Wagner College Top Questions

“You have been though a lot and even though you are about to graduate high school, this is not the end, it is just another stepping stone to get where you want to get. Therefore, stay focus and continue to persevere. You will feel pressured into doing things that you never done before just to fit it and to have a social life, however, you need to keep in mind that you are going there with one purpose and that is to succeed, therefore, be willing to make sacrifices. The sacrifices you make will make you feel down in the time being, but they will definitely pay off in the end. Most importantly, keep God in your heart and make Him a priority because He will help you overcome anything that seems impossible because with Him everything is possible. Lastly, do not lessen your expectations. If you have goals in mind of things you want to do while being there, do not hesitate. Ask the faculty for help and do not stop until all your questions have been answered. Take advantage of all the resources that are provided to you and this will make your college experience an unforgettable one.”

"People will come in and out of your life but your true friends will always be there." This is the advice I would give myself because I am personally very trust worthy. I believed that when I first got to school the friends I made the first month there would be my life long friends, however that is not true. People will come in and out of your life but the most important thing is to know who you are. I have always thought college was exactly what one would see in movies but that is not necessarily true either. College is a good thing and a bad. It is good because you fianlly get the freedom you have always wanted. It is bad because you now are responsible for your life and your actions. It is a hard adjustment not having someone to fall back on and it takes some adjusting but it is possible. I have learned that you have to learn how to trust yourself to know that you will make the right choice. You need to learn how to start relying on yourself and not your parents.

Going back to my senior year in high school, advice that I would give myself about transitioning to college life would include being myself. I would tell myself to stay true to who I am and not worry about how I will be percieved by my new classmates. I would not worry nearly as much about fitting in because on a diverse campus, there will always be people that you can be comfortable with. I would also be much less anxious about new experiences. Between leaving home, meeting new people and living in a new state, there have been a lot of changes in the first few weeks of college. All of these experiences have been positive and I am growing and thriving in my new world. I am not afraid to call home and talk with my family. It is important to me to remain connected. I might have wanted to remember that when I was thinking about the changes I would be experienceing during my last year of high shcool.

The most traumatic memory in my life was watching my late grandfather die of prostate cancer. He died at home because he couldn't afford treatment at a real hospital. There was a male nurse who lived in the neighborhood took care of my grandfather gratuitously until his last breathe. It was the generosity and nurturing nature of this man which stuck me and it motivated me to give back. I used to do volunteering work for an organization called Hope For Kids many years ago. We would go to specific neighborhoods and speak to families about the important benefits of immunization. I was also able to organize blood drives for the Red Cross. I also had the privilege of working with Lenscrafters and we would make brand new corrective eyeglasses for families in need. These experiences allowed me to become aware of my desire to work with people one on one. If I was to go back to high school then I would make sure that I would guide myself towards preparing for a career in nursing.

As a high school senior, i wasnt really into getting into college at the moment , so i decide to continue to build up my work experience as a cashier in different area of the reservation, then i decide to be a teacher aide for the northern cheyenne headstart then i took a year off to take care of my horses and spent time with my family. I decide to go to college, i choose Chief Dull knife College to start my college career, I glad that i made this choice because i need a refresher in all my subjects, I have been on President and Dean list also had awards in my subjects. I'm pursing degree in Chemical and Enivronmental engineering. I'll be graduating in the spring of 2012 with my AS degree then i'll be traveling down to the Colorado School of Mines to attend a summer internship and also finish up my degree then i'll transfer to Yale University to finish up my gradute school to get my PH.D in Chemical engineering. The advice that i have gave to myself is never surrender or give up on my education goals in life.

I would advise myself to not second-guess who I am. Many of my freshman issues focused around me not being confident in who I am and what I believe in. I would tell myself not to be afraid of having different ideas than others, because eventually I will find people who agree with me and support me. Basically, believe that I am doing the right thing, that I have made the right decision, that I have made the right place. If I trusted in that, then the rest will take care of itself.

College isn't at all what you would expect Chelsey. To get your full experience you have to get involved. The resourses and technology that will be accessable to you will be very benefical so USE it. Studying hard and being dedicated to getting a better education is what will get you throuh college. You HAVE to want to be there, just always remember this will be paying off in your future. Oh and college is alot of fun too, get involved in the athletics they will help you stay focused and dedicated because you don't want to let your team down, being uneligible for the championship game wouldn't be a crowd pleaser that's for sure. College school work is a lot more challenging and time consuming so make sure you set a side a few hours a day to get your homework done and just power through it. Well chelsey I know you'll do great just keep focused, go to class and enjoy your experience.

If I could go back and talk with myself as a high school senior, my transition to college could have been a lot less stressful. I would definitely tell my younger self to choose a small school to make the transition the easiest. During my decision process, I had it down to two schools; one very large, and one very small. I am a terrible decision maker to begin with! I drove myself and my family insane with numerous pro and con lists. If I had a chance to talk with myself today, I would have known that a small school makes everything easier; from class sizes and interaction with professors to move- in day and instant friends, having a small sized school made the transition so simple. It was almost like summer camp; making friends that you will have forever, and gaining great mentors out of your counselors, or in this case, professors. The small size of the school has allowed me to learn so much more and experience things I never would have had the chance to. Sharing this information with myself last year could have helped me make my decision easier without annoying my friends and family.

First of all, I would advise myself to know who I am before heading off to college. Much of the drama and life decisions could be handled a lot better if I was more sure of myself going into them. Also, I would caution myself to not be judgmental, but to also not be afraid to get ot know people. There is such a diversity here that I am not used to, and it would have been nice to be warned about that before plunging into this new life. I would also tell myself to just have fun, let go sometimes and not worry or over-plan. College is the time to make mistakes and figure out what I actually want to do with my life, so it's completely alright to not be perfect.

My college experience was my first real introduction to independence. Having been raised in a caring, protective, middle class, suburban household- attending college took me out of my comfort zone for the first time. As much as I value the degree I earned from Wagner and the knowledge I obtained from all of the classes attended, I find that the social education of the college experience is most valuable. It's funny to think back now, but at first the idea that I was completely responsible for my choices- without having a parental figure monitering or influencing my daily decisions was extrememly novel to me. I quickly learned the importance of time management amongst classes, athletics, and my social life. The subtlety of meeting new people, navigating the challenges of living with roommates, and maintaining relationships with different genres of peer groups sounds like a given, but really, these are skills that I developed in college. College, for me, helped develop my self confidence- I think the college experience, in general, is most valuable because it acts as this crazy transitional cushion between childhood and adulthood.