Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Top Questions

It may sound cliche, but if I were to visit myself as a high school senior, I would not change a thing. I honestly could not be happier with the way I prepared myself for college, and my selection to attend Virginia Tech. The transition into college life was smoother than I ever thought it would be, thanks to much help from my parents. The whole process did make me a bit nervous, so I would tell myself to breath easy and take things slow, but once again, I could not be happier the way that everything played out in the last year.

If I could give myself any advice I would have made sure I got involved. I would have told myself that I can balance a large work load as long as I make time and I put in the effort. I would have also told myself to stay focused and pushed harder on starting off with a high cummulative GPA so that I would have had flexibility with scheduling later on down the road. I would have told myself to also have fun and that there is no rush on growing up and entering the work force. I should enjoy my youth as much as possible, but create a healthy balance between school work and socializing. I would have networked with more alumni and friends and I would not be afraid to attend meetings and informational forums on my own. However, the biggest thing I would do is thank all of the people who helped me at least get into college. After high school you realize that even though you absolutely hated having homework everyday in calculus and chemistry, it was every bit worth it to receive your first A on a college test.

I would tell myself that, first of all, you have the skills to be successful in college. There are a lot of people who say how hard it was for them to adjust and that students in college need to buckle down and work a lot harder. While this is true, I wish that someone would have told me that they believed I could do it. With so many negative thoughts it is very easy to feel nervous or doubt your abilities before going to college, and I think that positive reinforcement would have made the transition a lot less stressful. I would also tell myself that it is easy to make friends and be happy as long as you get involved in your university. Joining a club can expose you to so many different people than those you would just meet in your hall or during classes. You can create many lasting relationships by doing something that you enjoy with other people who enjoy it as well, but you will only get the benefits of getting involved if you swallow your nerves and just try something.

College life isn't nearly as hard as you think it is. If you stay organized and efficient and study, your grades should be decent. You'll face challenges (like having to share space with a roommate) and sometimes you'll wish that you weren't even in college, but the experience and knowledge you'll gain through classes, faculty, and friends you'll make are well worth the hurdles. Don't forget to join a couple clubs along the way and really think about you enjoy because college isn't all about what happens in the classroom. Oh yeah, don't try to move your entire house into your dorm room.

I would let myself know that college is dissimilar from the simplicity of high school. The conversation would go in several steps. First, pick a dorm roommate that you know and are comfortable with. This will be extremely important to your success your freshman year. Don?t listen to anybody when they tell you that it will be ?fun and interesting? to live with a random roommate. You?ll wind up living with a 25 year old that wants to play video games all day while you?re trying to study. Second, understand the syllabus that the professor gives you. It can make or break you when it comes to getting that final grade you worked so hard for. Check for later revisions to the grading scale as well, considering some professors like to do this without telling you, and you?ll wind up with a dreaded B- instead of a B because the ?ten point scale is no longer implemented in this course.? Finally, remember that you are in college for a reason. You want to get a degree and perform well in your classes so that you can live a relaxing and healthy lifestyle later in life.

Have an open mind. Whether you go away to college or you stay local, there is still going to be a culture shock. There will be people who may not have the same values as you. They may not have the same types of personalities that you've dealt with in high school. Moving to different regions is an even larger culture shock because habits and customs may be so different from what you are used to. Various prejudices may plague certain regions, and you may not understand why. My advice would be to hold on to what you see is important and what you want to get out of life, but don't be afraid to open up to other people's viewpoints. They may open up a whole new world for you. In addition, learn to get along with those who disagree with you. You may not have the same political or social views, but you need to respect their views because it is a glimpse of what happens in the real world.

If I could go back to when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself that the professors would be helpful. I would also tell myself that the school that I chose was for the best interest of myself and my parents. The school that I chose would be great for me and prepare me for what is to come. Academically, I would have to be more focused and concentrated than in high school because the course work is more heavier and harder. This school will prepare me for the future that I plan for myself at that school. I would also tell myself that the social life is something that I have to create for myself. I have to find people that have the same goals that I have and share the same beliefs that I share. Also, love can wait, education and retaining for future promotions cannot! I would also remind myself that my parents will always be there for me and that they may tell me things that I do not want to hear. It will only be for my good to become the woman and student that I want to become, even after college.

Get involved, try new things, and find what YOU enjoy. Leaving your home town and the friends you grew-up with is scary, but the new friends you'll make will be more than worth it. To make those friends, though, you have to get involved. There's so much you can choose to do, just get out and try something. Your school work is important, but 20 years from now, that calculus exam isn't what you'll remember. The groups you're a part of and the friends you make are the memories you'll never forget.

As a high scholl senior, I think I would like to know that college is easier than it sounds. As a perfectionist, I stressed a lot about friends, grades, work, career choices, studying, etc. You name it, I worried about it. The best four of years of your life will be spent there, and it will defintely fly by. Enjoy every moment, every teacher, every smile. Things just fall into place, so don't worry, be happy. Take lots of pictures, have loads of fun, and study hard.

Assuming this is a letter to myself, a little piece of advice from the possible future you is this. Don't assume that people are going to tell you what to do next with your life. Of all of the things you need to know, passivism is not an escape route, it's a dead end. Your going to be looking back at yourself, and your accomplishments years from now and thinking you could have accomplished so much more with the time you had. People aren't going to provide a guide with 'the next step' that needs to be taken or where the best possible route is. Strive to take the initiative to plan for yourself, how to continue on in your college career. Last of all, your parents and counselers are there to help you, take the time to ask them for help, and when you do, listen to them the first time. It will save you more frustration and wasted time then you can imagine. Sincerely, Your future self