Texas Christian University Top Questions

Dear age 17 Courtney, as you start your senior year, work your absolutle hardest on everything. Don't blow off team practices, term papers, friends, or school events just because you are a 'senior' and you are too 'cool' for those things. In a year, you will miss many things about high school. Work as hard as you can, and never give up on your dreams. When situations get tough, stick it out and hold on until you are able to grasp success. Please, Courtney, work hard and appreciate everything, because before you know it, it will all be over. Love, Age 18 Courtney

"Ryan, Ryan...pay attention" I would say. I would take whatever book I was reading in the back of the classroom and tell myself to pay attention. I didnt understand math, I was too smart for literature classes, and all of my foreign language teachers had emotional problems. I would tell myself to straighten up and to take all AP classes, take as many math and science classes as possible and prepare yourself for the future instead of day dreaming about it.

Entering college is one of the greatest opportunities you will ever have in life. It is important to adequately prepare for the next four years to the best of your ability. To begin, remember you are going to college to get an education. Contrary to the movies, college is not just a big party. You and your parents will be paying large sums of money to attend this school. Although there are times to make friends and be social, your priority is learning. Remember, you get out of college what you put into it so be prepared to work hard. Approach classes with the attitude that you are interested in the topic even if you aren't. Trust me, it makes the class go by much more smoothly and often you will get a better grade. Although I am centering on academics, it is equally important to find a supportive friend group. I encourage you to create community within your dorm. Find a close group of friends and stick with them. Be open and willing to try new things, even if you don't really want to. At college you have a new slate, so make the most of it!

"Advise to A High School Senior"

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would advise myself to focus only on school, apply to many scholarships, and be sure what path I want for the future. First, I would tell myself to focus only in school. I would tell me to work harder to get all A’s, bring up my GPA, and score higher on the SAT and ACT. I would also suggest to myself to get involve in an extracurricular activity like a club, community service, maybe a sport. The reason behind all of this: scholarships. I would also tell myself to apply for scholarships. College is expensive and unless one is rich, it’s going to hurt someone’s pocket. Tuition, books, materials, and travel expenses are high even if it is a community college. Finally, I would tell myself to be sure what it is I want to study. Knowing what one wants to do will help reduce the cost of school. For example, one would be sure what classes needs to be taken for a certain degree and won’t waste time and money in an unnecessary class.

Dear high school me.. you are about to start the journey of a lifetime! Here are 5 pieces of advice you HAVE to know before you get to Texas.. 1. Nobody cares who was a cheerleader, prom king, or valedictorian! There are hundreds of them here! You can do whatever you want and be whoever you want, so take advantage of that and don't be intimidated. 2. Find friends who will challenge you. You will want friends who want you to do your best in classes and friends who challenge you to live out your values. 3. Join a sorority! These girls will be your backbone and help you through anything. However, don't chain yourself just to them.. make sure you befriend girls in other sororities. They have different values and this will help you expand your own. 4. Do not be afraid of failing. You are going to fail that first chemistry exam.. it is not the end of the world! Even the smartest people in the world fail. Persevere and know that you can do this! 5. When things get tough..call your mom. She knows best and will calm you down! Sincerely, College You

Given the opportunity to speak with my much younger self as a high school senior, I would tell him one thing, “Embrace the journey.” Many would wonder why not tell young me about the years of bad jobs, successes, heart breaks, and failures? Wouldn’t you like to save yourself all that time and fast forward? And I would say no. Though I now attend Texas Christian University, I have masters from the School of Life with a specialization in Hard-Knocks. It is not a class one attends, it is on the job training at its fullest. Young me has already begun working toward his black belt in the martial art of Tong IL Lo, and sees himself becoming a great master instructor one day. But I know what challenges he is going to face, how those change him, and where they lead him. I remember him chasing the wind. The hindsight I have allows for a different perspective young me has not earned the right to know, and will not some time. So still you ask, why not save the young one from such a hard lesson? Simple, spare him the lesson, and we never meet our wife.

Dear you, These past four years have definitely been a journey, and the path will continue after you cross the stage. Congratulations on your achievement, scholarships, and recognitions. However, this is just the beginning! As you prepare for college, understand that reaching for your dreams, and working towards success doesn't just stop because you've made it to college. It begins once you enter! College will be the most fulfilling opportunity of your life, not just because of the higher education that you will gain, but for the friends, experiences, interests, and passions you will receive on the way. The transition going into college will be different from anything you've experienced before because college is different from anything you've experienced before. You'll learn new things, what career interests and makes you happy, and most of all: you will discover your true self! Promise that you will allow yourself to experience all of it. It will be so worth it! Stay focused, be persistent and bold, laugh a lot, be open, make connections that will last a lifetime, and spend every second making the value of this educational experience priceless! -The Future

Get involved in something immediately. If you don't, then it gets harder to make friends.

Last's are the most important in life. A first can shape your life, but in my opinion that last's are what you really learn from. The last's are what happens right before your consciousness changes the way you think, feel and do presently. It's the true moment of clarity and realization that there's an alternative to what was previously taking place.