Syracuse University Top Questions

One advice that I would give myself if there was a way that I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a high school senior would be, don't settle for less, anything that you want can be accomplished iff you work hard and put all your strength.

If I could go back in time 4 years ago and have the opportunity to give myself advice on the transition phase to college, I would tell myself: take care of your independence, your life is in your hands. Throughout college, my experiences have revealed to me that it is very common and easy to go overboard with the collegiate student culture. Oftentimes this involves hanging out with the wrong crowd, and blindly engaging in harmful acts to one's self and others. College is a prime time for identity growth. Students are eager to fit themselves into a group they don't necessarily belong in for the sake of labeling an unknown in their life; their identity. Students here extrapolate lifestyle choices from 'big names' and celebrity stereotypes and then mindlessly plug them into their own lives. Four years ago I would've told myself that college is awesome if you maintain your identity you've developed in the time before college and stay true to what it took for you to get here in the first place. College teaches you how to make a living, but choosing how to live is a personal and individual journey.

If I could go back in time, I would have told myself to have been more open-minded when I came to college.

Knowing that i can go back and become a senior again the advie that i would give to myself is to never give up when things get hard. From my personal experiance it was easy in highschool .Once i came to SU my whole enviroment changed and my study habits changed. At one point i gave up because it was a new place for me and coming from a highschool where not many things were offered to you, as in college prep or anything of that kind. I would just tell myself that life is not easy, you have to go through many obstacles in order to achieve, and in highschool i never realized it because everything came so easy for me. So coming here i thought it would be the same, but to my surprise it wasnt the classes were harder, time management and even making new friends. It was hard and knowing that im not going to give up because i made it this far. So if i went back in time to senior year i would tell myself that giving up is not an option my dad always told me that i follow it till this day.

I would advice myself to get a wider range of readings about the current famous architecture around the world and learn more about the modern architects' unique styles. Because the architecture study life in SU here is so busy and intense that I only can spare some time to read those relative architecture at weekends now, and that kind of knowledge can really be helpful in designing our own projects. To be an architect, I should know information from every field, because this is a major regarding aesthetic and people's daily life, we need to consider every specific detail in life when doing designs.

Know at least two or three majos you're interested in, get involved in as many things as possible without overwhelming yourself and have fun!

I would tell myself not to be so closed-minded and afraid of change. I was very homesick and had a difficult time adjusting to the college environment because it was so far away from home and when I wanted to get away I couldn't. I would tell myself to be more social and more open to meeting new people. I believe I had such a hard time adjusting because in my mind I kept telling myself that it would not work, my fear got the best of me. I had a fear of change and trying new things so I would advice myself to step out of my comfort zone. I would also tell myself not to have set expectations as to how college would be because in reality you will not know how your college experience would be until you get there. Overall, I would stress the fact that your college experience is what you make both academically and socially.

Advice I would give myself would be about self confidence and knowing yourself as a person. In addition, I would tell myself to embrace change and always have an open mind. Knowing your importance is also very important.

College is a major part of every high school's senior year and most students (I know I did) feel bombarded with suggestions. Sometimes the only suggestion you need is to just chill. The year of school and the summer before you head off to college should be relaxing and a time to reflect, not a time when you stay up until midnight filling out the last of your applications before the deadline. All nighters are for college, not high school seniors. So, you stress about getting accepted? Have an easy backup. Stress about shopping for your dorm room? Beleive me, stores make it WAY to easy to get all the things you need (even some unneccesary things). Feeling stressed about being away from home and not fitting in? Guess, what? Everyone is in the same situation. College is synonomous with new beginings. New classes, new friends, new experiences. Just remember, first impressions count, and if you portray yourself as someone who just isn't YOU, well, then you will be going to that community college back home with the rest of the kids from your high school.

I would tell myself to make sure you get your name out to every club and group that interested me. I am very active in clubs, but I could be doing more. I would take advantage of all my school has to offer. 4 years goes very quickly. Meet as many friends and faculty as you can and make sure you have an upstanding reputation. Also, take a business card from everyone you meet because networking is the key to finding a job after graduation.