Westminster College-Fulton Top Questions

I would explain to myself the importance of taking initiative and listening to teachers. Because I have learned that whenever teachers back in high school would ask a rhetorical question to try and start making us as students ask those questions such as "why are we learning this?" So simple yet I never put it together that if I started asking myself those questions, that i would have a larger understanding of what we were trying to learn. I would tell myself to take initiative more because of all the opportunities that i missed out on because of me not taking initiative. From academic opportunities to cultural diversity to social opportunities. If I had taken the initiative back then I would have been able to start perpetually improving myself day by day not only increasing my own value, but also increasing others from everything that I have learned.

If i could go back and talk to myself as a senior, I would tell myself to keep pushing on and finish the year strong. Just because you are a senior in high school does not give you the opportuiny to just put cruise mode on and forget about all of your problems. I completely understand that athletically, you want to make it to the next level but you also have to realize that you can't get anywhere athletically without the grades that you originally strived for when you cane into high school as a freshman. No matter what happens on a daily basis, you can't let it affect your school work and the ability to get things done so you can be that much closer to your goals. You do not want to be the man in the future that wishes he would have done more to better prepare himself for the future. You need to get everything done now so the future will be a breeze!

I needed a lot of advice my senior year of high school. I am a worrier and a planner. Whenever I worry about something, I create a plan to solve whatever problem is worrying me. I worried a lot my senior year. I worried about what college to go to, how far away from home it should be, where would I get the best education, and how much I should pay for college. So I planned out how far I was willing to be away from home, what college would give me the best chance of getting a job after graduation, and I worked for scholarships pay for college. However, if I could go back to my senior year, I would tell myself to not worry so much. Everything worked out wonderfully even through the ups and downs of the decision process. I would still plan because good plans make good things happen, but I would relax and laugh more. I would tell myself, "You only get one senior year of high school in your life. Enjoy it. Relish it. It will end faster than you want it to."

If I had the ability to talk to myself as senior, the first thing I would stress to myself is, relax. As a senior, nerves are running high with the anticipation of moving away from home, being away from all known friends and family, living with strangers, and being placed in an unfamiliar campus that at the time seemed enormous! Throughout high school, teachers warn "college is going to be much harder than this!" Well, although the warning may have been a bit intense and overwhelming at the time, they were exactly right. I would let myself know that, yes, college is much harder, but in a wonderful way. College is challenging; it is new and different, yet exciting and stimulating. It expands thinking and reasoning in a way that a high school student may not have thought was possible. Most importantly, I would like to let my high school senior self know, as tough as something may seem, there are hundreds of others who feel the same way. I would want myself to have known as long as I keep myself focused, prepared, and excited, I am going to be able to handle whatever is thrown my way.

I would tell myself to not be so anxious to leave home, i miss my family and friends from school. I would also tell myself to trust my family and to let my self have fun to not freak out as much about the future. That yes my grades my first semester will not be what i wanted, but, that they get better the next semester. To not be scared to ask for help. To not get into that fight with my best friend ( my biggest regret). Quite frankly, those were the worst two months fo my life. I needed her more than ever, i needed to tell her that i was scared that i would not have any friends and that i wouldnt like my suite mates. that i wanted her back in my life...no...i needed her back in my life. We did start talking again and we know now to not trust what certain people say about eachother. I know this went off subject but thats what i would have told myself in highschool my senoir year, to trust my best friend to not go two months over the summer without her.

There are many things I recieved and am still recieving here at Westminster College. I have made many friends and enjoy being around them daily, and have learned how to share a room with one of those friends. Sharing a room with my roommate has taught me how to better address problems I might have with something, since before I could just ignore the problem and let it slip to the back of my head. At Westminster College I have also learned what I need to do to maximize my education experience and to do the best that I possibly can at all things, courtesy of the accelerated learning program here. I have also gained job experience here at Westminster College. I learned that I will not always get to do exciting things at work, but that those things are necessary to succeed. Without Westminster college I would never have come out of my shell, and shown more people who I really am all of the time, instead of just during private times with close friends and family. I believe that everything I learn here at Westminster College are things that will help me the best me possible.

When I first started college over 10 years ago, I was very nervous and unsure of myself. Attending a Jr. college allowed me the opprotunity to have an easier transition from high school to college. Now, 15 years later, I have had the experience of attending both a Jr. college and a prestigious 4 year college. It is of value to me to attend college not as much to increase my wages (although that is a nice perk) but more so because of the opprotunities to be a valuable asset to my community, and to the communities around me because of my education and experiences. Attending college has also allowed me, being the oldest of my generation in my family, to be an example to my siblings, cousins, and now my own children. It has also allowed me to be a more effective mentor to the youth and children in my church and its surrounding community.

My college experience so far has been great! I feel at home here and I have met several people that I think will definitely be life-long friends. I think it is really neat that I am able to choose not only which courses to take, but also the professor that I think will benefit me the most. It has been valuable for me to attend because I feel like I am growing into a better person, and it is a great environment to do so. Also it is valuable because I am not only gaining knowlegde in my field of study, but also about everyday life. I am involved a lot on campus, what with basketball & other organizations, and I believe that, in itself has made my experiece ten times better.

I would tell myself to learn to manage time better. I've noticed that can be a problem. I also would have told myself to apply myself more during my last semester of high school instead of thinking I was done and I didn't need to. I think I would tell myself to at least think about getting more involved. The last thing I would tell myself is to have fun. High school is meant to prepare you for college but you shouldn't forget about having fun. If you do, it makes high school boring and something that you may end up hating.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself a metaphorical 'chill pill' and sing the song "Let It Be" by the Beatles. I was much too stuffy in high school, particular about the tiny details of every single matter, unforgiving, and constantly stressing myself worrying about grades, work, sports, and clubs. It took me only a semester of college to grow out of this negative spirit and to learn to be a positive, optimistic, caring person who can see the big picture of things and not just the tiny details, and I can finally appreciate my friends and family for the amazing people they are. I've learned how to keep a 4.0 at a competitive, liberal arts school while still making plenty of time for the clubs I really care about and being able to have a wonderful social life at the same time. My only wish is that I could've figured out how wonderful it is to be like this in high school and to have come into college with the joy I have now found.