Madysen
I would tell myself to actually take school seriously and not goof around when I could be finding out what jobs I would be interested in. I'd also tell myself to relax and be myself when meeting people, as that's the best thing you can do to make friends.
Aaron
Going back to high school I would tell myself, you are going to experience a lot of new situations and many opportunities will be presented to you, it is only up to you if you want to make it happen. You are at a new standard, you?re an adult and you will be treated like one, print your syllabus and expect every word and date to be true and do not take it lightly. Professors are there to teach you, it is only up to you to retain and take their information and use it. During your senior year, schedule classes that will better prepare yourself for your first year of college and when you hear about or see posters about job fairs; take that as an incentive or opportunity to see what interests you or what you want to be when you grow up. Bottom line if you don?t get your priorities in line and don?t focus on the task at hand, college will hit you hard academically and financially. High school only last once, enjoy it, but don?t regret it. Without an education your dreams and goals may never happen. DO IT and SUCEED!
Chelsea
I would tell myself not to be scared. College can be a scary concept of life, however, the classes aren't that difficult. They are more difficult than high school, but it should be expected. College is a great place to make life-long friends and further your education. Don't be shy to talk to new people and make new friends. These could potentially be future study partners, or future classmates. Making friends may seem like a hard thing to do, but also keep in mind that some of these people you may talk to are in the same shoes as you, new incoming freshman, not knowing what to do, and shy to talk to others. Talk to other people, study hard, and you'll make it.
Laura
I would tell myself to loosen up. As a senior, I was very stressed out and constantly on edge about everything being perfect. I, like many seniors, believed that I needed to get perfect grades, consider every possible college and make the absolutely perfect choice. I realize now that college is a time to make choices and take opportunities as they come. There will be many different paths no matter which school you choose and you have to take them in stride. You will never be able to consider every aspect or anticipate every new facet a choice creates. The best you can do is make the choice you believe to be best and learn from it. Nothing is set in stone and at the very least, you will gain an experience from your choice. So, as I have learned this year, I would tell myself to stop stressing out and do what I really believed was right without worrying about what I would be missing out on. Life is not perfect, it is full of mistakes and the best we can do is to learn from them rather than spend our time being afraid of them.
Matthew
If I were afforded the opportunity as a college freshman to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would tell myself would be to challenge myself more academically. I would explain to myself that while in high school I really didn't have to study that hard to get satisfactory grades. But now in college, the academic pace has been ratcheted up a couple notches and I would find a new level of challenges that I had never experienced before. The second thing I would tell myself would be to become more involved in the local community. Not only is community service highly expected during the college application and enrollment process, but professors and employers expect some degree of community service to be part of your personal experiences. Now that I'm in college I personally have found that community service has made me a more well rounded and satisfied individual.
Zachary
Be open with people. Put yourself out there. You want your life to be entertaining people, so suck it up and get over yourself. Keep being kind and don't take friendship for granted. You might not become the most popular person or biggest partier, but the friends you will make, will cherish the bond between you. Don't be so lazy, and maybe go use the beautiful sports center and gym more. It doesn't matter that no one else is raising their hand to answer a question, if you know the answer, answer it! The teacher will respect you, and most likely grade your work easier than the others. PRACTICE MORE THAN A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK YOU FOOL, your major requires more studying than most, so study! People will complain about their workload when they only take 12 credits, be prepared to take a full creditload every semester and have 8am classes every day. It's worth it in the end. It's your dream and you are on your way.
Ariele
Making the transition from home to college and the residence halls can be tough. College is for education; additionally, it presents an opportunity for young people to learn to live in a community. Hang things in the dorm to make it feel like home. Introduce yourself to other students on the floor. Attend events, from concerts to career fairs, and try to speak with at least two people at each; these are fantastic ways to get a foot in the door, and, potentially, your first job in college.
Life in college may be overwhelming at first, so it is important to keep a clear head. Ask plenty of questions. Take interesting courses during the day and sleep at night. Getting hired is wonderful, but work no more than two jobs. Joining a club is a good way to get involved and to build a resume. Finally, remember to explore. Exit the comfort zone. Get to know the nearby hangouts, the professors, the people in the cafeteria, residential advisors, and others who come your way. Be confident and smile as you enter college.
Duylam
If I could go back in time and teach myself what I know now, I would tell myself to cherish my time with my family as much as possible. While they will always be "there" for me, I am now marked with a feeling that home is not home any more. This is not because there is no love with my family, but rather it is due to the fact that I am now struck with a stronger passion than I ever have had, and being at home will not quell my passion. So before I was not running in a frenzy between meetings and events, and now I am. I should find my balance, but even my family tells me to chase my dreams, so "returning" home is no longer possible. The complacency of yesterday is gone and in its place there is a fire.
Anna
I realize now that I am in college that I spent too much time focused on my academics when I wish I would have spent more of that time in extracurricular activities because it is very important to make friends once you are out on your own. If I could go back in time and talk to myself while in high school, I would urge myself to make more friends and join in some more non-academic activites to get myself more involved. I would also encourage myself to be more independent and confident in myself and to be more involved with classmates in my studies.
Peter
Study hard and be open to all new experiences.
Amy
If I could go back in time, the best advice I could possibly give myself is don't be afraid to make mistakes and to be involved and try new things. When I first came to college, I wasn't sure what career path I would end up taking. At first, I was hesitant to start in any one direction because I could not forsee what I would spend the rest of my life doing. If I didn't ace a test, or get that perfect score on an assignment, I was extremely hard on myself. I became frustrated with not knowing what I wanted, and felt like a failure. As time went on, I learned to take risks and let my heart lead me where I needed to go. I became more involved on campus by joining clubs and a sorority. That was the best thing I could have done, because from that point on I wasn't afraid to get my feet wet and try new things. Becoming involved opened up so many doors for me and provided me the opportunity to learn about myself and really enjoy my college experience.
Haley
Follow your gut. Don't be persuaded by where your friends are going, just focus on what will end up being the best choice for you and your future. Try to see what school would best fit the balance of things that are most important to you. Once you've picked the best school for you, wrap up things at home in a positive way. You don't want to be stranded up at school with no ties to your home life either. At school, MAKE FRIENDS! Don't be scared, everyone is in the same boat as you. You can keep your high school friends but you need to branch out to get the most that you can out of your college experience. Most importantly, just enjoy every day as it comes.
Amber
College is as different and difficult as you think it is! The material you cover in your classes is more in depth than the material you cover now. You will receivequite a bit of homework daily, and some subjects are difficult to complete. You HAVE to plan your time accordingly and maintain your schedule. This will ensure you have enough time to go to classes, work, volunteer and STUDY!!! In college, you will study about 45 hours per week or more! That in itself is a full-time job.
College is CHALLENGING, but the REWARD that you will have at the end will be well worth it: An EDUCATION!!!
Tyler
If I could go back and give myself advice heading into college the message would be simple. I would tell myself to not change a thing. Sure, I could tell myself to study more, or get better grades, but that would defeat the purpose. The reason that life is so stimulating is the fact that we mistakes, and from those mistakes we can learn. Life is what it is because I made certain decisions that affected my life. Positive or negative those decisions had a lasting impact on my life. So rather than nitpick and think of how I could have done things differently, I marvel at things that I have done, and rest on the fact that I am living my life to the fullest.
Katie
I would tell myself to work a lot more in the summer before I left because college is expensive from books to just being able to go out with friends on the weekends. Also I would have spent more time with my family because once you leave it becomes harder to get home to see everyone if you do not have a vehicle. I would have made myself apply for more scholarships to help offset the cost. If your high school friends and you are going to separate schools across the state I wish I would have spent more time with them since I lost most contact with them after we left. Mainly I would tell myself not to take advantage of anyone or anything before I leave because college takes a lot out of you from class work to finding a job.
Abbigale
I would tell myself that college is not like high school. You have to actually apply yourself and do your work ahead of time. Don't stress too much; you will get the work done. Join rugby right away, you will make most of your friends there. Don't be shy and speak up. Don't go to the halloween party in 2009; you will regret it.
Zachary
If I could go back to senior yea of high school, i would definitely have tried harder in my advanced placement classes. Had tried harder ad taken the AP test i could have opted out of some of the classes I am now required to retake in college.
Rachel
If I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are many things which I would like to say. Mostly though, I would speak in terms of applying myself in order to make a difference in the world. As a high school senior, I became rather lazy and apathetic. This has reeked into the rest of my life, and I have had to work hard to overcome it this semester. I would tell myself that slacking off is not worth the effort of setting my habits right afterwards. I would also tell myself that I have the opportunity to do many different things, my senior year and after high school, that will make a difference in other people?s lives. If I begin to apply myself right now, I can learn to do things in a timely manner, and always have time to put other people?s needs in front of myself.
Hannah
Knowing what I know now as a college student, I would make sure to tell myself as a high school senior that college life is way different than high school life. I will have to be ready to have much more independence and to work harder in my classes. Not only will I have to work harder in classes, but also at my job because college is very expensive. Campus involvement is crucial in developing a 'social' identity and becoming 'one' with the campus and my peers. Procrastination is not the solution to classwork or projects. College is about passing all my classes and earning my degree. However, college is also about making lifelong friends, creating many momories, and becoming who I am meant to become.
Abigail
As a senior in high school, I chose to graduate early, and use the second half of that year to make money for college. I would have told myself as a senior in high school to use that time more wisely, and remain a student. I would have weighed my options with my high school, and asked for their financial support for me to attend a local community college. As far as the transition, I would tell myself to be prepared to pay attention to detail. The kind of work that earned an A in high school would not make it past the doctorate degree professors. I would have told myself to manage my time wisely and be less eager to start a life on my own and accept all the support from my family. I made the college transition more eager to begin a new social chapter in my life and establish my independence than about educational pursuits. I would tell myself to enjoy every moment in the community and make ever experience count by remembering even downfalls have their lessons.