Ethan
Study hard and don't give up, even when the end is in sight. So what if you got a 95 in Chemistry in high school, if you skip class and don't study for the final you won't get an A. The same goes for anything else you're good at. You may have always been a good writer, but if you put off doing your final paper for your writing class until the night before you're going to get a bad grade (and pull an all-nighter). Also, don't be a shut in! A big part of college is about making friends. Don't expect to find lots of people that you're 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} compatibile with, and don't get discouraged if you aren't as close to your college friends as you were to your high school friends. You had years to get to know people from high school, so you know that good relationships take time. Give people at college that time, and you'll be as close to them as you were to your old friends before you know it.
Ashley
Dont freak out. All the stories and the tales you are hearing about the scary college work are the same you heard about going into high school, and you made it through that. You didnt change who you were in high school, so why change for college. Dont worry about what the others are doing or saying, youve been you your whole life and its taken you this far. There will be times when work gets rough, but just remember that nothing is life or death, and you WILL get through it. Not every task you will get an A on. But as long as you put your best effort in, thats all you can ask. Make time for fun. while school is important you have to remember to live life too. Get involved in as much as you can. Being in different organizations gives you options you wouldnt have had otherwise, and allows you to meet people you wouldnt have know. Groups give you an outlet not only from school work but from your regular social life. Appreciate home. Dont take for granted a home cooked meal or simply having YOUR own space.
Karen
Karen, trust me when I say: you will regret not taking your first year in college seriously. And this: you will never be just a journalist, just a veterinarian, just a fashion designer; you are going to want to be everything. And this: you won't be the only one struggling. You know how many people out there you are going to meet? Do you know how many opportunities await you? You do not know now, but know this, you need to trust that you will succeed. I do not simply mean academic or occupational success, I mean SUCCESS success. You learn to work hard and feel great when you see that A, to try a little bit of everything before you realize what you want to do in the future, that people are out there hoping to see you fail but there are also people out there helping you hold your head up everytime you feel like you want to give up. In the process of learning to love yourself, you will also realize that you will get what you deserve. So make sure you are prepared to work hard, it will show in your grades, and your spirit.
Tuso
Wake-up each morning and breathe into yourself. Remind yourself that you are the key to your own success and that the corridors of opportunities are always available. No one, I mean no one, can change what is destined for you except for yourself. The number one rule in college in to remain authentic to who you are. Authenticity continues through time and through history. Do the right thing? The right thing is completing assignments before going to a party. Doing the right thing is not being a bystander of any injustices you witness. Each day remind yourself that it is better to have quality than quantity. With that said you don't need five hundred friends to have an excellent college experience. As a human-being keep positive people around you because their positivity will lighting the stress that comes along with college life. The number one rule is stay connected; communicate with those who are there for you.
Catherine
The grades don't matter, the status doesn't matter, keeping up with what you thought you should be doing doesn't matter. The time you spend, and the things you learn, those you will take with you. The discussions you have and the work you do in class are far more revealing than the letters you get at the end of the term. Also, everything gets easier with time and practice.
Amy
Have fun! Take classes that you are interested in and apply to a broad range of schools. Visit the campus and do your research. Trust your instincts and take risks. Be openminded and embrace individuality. Work hard and be motivated.
Seble
Well I know for sure I would tell my high school self that college is something i should not take lightly, i should come into college with a lot of optimism and thanks becasue there are plenty of struggling kids who could never have the opportunity that i have, so i have to be more grateful. I would also tell myself that i absolutly need to go to each and every class, because just missing one can set you back in so many ways. I would urge my past self to take time management very seriously, to never wait till the last minute because that will only cause issue. Lastly, i would tell my high school self to be way more open-minded and just open period,Venture out and do more things that you wouldnt do. And most importantly HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nancy
Make sure you really pick a college that you KNOW you'll be happy at, not one that you THINK you'll be happy at. Fit is important, location-wise, socially, and academically.
Matt
Take a good look at the social life in addition to academics.
Melanie
High school was a time in my life dedicated to excelling, in order to prove to a university that I was an excellent candidate for that particular school. I used to think that I was so stressed out with homework and clubs, as well as preparing for the SATs and ACTs. However, I now realize that high school is a time in one's life where students begin to form their social and academic identity. This identity is vital to succeeding both in and out of the classroom, as well as within the real world.
Looking back at myself as a high school senior I would tell myself, "You need to constantly work hard and utilize the intimacy of a high school setting. Also, take advantage of good food and healthy sleep patterns." It is important to take advantage of the resources you have in high school because in college, academics are one's own responsibility. College is a turbulent time in one's life where work always comes before sleep and finding good, nutritious food is a rarity.
Erin
Most importantly, listen to those that tell you to get involved on your own, and go to any event that might interest you. You miss experiences such as listening to a member of the U.S. Army National Guard give his account of his tour in Afghanistan as an ETT with the Afghan National Army, if you wait for your peers to find the same thing interesting. Hearing the first-hand, uncensored stories inspire new ways of thinking, motivate change in your in life, and embed unforgettable yet meaningful memories into your mind. Do not follow what your peers do because you?re nervous to start something alone. There are going to be other students that feel the same uneasiness, actively trying to get to know one another. These four years are supposed to be the time when you can do whatever you want, and it may be the most freedom you?ll have to explore these different interests. It?s critical to take advantage of the events handed to you. Half the excitement comes from knowing that you?re going to gain so much experience in a short amount of time ? the other half is making it happen.
Meagan
I would go back and tell myself a few key things . One thing is that college is very different. The people and entire campus are different than anything at home. Immerse yourself in as many activities and social events as soon as possible. Most people are in the same situation, so making new friends is easy. Another key thing I would tell myself is that you need to speak up if there is a problem. Nothing will get solved if you do not speak up. This makes life with your roomate easier and also creates for less dramatic situations. Finally, do not let anyone influence your ideas or your way of thinking. If you do not want to do something or you think something is wrong then do not do it. Simple as that. This could lead to many situations that could alter your college experience or possibly your future.
Kirsten
Don't let the bitchy girls get you down. Stay true to yourself and everything will be fine.
Yaa
I would advise myself to save money to help with tuition, and living expenses, expecially going to a very, very expensive school like Syracuse University. I would also advise myself to balance academic life and social life.
Houtaneh
I would primarily convey to my naive high-school senior self that it's important not to be scared of anything. When a person is scared of something, or at least when I am scared of something, my mind's logical reccomendations become blocked, and I result in doing or saying something regrettable. Confidence, of course, is very relevant to my fear, so I would also emphasize having confidence in myself, in what I am doing, and in my surroundings to support my actions. I feel as though my lack of self confidence is my major pitfall, because as I reminisce on my experiences here, I realize that I could have engaged in a variety of activities that would have been infinitely engaging and advantageous to not only my academic life, but also to my social life. Therefore, to boost my self-confidence would be to boost my efficiency at school and my happiness with life.
Ying
#1, Adapt better habit, without good time mangement, first semster of collge life is really difficult.
#2, Do better in literature class. Although English is my second language, I still think that I wasn't doing good enough in high school which could have totally help me in college. High school classes do help
#3, I knew that finance is going to be a big issue for me, so I wish that I have more savings. Money is a big issue in college especially for me that I wasn't using my family's money at all. Everything pays off my check, I should have use my money wisely.
#4, Make the right choices, do not regret what I had done. If I regret, I am only going to make my college career worse and the thing wouldn't get in the way I want.
#5, know the true inside me. I had been pretending someone that I wasn't completely am for so long, that in college, I got lost. Don't know who I am. This creates a lot of daily life problems. I wish I could have know who I really am, to be really just myself.
William
prepare for college, but do not stress out,l it is not as bad, but much better than high school
Rebecca
College is not another stepping stone towards your future; it is a determining turning point. It is a place of opportunity, a place where you can experience real life by experimenting and testing your limits in this microcosmic society, while safe within the shelter of the school. Do not be held back by your apprehension or shyness - I know it is a big change for you: leaving all that you are familiar with behind and leaping towards an unknown future - but trust me, and have faith in the future and what it may bring.
Seek out new excitement in these new primises: do not let your fear hinder you, and let your spirit of adventure steer you onwards to a new point in life!
rachel
I would tell myself three things. Try to save up as much money as possible. Join as many sports/clubs as possible to be eligable for more scholarships. And the last thing I would tell myself would be to have a couple different plans ready just in case Plan A falls through.
Fjolla
I would of definitely given myself lots of advice that would help me be much more prepared and organized. For example, I would of told myself to participate in as many extracurricular activities as early in the year as possible and take on leadership positions such as becoming the president of a club. I would of also told myself to apply to conduct research in the field that I am interested in which is Biology so that I can gain some experience and see what it is all about. Also, learning time management and teaching myself or knowing how to divide the work load up so that I do not stress myself so much and be able to get the work done on time without rushing would be another advice that I would tell myself as a high school senior. Meeting new people and getting to know the professors and faculty on a more personal level is another great advice that I would tell myself because this would really help me in the future when I am in the need for recommendations or references for when I apply to other programs or even Medical School.