Tessa
I wish I could go back to my high school self and stress the importance of going to college and not quiting until I had earned a degree. I would tell myself to worry only about school because friends or boyfriends come and go, however once you have a college education it will stick with you forever. I would tell myself to wait to get married until I was completed with college and wait to have a baby. I would explain how having a baby while trying to go to school is so hard. I would review how much a job with a college degree earns compared to without an education, as well as writing down all of my bills. Applying for every scholarship available and managing loan money in college would be great advice to myself. I would advise not to take out more money than what I needed for school. I wish so badly I could go back and redo things because I realize now the importance of a degree and how hard it is to earn one now with a baby and a family.
Lucy
Be positive. Things may get a little overwhelming, but your future awaits you. The goals that you have set will come about if you remain focused. It may seem like a long time until you graduate, but time flies, and the sooner you start, the sooner you will finish. Keep your path in front of you, and see the accomplishment, and fullfillment at the end.
Lateshia
Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would tell myself to take my education seriously. Once you leave high school that is all she wrote. You can do anything you put your mind, just trust yourself and have faith that you are better than your situation. When things get tough don't run and bury your head. Life is all about trial and error. If you do not succeed the first time, try again, and again, and again.
Brittani
Knowing what I now know about college life and making the transition, I would strongly advise my younger high school self to attend college directly after high school while you still have the support of your family, financial or not. Instead of attending college directly after high school, I waited six years, unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. I worked aimlessly from low paying job to job barely making ends meet. Once I finally decided to attend college I had been out on my own for six years and then it became much more challenging to have to work full time and attend school full time as well. I would tell my younger self, it is perfectly okay if you don't know what you want to do with your life yet! No one needs to decide over night, however, still go to school and take your prerequisites while you are deciding. Do things in the proper order and life will be much easier for you later on. I wish I had parents that encouraged me to attend school, but now I know what I will do differently for my future children.
Stephanie
The advice that I would give myself would be to work hard and take those college prep courses. Also to not be afraid to branch out from home and to know what you want to do. Seek the help of those that you inspire to be like and ask them for pointers on how to transition into college. Interact with classmates and get to know your professors.
MELANIE
Take care of yourself. Get more sleep instead of procrastinating on projects. Ask people to study with you. Make your own study groups instead of trying to do it all by yourself. Take risks with asking for help. Be yourself. Stop trying to please everybody. The popular people are normal people too. They will be dancing alongside you at your twenty-year reunion. Apply for scholarships and go to college instead of waiting three years, because college is not the same as high school. Experience life Most of do things that make you happy. Be around positve people and do not have one frivilous relationship with other people. Live life as if today were your last.
Priscila
If I could go back in time to talk to my high school self, I would have told myself, "Priscila, you are going to work on receiving your Bachelors of Arts in English." In high school, I had plans on becoming a physical therapist, but I should have known that I would not be cut out for that major. I had absoultely no idea about how to get into a college, financial aide, what to expect or how the school systems worked. I would tell myself that college is not as hard as it seems. I would grab my shoulders, look myself in the eye, tell myself to take a breath of air and expect nothing from anyone except from myself. I would tell myself not to be scared and to go for everything I wanted because great things would come my way. I would have told myself to keep going instead of giving up. If I could go back in time to give myself all this advice, everything would be much easier. I would have saved more time and money, but I believe all this time passed for a reason. I needed to become mature and responsible first.
Tiffany
Knowing what Iknow about college life and making the transition into college, I would tell myself to relax and not stress. I would tell myself to go straight into the accounting profession rather than the nursing classes I spent a year taking right out of high school. I would tell myself to spend more time with family and friends because I would later move away and not see them as much. I would tell my high school senior self to work hard and study as hard as I could to learn as much as possible.
DeShae
I would tell myself to want it and strive better for what I want out of of life. I didnt make it to my senior year I dropped out of school in 11th grade and went back to receive my GED. But if I had the chance to go back I will take the time to say to myself show the teachers that by them telling me that I will be another high school drop out and not amount to anything because of where I come from. I will show them that just because I had my first child at 16 this is my motivation to keep me going and to strive for succes just to make it known just because where I live does not mean that I will not make it in life. If I could go back I would tell my self you showed them now keep pushing for more so that you could be that successful Health Care Administrator that you strived to become.
Colette
Colette,
Trust me when I say you will continue your education sooner or later. Since that is the case, make sure to take your SAT and apply for colleges and be confident you are more than capable of getting accepted. Just because you don't have support from those around you, doesn't mean you don't deserve a better future. The path to self-discovery is whichever path you choose, but inside you will not be content unless you are exercising your mind and pushing your limits to see what you can truly achieve in life.
When you get accepted into the university you choose, appreciate the opportunity and don't take it for granted. You will be surrounded by other intellectual individuals who want to be there and see the worth of an exceptional education. You will befriend these people and have conversations and relationships that are intellectually stimulating. You will learn to support and inspire each other.
If you take the many other paths before you decide to continue your education, you will be held down by many people who don't understand you or appreciate your worth.
Phoebe
If I were to look back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to give up. I would say that my High School Diploma is a huge accomplishment, and that I deserve to be the first person in my family with a college degree. I would tell myself not to dumb myself down anymore, because I am intelligent, and I WILL achieve, it is simply up to me.
Christine
My would to my high school self would be to pay close attention to the syllabus your instrcutctor gives you. Even though your high school teachers already have their lessons planned out each year, every day is mystery. The only way you can be prepared for class is if your teacher tells you what to expect. The syllabus they have printed tells the objective of the course but not what you'll be doing in each course. The college instructors have each day or week planned out so you can follow along. You'll know what chapters to read, what assignments are you'll have to do, and even when your next test is scheduled. Those are some of the best things about knowing before hand. However, because you know before hand the instructors will definitely not take any excuses as to why you are not prepared for the next day or not have your homework. Even if you missed one class, you can look at the syllabus and know what you missed that day. So again, pay attention to the syllabus provided.
Brandy
So many people will spend years in college focusing on a future career for the money they will make. Some will gain great jobs without education! Do not allow money to drive you to your career destination. Follow your passion! Do not be sidetracked with the dollar signs that will be dangled in front of you by jobs that you have no true interest in. With everything you touch, you are either the best or ranked very high towards the top. Place your energy into what makes you happiest. Your education is the stepping stone to work in the field you are most passionate about. Helping others come natural to you, so do not try to change it. Do not let anyone change your mind about your goals. If you allow your passion to lead you, I promise you will find peace of mind and a joyous life.
Lindsey
Going back to talk to myself, I would have to do so as a junior. I would tell myself not to give, keep going to graduate high school that it is much better to have than just a GED. Going to school is amazing and when you make good grades you should feel proud. Do not worry about what others will think of you, if they call you a nerd then great, that just means you're doing good. Do not fall into peer presure because this will cause you to have to put school off for a few more years. I would tell myself that no matter how bad things may seem right now, they will get better. That the only way to have the life that I want and deserve is to go to school to do what you feel most passionate about.
Belia
While it is so much easier to be able to have most of your classes as free periods, taking that extra math class along with your Geometry class really would be beneficial! It may be more difficult to take two math classes but, it truly will help you in the long run. Listen to yourself about knowing that being friends with everyone in your class is not what really matters. Stay true to who you are and remember that college is always different from high school. Remember the time that you spent in the School to Work program, it will be what you base the rest of your life on. Teaching a child to love school will always stay with them and they will always remember how kind you were to spend that extra time with them. Sometimes the smallest things that you do for a person can mean the world to them and change they way they view the world.
Jennifer
I would not wait to go to college. When you get involved too much into life and out of the classroom cycle, it is so hard going back. Struggling is another reason to go to college right away, financially because you may not be in as much debt if you attend right away instead of racking up debt then trying to get student loans as well.
Tatum
School is not your social network to flutter around making plans for parties. School is your network for making lifelong connections that will assist you in your future success. You need to find what you are passionate about and go at it, full force. This isn't something to be taken lightly! You don't think you make enough at this fast food joint? Then you better go to school. This job wasn't meant for you to work long term. This job will only get you by for so long, so if you want a nice house, a nice car, and money in the bank, you better knuckle down and focus on what's in front of you. The time to be silly and fool around is behind you. You're an adult now, and if you want success you need to earn it. Your friends will still be there when you're done, and if they're the kind of friends you should really have, they'll be encouraging you to better yourself and to study rather than to party and waste your life.
Ashland
Don't be so anxious to jump into overwhelming obligations. Take your time and do some background research on the choices that you like and the options and/or alternatives that are available to you. The choices you make blindly could loom over you for years! Just because you get an inticing credit card offer does not mean "free money", as a matter of fact, don't even open the envelope until you absolutely feel it is needed. Be in charge of you future now, becasue if you don't you are allowing someone or something to be in charge of you later.
Nicholas
Put down the beer, throw the pills away! You can and will make it, look at yourself now, in a masters level position with no degree. Working with a private practice, and not admitting I was wrong when I was wrong. Seek the help you need, you are not too good for help! Put down the drugs Nick