Washington & Jefferson College Top Questions

Brandy, stay in college. It will be so much harder to go to school later. Right now you do not have to worry about rent and car payments. Working full time and going to school is harder than you think. You hate being exhausted now think about it when you are almost thirty. This guy you are dating, dump him now. He is going to set you back not just emotionally but in life. He is not the man you think he is and you can’t save him because he can’t help himself. There are so many things that you will miss out on. Stay in scouts. They are a family that will help you through rough times. They will let you stay on the couch after breakups. They will be there when you don’t know where you are. Just remember to be you and all will ok.

Looking back now, I often wish as a senior in high school I would have known then what I know now. If I had the chance to go back and tell myself the important things about being in college, there would be so many things I would say. First, I'd tell myself that it's going to be scary leaving home, and that's okay! Being homesick is normal, but if you make it through the first semester, you'll learn to love the independance. It's important to study hard. High school was a breeze, but college meant to really challenge you. A lot more is expected of you. Be thankful you have the ability to go to college and make something of yourself. Take this opportunity seriously. Be brave and try new things! You never know who you'll meet and what you might discover about yourself. Make new friends, but don't forget about your old ones. And most importantly, remember that it's okay to hit some bumps, so long as they don't stop you. This is a fresh start. Do your absolute best and always stay true to yourself.

If I were to go back in time, I would suggest to my high school senior self to really explore the campuses of the potential schools. I would ensure to emphasize that talking to current college students, attending the school I was looking into, is a must BEFORE choosing a college. I would also suggest taking more college credit course in my senior year, so there would be more opportunites once in college. But most of all I would make sure that high school me understood that the choice of college is for me not anyone else. It is very important to be where you feel most comfortable regardless of the distance from home.

Madison, you're a senior in high school, grow up! Stop being so lazy and realize that life isn't just a good time. When you head off to college next fall you are in for a huge wake up call. No longer will you be staying out all night and never doing homework. In fact, homework is your life now. Getting good grades is a priority. You have a long way to go, but its not all bad; you and mom get along great now that you have matured some and have learned to put effort. I you are scared for next fall and I won't lie, that first month was rough. You care so much about having fun. Thats okay, but its ruining your life. Luckily, you know better 7 months later. You will become the person others want to be; I can honestly say I am proud of myself now.

Having a clearer understanding of the catch phrase that Hindsight 20/20, I could give my high school self some great advise. My main piece of advice is to respect the importance of time management. Starting off slow on this important study skill; I learned it quickly and abruptly. The thing I didn’t realize was the pace the courses move as the whole class is completed in a semester, not a full year. Therefore, if you fall behind it can be difficult, if not impossible, to get catch up. I was regrouping while juggling work study and lacrosse. The better approach is to take the time to plan out what you need to accomplish each day. The quality of your work will not be compromised because you will have the time to perfect it, making it the best it can be. The last thing to remember in managing your time is to allow for distractions. In high school, I was studying quietly in my room. At college, there are always people around. You must allow for that and choose wisely. Remembering, college is equally about new friends made and fun times enjoyed. There truly is time for it all.

Okay kid, you know that high school was a breeze; you skated by doing the bare minimum and that was enough for you. You're a smart kid and didn't need to do a whole lot, like a lot of high school seniors. What you don't know yet is that the lazy habit you have spent four years perfecting is going to bite you in the rear end and be very hard to break out of. So get a jump on it now and no matter how easy or irrelevent you may think it is, just do your work! Study, do your homework, look over all of your material for tomorrow BEFORE you go into class. Try to break the bad stidy habits you got into during the first three years and try to create some more beneficial ones. So get up, study hard and do your work! You're a really social and friendly kid, you love spending time with friends; so either do that after you've done your homework, or just bring it with you. There is nothing wrong with doing work in a group of friends and it's actually pretty nice.

Hello senior self, Time flies, wouldn't you say? Your future self is already going to be a junior in college in the fall. I feel like I have matured tremendously since high school, so I would like to leave you with some advice. First off, start getting more involved with clubs and do not be afraid to take on a leadership position. The experience will only help you in the future. When you start to decide what you want to be, really, really think over it and imagine yourself doing it. I say this because we change majors our sophomore year. Lastly, I just want to tell you to be yourself when you start college. You will have an easier time making friends and will have a lot more fun that way. Also, don't be too hesitant to talk! Have fun senior year, it was a blast! Very, very best wishes, Your future self P.S. Switch to majoring in Accounting and save us a semester!

Looking back at the transition from high school to college, I believe the biggest thing to learn is time management. Being on your own, I had to learn when to do my work, how to do my work, and how to still make time for eating and sleeping. College classes require a lot of reading and studying is inevitable. Only having classes for part of the day, I would tell myself to start homework after classes and do it even on the weekends. I would have myself prepare for the fact that homework will occupy at least five hours everyday and studying should take up more. Although, my other advice is: NEVER PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER! It is not helpful to lose sleep. It is, however, more important to plan out what you have to do, start as soon as possible, and take breaks every so often so as not to lose your mind! But on breaks, I would advise myself to stay clear of Facebook! However, I would also say that being social is important, too. Making new friends can help you make it through the work and give you the best memories of college, as I also learned.

I would tell my highschool self to try harder in applying for scholarship money the summer before going to school instead of focusing on your social life. It just gets harder in finding money to pay off all the loans you have to take out and it will be easier on you in the long run. I would also say not to overpack and bring as many clothes and accessories because you will not end up using half of them. Plus everything that you do not use takes up valuable space that is limited from living in the dorms. Another piece of advice I would add is to stay clear minded and not to get too caught up in "college life" the first semester. This way you can focus on the major transition in academics so you can start off your college career with a solid GPA instead of having a major wake up call like most students.

Don't try so hard to please everyone else; it will wear you terribly thin if you cannot develop the courage to kindly say no. Instead, make sure to please yourself by satisfying your own ambitions with baby-steps, nurturing your own passions with attention and time, and maintaining your thriving vitality for learning and life. Don't worry so much about being able to do everything, least of all being able to do everything perfectly. If you must worry, worry more about missing out on what's going on today, and what you're learning in this very moment, because you are always learning. Every moment of your existence has taught you something if you examine it. Most importantly do not forget that you are not defined by what you produce or what you do. You cannot be defined by anything, but you are much better measured by why you do what you do, and how you conduct and apply yourself as you do it. Remember to consult your priorities and principals often, and don’t ever be afraid of learning something new.