Troy University Top Questions

Be more grateful. Say thank you more, be kinder to people and appreciate them more. Time flies and while an education is important how you go about getting it is just as important. It’s the old saying that it doesn’t matter if you when the game if you cheated or won be other means. Fairness, kindness, and most importantly love is the answer to any questions that might arise. Love for you fellow man, love with patience in the times of anger and in rushing. Love is patience and love is blind, it is the best way to be. It is with love that the greats succeed and it is with the lack over that they fall. For what one victory was won alone? None. There is always someone cheering you on, telling you to get up when you think you can't go any further. It is with love that the greatest of battles the battles on the inside are won. So younger me, say thank you more, breathe in times of anger and let it go. You only get one family and they leave all too soon.

Dear Miss. Know-It-All, Listen to your mother. As a matter of fact, listen to your whole family. I love you with my entire being but, you do not have all of the answers. You are not Kanye West. There is absolutely nothing wrong with attending a community college. It was created for individuals just like yourself. No, it is not because you are black. It is because you are capable but not yet prepared for a four-year university. Do what is right for you. You cannot please the world and yourself at the same time. It's a good idea in theory but life just doesn't work like that. Kick butt for two years in community college then transfer to Troy. (Trust me.) You will need to be close to your ailing grandmother who raised you. Lastly, always remember this. You will have your entire 20s to party. Do not waste the most important year of your college career on boys, clubs, and nonsense. You only have one life, one future, one youth. Visualize the best versions of these blessings and turn them into realities. You can do it. Yourself, Sarina Henderson

Dear High School Senior Caitlin, Please do not ever stop applying for scholarships. The money is not always there. You want to get out of college debt free. There is money out there, so please keep looking for it. Also, don't give up on your job search, but you will eventually find jobs I promise you. Don't stress too much. Also, the friends you have as a freshman are not the friends you will have when you graduate, but that's okay. People are meant to be in your life for a set period of time and then they move on. What you actually need to do is let go of the friends you had in high school. Do not completely discount them, but do not hang onto them past the point of them wanting to be around you. It will only cause you heartache. Embrace new friendships. Embrace being a nerd, because it is a niche you have found yourself and while it won't get you any money (in fact, it'll help you spend some), it will make you some great friends and experiences. Sincerely, 22-year-old Caitlin

I would tell myself to plan my entire college course load right away. I would tell myself to plan ahead and stay focused. I would tell myself to get help and seek advice even when I do not need it. Tell myself college is not about making friends and hanging out. I would tell myself to stay focused about what I am doing, and remind myself why I'm attending college. Tell myself that my future is depended on me getting good grades and having a great GPA.

I would tell myself to relax; college is incredible. I would tell myself to, under no circumstances, take 8 o'clock morning classes. I would warn myself of on-campus one-ply toilet paper. I would tell myself to stay away from the cafeteria's pizza at least twice a week, and to instead grab an apple or a yogurt parfait (and I would tell myself that I will grow to love yogurt parfaits). I would tell myself to take obnoxiously detailed notes, even if I thought the information given was irrelevant in regards to the tests or exams. I would tell myself to enjoy the challenge of balancing working for money and working toward my degree. Most importantly, I would tell myself to learn with every opportunity I was given, and not to simply hold information until exam-day; instead, to take the information in and use it to better myself outside of the classroom as well.

I would advise my self not to be preasured by others and trying to live to their expectations. Take a little breather, do one school at a time not two while working. I would also advise to not let others decide your fate; be strong and find your own path. Finally assign yourself a goal every year to reach to that has nothing to do with school, work, or money. If you want to write a book then assign yourself that goal and do it, want to make a musical then do it, want to start a candle Ccompany THEN DO IT! Don't hesitate or try and watch life through a window. Go out there and just Live. Make mistakes, try something new, fall in love, but no matter what STOP LETTING OTHERS RUN YOUR LIFE, YOUR GOALS, AND YOUR FUTURE AND GO OUT A ENJOY YOUR LIFE YOURSELF; its the only one your going to get.

Assuming that I could have that much needed "sit down" with my nineteen year old self, I would most likely emphasize the following: There is an exponential curve when it comes to success, and nobody is going to clue you in. In a world fraught with the idea that everyone should win just for showing up, the reality is starkly different. Heading into college, you are already behind the curve and you are losing ground rapidly. I would look myself in the eyes, shake the fog and boredom out, and drive home this singular truth. No one cares about your success except you. And once you get into the real world, you're swimming with sharks. So take the time now to make mistakes, challenge yourself, and establish great (not good) habits in your academic, physical fitness, and social behaviors. At the end of the day, you don't need to go to that Tuesday night beer pong competition. You need to be looking five years ahead, and strategizing on how you can balance a good foundation while in college with the social pleasures of this amazing time.

As you finish your school year up. Forgive and forget and your enemies. They are just memories now. Remember your friends, but do not let them make decisions. Do not go to a university because they did. You are building your life now. Make sure you build your blocks square. You don't want an angle. They could slip off and break; living all your hard work in shambles. Begin to love coffee. Start to appreciate the meaning behind the ramen noodles you will prepare. A few years, ramen turn into linguini. Bills into profit. Get ready to discover yourself. The person you are now is only version 1.0. Upgrades will become available. Make sure download and fix the bugs. You are going to recieve lots of money. Make sure you keep it. The nicest car does not pay your rent. You can not eat it. Your student loans will still be there as you drive it, Basically, remember the good times, the laughs, and the education of high school. All the while prepare yourself for the changes, friends, and education will grow to love and miss once college comes to and end.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry so much about college choices. In high school, I was worried about which college I should attend and hadn't even figured out my major yet. Knowing what I know now, I would tell my high school self to go with my parents' suggestions, because they actually knew what they were talking about. College is a learning experience. You are supposed to use the experience to grow as an individual and find out what exactly you want to spend the rest of your life doing. If I hadn't come to Troy University, I don't know if I would have been as content with my career choice, or if I would have even figured it out as quickly as I did here. To my high school self: I cannot wait for you to get to Troy and live through all of the experiences that make you who you are today.

Tashema, I'm proud of you and all that you've achieved thus far, making the decision to attend college after high school is a smart choice. Although you're on a path to greatness there are a few things to keep in mind. You're a senior this year; therefore you should obtain as many scholarships as possible. College is very expensive. Along with tuition,your books will be pricey. I want you to remember to follow your heart. In college you will face a lot of peer pressure, but you must keep in mind to never put yourself in positions where you feel as though you have to negotiate your sense of integrity. It’s also necessary that I remind you to have faith in all of your abilities. On this journey there will be times when you feel like giving up. Passion and perseverance is needed for your long and short term goals. You have to develop a powerful backbone and maintain stamina in order to excel. I also want you to remember that there is no magic to achieving, nor is there a secret to success only hard work, choices and persistence. You can do it!

A word of advice I would give myself as a highschool senior about to attend college would be to get involved and be open minded. The best way to meet new people is by getting involved in a club or organization that coincides with your hobbies and interests. Another word of advice I would offer is be open minded. You meet a variety of people in college from all different backgrounds. Many will differ greatly from you, but by being open minded, you can learn so much from another person. By getting involved and being open minded, my highschool self will be successful in college.

If I could go back and talk to my former self before attending college, I would say relax and be yourself. Everyone attends college anxious about making friends, finding their way around, and maintaining good grades. Personally, I became a nervous wreck as soon as I watched my parents leave without me. Being left alone in an unknown city by yourself can leave you with an unsettling feeling. Eventually, I realized that I was surrounded by helpful individuals who understood exactly what I was going through. Once I calmed down, I came to the conclusion that college is not as scary as some people claim it to be. I have really enjoyed my experience at college so far and I cannot wait to see what my remaining years will bring. I know many prospective college students main problem is ususally being anxious about what is to come. The most important advice I could give to my previous self and present seniors would be to relax and enjoy your college experience to the fullest.

Jamelle Brown March 17, 2013 Travel Back I often think of my younger self attending high school, my parents encouraged me to do my best, get good grades, and graduate. However, they never promoted a higher education and always considered it an unnecessary expense which discouraged me from attending college. If I could travel back in time and talk with myself as a senior in high school I would sit myself down and tell myself to focus more on school, take AP courses that could count toward college credits, study and take the ACT exam. Most importantly, I would teach the importance of visiting with my high school counselor to gain the knowledge and understanding of what options are available to high school students. I would also teach my younger self, that contrary to my parent’s belief, there are many opportunities for attending college without attaining tremendous debt. With hundreds of grants and scholarships available, if I apply myself I have the opportunity to attend college without acquiring large amounts of unnecessary debt. I wish I would have given more thought to college while I was younger, but since there is no going back, I can only move forward.

I would tell myself to predetermine the outcome and aspire to succeed. Motivate yourself to be exceptional beyond measure and to have a catalytical deamenor so that if failure is the aftermath of reaching things seemingly unobtainable, then strive for personal excellence. Along the way mistakes and are going to be made, but never give up. No one can motivate you like you can.

The first thing that I would tell my past self is to not stress. There are many opportunities for anyone that aspires to have a scholarly route: community college, state schools, and private colleges. If one does not receive a positive response from their dream school hope is not lost, there are still community colleges that will aid in a transition to a four year university. On the bright side, it's cheaper too! The key is to never give up no matter what the odds are. Another thing that I would consult to my past self would be to consider the importance of study skills. If one is to learn a certain topic (Math, English, History science, etcetera), make sure it's there to stay for keeps. One must not conform themselves to only the bare minimum. Remember, knowlwdge is power, especially now in this technology fast paced world. The future of a country depends on it's offspring, so the responsibility is actually quite high on today's youth. With great study skills, the general education part of college will be immmensely facilitated. It's better to work double now, than triple in the future.

My advice to myself would be to take advantage of any scholarships or financial aid I was able to. I received a full ride academic scholarship to several schools as a high school senior, and once I actually got to college I lost focus on school and ended up losing my scholarship. My poor decisions have caused me to take out student loans and put myself into debt at a young age. I am also working about 30 hours a week to help pay for school, and this makes it harder to focus solely on school. I threw away probably $50,000 worth of free money just because I wanted to party and have fun, and I realize now how big of a mistake that was. I am thankful that I learned from my mistakes and have managed to stay in school. I wish that I could give this advice to all high school seniors so that people won't make the same mistakes that I did.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself to get prepared the best that I possibly could and to keep my chin up. Starting at a new school, especially college isn't easy and it is quite the transition. See, when I was a senior I didn't really have anyone there to support me in my decision to go to college. I was scared, nervous, and disappointed, wishing I could have did better than I did. But honestly? I wouldn't change a thing, because I made it. I'm doing my best and making a life for myself. That's all that really matters.

I would tell my high school senior self to take the ACT as many times as it takes to where I would get a scholarship for full tuition. I would also tell myself to be prepared for life without parents being around and how important it is to not go wild and stay dedicated to going to some kind of church or prayer group.

The best advice that would have greatly benefited me and provided a possible different outcome in my future, would be that I should have taken advantage of more AP classes. I would tell myself not to be intimidated about these upper level courses, because in the end they would have greatly helped me prepare for college. I would also tell myself to participate in more extracurricular activities as this would look good on my resume for college, but more importantly it would help to build character. Study more, and take your future more seriously because you could have had a different future from what you have now. A very important thing I would also advise would be to save for the future, and put all your hopes of receiving a scholarship. I think my future turned out very well, but there are things that I regret that I overlooked that could have boosted my chances at a higher job position. So I think the most imporant thing that I would like to say to my past self is to not be afraid of the future. Be outgoing and ferocious in your goal to learn everything and anything in this life.

Although things right now seem to be all about fun and there will be some fun in your future, do not be so quick to dismiss going to college soon. You will excell in the courses that you take because you are smarter than you believe you are. Your future will be great no matter when you begin attending a university, but you are going to be the sole provider for your child. At this moment in your life, your priorities are not in line. This is alright, because you are young. Your life will be full of wonderful experiences and the greatest love you will ever know on this eaerth, your child. I know that sometimes it seems that your mother and father are bothering you about education, but they are right. They are right about more things than you think, even though you will never admit to it. Also, more than anything, I want you to know that you are an intellegent, kind, beautiful person. This will reflect in your future friendships and these will be more important than anything you are involved in right now.