The Evergreen State College Top Questions

Knowing what I know now I would say, "There is no way for you to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18. Take it slow and talk to a college advisor to make sure you sign up for classes that transfer. Show up for class. How dependable you are matters even in class because even though you don't get suspended for skipping you are going to miss something important. When you come to class don't be late and don't dress like a bum. Your professors can be a good source of information and you may need them for a recommendation later. Make lots of new friends. Friends in general are good for your psychosocial well being but they can also make getting through college a little easier. They can be your 'study buddy' or even a foot into the door for career opportunities. Lastly, be confident. Being confident means you have to know what are talking about; so study and speak up when you know the answer and get people to pay attention to you. Your greatest asset is just to be yourself."

If I had the opportunity to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have no advice to give in regards to the transition into college life. Certainly, there are other paths I could have taken, but at the moment, I feel as though I am on the path that is best for me. All that could have been advised is to "work diligently," but of course, I already knew that. The best aspect of life is the journey where you figure out who you are meant to be and what you are meant to do.

I would tell myself that a gap year [a year off between high school and college] is seriously underrated. The time to sit back and really think about how you want to go about advancing your future is something that I cannot emphasize enough. I've found that it's harder to motivate myself right out of high school because it's just "more of the same," whereas if you've taken time off to work or volunteer, you're refreshed and better able to focus and learn.

Dear Me. Please work as hard as you can. You will be learning, changing your mind, and discovering your true passions, and no one expects you to have it all figured out the first day of class. This process takes many years. You are a consumer of your education, so expect a lot of your faculty, your school, and yourself. Only with high expectations can you get the most out of this experience. Please don't let competitiveness get in the way of true learning. Work with your friends and peers. Share your skills, talents, and support, so that you all may grow into wiser human beings. Take every opportunity to use your learning in the real world, and have an open, flexible mind that allows you to realize that you may be wrong a lot of the time, and the grace to accept that there often are no right answers. Please educate yourself on life's necessities: filing taxes, navigating health care, job searching, etc. and know that there are many more resources available to you than it may appear. Use these resources and find mentors and advisors that you feel close to and that inspire you.

Do well in high school, just because you can go to a community college no matter your gpa, doesn't mean you shouldn't do well and apply to a 4 year university. It's such a different experience, dorm life, living on campus, being a freshman... take school seriously and apply yourself. And travel!

Save money by going to a community college first and then transitioning into a 4 year school. It doesn't sound as fun, but in the long run you will not regret saving money and reducing your end-of-college debt.

Do something over the summer besides laying in bed and eating pop tarts. Find a summer job or learn a new language, just keep active in some way so that when you get to college in the Fall all the hecticness of choosing classes and running to instructors won't seem so bad. Learn to budget. School costs money and if you have anything left after paying for your Fall qaurter hold on to it like a life line. Things happen in college that aren't expected and at the worst possible time. Your computer crashes completely, and your cell phone just broke, by the way your paper is due in a week and you have no money to get your stuff fixed or buy the books you need for the assignment. Things happen, just try to be prepared.

I would tell myself to relax and go with my feelings, because I will truely make the best decision and choose the college with the right fit for me. I would also stress the importance of money. Saving money and getting as much financial aid as possible.

Enjoy the quiet while it lasts. Stock up on cigarettes before you leave because A. you won't be cutting back and B. cigarettes are expensive in Washington. Get a summer job sooner or you will be broke. Spend more time with your sister. Don't get in a fight with anyone less then a month before you leave. Go to the dentist sooner so you don't have to cavities filled right before you leave - yes you indeed have your first cavities. You're right, don't take your keyboard, you will be living in a shoebox. Enjoy good meat and fresh vegetables/fruit while you can - you won't see it for a while. It will be tempting but don't spend all your money on booze, you will want that money for real food (i.e. not cafeteria food) later. Keep your heart open, you will change your idea of what you want to do.

I would tell myself to take some time off before going to college and get adjusted to the costs of living. I say this because college is very expensive and it is hard to acknowledge these costs while your attention is on your studies. This is important to note especially is you're pulling out loans or credit cards. It is really difficult to understand how quickly interest adds up, but it sure does in a hurry. So, I would say to myself: Scott, take a vacation and figure out exactly what you want for higher education. Then I would tell myself to act on his meditations.