Western Carolina University Top Questions

Don't wish your life away. It seems like when you're in high school, you're always counting down days until some 'magical' date: when you get your driver's license, when you turn sixteen, when you're finally a senior, your prom, graduation. Before you know it, you've graduated and eye the future with both excitement and apprehension, wondering how four years of high school have gone so quickly. You have a lot of memories, but are they blurred because you tried to hurry through them? Maybe you haven't learned your lesson about how quickly time flies, and start the same pattern with college. STOP! Don't wish your life away. Savor each moment, each experience...even the teachers, classmates, or room mates you may not like. Each person or thing that comes into your life is there to teach you something. Learn the lesson. Grow from it. Be a better person because of it. Then, by the time you're ready to gradute from college, you can do so with no regrets; entering the post-graduate world as the best person you can be, ready to enjoy every minute of your life.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would tell myself to not go to community college first. Mostly, I would make sure that I knew what I wanted to major in when I started applying to college. I would then tell myself to not screw around when I get to college. Transitioning from living with your parents nad depending on them and then going to living in a dorm room accross the country and only having yourself to depend on is hard. Focusing on school is the most important because you know you want to go to grad school. Don't procrastinate because then you will just fall behind and it is harder to try and play catch up. Set goals for yourself. If you aim for only a C in a class you won't actually acheive what you want, you will just settle. Strive for the highest grade possbile and it will make all the difference.

Seriously, education isn't free. Fill out as many scholarship applications as you can.

I would tell myself to buckle down and apply for all the scholarships that I can, because it is not easy paying for college. It is especially hard on my parents because I have a twin sister attending college at the same time. I would also tell myself to start deciding on a major so I can start taking classes that are specific for that major.

Being a high school student and being a college student are completely different. In college, you have the freedom of managing your own time, without teachers or parents breathing down your neck. You will be independent in making choices, and these choices could make or break you in college. To go to class or not go to class? In high school you really didn't have that option. Knowing the transition I had to make from high school to college I would tell myself to be smart about my choices. If you do things right the first time, you won't have to do it a second time. That will save you a lot of money tuition wise if you act smart and not have to retake a class. Also, you should find different ways to help you study better, and stay active. Doing all these things will make the college experience memorable and alleviate some stress.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to go to a two year associate program for nursing for multiple reasons. The most important reason would be that I could have finished my nursing degree program quicker instead of wasting my time applying to different universities that only accept a small percentage of applicants. Most of the universities programs have deadlines that you have to apply two or more semesters before the actually start date of the program. In my case, I applied and didn’t get accepted, and then had to apply to the next program that is two semesters away. I would have told myself to apply to a two year degree program because they have a higher acceptance rate, which limits the amount of time spent waiting and also allows you to start your career faster.

I would tell my self. "really thing about what collages are going to want to see on your application. look for and apply for scholarships early and often, because with twins in the family it is going to be a finacil struggle. Be prepared and deicated to do a lot of work , be prepare to study harder than you did in high school. Keep shooting for A's. Collage may be tough, but if you continue to aim for the sky you moght just reach it. Also be prepared to become independent. you can not alway rely on mom and dad. you need to stand on your own two feet, and not be afraid to pull away from the family a bit. Whatever you do try not to procratinate. putting the work off is not going to help anything; it is just going to cause stress, so sudy hard and study often." If i went back in time and told my self back then, what i know now i think one of the most important peices of advice would be this. " Don't be afraid. life is always changing, so you just have to stay strong and keep holding on."

I would tell myself to focus on myself and what makes me happy before I get caught up in other people's lives. Putting studies first guaruntees being successful. After you sort out your school then comes your social life. Being involved in other activities can help you branch out and meet new people as well. Trying new things such as intramural sports or clubs will get you involved on campus and putting yourself out there gives you the opportunity to make friends. The key to being happy in college is to have a great balance between academics, socializing, and extra curricular activites.

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If I could back and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are many things that I would tell myself about the transtion from high school to college. One of the things that I would definately tell myself is to take advantage of the AP courses that are offered in high school. Little did I know that those AP courses were transferrable for college credit. I would also tell myself to practice reading more on my own, because now that I'm in college, reading is all that I do. Had I known I was going to be reading 300+ pages a week, it would have been nice to know what college courses had in store for me. Last but not least, I would definately tell myself to pay more attention in my english course. I say that, because in college, regardless of ones major, one is going to have to write essay after essay. Now that i'm in college, I have to go through the struggle of taking all my papers to the english center for corrections. From my perspective, these are the three most important things I would advice myself if I was a senior.

I would say to work harder in high school and for your senior year, and do a lot better than I originally had. I sadly got senior-itis early on and my grades showed for it. I should have also worked alot harder in a lot of my classes. Also college is very expensive if you go away and stay in a dorm. I would say to work hard and get more scholarships and do more applications for scholarships. Also be more social because in college, everybody works hard to be social. Join clubs, do alot of activities out of school and that nothing is impossible in life. Even though it may have gotten hard and stressful at times it will pay off in the end when you walk across the graduation stage and you recieve your diploma.

If I could go back in time to give myself some advice, the first piece of advice that I would offer would be to surround myself with people who are ambitious and who are where I would like to be in life. I would tell myself to make friends with positive people who have already gone through the transition from high school to college, and then I would learn everything that I could about their experiences. I would share in the happiness of their successes and learn from their mistakes. I would tell myself to always strive for excellence, because grades in high school really are important. I would make sure that I manage my time well, because minutes cannot be regained. In addition, I would tell my past self to remember to laugh, even when school seems hard. I would want to be more thankful for challenges, because they are each an opportunity for growth. Lastly, know that success is not defined by the amount of money you make or the “things” you collect; rather, it is in working hard, doing your best, and leaving a positive legacy that you find success.

I would tell myself to take as many AP courses that my high school offered. I feel that had I taken more of these, I would be more prepared for college courses. I would also tell myself to volunteer at hospitals, schools, etc. to find my true passion. Don't wait around and do nothing with your free time, but do something productive. Never settle for a major you are not fully excited about. The decisions you make now will affect the rest of your life. It is not about making money because as the saying goes, "money can not buy happiness." Don't just choose a major that seems "easy" but something you are fully passionate about and can put your entire heart in to. The hard work will pay off one day when you are fully happy with the career you choose. Lastly, I would say to try to be as well-rounded as possible. Don't worry all the time about school and don't always try to be "cool" with friends and not keep up with your studies. Try to be as well-rounded as possible and not soley focus on one aspect.

Start working on not procrastinating so much. College will not be as difficult as your teachers keep telling you, but make it easier on yourself by not putting things off till the last minute. Those papers will get done, I can assure you, but writing a ten-page paper the two nights before it's due is never enjoyable no matter how you slice it. Really work on applying for scholarships. You'll find that it will take a lot of worry off your mind if you don't have to think about paying back student loans for the next couple decades. Keep an open mind when you get up there; life is all about experience and this will be the last time you get to just live for experiences without worry. And if you say you're gonna go for a job, do it. They have jobs on campus and off; there's no excuse to be unemployed throughout college. Your wallet and whatever controls stress will thank you at the end of the semester.

I would just tell someone to get involved. I know plenty of friends that dropped out because they were bored. I told them to join a group or two on campus to get themselves moving. They refused and as a result, left the school. You may be busier but through the involvment, you will meet so many new people and find out so much about yourself. In addition, I would tell be people to challenge themselves. Go the extra mile in class, or take that leadership position in your orginization. I have learned so much from just challenging myself and taking that risk. One can only learn from their mistakes so why not do those mistakes while you are in a learning environment. GO CATAMOUNTS!

Some people are ignorant but for that ratio of people, there's a bigger ratio of people who actually will care for you and make friendships that will always be treaured. Teachers remind you that the world is competitive and not everyone is going to make it. Not negative but inspiring because you aren't in colege to get wasted or have fun, its about hard work. I go to college because I value my life and I want to get the best job I'd love and to find people as interested in their future as I am. I came to find that college doesn't make you into someone else or someone new, it polishes out the person you were born to be. Just give college a chance and you'll be thankful for the rest of your life.

Attending Western Carolina University has been an incredible academic, social, and life learning experience. It has presented countless responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges, which have proved just how adventurous life truly is. Through moving to not only a new school, but a new state as well, has taught me how to deal with mulitiple situations on my own. I have had the privilege of stepping outside of my comfort zone to meet new people and develop friendships with the people I live with on a community hall. Having a roommate for the first time in my life has been an amazing and life changing experience because it has forced me to interact and connect with someone I have never met. It has taught me how to be considerate, thoughtful, and respectful of others. Sharing a room with someone helps practice communication and problem solving skills. All of these abilities apply to almost every area of life and I truly believe it forms characteristics needed to function as a productive individual in the "real world." College truly is a valuable experience because it has developed my inner being, expanded my knowledge, and presented opportunities to develop skills needed for success in life.

Honestly, the biggest thing I have gotten out of my college experience is that I have gotten to meet some amazing life long friends and my relationship with God is stronger than ever. Yes, education is really important and I am so grateful to be here to learn all the things I am learning, but to me, a relationship with God is the best thing, and he's got my back so I am not worried at all.

My college experience has been amazing. I have meet so many close friends at Western Carolina University. The professors here really care about your education and want you to successeed. By having the small class sizes you have that personal relationship with your professors. The athletic events at Western are a lot of fun we tailgate and go to the football games. There is always something going on with the campus whether it be skiing, working out with group x, a sorority or fraternity, going to an athletic event, or being a part of your favorite club! Western Carolina University is defiantly the place to be in the Whee!

My college experience has been an extremely great one, one that I would not change or re-live for any distinctive reason. I love the way this campus is set up and would not have it any other way. It has been a benefit attending this college for the simple reason of success. I have had numerous classes and they all ended in triumph. If there would be a reason, it is for all the hard work and also of the student-teacher relationship. The classes are somewhat small, so there is a way the teacher and student can connect and workout any misunderstanding in the classroom. This is why I have succeeded and made the best of my college experience.