Syracuse University Top Questions

Heading into college as a high school senior, I decided to attend Syracuse University because of its location less than 10 miles from my home. I decided to live at home and save money. Although I have enjoyed my first 2 and a half years on campus, I believe that I would have had a much better and well-rounded experience had I decided to live on campus. Early on as a freshman, it was difficult for me to transition and make friends on campus. I started to get more involved and make more friends during my sophomore year. Now in my junior year, I feel like I fit right in with everyone else. I would rather have felt this way in my first year on campus, instead of my third. I now realize that the extra cost of living on campus would be easily repaid within a few years of graduation and working. The loss in the social aspect of my college experience is not worth the monetary gain.

I would tell my self that academics are very important.

I would tell myself not to worry about making friends, figuring out my major, or getting a job. Currently, I have many good friends, I'm majoring in English to further my writing career, and I have a job on campus that I got within five minutes of walking into the dining hall. I would also advise myself to remember that it isn't necessary to get into an Ivy League school just to earn respect or a decent education. At the time, I knew that it was true, but it was hard to remember it when faced with so much pressure to do well and succeed. My final piece of advice would be to believe people when they say that whatever college you end up at will be the right one for you. It was true.

College life is a completely different atmosphere, a large bubble where only you and your peers reside in. Stay on top of your school work and never miss a class. Once you miss a class, you miss not only notes but future classes as well. Always get your work done on time and do it so that you can shoot for a 4.0 GPA. This doesn't mean you have to be a nerd though. Socialize and meet all people because everyone you meet in college is a future connection you can use to your advantage. Along with that, friendships in college last a lifetime, this is the time where you will learn to grow and will learn to adapt to others. Scheduling is important, probably the most important aspect about college, without it you'll suffer academically and even socially. Oh, and don't get a dog. Probably the worst idea when you have many responsibilities at hand. And don't get a freshman girlfriend, freshman year, it's not worth it at all. Live your life, college is about experience!!!

One of the things I find that I did that have been helpful thus far is my service work (my charity work). This gave me a wide understanding of others beyond the school setting. With services in hospital and other proffessional setting, I leaned how to perform and/or interact in this setting. Thus, my message to myself would be "get out there and interact with others. Do not counter yourself out before you try something".

I would tell myself to never be afraid to try anything. Make sure you have fun but also plan accordingly. Stay organized, ask for help and take advantage of the academic resources. Do not stick with one crowd and go outside of your comfort zone. Join groups or even lead a group. Never say, "No", be different but always stay true to your beliefs and stay true to yourself.

Hey Adam! You will be going to college soon and I have one big advice for you for when you go there. Take advantage! TAKE ADVANTAGE! Take advantage of the opportunities that the school offers you. No one is going to push you or tell you to do these things nor will they just fall in your lap. Apply yourself to learning, apply yourself to your career. Do positive things, be proactive go out there and take advantage of the free things and opportunities that the school constantly offers for the people who look for them. Be sure to be active in career services and take advantage of the great chances to get an internship, make sure that you take classes and learn from them and are able to apply what you learn to the real world. Take away from your classes valuable information and constantly apply them to your life. Take advantage of the certificates and programs that are available for you to learn about specific skill sets even if you are not graded or do not have to take them. Take advantage of what Syracuse University has to offer because no one else will offer it.

I would tell myself to take care of myself and don't slack of in class because if I continue on like this I won't do well in college. Also I would take better classes and have a better plan on what college I select. I would tell myslelf that college is a lot of money so don't fail a class. I just think I'll be more aware of what I should have done if I could scare myself in the past of the cosequences of things in college if you screw up. Also I would tell her work hard at her job because saving money will be good for you when you're in college.

Stick to your passions, read a lot, and create efective study habits.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, I would say that college is a big step up from high school; no longer can you play homework and studying off as a joke. I would also tell myself to do my best and hang through all the hardships the transition to college life brough me and tell myself to grow up and see that the world I lived in was very small and was not even a fraction of what this world is. Most of all, I would tell myself that eventhough the first few days without friends and feeling like I'm excluded from the rest of the residents in my dorm is rough, in time they will come to accept you and thats when college life starts getting fun.