The College of New Jersey Top Questions

The one thing I was ask my past self to do is work on time management. The moment you master time management the stress you have will immediately decrease. Time management gives you the opportunity to focus on certain aspects in more depth which will lead you to performing to your fullest ability and be successful.

The advice I would give myself is to have a right balance of fun and studying. While I was at TCNJ, academics was extremely important to me. I am very proud of my accomplishments at TCNJ; however, I would have liked to have told myself that college is also a time to explore myself at a time in my life where I would have less responsibility. I would have liked to tell myself that I will grow and change during college, so be open to the progress I will make, even if it seems scary at the time. Although I made my decisions in college based off academics, I wish I could go back and tell myself to also make decisions out of adventure: to study abroad, even if it might mean I graduate a little late! College is a time to grow into the person I will be in the future, so enjoy every moment and remember to be balanced between academics and fun.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell myself to be ready to be a little stressed out. As a college student, it is your own responsibilty to do your work and to remain on task, there is no one there to wake you up for class if you miss your alarm, and you have to learn how to truly take care of yourself on your own. It may sound scary, and it may be scary for the first couple of weeks when you start college, but after a while you start to enjoy the freedom and appreciate that you are learning how to take care of yourself without the help of your family. Another big thing is keeping your friends from home. It is going to be difficult to stay in touch with everyone from high school, but if you really want to stay friends, put forth the effort and see if it's reciprocated. If not, it's going to be ok, you WILL make new friends at college and those friends are going to be the ones that stay in your life forever. Just enjoy the experience that college brings and be yourself. You'll do amazing.

Relax. Never let anyone tell you to decide right now-- where to go to college, where to live when you “grow up,” or what you want to do for the rest of your life. Relax. You’re not supposed to know. You’re young; life is exciting. Choose a field that interests you. You will lose interest and change your mind a time or three. You’ll gain interest in things you didn’t know existed. You will cram and regurgitate myriad facts. You will become independent, self-sufficient, organized, and responsible. You will coexist with others. You will make and lose friends, develop new interests and hobbies, and you will have a blast. Learn things and love things. Get frustrated, but don’t call it quits; you’ll be proud to come out a graduate. It won’t be easy to land that first job. You will tell yourself you wasted time and money. You didn’t. Though, you never did learn to be patient. Good things will come. You worked for it, earned it, and deserve it. Your brain will be stuffed, you will know extraordinary individuals, and you’ll have had the time of your life.

Listen to me Thomas STUDY , know matter how hard it is focus in class and understand the things your teachers say because without those lessons the books you read won't mean a thing .

I would definitely invest time in applying to many schools that you think would be a good fit for your goals. Apply to as many scholarships as you can, because the more you apply, the better chance you have of getting one. Perhaps even more importantly, apply to all the small scholarships. A lot of people go for the "big wins", which leaves less competition for the smaller denominations. Once you've chosen your school, research clubs and other extracurricular activities available. Also, look ahead at classes you may be taking later on in your Junior or Senior year, as well as research and internship opportunities. This type of research will help you get excited for going away, which is often a difficult time for someone who has never been away at home. Also, contact any roommates you have well before move-in. This way you can get acquainted and maybe start forging a friendship before you even really meet! Lastly, I would advise being open and willing to join in once you get to school. It's intimidating being plopped into a new environment, but if you embrace it, you will be having a blast in no time!

The entire idea of college is daunting. Moving away from home in order to start a new life, complete with new friends, new rooming situations, new rules, is enough to stress even the most adaptable high schooler. Unfortunately for high school me, I hated change. While very few people actually enjoy change, I felt an especially nervous hatred towards moving on, moving away from everything that I had ever known. After actually undergoing all of these changes, though, I have one simple piece of advice for my past self: relax. Everything is going to be absolutely fine. The College of New Jersey doesn't plunge you into the adulthood it creates of being alone and fully making your own choices for the first time. At least, not alone. The first week, Welcome Week, introduces you to other fresh-faced, equally scared members of your class. Through this you form friendships, plenty of friendships, ones that you know will withstand the test of freshman year as you maneuver this new era of your life. These friendships will help you through all of the difficulties you face freshman year, from rigorous classes to social embarrassments to emotional strife. So go on - relax.

The best possible advice I could give to a high school version of myself would be that everything works out in the end and to not stress about what is not in your control. As a high school senior my heart would stop when I checked the mail for college decisions. Georgetown University—my dream school since I was a child—had sent me a thin envelope. I did not have a spot in the Georgetown Class of 2017. I felt as though everything I had worked for had been wisped away. I elected to enroll at a public school close to my home.It turned out that the institution I elected to attend wasn’t a good fit after all, so I applied to transfer. As it all worked out, I will be joining the Georgetown Class of 2017 this fall. I wish I could tell my senior-self that working hard and determination are my strongest traits and to trust those traits. My rejection from not only Georgetown, but from other colleges it sparked in me a desire to work harder, be better, and to prove those colleges wrong. And I did prove those schools wrong.

Dear High School Self, First of all I want to say, college life is much different than it is on TV. You're going to be entering TCNJ during the middle of the school year and I'm not going to to lie, it's going to be hard to make friends. Keep studying and doing good in school. You're teachers won't all be amazing so you might have to work a little extra to keep up your grades, but don't go crazy studying. Make sure you take time to live your life. College is going to be stressfull, but you will get through it. Word of advice, don't wait for the night before a paper is due to write it. It's no fun. You break out in a rash and it's not good for us. You haven't made any new friends yet, but put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to be yourself. I am so proud of you and who you are becoming. I know you'll do great during the next 4 1/2 years of college. Truly yours, Future Self P.S. Live life to the fullest!

If I could go back in time to talk with myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that college is extremely difficult, but also rewarding because you learn so much in such a short amount of time. People on campus are really nice. Professors are willing to help you and make sure you go to their office hours if you're having difficulty with anything. Your peers, for the most part, will be easy to get along with, and friends can be made quickly and almost effortlessly. Always try to have someone you know in all your classes so if you don't understand something or you want to study with someone, you won't be alone or feel awkward asking a classmate something. Studying is important, but remember to have fun so you don't burn yourself out because, in college, it is a lot easier to burn out faster if you never give yourself a break.

Given the chance to go back in time and better prepare for my college experience, I would advise myself to become more involved on campus from the start of the school year. I was hesitant to join clubs on campus in the beginning of my first semester at college because I worried that I wouldn't be welcomed. However, I was completely mistaken. As I slowly took the time to meet more people, I realized that everyone on campus was extremely outgoing and greeted new faces with warm smiles. It took a while for me to realize this but as soon as I did, I joined Student Government, the Leadership Development Program, Secondary Educators Club and Zeta Tau Alpha and was on track to a well rounded college experience. Having realized that I could have expereinced a better start to my college career, I would advise not only myself, but any other high school senior to become involed in clubs or activities as soon as possible, to ensure a wonderful college experience.

Remember that the process of finding the “right-fit” college is about you. Remember that in college you will get to explore, see what you’re good at, and what you like to do. Remember that these years will be hard, but that you will learn more than you could ever imagine. Remember to never give up. Remember that you will be the best teacher you can be regardless of what school you attend; you were meant to do this. Remember to not let anyone else’s opinions of you get in your way. Remember to stand up for what you believe in. Remember to smile, to laugh, and to focus on the good. Remember that one mistake, does not make you an unworthy person. Remember that the relationships you develop are priceless. Remember to call home! Remember to make your new campus home and to leave it better than you have found it. Remember to make a difference in someone’s life every day. Remember to be yourself. Remember to be thankful. Remember that you have a lot of things to remember every day; when one of these things slips your mind, remember to let yourself off the hook!

If I could go back in time as a high school senior, I would have allot of advice to give myself. First and foremost I would tell my self how to study more efficiently. As a college student it is very important to have a good study habit, because as student we have heavy work loads and it is easy to lose focus and not study correctly. With all the terminology you have memorize in college there is no other way but to create an efficient study plan and stay focused in your classes.

Dear younger self, Welcome to college. This is where you will have "cooler" experiences than those you have been craving, where you will meet amazing people and wonder how you ever lived without having met them earlier, and where you will discover more about yourself than you ever thought there even was to yourself. You are going to come across types of people you have never imagined before. Some people will show you different ways of thinking. Some people will inspire you to dream more and dream bigger. Some people will leave you with a bitter feeling. You have something to learn from each and every single one of these people, and you should listen to them-their beliefs, their stories, and their advice. You do not have to agree with them but do be grateful to them for taking time out to spend with you. Allow them to shape you for the better. So, stay shy, but be openminded. Stay confident, but allow new ideals to take root. Remember the home you have left behind, but open your mind to a new lifestyle and your heart to new friends. Above all, discover yourself and accept yourself. Best, Older Self

If I go back to advise my high school senior self about college life, I would say to be focused and study at least two weeks before a major exam because studying the day before will just make you a nervous train wreck! I wish I organized and planned my days ahead of time because I had missed out on a lot of cool events because I had to study. It is definitely possible to have a social life and to do great academically; you just have to be organized and focused. Also, be more open to things you never encountered; because if you don't, you will miss out on your college experience. College is about doing things you've never done back in high school and it's an opportunity to find out who you really are. Always remember, change for the better; not for worse!

It is often that I wonder what would have become of me if I were a little wiser when I was younger. There are not many things that I regret doing before college but I do believe that I could have spent my time more wisely. With the death of my mother still an open wound at the time, I would start off by telling myself that "everything is going to work out. But it will not be without a great deal of sacrifice and hard work. Although, I know that this is the last thing on your mind at the moment, it will all pay off in the long run. Pay attention to what your teachers are telling you, they actually know what they are talking about. Read more and do your homework already! I know that it is hard to believe that the pain will go away, but it will. And you WILL succeed. I promise. You are better than what you give yourself credit for. Just push yourself a little bit harder everyday and you will be on the road to happiness and success. Oh yeah, and start checking out scholarships... school is super expensive."

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself not to be so nervous to live away and attend college, that when you get there you will be embraced with open arms by a new community with supportive Professors and be introduced to life-long friends. It took me a while to get my footing and become outspoken, but once I did and began speaking out regarding my major of Nursing, it was a passion that could not be silenced. I have a passion for helping and advocating for others. In school I am now Executive Board Treasurer of TCNJ’s Student Nurses Association. At the State-level I am currently the elected Membership/Nominations Director on the Executive Board of our New Jersey State Nursing Students Association (NJNS), the NJ state branch of National Student Nurses Association (NSNA). As of February I was elected to the position of NJ State President. Also, I would share that when you find a passion, learning is fun! Academically I am at the top of my class, in the Delta Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International and a member of TCNJ’s Golden Key International Honors Society.

Dear Nicole, I know you are getting a little nervous about going off to college, so here are a few things you should know to help you get the most out of your experience. First, do not worry about talking to your boyfriend every night. Spend time making friends with the people who will be in your life for the next 4 years. If the relationship is strong enough, it will survive even without constant contact. Second, get involved! I know a lot of clubs may seem corny, but it is a great way to meet people (and a way to network with people who can potentially help you find a job later). Third, do not be shy about your political beliefs. I know there are a lot of people who disagree with you, especially your professors, but their opinions are no better or worse than yours, so do not be intimidated. Fourth, you do not need to drink to make friends. I know it seems the only way to socialize with “normal” people is to get embarrassingly drunk, but this is not the case. Real friends are made sober. Lastly, have fun, these next 4 years will be great!

I applied to TCNJ early decision. When I visited, I fell in love with the beautiful campus, the proximity to home, and the price tag. Knowing what I know now, I would likely tell my high school self to consider some other schools more strongly. The main problem with TCNJ is the lack of nightlife or even daytime activities. While I love the size of the TCNJ campus, I think I would've liked to go to a school that was more athletically oriented. All in all, I don't regret my choice in coming here but I would've liked to consider some other schools before I committed to coming here.

I would tell myself to do more research on my potential major and talk to the school to learn more about the department. I would definately make sure I visit the school and participate in overnights so I can see exactly what the school is about and sit in on a few classes. I would map out the location of the school to see what is around, how I would be getting around. I would look at the student teacher ratio to make sure that the classroom sizes are reasonable. I would look at the student life to see how social the campus is. I would also look into the retention as well as the graduation rate of the school. I would finally look to see what percentage of the graduates get into their field after graduating.