University of Mary Washington Top Questions

If I had the chance to go back in time and give my high school self advice about college life I would definitly tell myself to stop panicking and procrastinating and just send in your college applications already. Maybe if you would have sent in your applications sooner you wouldn't have gotten waitlisted from that one college you actually wanted to go to. Also, why are you spending all your money on clothes and Chic Fil A? Don't you realize you need to be saving for the next four years? At least try to act like you are applying to some scholarships. How about instead of sitting on your couch watching old reruns of Scrubs you actually work on that college essay you've been putting off for a month? And let me not even mention those two months you wasted on that good-for-nothing boy from work when you should have been more focused on getting your GPA up. Although, once you finished all of the stressing duties that come with applying to college, feel free to kick back, hang out with friends, devour those waffle fries with confidence, and smile, you made it out alive.

Don't assume that you know what you want to major in after your freshman year. Finish all of your general education requirements, don't jump straight into major or upper level courses. Take advantage of disability resources for students. Don't feel pressured to take as many classes as your classmates, go at your own pace. Apply for scholarships! Keep a good record of your finances. Don't over involve yourself in extra-curricular activities. Go to your professor's office hourse on a regular basis to talk about your classes, not just when you have a problem. Don't worry so much about what will happen after your graduate, live in the present and focus on what you can do right now.

I would tell myself to CALM DOWN! As a high school senior I was worried about everything; grades, living on my own, bills, friends, tuition, jobs, the future, my major, roommates, food, gaining weight, losing touch with high school friends, my family, and the list goes on and on! The most important thing I have learned is that things happen for a reason and every struggle and challenge only made me stronger and I really cannot stress over it. I need to live in the moment and know that I am a strong person who just needs to calm down and enjoy life!!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I do now, I would tell myself to be more open-minded. At college, you meet so many interesting people and if you do not have an open mind, you might miss the chance to befriend amazing people and learn new things. Also, I would tell myself to step out of my comfort zone. Whether it be signing up for a class that intimidates you or joining a club that you do not know much about, the more you challenge yourself, the more you grow. The final piece of advice that I would give to my high school senior self would be to enjoy and experience as much as you possibly can. If an opportunity arises that you might slightly be interested in, take it. College is a time to learn, grow, and experience as much as possible, so be sure to take advantage of every opportunity that you are given.

I would say to study hard in highschool, because though it does not seem very important while you're there, it can make a difference when you transition to a college. When I first transitioned to Germanna, it was a totally different experience than I had had in highschool. Never assume for a moment that if you do well in highschool, you'll have an easy time in college. You'll do better than if you hadn't studied, but college is a totally new level. If you're prepared to expect the worst, you'll be okay. If you expect an easy ride, you're in for a nasty surprise.

Focus, darlin, focus. Forget the internet, forget the boys. I repeat, forget the boys. College is nothing like the movies at all. Don't be afraid of not fitting in because everyone here is literally the social pariah of the "real world" for the next four years. You're too old to be pitied and too young to be taken seriously. Have fun! Try new things! I know it's cheesy, but seriously dude, you won't regret it. Do your homework, I know it seems useless now, but trust me, it's definitely gonna help you in the long run. And for the love of God, study. Study hard or go home. Seriously, if you don't they will kick you out. I've seen it happen, and it's not pretty. Oh yeah, meal swipes are probably the greatest invention ever. So use them, cause you'll regret spending all your money on chinese take-out. Don't forget to make your family proud and remember you're doing this so that they can have a better life. Call your high school friends sometimes, and it's okay to cry when you miss home. Stay beautiful, stay smart.

I would tell myself to enjoy every single day at college. The time goes by so incredibly fast, cherish every moment as you change and grow into a young adult! Make a point to talk with professors outside of class - these relationships are important; your professors can offer so much help and insight into everything: from how to study to how to apply to graduate school. Also, don't be afraid to try something new! Being sure of yourself is the best way to make friends!

Bryanna, try hard then try harder! College is a major step in your life and the key of success is in your hands so USE IT! I beleive in you and you can do anything you put your mind to. Times may be hard for you now but when things seem to be impossible take that struggle and turn it into success. You are unstoppable. You are strong. You are capable. Never let anyone tell you that you can't or won't accomplish your goals. Strive for nothing less than you deserve. Be the person you want your future kids to look up to and admire. Be the student that your parents love to brag about. Be the above the negative influence. Remember I am your biggest fan and I have faith in you. Stay positive and continue to walk the strut of the future hair salon owener that you plan to be. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up!

Let me just tell you some advice now before you go on to college, some things that I have learned that you will find useful. First of all develop a good study habit and stick to it because if you do not do your work even if it was not assigned reading the book is so helpful. There is so many distractions and your friends will try and make you not study and do your assignments. Secondly a good thing to do is get a lot of volunteer down under your belt so you can build your resume up. Your resume is very important in college it is how your future employers will see you and the first thing they will see. And most important is to go to a college that you will enjoy because if you do not it does not matter if you are taking easy classes or hard classes you will not do well. College life is very different from high school do not treat it the same.

I would remind myself to take more AP classes and assure myself that I should just get through them and do well on the exams for credit. It is not hard to pass the exam and it makes the best use of 4 required years in school. I would have more credits toward my general ed requirements and minimize some of the more tedious classes that I will have to take.

First thing I would say is Do Not Quit. My biggest mistake was quiting before I completed college the first time. I would also tell my high school senior self to join as many organizations and societies as possible. I realize now if I had surrounded myself with common minded people I would not have quit in the first place. I would tell my self that when going away to college that is several hours away from home, I should surround myself with a second family. That second family will help me not be so homesick, and would give me the support I needed to complete college.

If I was in High School once again, I would advice my self many things. One of them would be to get A+ in all my classes since my freshman year. If I would've done this I would've become a part of the Top {4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}10 of my class or even a Top 10 student or even better a Valedictorian. A+ grades in all my classes would've gotten me many scholarships and I wouldn't have to worry about the money. I would also adivce myself to be in many extracurricular activities, these would've been very helpful to me and would help me get many shcolarships as well. And last but not least I would advice myself to save money for college because it is very expensive and the more you are prepared you are for it the the more succesful you will be; money plays an important part in college life, not only for tuition and fees but also for food, textbooks and many extra thing that come out every now an then. Conclusion is, good grades, getting involved and being economically safe is the importantest thing so we don't struggle when going to college.

Be more outgoing: talk to your professors and your fellow students more. Ask and answer questions more often and better. Make conversation with strangers and always remember that everyone else feels awkward too. Be yourself and assert your feelings because you never know who will love the weirdo that you are, and if you don't ask for something the answer will always be "no." Don't be too afraid to make mistakes that you don't do anything; you WILL regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did. Speaking of which, study more. A lot more. I know you have motivation problems, but it will pay off in the long run and it's not like you have anything better to do anyways! Also, save even more of your money than you already are, and this applies to Sophomore year too because you'll have some problems with the IRS and your financial aid will get screwed up Junior year and you will need it desperately. Other than that, don't stop being awesome. You're great. I may regret your actions, but I love you. Sincerely, your future self.

If I had the opportunity to talk with myself as a high school senior I would turn it down. The best part in knowing what I now know about college life was experiencing it for myself. Living in a dorm room followed by an apartment, I was finally able to make my own choices and inevitably mistakes. Life will always hand us great risks, but without risking possible failure we will never succeed, we will never have the opportunity to better ourselves or our world. I have also learned that much of what I value about college is not my final grade or even my paper diploma that now hangs on my bedroom wall, but it is the journey through the college maze. Within it I found friends, professors, and family to lead me through. I also figured out how much I could rely on myself for strength. Even though I might be able to make some of my choices easier by visiting a younger me, I would hate to take away what I learned from the difficult times. And without them I would never appreciate the best times. College made me the best version of my high school self.

I would also tell myself that the most important thing to take with you is what you believe and your confidence. I would tell myselft to not rush growing up. It will happen in time. Don't waste time trying to be older, because when you get there, you wish you were younger to have less responsibility, worry, and grownup things to deal with. Lastly would tell myself to not to stress out about or be so dead set on going far away or going to "popular" or "big-name" college, because when you get here, you realize that popularity was for ameteaur high schoolers, the "biggest" name here is the lady in the dining hall who every knows and loves, and you realize that you miss your family like crazy. College is just another season in life. Every season has its significance so cherish the season you are in and treasure every moment!

The biggest advice i would give to myself as a high school senior would be to just relax and enjoy my last year of high school. As a senior in high school, so much pressure is put on by parents, friends, and even oneself to get into the best school possible, to get into the same school as a friend, or to just get out of the house! No matter what college a student ends up in, he or she will get a great education and will be able to have fun and prepare themselves for the next step in life. Friends come and go, and the friends you make in high school you may have to leave behind. However, there are thousands of new people to meet in college and beyond and it is very easy to have fun and be yourself. There is no real need to feel stressed about the college process, just relax and enjoy it.

If I could give advice to myself as I high school senior, I would remind myself to be open to new experiences. As a college freshman, I retained many loyalties to my friends at home and my family. Meeting new people made me feel insecure, and so I focused on my old friendships instead of making new ones. I used academics to further shield myself from social life, as I tried to complete all homework before going on social outings. Due to my actions, I isolated myself from many people who could have become good friends, and delayed other friendships which later became amazing relationships. Thus, I would go back in time to tell myself that academics are not everything. I would say that homework can be done any time, but that friends are only available at certain times. I would remind myself that I am an interesting person with whom other people will want to build a relationship and that I should balance my priorities. The balance between social life and academics which I achieved in my later years in college led to a wonderfully satisfying lifestyle and memories I would never want to lose.

I would tell my high school self not to waste time and to take responsibility for my own education. I wasted time applying to schools as a senior that I had no desire to attend for any other reason than that I had friends that attended. The schools that I applied to were not as well suited to what my goals turned out to be as they could have been. Do not worry about not making friends, just go where you will get the best education. I would also tell myself not to rely entirely on counselors or advisors. Do not expect them to tell you exactly what to take without doing any work yourself. Faculty are not you and if you are not sure what you want to do with your time in college, you can bet they have no idea. Advisors are there to set you on the right path but you have to have a general idea of where you want to go. Do not be afraid to seek out better in your advisors. In order to appreciate your success in college, take personal responsibility for it and worry about your path, not those of your friends.

Set time aside to become used to setting daily, weekly, and monthly calendar. This will help you a lot for keeping track of the many things you have to do; especially if you work and study.

The advice I would give myself would be to study more and focus in school. During high school I focused on the activities which were great for my social life but as far as academics I was not the best student that I know I could be. Organization is a huge factor to when you get into college. You must be organized with all your school work in order to complete all assignments on time and effenciently. I would also tell my self to be more responsible. When you are in college you must be responsible for all your actions and have discipline to go to class and eager to learn while in those classes. As far as a social life in college you must be able to balance a healthy social life and be able to focus on your academics for your future.