Ngoc Thoa
As a high school senior, really try to get the A in AP Macroeconomics. It carries over and you do have ot waste time later. It's true that senior year supposed to be fun and all, but those fun does not carry much over when you are in college.
Also, you will not have a lot of scholarships, and you know that your family will not create a fund for your studies, so the safest way is to get a job during the summer, instead of going to the camp to make friends at St. Thomas, though I know you will be the only one from Humboldt to go to St. Thomas.
Be more outgoing. People do not bite. Just be yourself, be nice, and enjoy college when you get here.
Best regards.
Laura
Moving away from home is hard. I know you have heard how awesome it is to live on campus, and how living in a dorm will help you make connections and feel at home, but that simply isn't the case. There are benefits to being close to campus resources for sure, but living in a dorm setting will be challenging. Meal plans are the worst. Know going in that you will have meals left over. Don't stress about trying to eat three meals a day on campus. It is going to be a blessing to go home on weekends and periodically during the week. Don't muddy that blessing with worrying about how to get through all the meals. You wont. Don't worry about how hard college will be. It is challenging, but understand that you are smart and you can do it. The things you will have to do for class in the fall won't be as hard as trying to find the time to do them. Spend an hour daily this summer working on Spanish. It will make you more confident in class, and will propel you into your major with a firm foundation.
Marissa
It is okay to be fearful. Whether it's the fear of failure or the anxiety you feel in crowded places. You will fail several times; accept that you made mistakes and learn from them. That anxiety you feel is manufactured. Let yourself be consumed by it. You will realize that you are stronger than you think you are. It is natural to be fearful of seemingly threatening situations. Don't associate it with weakness.
Abigail
If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I would start off by saying: don't worry about what these people think of you, it never did matter and it never will. There are so many greater things in this world than what some classmates think of you; you probably won't ever see them again anyway.
Everyone says the next four years will be the best ones of your life and they are right, but something they don't tell you is they are also the worst four years of your life. High school was hard work, I know, but college is harder and it is okay to be stressed out sometimes and it is okay to cry. Everyone that is here with you is in the exact same boat. They are just as stressed as you and just as scared. It's okay to be scared and it's okay to struggle in college but you don't have to do it alone. There are so many people out there that are willing to help you. You will find your closest friends in college and build lifelong relationships. College will change your life.
Megan
As a high school senior, there were many things I would have liked to have heard from my future self. The first piece of advice I would give to the high school me is to do your best and accept whatever the outcome may be. Life is hard enough as it is, so don't let yourself get caught up in final grade on your transcripts. While it is important to do your best, your worth does not come from your grades. They absolutely do not define you. As a person, you are defined by the effort you put into any given situation, not the results themselves. While this doesn't always apply to your worth to a company or a school, it will always apply to you in your personhood. In addition to this, the number on piece of advice I would give to my former self is to be yourself in every situation. Don't let yourself be controlled by your past and who others have tried to make you be. You are you, and you have the ability to show that to everyone you meet.
Rachel
Don't worry about what others think of you. Put yourself out there; try new things, and meet new people. You never know who you will end up being friends with. The people you hang out with the first week of college aren't typically people you hang out with weeks later. So instead of stressing over fitting in, make the most of your college experience and just be yourself. College is a great experience, and you can meet people that will be your friends years from now.
Annika
Dear High School Me,
You made it. You're finally in college. "How's it going?" you ask. "What's it like?" you ponder. Well, I have your answers. Here are a few things you should know before you take this next step.
1.) You don't need a the big meal plan. I get it, you swim, you get hungry, you like to eat food, but you work in the dining hall. Get the small meal plan and eat all the free food you can.
2.) Buy a nice coat. Walking to class in the winter is cold. Really cold.
3.) That senior boy who keeps talking to-- he's creepy. Run away. He is not interested in being your friend. Make friends with people who will respect you as a person and your body.
4.) You have to try to make friends. I know, you're pretty cool, but future best friends are not going to just find you, you have to try to make friends. Join a club. Go do the stupid on campus activities. Don't just sit in your room with your roommate and watch netflix.
Good luck high school me. You can do it.
Ingrid
If I could give advice to myself, I would tell myself that you shouldn't stress out about everything so much. Everything will fall into place and that there is no need to be so serious all the time. You're only a chlid once so enjoy the time where you don't have to work, pay for an education, and just get to have friends. You have your whole life to work so don't fuss about it.
When it comes to people, you don't have to bend yourself backwards to get people to like you. Just be yourself and people will come to appreciate it. Also, get a cat in your life. You need one around you at all times. They really help.
Jadea
I would explain the importance of financial stability. Although, I've been injected with such notions my entire life and here I am, going into my sophomore year, applying for a $5000 scholarship, hoping desperately.... desperately, it becomes mine. Like most youth in today's culture, I understand the importance of financial security, however, experiencing hardship firsthand is what has led me to a deeper understanding and appreciation of l'argent. This chat may be a little paradoxical. I'd also like to tell myself not to worry and RELEASE MY INHIBITIONS! Life is infinitesimal and there is infinite beauty to be found in it! I would hate for something like the price of my Daniel Wellington watch or Michael Kors shoes to keep me from enjoying existence. I must also be grateful for my suffering because it is what truly leads to joy. There is no way to know whether or not I am happy, content, euphoric, enlightened, or accomplished if I lack notion of the opposite, and why harbor such radiant feelings if I am unable to appreciate them? To senior me, I simply say: Live
Daniel
The best advice I coud give myself is to simply not worry about all the "dumb" things in life. Focus on what is important, and stay positive all throughout college. Keep yourself grounded, and stay true to who you are, and never sway from that, not for anyone or anything. It is important to work hard in school, but have time to destress and be at peace with all the things going on in life and the tough times that could be ahead. Stay strong and move forward, though there may be some speed bumps in the way of life, it is more important to slow down, take them, and move on without looking back. Make good choices, not just morally, but with a great future in mind, and let nothing stand in your way.
Eve
The most important piece of advice that I would give myself going into college would be to say yes! Go meet people, join clubs that interest you, take chances, try out challenging classes, put yourself in new situations! This is the best way that you can make the most of your college experience. You need to be open to new experiences and by doing this you will have an amazing time at college. Don’t be afraid of failing, or messing up, or looking stupid, because you will learn from your mistakes and grow from them. The best part about college is being introduced to new things, and there is never going to be another opportunity to try new things like you will have in college. There can be so much to be gained from broadening your horizons and opening yourself up to the people around you. Don’t take all of these chances for granted, and go try something new!
David
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that it's important to be honest with how much I can take on. I think it's important to take things slowly, at first, and gradually increase your workload as you move through the years. In the beginning, I felt extremely overwhelmed and as a result I had to eliminate a lot of things from my life. However, now that I have a handle on how to study I am able to take on a lot more, and still have time to enjoy myself. The take away message is: everything in moderation. If you take on too much you're going to end up falling short in everything. However, if you take on a little, then you always have the opportunity to add more and you allow yourself to have enough time for every aspect of your life.
Rathminee
As a high school student, independent and dependent have two very different meanings. As we grow up into adults, we could not be more excited to move out and get away from our parents. But I learned that in college being away from your parents and home isn't all that great. But the advice that I woud give is that, being in college doesn't automatically make you independent and free. It isn't all that great to be out there in the real world without any aid. Ask your parents for help, stay in touch with your parents. Tell them how grateful and blessed you are to have them as your parents. Cause in the end, their the people you want to stay dependent on.
Perrin
I was right to take all of the higher level and prep classes. They were a good preparation for college.
Jacob
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would reassure my younger self about his worries about college. At the end of my high school career, I was very worried about going to college. I wasn't sure what school to go to and I had no idea what to major in. Even after deciding to go to the University of St. Thomas I was still scared to go to college. My fear of leaving home and nervousness over whether I chose the right college continued up until the day that I moved into my dorm. But I would be glad to tell my younger self that there is nothing to worry about. The University of St. Thomas is the right choice of college for me. I have had a great time since I have been at school, and I know I will continue to. My classes are great and I have a fun social life. I still have not decided on a major but I now have ideas unlike in high school. So to sum it up I would tell my youngers self to not worry, it all works out.
Lauren
I would tell myself so many things. First, apply for every scholarship that even remotely applies to you. I am kicking myself now for not doing that more. Second, carefully consider your values. I shared a lot of the same values as St. Thomas, particularly religious, but my goal was to study abroad and I did not plan ahead carefully or consider that value when I was choosing a college. Now, I am in limbo with my study abroad options due to timing and costs. Thirdly, I would tell myself to NOT date that boy in high school and wait until college to date. (He's only going to hold you back and cause a lot of tears and frustration!) Fourth, I would tell myself to lighten up. The biggest lesson I've learned in college is to not take myself so seriously. I was so serious about everything in high school and it led to a lot of stress and anxiety. I would tell myself to choose joy, because life is too short not to be happy and have fun. Finally, I would tell myself that everything is going to be okay.
Rachel
Treasure your last summer living at home before college starts. Your parents will miss you and they deserve your presence for the last few months, mentally and physically. Don't stress too much about making friends. Attend on-campus activities set up for freshmen and remember to let yourself take breaks from the social atmosphere. Whether or not your roommate is a good friend, you should stay on good terms with them in the duration you are living with them. Remember to call your parents and siblings. Stay in contact with your high school friends too, even if it is only once every few weeks. Its healthy to maintain old relationships and sometimes they can get lost amidts the new.
Jayme
If I could go back in time, I would tell high-school-Jayme to take as many AP, PSEO, S2S classes as possible. I am currently undecided, so not knowing what I want to do puts a tremendous amount of pressure on me. I brought 16 credits with me to college and I'm still freaking out wondering if I will graduate in four years! I can't really afford an extra year of college, so time is of the essence. My advice, "if you see an opportunity, take it." I missed out on so many opportunities in high school because I did not want to put in the time or effort. Knowing now how important it is to graduate in four years, I would tell myself that if I put in the work now, it will pay off later. I did not fully understand that life lesson until now. If I could go back, I would not waste time. I know now that every credit helps.
Vong
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would told myself to do more readings and learn to manage my time. From my college experiences, I learned that reading and time management are the most important. Almost all of college courses required reading. In college, I always dream to participate in all of the events that are going on in campus. Unfortunately, it was not easy as I thought. I have homework, readings, and study. Therefore, time management seems difficult to me. General speaking, reading and time management are my advices. I wish that someone would give me these advices; the early I start the more prepare I will be for college.
Margaret
The best advice that I could give my high school self is to be as outgoing as possible and step out of your comfort zone. I have made a lot of friends by meeting girls on my floor, but I still could have branched out a lot more. I have not met many people that live outside of my dorm, and I wish I would have been more outgoing in the beginning. I also wish I would have stepped out of my comfort zone with my new friends. I still have some of the same beliefs as I did in high school, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, I have missed out on trying new things and having new opportunities because I did not step out of my comfort zone. I let my high school self take over and I missed out on some great, new experiences because of it. The last piece of advice is to go into every situation with an open mind; try your best to not be judgemental. Everybody has different opinions and interests, so it is in your best interest to give them a chance and to let them show their true self.