Texas A & M University-Kingsville Top Questions

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, there is so much advice and information I would give myself about college life. I would first tell myself to socialize and treasure the friendships that I have made in high school. College comes with many transitions and friends are one of them. It is always good to stay in connect with friends because losing touch with someone just because of different colleges is not always easy. Being social in college also comes in handy for great relationships, friendships, and networking to getting into the workforce after college. Also, I would tell myself to put deep thought into what I want out of life and what I want to become after college. Although it is okay to change majors, it is also great to know from the beginning to get into the classes with your selected field. The third piece of advice I would give myself is to get into volunteering! It is good not only for others, but for yourself. There are so many benefits from giving your time to others. The feeling of knowing you are helping others is a great reward in itself.

Take as many college classes as possible and plan better for the cost of college.

If I could go back as a senior I would tell myself to prioritize things in my life more. There were some classes I took that I could have taken more seriously and applied myself more. There was also people in my life or activities, although important, I shorted myself effort because I gave them too much attention. I've learned that sometimes you have retake, redo and ask more questions. Learn from your mistakes and failures, they are going to happen. Let those times be a growing experience and move on. Living away from home is a transition, but be patient with yourself and others who are going through the same thing. It will be OK. Some dreams you will either have to let go of or redirect, but you will find your place in the world.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to try to continue school as soon as possible and as quickly as possible to achieve your educational goal. Attending college immediately and full-time, if possible is the best way to go, that way by the time you are 24 years old, like I am now, you could have already started your successful career. If you cannot attend full-time, still attend at least half-time and never give up!!

I would tell myself not to freak out about leaving home. It is tough, but I know that I have grown a lot and just because you aren't really living at home anymore doesn't mean that you aren't a part of your family. I'd also tell myself that yes, it is cool to have a computer to yourself and to have a lot of time on your hands, but do your homework first! Don't get caught up in the free time until you are ready for the next day. But most of all I'd tell myself that this is a very sweet time in your life so take advantage of it! Learn as much as you can, make as many friends as you can and just enjoy yourself. It's not going to be a horrible as you think it is. It's going to be an awesome journey.

I would tell them to pick the college that fits the student and not the parents. The student should go on a visit to the college of their choice to help them get a vibe of the surroundings and the people who are there. If you like smaller classes, look for a smaller university that has class in classrooms instead of lecture halls. Also if you know your major already, look for a college that has a terrific program in that area of study. When you get to college, make sure you keep your head on straight and dont get too wild. Most students make this mistake their first semester because they have heard so much about the college life like the partying and not going to class. Well if you do these things, you will figure out fast that it will mess up your grades and prevent you from graduating or even getting a good job. So it is alright to do alittle partying, but school should always come first before anything else.

The most important thing is to be honest with yourself about what your needs are and to research each and every aspect of a possible university. Parents need to understand that too. I started off at a huge university which was awesome as far as activities and such, but in the end it was so big that I got lost in the system. What I wanted and what was best for me were two different things. I think my mom knew, but she wanted me to follow my dreams and that particular university was the only place I had ever dreamed of attending so she supported me. After a year, I realized that I needed a different environment to succeed so I started to research places where I could be successful. In the end, I ended up at a much smaller college that offered me hands on learning in my desired area. It was the best decision I ever made but if I had been more realistic of my needs back then, I could have saved myself a lot of time and stress. Like I said, know your needs and do your research.

Search the college and the professors before you take any classes.

I would have to tell them that it?s important to go and visit find out as much as you can about the school the professors and the students. What I loved about mine was that just by walking through the campus I knew I belong there. As I walk I saw a variety of different people it was like everyone had a place there. I felt like it didn?t matter whether you where rich, poor, punk, or prep you were just accepted and I have to say I was right. Don?t be scared to make friends chances are the person sitting next to you is just as scared . Also make a network it?s important to make friends that specialize in something different than you at the beginning you wont notice how important this is but by the end of you will. So have fun and make the best of College it will be the best years of your life, be your self this is the time to try new things, be brave forget abut the past its a new beginning you can do with it whatever you want just be true to your self.

Make sure that the college the student picks is the one that he/she wants to go to and will most importantly feel at home because then when they get to their college they will be more at ease during school and not having a hard time finding new friends. Making the most of the college experience is important because it's an opportunity to make yourself who you want to be in your life, but have fun and also keep their minds on the books as well.