would not be my friends when first meeting people at Elon University. If I could go back in time, I?d tell myself, ?People are too complex to fit into restraining stereotypes, and holding this view only leads to hasty, fallacious judgments of others. When you drop this mind-set, you?ll find your closest friends become those with whom friendship was least expected, and they will support you through your ?rollercoaster? of collegiate experiences, always keeping your best interest in mind.? As a wise author once noted, when you view the world through unfocused, or, in this case, judgmental eyes, it misconstrues your view of people and the world around you. Although I wish my pre-college self had realized this, it?s a lesson I had to learn on my own?and it changed my life when I finally did.

It is good to know what you want to do going into college, but be aware of other opportunities other than the specific area of study one is interested in. Do not be too single-minded and consider minors in other fields that may enhance your appeal to employers in the future, but still stay focused on what you want to achieve. Make more time for fun and exercise. College isn't all work.

Before I arrived at Syracuse University, people would always tell me, "College years are the best years of your life." After hearing this cliche statement over and over again I was curious to find out why. As a college freshman I have been able to realize that college provides you with various opportunities to succeed. Not only are you stepping out into the "real world" but it is a time for you to take notice on the type of person you really are and what sparks your interests. Making goals for yourself is extremely important because it serves as a motivation. My goal for the Fall 2009 semester was to attain a 4.0 average and because I was very determined I achieved a 3.9 GPA. It is also important to realize that when you begin this new chapter of your life you need to adapt to a different atmosphere along with getting to know different people. You cannot become enclosed and you cannot always be to yourself because not only will it affect your social life but you will find yourself being depressed more often than others because you have no one to turn to.

If I could visit myself in the past, I would reassure myself that moving from a small town in Ohio to a large city in New York is the right choice. I would remind myself to always clean up after myself, vacuum at least once a month, fold my clothes when I put them away, and most importantly, to be myself. I would tell myself that each move I make in life comes with great responsibilty and great friends.

I would tell myself, above all, not to be afraid of the transition. It's just like any other, you'll get used to it. I would tell myself not to be shut away in my dorm room and worrying about the work load and homework, because it's all very manageable, you just have to be in the right frame of mind. Instead, go out and have some fun. Make some friends, and join some clubs. Talk to people, and find things to do on the weekends. My biggest problem was not having a secure group of friends and feeling utterly alone my first year, and I would tell myself to change that, to be the outgoing person I was in high school and have now resumed being. Becoming antisocial helps nothing, and only worsens things down the road. I'd also tell myself that things do get better, even if you don't believe it. The classes improve, the friends improve, and even though there's more work, it no longer feels as terrible as it did that first year. If you can survive that Freshman year, you can do almost anything, and you will survive.

Well my senior year in highschool I was getting looked at by a couple colleges for football division 1aa. Being my arrogent self I declined to even hear these schools thinking I would just walk on a D-1a team and play. I missed out on a lot of free money because of this and am now in debt. Senior year winding down I got the dreaded girlfriend I thought I was in love at the ripe age of 18. The Uni of Hawaii offered me a preferred walk on position I went through all the preperations to go there, but love struck I made a rash decsion and decided to take fall semester off and enroll at a local college in my city during the spring. I was young and confused. I have not played football for 2-years I have transferred to Syracuse and am struggling to pursue my dream still...My advice would be you can't fall in love in your teens, take what you can get, and study. Everything will vanish but if you get good grades you will succeed and get into the "dream" college therefore eliminating indisicion .

Dear High School Me, It may sound clich?, but time management is by far the greatest factor in determining the ease of your transition to college life. Of course, your number one priority should be studying and completing assignments on time; however, do not underestimate the importance of making friends, joining clubs, and participating in other extracurricular activities. Set aside time to get to know people in your classes and in your residence hall. These people will be experiencing many of the same things as you, so it will feel comforting to discuss your problems and successes with them. These friendships will also come in handy if you are struggling in a class and need tutoring. Leave time in your schedule for clubs, which provide a much needed break from schoolwork. Joining a club is also another great way to meet people with similar interests. Finally, do not forget to allot yourself time to just relax. It is not a crime to do something fun with the new friends that you have made, or to simply have alone time. Every night, take fifteen minutes or so to reflect on the previous day and plan the next. Sincerely, College Me

Get your work done! You can have fun on the weekends, but you don't need to be going out five nights a week. Study hard, this is what you're here for! You don't understand how easy it is to fall behind! Final exams will be here before you know it and you'll suddenly have 800 pages of rhetorical theory to read in one week. Read the syllabus, create a study schedule and purchase a big calender to write down all of your reading assignments and term papers!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself about college life, I wouldn't tell myself too much. I feel as though I am very honest with who I am and how I act. If there is something I want to do, I'll do it. When I went off to college, I didn't hesitate about many decisions I made. If I gave myself any advice, it would probably be to take more opportunites to go out and check out local art venues. It's hard to understand public transportation, especially coming from a town where there wasn't a bus route per se. And in Syracuse, the public transportation is incredibly important. So overall, I wouldn't give myself too much more advice besides just get out and explore the town some more. It would help with my studies and give me some time to reflect on what I really want to do.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry and that everything will work out for the best. I would assure myself that starting over in a new area knowing nobody is not as hard as it seems. I would encourage myself to get involved in campus activities right away and to be involved in more than I am now because it is a great way to meet a diversity of people. I was very disorganized so I would tell myself to get organized and stay organized. Avoiding procrastination is key to staying on top of schoolwork and doing your best, so I would stress this. I would advise myself to make good friends and to avoid those who are a bad influence. I would also remind myself that even though I will be far away from my home, if I ever need advice or just want to talk to someone that it is just a phone call away to my family or friends.

There are many things that a high school senior worries about when preparing for the transition to college life. For me, it was whether college would be the same drab time as high school, or would the things you hear about college being the best time of your life actually be real? As a senior, I hoped that the latter was the case, considering I was extremely ready to get out of my small, claustrophobic high school, where I felt I never really found my place among other students who seemed to have their own niches set. If I would have known that I would meet some of the most amazing people when I entered college, I would have been a less anxious high school senior. It is good to know that going to college is truly like starting over. It is so different. There is no need to worry about what your classmates thought of you in high school. That time is done. It may sound cliche, but no one will care who you were in high school when you enter college. It is a fresh start; one that was absolutely able to change my life.

I thought that college would be a scary experience and would be a knightmare. I was nervious and scared for myself, because i was alone on a large campus with people i did not know. However, if i knew what i did now, i would of been more calm and a little more friendlier, However, i did adapt to the college life and found friends, with whom will be my friends for the rest of my life. Finally, i was able to handle school work and social life very well, which i thought i would not be able to handle initially.

Amy, stop looking at me strangely. Yes, I did notice there are two of us. I am your future college self. Yes, I understand that you don't believe me, but listen to what I have to say anyway. I have some very important advice for when you go to college. Please take notes. Thank you. Ready? Here it goes: First of all, don't be afraid to be outgoing. You will make many friends if you just let your bubbly, vivacious side show. Next, get involved. Join a club or two clubs or five. On another note, don't eat the desserts in the dining hall. Otherwise you will gain ten pounds. Of course I can't forget: go to athlete events! Sure, you will have to endure the football team losing(constantly), but then you can watch basketball win! But go to some concerts and plays also! Otherwise you will regret it. Also, don't feel pressured to drink. People in college will respect your decision to abstain from alcohol. Finally, be a nerd. Find the library. Study hard. Ask questions in class. Your GPA will thank you. Oh, and by the way: you choose Syracuse University.

I would go back and tell myself that the transition is not exactly going to be easy, but stick with it because it will be better. I would say to go into college with a clear and fresh mind because you don't have time to let past stresses and problems hold you back and keep you from accomplishing what needs to be done. I would tell myself to be who I am and don't change my personality for anybody. You know you're not perfect and don't strive to be because you need to be content with who you are and everything else will fall into place. Last but not least I would tell myself to make sure I stick to my plans and don't let anyone distract you because they will try to, be the outgoing and passionate person you are but don't let anyone take you for a fool. Study hard, education is a privilege...Don't take it for granted.

Ah, naivet?. If I could go back, would have liked to know the concept of getting involved. I was over-involved in high school and decided to take a break once college rolled around. Finally, in the beginning of my sophomore year, I joined a few clubs and organizations. The friends I?ve made through those have been amazing; they?ve taught me more about what I?m doing and about myself. I wish I could go back and tell myself to jump right into it. Why wait? Sure, you?ve got your whole life, but don?t waste any time sitting around in the dorm room. I wish I knew all of the amenities of campus. I?m beginning to discover the best places to study (and sleep) on campus. Recently I?ve begun to find the restaurants, museums, and shows the surrounding area provides. I can?t help but wonder how much more I could have experienced had I known about this earlier. Classes are important?college is about academics, after all?but nothing can beat the memories of what I enjoy most. I just wish I found it sooner.

I would tell myself that moving away from isn't as easy as I though it would, and I that running away from my problems isn't easy either. College isn't just some vacation or some escape route from a crappy home life, but a new adventure that I need to take seriously and really focus on. I would have told myself that leaving Las Vegas for New York was the best decision I ever made, but I still had to work to change my life for the better and become the independent person I am today. Because I left home when I did, I can now stand on my own two feet without anyone else helping me. I wish I could have told my high school self about all the home-sickness first, but after I got over that, the person I became was much stronger and a lot happier than before I ever left!

Join clubs or groups on campus that you are passionate about and not for the social life. It will immerse yourself onto the campus-life culture, however be very aware of the damages being too involved in a sorority and fraternity can do. Be focused on your studies first and look for ways to get ahead rather than partying too much.

I personally would not have done anything differently. I am very happy with what I have accomplished at this school. I have made many new friends and have done very well academically. My internship in Dubai last summer confirmed this belief. In my opinion, the best program that my school has to offer (engineering-wise) is the internship in Dubai for civil engineers. Each year six students are selected to stay in Dubai for 5 weeks to work on construction sites that are in all stages of completion. I learned more in those 5 weeks than I did in almost all of college. The academic side of learning is extremely important, but practical experience is at least just as important. I feel that schools (at least my school until this program arose) do not provide enough real-world experience. With this in mind, I would encourage students to participate in programs that offer practical experience (no matter what their major may be). It is extremely important in terms of gaining knowledge, resume appearance, experiencing other cultures (abroad programs), and gaining real-world experience. Academics merely reinforce practical experience, they aren't a substitute.

I would definitely tell myself to have excellent time management skills. Aside from the rigor of classes, I am involved in a radio station, TV station and the Executive Board of my fraternity. Having to balance all of these activities can seem daunting from week to week. However, over the last two years, I've learned how to plan ahead, schedule certain work loads ahead of time, and still have opportunities to have an excellent social life. In high-school, time management was honestly never an issue because everything was so cut-and-dry: you went to school in the morning, had athletic practice afterwards, did homework, slept, then did it all over again the next day. At college, there are curveballs thrown at you every hour. Whether it's one paragraph of an essay, a beat reporter from Georgetown only being able interview you within the next hour, to a couple of guys playing football. Things are coming at you at all moments, and its so important to have the ability to keep everything in order and completible in a timely fashion. Hitting deadlines and planning, especially in my field of journalism, is key to excellence in college.