Brianna
The most important thing to remember is that college is not as scary as you think it is. At Syracuse University, there will be people who want to make sure that your transition to college goes as smoothly as possible. Don't be nervous either: you will make good friends, who will become just as special to you as the ones you've left behind. Be sure to join a club or two when you arrive: clubs are a good way to meet new people who are interested in the same things as you, plus you get to put on all the fun events Syracuse holds. Make a point to sift through the course catalogs from all the schools on SU, so you can experiene all types of subjects when choosing courses (you might even find you want to minor in a few!). Don't forget that you can only do college once, so whenever there's an event going on, go to it. Whenever there's a class that interests you, take it. Do anything you want without regrets, because this is the one time you can. Lastly, pack an extra coat, because it is cold as hell.
Belinda
When choosing a university, remember this is the next four years of your life. You should enjoy every minute and choose the school you want to go to, not the one that seems the most logical or one with the cheapest tuition. Don't think of these next four years as time to endure too, make every possible effort to have fun, learn, and grow!
Albert
The biggest piece of advice I would give myself is buckle down and really study a lot more than you already do, college courses are no joke and must be taken seriously
Matthew
In order to ensure a successful transition from high school to college, the advice that I would go back in time and give myself is to keep an open mind and be welcome to change. This is because in high school I was in a very familiar setting and so I was always comfortable, but upon initially entering college I was in a completely different setting which brought about a lot of discomfort. I did not want to accept the change in my life, and so in the first couple weeks of the semester I was very quiet and not welcoming to the plethora of people I met. Eventually I was able to develop a comfort zone and through time I grew to love the school and all of my newly acquired friends. However, I lost a considerable amount of opportunities within the couple months of school, including creating friendships and joining various clubs and organizations. This is why I would give myself the advice to keep an open mind and be welcome to change, so that I would be able to make the transition from high school to college more easily.
Tatiana
If I could go back in time to my high school self and tell myself what something about college life, the most important thing I would say to myself is not to worry so much about my social life and worry more about my studies. As a high school student I mostly hung out with friends and did the marching band but I was ok in my studies,but that would of been something that I should of been able to work on so I could apply for scholarships for school. I would also tell myself that college life is very much different from high school life because all the work is on me and I can't screw up because if I do it's my fault and not to pay attention to my social life, I could talk to my high school self.
James
I can definitely attest to the stresses of high school life. For me personally, I was so caught up in college visits, interviews, AP exams, and other obligations that I easily overlooked things I probably shouldn't have. At the time, the application process for college seemed mundane and rather useless-- the prompts were broad and generalizing questions about who I was and who I wanted to be. I always hated them because I just didn't know the answers or what I was writing felt forced. However, looking back on it, I don't think I truely appreciated what those applications did for me. I never noticed that some of the prompts were as much for me as they were for the schools I was applying to. Those questions prodded me to develope an identity, to find out who I really was. If I could do it again I would really embrace some of those applications and really try to get a grip on what they are driving at. It's only dawned on me now that what those applications wanted were what I should have been doing all along.
Amanda
Hindsight is always 20/20. I know now that room mates are not suppose to cause stressful situations and that is one thing that I would tell myself as a hogh school senior. Don't sweat the small stuff. I have had bad room mate experiences twice now and I worried that I would have this porblem as a senior in high school. However, now I know that I cannot sweat the small stuff because I cannot control it. i cannot control my room mate entering the room at 2 AM and turning the lights on, waking me. I cannot control the constant chatter and webcam conversations that my room mate participates in with no courtesy to my need for silence. Thus, I would tell my high school senior self to prepare for annoying things that are going to happen and that my temper needs to be kept in line when little annoying things build up.
Cordell
Save your money. College overall is very expensive venture. Get a little part time job that will afford you the opportunity to spend shrewdly.
Kaitlin
Assuming I could go back I would change so many things. As a high school sophomore I chose to accept a full scholarship to play soccer at Syracuse University. It was the first and only school I considered. At the time it sounded like a dream come true because I wanted to attend a big school in a big city. Come to find out as I went through school, soccer was not for me but I pushed my way through because I knew it was the only way to attend Syracuse financially. I was cut from the soccer team my Junior year, left with nothing. If I could go back I would choose not to play soccer and focus on my academics. Soccer caused me a lot of stress and took away the focus I needed to have on my academics. Now I need to graduate with a certain GPA in order to follow my dream of becoming a nurse. I wish I could have known what I do now when I decided to take the full scholarship, but I am prepared to take every obstacle as a lesson. I wish to stay there and get the degree I deserve.
Natalie
"STOP WORRYING! You're future is set at the Syracuse University School of Architecture, so there is no need to freak out. Don't let the little things get to you." This is the one piece of wisdom I would give to myself as a high school senior. It is something I still need to tell myself now and then. In high school, I was so scared about the prospect of leaving home without knowing what the future would hold. That painfully shy person, who sometimes creeps out of the deep inner workings of myself, wanted to curl up into a ball and stay home for just a few more years. I was never comfortable with standing up in front of a crowd to make a presentation. Knowing full well that I was going to architecture school, in which I would have to make presentations in front of peers and professors every week, did not help that shy, unfamiliar person in me. "There is nothing to be afraid of! Everyone looking at you and your presentation is there to help you. They have to go through the same thing so stop worrying. You'll do fine." I'm so wise!
Brenna
While you may be nervous and homesick your first year of college, one thing to remember is that everyone is feeling the same way. The first couple weeks will be tough, especially if it is your first time away from your family and friends for a significant amount of time. A suggestion of mine would be to go out and try to find organizations or extra-curricular activities that you enjoy. Not only will you have something to keep your mind off of being away from home, but you will meet other students with the same interests as you. One big regret that I have is not becoming more involved in clubs my freshman year. Another tip that I have is to keep the door to your room open, while you are inside of course, the first few weeks of school. It shows that you are approachable and as people walk by, they will likely poke their head in and say hi. It is a great way to meet people on your floor. Finally, do not change who you are and what your morals are just to fit in. Your true friends will appreciate you no matter what.
Kara
Have faith in yourself. You?ll do fine and make friends but the time you have is what you make of it so if you want something, go on and do it. Don?t be so afraid of what ?could? happen that ?could? could turn out to be something really good but you never know until you try. Read everything because it will pay off in the end, and don?t slack off the second semester just because you did fine during the first one. Trust your knowledge and take every opportunity to learn more.
Amy
I would tell my self not to stress outquite as much. I found the college search very stressful because i wanted to find the perfect school for me. one of the biggest stress factors for me was the cost. I almost didn't apply to the school i attend now because of how much tuition was and how long the application was. I'm so glad i didn't listen to my parents about the cost because in the end the expensive private schools are the ones with the money to help you out financially. I'm also glad i put in the extra effort to apply to all the schools i was considering, even though there were a lot of them. so overall i would just tell myself to keep working hard and get through senior because college is a blast and you'll love it!
Jessica
I would let myself know that it's not worth it to stress wondering about whether I'll be able to make friends and fit it. I do! There are so many people at college that everyone can find a special place for themselves. There is something for anyone and everyone that will make them feel happy and at home. I would tell myself to just enjoy my last year and my last summer at home. Savor your last moments with your friends and family. I owe a lot to them, but college is a time to branch out and really find your niche. It will feel weird at first, but there is no doubt that you'll eventually get to a point when you are totally conent and comfortable.
Yifeng
First, I would tell myself not to be too focused on one single subject and spend more time on various subjects. I used to study intensively in only one subject. Now I understand that knowledge in a broad area is more helpful than proficiency in single subject, because with experience in a variety of subjects, I am more likely to discover my real interests, which is crucial to me to decide a major in college and a career in life. I cannot afford wasting one or two semesters before I finally find the subject I want to focus on.
Second, I would tell myself not to care too much about grades. In high school, the education is exam-oriented, which means everything I did was supposed to help me get good grades on my college entrance exams. Consequently, I mistakenly thought that getting good grades was my ultimate goal. My college experience tells me that studying is an enjoyable thing, not suffering. If all I care about are my grades, I would never have the courage to take challenging courses that might negatively affect my grades. Thus I would never feel the happiness and the thrill of exploring unfamiliar fields.
Laura
I would tell myself to just relax. The transition wasn't nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. I did transition well into college and made many new friends. I had been very worried before I left for college about what would happen when I got there, but everything ended up being fine and I absolutely love it now. I would also tell myself to enjoy the process while I can, because it only happens once in a lifetime. There is only one time in my life where I apply to college for the first time, choose which one I want to attend, and then actually go for the first time. Finally, I would remind myself to stop worrying so much and just have fun because that is what college is supposed to be.
Lauren
Though I am still relatively new to the college lifestyle, I have transitioned into a completely different environment than what I was previously accustomed to. If I could tell myself what I have now learned, it would be this: in college (as in life), you only get what you give! I would tell myself not to expect any academic or social achievements to be given to me. Just as you cannot earn an A without putting any work into a class, you cannot make friends without putting yourself out there and being open to meeting new people - and trust me, college holds so many amazing new people to meet. Whether you are close to home or entering school not knowing a soul, make sure you put effort into all that you do, and that effort will be well worth it. Also, trust me when I say that college academia is much more demanding than high school, yet much more intellectually challenging and well worth it. Lastly...get excited! It's true what they say, these are some of the best years of your life.
Stephanie
The first thing I would say would be "don't expect to make best friends right away" I personally trusted girls too much whom I called my 'best friends' and ended up getting hurt. Make sure to be very open and talk to lots of people in your classes, education comes first so make sure to have a study buddy in class that way you can at least always have someone to talk to. College is emotionally challenging and it's nice to always have someone there.
Kayla
If I could go back in time and have a discussion with myself as a high school senior, I would give myself advice about making friends, balancing time wisely and tips for doing well in classes. I am fairly shy and introverted when it comes to meeting new people, so I would make sure to tell myself to step out of my comfort zone and try hard to make conversation with new people in classes and be the first to introduce myself. This will help me to make friends outside of those who live on my floor. I would make sure that I understood how important it was to balance time with friends, time for homework, and time for myself. In order to be happy, successful and stress-free, it is important that I balance my time wisely. I would make sure that I understood that in order to do well in class, it is important to read the textbook and study a bit every night instead of waiting until the night before a big exam to cram in loads of information. Lastly, I would assure myself that taking naps is still okay, even when you're in college.
Tiffany
If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would say: "You know, Tiffany, you should really take the time to apply for more shcolarships! I know you really don't like to write essays and all, but the time you have to take to write those essays is far shorter- and cheaper- than the time it will take you to pay back those terrible student loans. Oh! The thousands you will save!! Your cousin got enough scholarships to get all the way through college, and I know you are smart enough to do the same. Please hear my plea and take action! You will be so thankful that I pressed the issue! Now get started. Some of the essays are actually fun. I'll be seeing you in the mirror.
Don't procrastinate!"