Syracuse University Top Questions

Many grow up being told that college will be the time of your life. A time where you will meet some of your closest friends and will really discover who you are. I believed in this description. However, when I went away to college the first time, to NYU, it was a huge wake up call as to I had no clue what college was supposed to be. It was awkward, intimidating, and a complete culture shock! Going back to talk to myself, I would say that life doesn?t always go according to plan. You?re on your own; forming your own path in life and that includes a variety of decisions that will come along. Each experience in life, especially college, is different for each individual. You can't expect college to automatically fall into place perfectly with what you had in mind. Once I realized that my experience is what I make of it, I began to move on from my NYU experience and take hold of the new opportunity of attending Syracuse University.

If i were to go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself the same things that other people told me. College is fun and college is hard. There are times when it seems as if you are gliding by too easily with no major worries, but then you will experience times where your head will feel like its about to explode. I came into college with a high school mind set. I figured that high school was a breeze and all I did was think off my feet , so maybe it could work in college? Well, think again because this is a completely different ball game. I experienced one of every college students nightmare too early in the semester that gave me an enormous wake up call. I completed a paper a week before is was due and when I went to print it out my Mac froze. It told me that it was loading and I had class in 11 minutes. To make it worst the closest computer cluster was occupied. College is all about time management bottom line. If you cant manage time your in for a rough time.

Attend all the pre-enrollment activities. There are a bunch offered all year round, some just for your major, and you can get to know some classmates before the first day. Seeing familiar faces makes the whole experience less of a shock. Talk more to those who are already attending SU. They can give you tips and personal tours to help you navigate around campus. College is said to be so easy, but you have worked hard through high school to get this opperetunity. Continue to work hard if you want to suceed. You can still have fun, but balance it with school work. Get some information about the surrounding area, and print a campus map, you will get lost but everyone is willing to help. You may miss your old friends and home sometimes, and that normal. Just take each day as it comes and you'll make it. Remember to shoot for the moon; even if you miss you'll land amoung the stars.

"It seems hard to apply for college,""I dont know if I am ready for college,""Will I fit in and what will i do," these are the questions that I am sure you are asking yourself. As a freshman you will ask yourself the same questions. "College is a place where you should feel comfortable expressing yourself". When someone tells you that, you may think that that is just something that everyone is saying. However, in reality, that is the case. You will have the time of your life, freedom that you seek, and exploration that you earge for. As a high school senior, I am sure that you are trying to leave your high school career with tons of memories, but you HAVE to put your attention towards the future, in terms of college. Even with the senioritis, you must complete the requirements to apply for college. If you can, complete them early, especially the essays, recommendations, and scholarship opportunities. Dont be afraid to ask guidance counselors, or teachers, for help because eventually in college you will be doing that on a daily basis. College allows for progression in one's character. Freedom of expression is the key!

I would encourage myself to get a better academic background. Work at least twice as hard, for college continuously raises the bar. What may seem good for high school level is average or bellow college performance. Even though college is expected to be different, I won?t grasp is totality till graduation. Many phases will take place during these years. College will provide opportunities for anyone to discover themselves. How well do you handle pressure, failure, success, difference?? What believes do you truly follow? What type of responsible and problem solving person you are? Embrace yourself for hard difficult times will always come and college is no exception, except for the fact that it?s the beginning of self reliance. Welcoming difference is not as easy as it seems. It is rewarding, but requires more than just an open mind. It?s my fourth year and I am still trying to get used to the snow among other things. Our plans changed a couple of times based on the experiences gained. The college I end up with is OK. I met people I now keep to my heart. You will be refined not only academically, but spiritually, overall no regrets.

First off, I would tell myself to try harder in high school to achieve college credit to make college course easier and less in numbers. Additionally, I would tell myself that for GPA freshman year is the best year to take advantage of to gain a good GPA but also the classes are the easiest so take advantage of the ability to live life and party. Furthermore, I would say that you should try to meet people in your major right away becase they'll be the best resources when it comes to courses and thus quite possibly can become your best college friends (as they have for me). Honestly, I would say to live it up but understand that as much as you may hate a teacher they controll your grade and the teachers in college are less sympathetic than those in high school and don't expect to pass just because you showed up to the class...

The first thing I would say is of course to keep doing work. Doing well in my classes will help me get accepted into college and one of my choice, something my parents did not have the luxury of getting. Second of all, I would really focus on time management and planning the day accordingly. It seems like the obvious thing to tell oneself as they look back in time about how they should learn to time manage, but it does not really become apparent until college, an environment where you are considered the parent and your chid is your education and what you make out of college. In highschool, it was easy to get by procrastinating and recieving good grades. In college, however, the must do everything yourself environment of college is what really gets highschool students who are transitioning. College can be a great experience and an opportunity to really excel your life into success, however, success does not come without hardwork, and most importantly time management. If you manage your time well you will give yourself time to put your best into all your work.

I would tell myself to keep an open mind and just be prepared for all sorts of new people and new cultures. I would assure myself that it's not really as scary as it seems and that leaving home is just another step in life. As cliche as it may sound, it's just another step on the journey in life and you have to keep an open mind to be receptive to the new things you will encounter. I would tell myself to be prepared to face challenges in time managment and to understand that there has to be a balance between work and fun, you can't just put all your work off until later. It's tempting, but it just makes you stress out later. Most of all I would just tell myself to have fun with it all and learn as much as I can in the next level of my education.

The most important thing i would tell myself is do not pick a school based on its ranking in Forbes or something of that sort. Base your decision on where you could picture yourself excelling, the specific college based on your major, and where you will enjoy yourself. I would tell myself to join lots of clubs and to get involved in the college community. Colleges are big and you want to make friends before people form their niches. Go to your professor's office hours. Classes, especially lectures can have hundreds of students, you do not want to get lost in the crowd and just be a face. Attend every class and lecture, attendance is important, plus you are paying good money for these classes you better make the most of them. Last of all, HAVE FUN, college is the last time of your life until you enter the real world so make it last!

When you come to campus, explore everything. Try the different clubs, meet with your advisor, and plan ahead. Since you want to be pre-med, start working on volunteering hours. Also, do what I did--introduce yourself to your classmates, and your floormates; they will become your best friends and great study buddies. When it comes to academics, plan your time accordingly. If you pay attention throughout the course, the exams won't be as hard and you won't have to cram so much!!!