Tulane University of Louisiana Top Questions

No more than a few months to this day will mark the completion of my first year as a college student here at Tulane University and I have learned so much already. If there were anyway to go back in time right now, I would go back to tell myself as well as my peers a few key things to ensure that they're time in college is free of stress. For starters, I would emphasize the importance of being on time and diligent with everything from going to class to meeting payment deadlines. Next I would speak make sure to note how imperative it is to keep in contact with your proffesors and to get help when it is needed, whether you get help from your teacher, a friend or tutor. Also I would have to stress that they have to utilize the facilities given to them on campus, whether its councling, tutoring, work or anything else that your school offers you. Lastly I would say to be open to meeting people and making friends of all different backgrounds whether they are black, white, hispanic, rich or poor.

1. The first thing I would tell myself is to get involved. By joining the band and being part of all of the activities I'm involved with, I'm defining my own college experience. Get out there, discover new interests, and make friends with all of the people whom you work with. 2.) Everything happens for a reason. I did not get into my dream school, and at that time I thought life had ended as I knew it. But now, I would never take back or change my decision to come to Tulane. It's been remarkable! 3.) Time magangement is the most important tool you need to be successful in college. Develop it early and you'll be able to do all the activites and classes you want to do.

I wish I would have known how difficult my first semester course load actually was. At the time I was an engineering major taking Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. I wish I would have known that more studying would have been neccesary for me to succeed in this semester. I also wish I would have known that sleep is not as easy when you have a roommate that does not sleep on the same schedule. I would have stressed to find a roommate with a better sleep schedule. I also wish I would have known doing community service is not as easy as it sounds. Between homework and extracurriculars it is difficult to find extra time to help the community. This is really the only things I was not prepared for as I went off to college.

I would advise myself to consider which schools were more right for someone like me. Where would I fit in fairly well, and where would I be treated like an outsider? I definitely would have chosen differently if I had realized how much of a shock moving from the "'hood" to a mostly upper-class neighborhood would be. And how much of a pain finances would become. Tulane is a wonderful school, but it portrays itself as something it isn't- as an all-encompassing, community-loving servant of the people that is adored by the city it occupies, when just the opposite is true. It'll be a great school for anyone who is okay with that, but it's a terrible fit for me, and I wish I had chosen differently.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior, I would most likely say, "Don't always take it easy in the Big Easy." Even though it is college, there isn't a lot of stress, because it is laid-back in Tulane. The only major stress-periods come from the very beginning of the year, when we adjust to college life, and during major exams. Because of this, I didn't spend a lot of time studying, when there was plenty of time. Although I did use up a lot of my time, hanging out with friends, working out, etc., I still clearly had a lot of time studying. It's not that I did bad on any tests, but I could've done better if I updated and reviewed my knowledge daily. Other than that, I would say, "Have a good time, learn a lot, and make a lot of friends." Open up to everyone, make conversations with strangers, and in general, be friendly, because this is a very friendly and personal campus. One last small thing I would also say is: Don't waste a lot of money on alcohol.

If I were capable of going back in time to my senior year, there are a number of things I would tell myself. For instance, I would encourage myself to go to class - bonus points awarded for getting there on time, prepared, and not in pajamas. I blew off so much of my senior year workload in favor of celebrating my last year of high school, and I really regret not paying enough attention now. Another important bit of advice I'd hand over would be to take the ACT early and often instead of waiting until four months before graduation. I would also encourage myself to study for it - a 31 sounds great, but in reality, it hasn't afforded me as many scholarship opportunities as I would have liked. A 33 in conjuction with a well-maintained GPA would have been my golden ticket. Finally, I would tell myself to set my college sights high and keep them in mind during my senior year. Having prestigious university admission as a goal would have been a key motivating factor my senior year, and it would have prevented me having to wait until spring (the "off-season") to be admitted.

The number one thing I would tell myself would be to relax. I was so high strung about the college selection process. It wasn't that I was afraid I wouldn't get in (I was accepted to my first school in September I believe), it was just that I had my mind set on one idea. I thought I had my life all planned out. And yet despite all my confidence in myself, I had doubt below the surface. I applied to nine schools, which in retrospect was a waste of time and money. Three of the schools I applied to didn't send responses until late March or early April, so I agonized over what would happen for months. In the end, the decision came down not to which school was most prestigious, but which one offered me the best deal for my family and my future, and I chose accordingly. I am so happy with my decision. It has been one of the best choices I ever made. Ironically, the school I go to I had applied to on impulse. i just wish that senior-me had taken more time to relax and appreciate life.

As a high school senior, I was constantly told that I could be anything that I wanted to be. Although I was fortunate that I had supportive friends and family who pushed me to set high goals, transitioning to college helped me to see the bigger picture. Living by myself two thousand miles away from home has caused me to define my own priorities and values. What I wish I could have known as a high school senior is that it?s ok to not know everything. You do not have to have your entire life as a doctor or lawyer planned out prior to arriving at your dorm. There is plenty of time to figure it out. As a senior, the most important thing to do is to find a decent college where you will fit in and find supportive friends. From there, the experiences you have will help you work out and determine your future. The classes I have taken, people I?ve met, and real life experiences I have had living on my own have helped me to determine my future in a way impossible to foresee while still in high school.

I would not have depended upon my senior counselor so much. Because I did I applied to only one school, luckily it was my first choice and everything worked out. But I would have liked more options. I also would definitely take scholarship searching far more seriously; I'm finding now that there are a lot of scholarships for students in highschool, but it's harder to find scholarships now that I have already started college. Another really big thing I wish I had done was internship the summer before college in a field related to something I like. For instance, last semester was my first college semester and I began taking courses for an architecture major. I really like architecture but I wish I had a summer job or something like that so that I could have found out earlier that what I really like is historical architecture, which is definitely not what architects today are doing! However, I think it is also important to remember that all of the courses a student takes are never wasted because they don't fulfill major or minor requirements; they are only wasted if you don't get something out of them.

If I could give myself advice, I would tell myself to calm down and meet as many people in my dorm floor and go out and eat when they invite me because they want to get to know me and be my friend. My freshman year was amazing because I finally broke out of my shell and talked to a lot of interesting people that changed my life. I would love to have known that going out is not stressful at all if you do not drink. There is no pressure whatsoever to get wasted (which I still love to this day). This information would have allowed me to get to know a lot more of the diverse and interesting people that Tulane accepted.