Syracuse University Top Questions

As a transfer student, I believe I have many key insights into the college selection process and, having found some of my needs unmet at my former college, I opted to transfer to another institution. I feel that in high school you cannot be aware of the true atmosphere at college based on organized tours. I encourage any high school senior to go and stay with a friend or an acquaintance at the college they are interested in. It is so vital to ask these people about their experience at school in order to get an accurate description of life at that respective university. I also would say it is important to think about your upbringing and how that might influence your experience in college. For example, I grew up in a fairly religious environment and being cast into a college atmosphere lacking a sizeable community subscribing to my religion was a bit shocking. Also, I think it is important to take into consideration the main types of people that attend any given college and where they come from. It is so important to relate to the study body. As with anything, it is important to start college open minded.

I would start by telling myself to say hi to everyone I meet on campus, on my dorm floor, and in my classes. A top thought would be to open myself up a little bit more to more people and try to make more diverse friends. You can never have enough friends and sometimes meeting people from completely different backgrounds and groups can be uplifting and knowledgeable. I would also tell myself to keep in mind that it is not high school and reading the chapters are a top priority. On that note, I would also add in the notion of telling myself to think that papers and projects are due a few days before they truly are to force myself to do the work early and give myself time to go back and look it over or possibly re-work it if necessary.

As a high school senior, I would have told you that I was 100 percent prepared for college life. I was not concerned about the transition one bit; I knew I'd adjust very quickly. However, during my freshman year at college, I made almost no friends, I liked almost none of my classes, and I cried on an almost daily basis. I felt very alone, and simply put, I hated college. Coming back as a sophomore, this all changed. I honestly can't say I know why it changed, but it did. I made more friends within the classes and activities I was in, I started finding classes that I enjoyed, and I even went out and had fun in my spare time. If I could tell my senior-self anything it would be that it's okay to have a difficult time adjusting. More importantly, you're not the only one! You don't have to make a best friend, find a future husband, and pick a major on your first day at college. You need to make the transition, and transitions take time. I would suggest to take all the time you need.

Make the best of it and do a good job.

I would tell myself to dive into college, head first, without reservation. One day, I know I will have a set routine; in the near future, my environment and I will be more contained. But now, while I am still young and relatively free, every small thing feels like mine. The steps to class, the conversations, and the thoughts are all integral parts of my personal experience. As a film student, college has been a process of education that has oriented me to technical, creative, and personal improvement. I would urge myself to get involved in campus activities as proactively as possible so as to better understand my interests in feminism, film production, and sexual violence prevention. The Syracuse Campus has a particularly vocal social climate which allows for the exploration of questions of fairness and equity. The best way to engage yourself in the university setting, is to find peers and mentors who are truly passionate about similar issues. At Syracuse University, there are many like-minded individuals, but finding a embracing community withing the college requires enthusiastic pursual of opportunities. There are amazing experiences waiting out there, but you must discover them.

As a high school senior I worked very hard. As a result, I was often very worried that no matter how hard I tried, it would not be good enough. If I could go back and tell my high school self one thing, it would be not to stress so much. In my senior year it seemed like every small problem would be the end of the world. Of course today the world is still intact. Back then the most I had to worry about was my grade in history class or a track meet. This year, in the past semester alone, I juggled a part time job, an extracurricular poetry group, and management of a non-profit organization with being a full time student. There were times when I didn't believe I could get everything done. But I managed and did so knowing that if I failed at one thing the world would not crash into the sun. Today I know the only person I can let down is myself. And I know that if I tried my absolute best, then I can only be proud of what I achieved.

I would tell myself to get involved more and be very active on campus. Also I would make sure I would get more involved with clubs and activities that can build my resume. Also to get a had start on school work and to make sure that I dont fall behind in any classes and get help when needed because there are so many people that are willing to help you out! I would also tell myself not to be shy and explore all the opportunities and career fairs that are available on campus!

Assuming I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would tell myself is to relax and enjoy the next four years because they will without a doubt be the best four years of your life! Not only will you build an educational foundation that will last you the rest of your life, but you will meet many people and will make connections that will last a lifetime. Sure, you'll miss family and friends when you move to campus, but don't spend too much time wishing you were back home because there's a whole new world out there waiting for you to experience it. Don't go crazy trying to do everything all at once, but learn how to prioritize activities and get involved! Getting involved and trying out many activities doesn't mean you can go easy on your studying though. Give it your all with your studies! Some classes will be easier then others, but all will contribute to your personal knowledgebase which you will find yourself tapping into years after you graduate.

If I could go back to my high school, I would tell myself not to judge my peers too harshly. Even those that were mean to people, made fun of you, or fooled around in class, I now realize that people change when they get to college. It seems as though these peers of mine were just stuck in certain roles in high school that they were afraid to branch off of and be more friendly; but almost all of these peers of mine have turned into mature young adults that I can respect. More importantly, after being stressed my first year of school, I would say to "not stress the small stuff". One less hour of sleep, or one B+ instead of an A is not going to be the end of the world. Life is just too short not to see that one movie, lend that shoulder to your one friend who needs it to cry on, tell that one special someone just how much they mean to you. If you really let go, you will find you can stay healthy, make lasting friends, and excel academically if you just have faith in your own ability.

When I first started college I was nervous. They tell you so many things about how college is totally different from high school, but I have found out it really isn't. The professors really do care if you show up to class or not and they are really helpful when it comes to work. However, the work load in college is way bigger than it was in high school. So I would tell myself just to space things out and give myself time to do my work. It can get pretty complicated trying to balance a part time job and college so I would tell myself to make sure to take at least one day off a week to get my work done.

From what I know now based upon my college experience, I would tell myself in high school to prepare to be extremely busy with school work. I would tell myself to make the college transition quickly and to get on top of my school work as soon as possible. My engineering courses in my first semester of college weren't easy tasks to complete. I would definitely inform myself about this because so that I may do better in my courses. I'm not disappointed in myself with what I have achieved and done in my first semester of cellege so far. If I did have a chance to go back and talk to my senior self, then I would basically change minor things and try to improve my study and work skills for my college life. But most of all, I would tell myself to have fun and to enjoy the experience even more than now because my college life only comes around once and I would want myself to make the most of it.

Having gone through my first semester at college I would go back and tell myself to relax and to take things as they come. It is extemely important to understand that everybody is in the same situation and have been exposed to a new environment outside of their comfort zone. It is very much a learn as you go experience, and while meeting other people everybody helps eachother and you begin to learn from one another. It becomes a much more stressful transition when one is overwhelmed and trying to make everything work at once. I would also go back and tell myself how to manage my time. Being thrown straight into classes and learning a study method that woks for you does take some time, but everyone will learn in their own time what works for them. Going to college is learning experience for everybody, but going in with the right attitude wll help make the transition period much easier.

If I could go back in time I would give myself the best advice possible. First I would definitely have to emphasize the fact that no one in college really knows exactly what they want to do after college when they are only in there first year. I would tell myself to really research different jobs that interest me and try to talk to professionals who were in those careers. Also perhaps the most important piece of advice I would have to give myself would be to apply for as many scholarships as possible because now that I am in college I realize that it is not cheap. I would say that senior year of high school is not the time to slack off becasue there are other students working as hard as possible to achieve their goals. I might also have to punch my past self for being so lazy and not doing more work with all of my free time.

As a high school senior I had no idea what kind of a transition the transition to college would be like. I had been away to camps before and I thought the adjustment would be somewhat similar, but I was totally wrong. I really didn't know how much I would miss my family until I was actually away from them for two months. So I think preparing myself emotionally to be away from my family would be the start because there is no one in the world who cares about you more than your family. By starting there I would also let myself know about the academics differences between high school and college. The first thing is you can not fall behind becuase once that happens there is almost no way of catching up. Reading is also big in college and although most of the reading is not required I would strongly suggest reading everything that is assigned to read because it greatly helps with homework assignments and tests. Going to class is also important because I am paying for each class and they're expensive and falling behind isn't recommended if you want to succeed in college.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, the advice that I would give myself is carefully analyze. With this being said, I would seek counsel, make the best decision and pursue the career with perseverence. I was not totally aware of the full purpose for highschool counselors. As a matter of fact, my counselor approached me and put me out there in the college world. I would have talked to my counselor sooner instead of being extra timid and to myself. I am glad he identified the matter though. I had too short of a notice to decide which of the 3 colleges I would like to attend in my transitioned area. I would have made a better plan than regarding the college of my choice. I would have visited the site before attending. I would have gotten affiliated with the college school status. Making the best decision would have carried me a long way. It would cause me to have the driven energy to attend college non-stop. It would encourage me to stay abrupt in my studies. Decision making is a touch of wisdom. I am purposed minded that a winned never quits!

As you are challenged by new experiences throughout your college experience, one must remember to remain confident in his or her abilities, creativity, and ethics. Allow yourself to experience the world wisely, and never be intimidated by a new professor or a lesson. When you talk to new people, speak confidently. When you are confronted with conflicts, react calmly. When you are exploring new subject matter, remain courageous. Most importantly, do not lose sight of your goals. Do whatever interests you, and never let an opportunity pass unexplored. Opening every door in your path leads to many possible journeys. Give yourself a chance and enjoy every moment.

If I could go back in time, I will tell myself to read more books. In college there are so many textbook readings for each class that sometimes there is not enough time to read for pleasure. If I read more in high school, I can improve the pace I read, improve my vocabulary and most importantly just reading for fun. Although some of the texts I read in college are interesting, sometimes having the time to read a juicy mystery book will provide a variation and thrill while I read. Now that time is limited in college, it's really hard to find excess time to just sit back and read. If I read more in the past, I will probably read at a faster pace and save time to do things that I enjoy.

As easy or as clich? as it may sound, the best piece of advice any high school senior needs to hear is only three words long. After completing my first semester at Syracuse, I have realized that these three words are the key to getting A?s in college. ?Keep working hard?, no joke. Many people think they are going to goof around in high school and then once they get to college, where the grades ?count? for the real world and getting a job, they will start doing work. If only it were that easy. To me, education is cumulative and it begins the moment you absorb your first piece of knowledge. If you do not develop study habits or good work ethics, you can?t just change that once you get to college. It takes years. Those who didn?t do well in high school or thought it was acceptable to not do work because they were seniors, are struggling now. I always asked myself why I worked so hard until the day I graduated, but now I know. The study habits I developed throughout my entire education are what have made my transition into college education seamless.

Dear Catherine, I hope you are having a fun and exciting senior year! I've been able to look into the near future and provide you with valuable advice for the quicly approaching tranisition from high school to college, so listen up! Do not worry about making friends, it will happen naturally. Make yourself available and be open minded to the menagerie of opportunities that will be out there. Get involved! You'll learn more about yourself and what you stand for by surrounding yourself with new and exciting activities or events. Network, network, network! Whether it be socially, academically, profesionally, start building connections at all levels. They may come in handy at any stage of life! Lastly, use this experience not only to pursue your passion for education but to explore. Audit classes you've always been interested in, and to reinforce a previous statement, GET INVOLVED! Good luck, you'll be great! Sincerely, Catherine

Do not expect anything because if you do, you are setting yourself up for a huge disappointment. First of all, when applying to colleges make sure you actually could see yourself at those schools and don?t just apply to them because they are so-called ?good schools? or because a search engine told you it was a good match for you. Do all of your research ahead of time and figure out what it is you actually want to get out of the college experience. Don?t just apply because somebody told you it had a good program for whatever field you want to go in, but take location, weather, social life and the distance away from home and friends into consideration. Once you have chosen the right school for you don?t expect the transition to be easy, even if you are used to being away from home. Be open to new people and personalities and don?t be scared to break out of your comfort zone, especially if you are doing the college experience on your own. Finally, although it may seem like it at the time, parties aren?t the only place to meet new people.