Valdosta State University Top Questions

If I were able to travel back in time to my senior year in high school and talk to myself I would stress the importance of networking and being involved on campus. Valdosta State is a pretty big University, with many oppurtunities to meet people and establish relationships. Without any involvement a campus as big as Valdosta can seem to become very small. My freshman year I had a hard time adjusting because I was always in my room and I didnt seize the oppurtunity to go out and meet people, but during my sophmore year I made an effort to join a few organizations on campus and it had a vast improvement on my college experience. In a gist, college is more than just academics its an oppurtunity for young adults to build long lasting and beneficial relationships with people .

I would tell my self and anyone else to follow your heart. Your heart has a funny way of already knowing what it is that you want to do. Success is not defined by how much money you make but is defined by how happy you are and achieving the goals you set for yourself. Just be what you want to be not what every one tells you that you should be. Your career will take up a large part of your life so do what you love and don't settle to you find what you love.

I would tell myself to go into college undeclared, get my core classes out of the way then declare a major. Do not start college with a declared major.

I'd like to believe if most people had the chance to answer this question they'd say things like "Don't date that one guy" and "don't dye your hair purple, it was a mistake!" but I honestly wouldn't change those things about myself. There is one key thing I would tell myself. Take college classes! While being at the university I have met freshmen come in and immediately go up the ladder on to sophmore and junior while I have to slowly climb and make my way to the top. While there's no problem with either of these methods, it is fustrating to want to be successful and feel as if you are failing that simply because you did not get the head start you needed. Not only that but also if I would have taken college classes I would have had a better handle on what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and I would have grown up a little faster, seen more of people, and understood what it meant to be in college and get a degree so that in the future I could have a fighting chance.

Entering college life the typical thought is “I am going to find myself,” but in order to find something it first must be lost. Losing yourself is not what anyone should ask for especially in the judgmental and challenging life milestone of college. If I knew then what I know about college life now I would tell my high school senior self that finding yourself is not the goal, but enhancing and revolutionizing yourself is the goal. Months in preparation for the first day off to college should be more than finding twin size sheets and Facebook stalking your new roommate, but about reminding yourself about who you are. In reminding yourself about who you are, you are reinforcing your self-worth and raising your self-esteem for those moments that will fail and succeed in shattering it. I would want my high school senior self to know that your personality and point of views will shift, but let those changes come from your learning experiences and not be shaped by the individuals that try and shame you for keeping what makes you value yourself the most.

Dear High School Jessica, Enjoy your life as it is right now. Do not rush things. Be smart when it comes to being in certain situations for you cannot trust everyone who calls you friend. Guard your emotions and your heart and think realistically. Do not procrastinate and always plan ahead. Step out of your comfort zone and try new things and don't be afraid of your voice. Make life long friends and memories and just always enjoy the little things.

When I was in high school, I worked full time and had very little responsibilities. I worked and spent my money as I pleased. If I could go back in time, I would talk some sense into my head about saving money. Going out into the real world and living on your own is not a very easy task. Then having tuition payments and needing things for school can carry a huge burden and load of stress on a student. I would love to be able to take a huge part of my stress away by going back in time and talking myself into saving money. I would also prepare myself for late nights studying, and very early morning class routines. College is not an easy adventure and I would love to be able to go back and use my knowledge now to put some sense into my head back in high school.

When you come to college, do not just stick to what you know. Get to know everyone and be open about what you see. Make more than one friend, even though she was the best! You want to be able to look back and say you made the best of your college experience and you didn't just survive. Get involved! Don't be afraid to stand out and be original! Stay focus on your studies like you always have but enjoy yourself at the same time. College is about finding yourself. You may think you have time to do what you want in four year but surprisingly, the time goes by in a flash and before you know it, life just is not what you imagined it to be. Keep yourself together! Make good choices about your friends. Do your best to get out of bad situations even when you’re afraid of the consequences because at the end of the day, you make it through! Do what makes you happy and get rid of the things that make you sad. Remember, never apologize for being you.

Looking back over time I would tell myself to study more and make school my number one priority. Often times, I got caught up in the social aspect of school and hanging out with my friends, versus focusing on what truly matters. It has been hard on my parents to pay out of pocket for school and I want to make every attempt to make their life easier. It is hard looking back on my mistakes but I know they've made me a more studious student now.

I would advise myself to go to VSU immediately after high school (instead of going to Georgia College, then transferring). Though I really loved GCSU and I miss it, I would want my high school self to know that VSU is the right choice for my career path. I would also tell my high school self to be super open minded about religion, politics, and many other things because you never know what might change your mind until you are open minded enough to listen to an idea or opinion. Probably one of the most important things I would love to go back and tell myself would be to stop being shy--"Get out there and make friends, ya big dummy!"

I would tell myself not to stress so much. Everything works out exactly how it should in the end! However, I would tell myself to stay focused on dealines and be ahead of the game instead of letting it all pile up.

The advice I would give my high school self is to stop being scared. There is a huge world out there with infinite opportunities just waiting for you to experience it. Be more social. Relationships is what makes the world go round. It's also one of the many reasons to be successful in the world. I'd also tell myself to be more confident. Confidence is key. You will fail sometimes but that is okay because you can learn from your mistakes and keep it moving. One last thing I would tell myself is to live life to the fullest. Life is too short to be scared of how things won't go. Life is what you make of it. Don't complain when it's your fault that it's not going the way you want it to be.

I would tell myself to learn to be a better money manager as well as time manager. Valdosta State doesn't present too much homework all at once (nor is it all that hard thus far) but if you aren't careful, deadlines can appear out of no where. Don't let your arrogance get to your head. You might be smart, but you're not a genius and college is nothing like high school. You've got more time for yourself but your schedule won't always correspond to what your friends have. Learn to not beg for attention; your friends and family have lives too. Speaking of family, tell them you love them. You might not like them, but you will always love them, and the distance will be hard on all of you.

Listen! College is a great experiene. It's preparing you to enter the adult world of responsiblities. When you get there, you need to focus. Yes you have a sense of freedom, but don't let it go to your head. You will need to apply to every scholarship you are eligible for and find out the schoalrships the school of your choice has to offer. Scholarships add up to a free education and refund checks, if all hasn't been spent. When you get those reimbursements, be wise in your spending. You also need to double major. Having a plan B is always smart. When push comes to shove, find help. Bringing up your GPA is very difficult. Renting textbooks saves you money. Also becomig a social butterfly does too. Knowing how to interact with different individuals will be an advantage in the workplace. Friends come and go, so be careful of who you open up to. Also join clubs and organization. Be careful who you are intimate with. It can cause serious issue that you don't want. Lastly, always have confidence in yourself. Beleive you can do anything. You are beautiful person. Make a difference.

College is different. AP classes in high school have been extremely beneficial academically, but there are still adjustments every college student has to learn to make. For example, you are now fully responsible for keeping up with assignments, due dates, and tests. That means you now have to check your email and the school website every day, read the entire syllabus frequently throughout the semester, and write down everything you need to remember, including all due dates, in a planner. Professors will not always remind you of those things; you are expected to know already. Because you are entirely responsible, make sure you are doing all you possibly can to stay on top of things! Most importantly though, I would encourage you to invest in new friendships. It is intimidating to be surrounded by so many new people, but developing lifelong relationships will be one of the most rewarding parts of your college experience. Branch out. Talk to people you haven't met. You'll never regret it!

I would tell myself to be flexible and realistic. My senior year in highschool my top 3 school choices were Princeton, UGA, and Howard University in DC. The problem wasn't that I wasn't smart enough to get in, the issue was money. I had no idea the amount of money it would take to get me into school, and had I looked more into the financial side of my choices, I probably would have been able to plan accordingly. Unfortunately, not knowing the amount of money it would take, I was not able to attend Howard, the only school of the three I had planned to attend. I ended up at a school that I vowed I would never go to, and transferred to Valdosta this year. I definitely think I would be in a much better position today if I knew more about college and finances as a high school senior.

If I could go back to high school and give myself some advice I would say: "Take a deep breath! College is going to be great! Imagine yourself in 4 years about to graduate, confident, positive and well prepared. You will be there one day and you will be great! Take all those worries and insecurities about your academics and social life and throw them away. In college you will beable to grow and blossom into who ever you wish to be and how ever you want to. You will be great, just stay condifent and never forget who you are. One more thing, stay grateful, because Mom and Dad are not joking about making you get a job if you start acting spoiled!"

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to get into more clubs and be more active in the community, because you can get more scholarships or grants that way.

There are two very important rules to know before starting college; be sure to learn time management, and get accustomed to freedom. When you stay on campus you are free to do whatever you want, whenever you want, as long as it does not violate school codes. Since you are in control, there are so many things that can be done. Most of which have little importance, unlike homework and studying. It is very easy to get distracted, and procrastinate on your priorities. One think to always keep in mind is the purpose for you attending college, and that is to get an education. Learn to do homework and studying immediately after class has ended. You should review material for at least an hour a day. Two hours or more for your more difficult courses you should not exceed three hours in one sitting. Interact with those who are excelling in your classes and create study groups. Too much studying and not enough studying are not good alternatives. Your school offers time management courses, take them. Advisors are there to help you balance free and occupied time without becoming overwhelmed. Most importantly remember to have fun, and be social.

With the knowledge that I have obtained through my college years and if I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior in high school, I would tell myself to work much harder. By working harder, I mean to study more, take the SAT more serious and join academic teams and volunteer with different types of jobs. Anything that you want does not just fall in your lap; you have to work in order to receive it. Like the saying goes ”closed mouths do not get fed” I would tell myself to take it more seriously. I’d also tell myself that there is always time for fun but education must always come first. Start looking for colleges very early and not get discouraged with the outcome. Real life is so much different than life in high school. Financial stability plays a huge part in college years and you would need every amount of free money that is out there. I’d also tell myself to research for many scholarships and grants so that I can have an outlet to pay for my higher education. That’s my advice, so study.