Washington College Top Questions

Being a high school senior possibly is one of the most stressful times of a person’s life. It marks the transition from teenager to adult hood. In a matter of months some of the biggest decisions one must make all come up at once. It’s hard to make decisions regarding the rest of your life, which is why hearing advice from those who have experienced it before can be so beneficial. If I was to go back to myself as a high school senior and give myself advice, I would say is to learn to become independent. College is no walk in the park like high school, teachers and counselors no longer are there to hold your hand nor remind you of all upcoming deadlines, this is now all up to you. You are seen as an adult in college and that is how you are treated. You’re no longer getting an extra day to turn in work and because of that it is important to be able to take care of everything independently. Finally enjoy yourself, this is one of the best times of your life, these experiences will be ones that will never be forgotten.

The advice that I would give to my high school self would be to work harder in school. It's every seniors dream to be done with high school, but I started letting go too early. If I would have worked harder, I could have earned more scholarships and helped my parents with my next 4 years. Also, I would advise myself to spend more time with my family. Its hard to realize how much you will miss them when you are off at college. I was used to seeing them everyday, but now I hardly see them. I would want myself to take advantage of the free time I had and spend that with the people I care about the most. My family has always been there for me and it would have been nice to enjoy more quality time with them when I had the chance.

Have fun! Meet new people and let them influence your life in a positive way. College is time consuming but in the end very rewarding. Keep your head high when the times get tough and keep your head in the books when your tempted to go out with friends. You will change your college goals not once, not twice but may be three times before you really know what you want in the end. With each change will come a challenge, but you can overcome them your a hard working woman. Mom is proud of you no matter how much she complains that you live to far away. Transitioning out of the Marine Corps is harder that you may think. Just remember that the family that you have made with every Marine you have worked with is still strong even if you do not work side by side any more. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

Dear High School Self, Everything that you think matters now will not matter when you get to college. College will be a fresh start, and any issue you have, whether it social anxiety or popularity, can be managed in college. Just be yourself and there will be people who like you for who you are. If they don't, then something is wrong with them, not you because you are an amazing person. This is also a perfect chance to find what you want to do for the rest of your life, so take advantage of that opportunity. School comes first so you should study every chance that you get. Make use of every resource the school has to offer because you are investing thousands of dollars and you need to get your moneys worth. Above everything else, have fun! You only have 4 years left before you are out in the real world. There will be difficult experiences and some of them may be overwhelming but don't let anything withdraw you from the rest of the world because beyond every bad experience there's something better for you so stay positive and be prepared for it. Sincerely, Malcolm

I would tell myself, "Prepare yourself for a lot of work. Also learn different studing habits. Yes there are times that you have to stay up late doing homework, but if you can learn to manage your time very well, you can cut those times down by a lot. Another thing, don't be afraid to go out and have fun instead of doing homework every once in a while because sometimes taking a break is the best thing to do when you have a lot of work. Also use all the academic resources that are available for you. They really do help when you are struggling with a subject. The last thing advice I have is to do your best, and no one can ask for anything more of you. As long as you do your best, be proud of your work."

If I could go back in time and give my high school self advice, I would let her know to take more risks and go on more adventures. I did a lot during my senior year but I wish I had done more. I would have loved to have traveled and sky-dived, among other things. I would also tell myself to work less during freshmen year. I missed out on a lot of opportunities due to working so much. I was unable to go to plays, hang out with friends, missed speakers, and get-togethers. I would also tell my-self that physics is not the right path. Though I switched majors at the end of my first semester, I wish I had known that my hatred for physics would carry over to college and make me miserable during my first semester. Though I would tell this all to my-self, I would also tell her not to change a thing that did happen. Everything happened for a reason and made me who I am today.

I would tell myself not to worry. I would keep my options open and push myself into joining things that were outside of my comfort zone. I would become more involved in my campus life from the very start in order to make more relationships early in the year, and give myself exciting new opportunities that are outside of the classroom and help me to familiarize myself with the campus early on. I would make myself try new things even if I was nervous as it would help me to quickly become comfortable and excited about life on my campus.

If I could go back in the past I would tell myself to just be very friendly and confident. I would tell myself to not be scared or worried about making friends because everyone is really nice and if that you just be yourself you will make many. I would tell myself to make sure you study what you learned in class for at least an hour everyday so that you don’t have to cram the day before. I would tell myself to eat healthy and try really hard at crew to make a really good boat. Finally I would tell myself to do everything I did do because I loved my first semester as a college student.

I know this experience is going to be very different for you. The freedom you are given at such a short amount of time will be overwhelming. You will have the urge to not go to class and to go out and party with your friends all the time. You have to remember that there needs to be a line where; you stop having fun, buckle down, and do your work. You will think "oh I can finish this another time" ,but then you keep pushing that time back and procrastinate. Then all of a sudden the assignment is due tomorrow and you are rushing to get it done. You might get it done, might not, but why take that chance? Do your work when it should be done to prevent any worry that it possibly will not get done or be done at a lower quaility than you can actually make it. Remember that the main reason you are there is to learn and begin a new life away from home. I am not saying not to have fun; I am saying to make sure you allow yourself to have a full college experience.

Look, college is not High School anymore, you will have to work your but off if you are to succeed. I know you are used to getting straight A's without studying, but this is all about to change. You have to start learning new study methods and how to study for nights on end to get those high scores you are so used to. Also, your grade will no longer comprise of a bunch of homework grades, you will have only three or four tests to earn your grade. This means you absolutly have to reinforce what you learn in lecture by working everything again by yourself. These tips of advice may seem boring and a bit much but they will be worth it in the end. I have all the confidence in the world in you, you are a hard worker and your work ethic has never been in question. Continue working hard and study hard, you are going to love college!