Whitworth University Top Questions

If only this hypothetically scenario were true... If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself...perhaps beg myself...to make my college decision for me, and no one else. I would tell myself not to foolishly believe that by picking a certain school I could become certain kind of person that I will never be. My college decision was based on the dreams of my parents, the stability of my romantic relationship, and the desire to force myself to be a Jesus-loving, happy-go-lucky, outdoors-y, Northwestern college student. In reality, my parents' dreams were never mine, though I tried to tell myself they were. My relationship with my boyfriend was and is strong, and would have remained so even through a less conveinient college choice. And I am a faith-struggling, idealistic-yet-cynical, outdoor-hating, Southern girl who made the worst decision of her life when she chose Whitworth University. My cynical brain tells me that this college experience is a waste...but my idealistic heart tells me that I have learned more about who I am than I ever imagined I could.

I would say, not to worry so much. Not to worry about what people think- not to worry about how things are going to turn out- not to worry about how I appear- not to worry in general about the things that do not make a real difference in this life. To me, this would be monumental advice because in high school, it can be hard to look past the little every day things and realize that there is more to life. Especially in the transition to college, so much is unknown and worry tends to creep in. You don't have to have everything figured out or be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} prepared when you go to college. part of the transition is learning what you need and how to live in this new place. Worry is uneccessary. So don't stress, you have time to figure it out and people all around you are still figuring it out just like you. Worrying doesn't make things go faster,;it doesn't fix things; it doesn't even bring comfort; it just makes life harder and gives you grey hairs. So don't worry about tomorrow, tomorrrow will worry about itself.

I would tell myself to take my classes seriously, even if I don't like them. Even though attendance is not taken in college like it is in high school, it is so much more important because everything goes at a much faster pace, and it is so easy to get behind. I would also stress the importance of applying for as many scholarships as possible. Even though the easy way out is to apply for a student loan, eventually these loans will need to be paid! A little hard work now by applying for scholarships will absolutely pay off when I graduate because I won't have so much debt weighing me down along with the stress of finding a job.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself advice on a lot of things. I would tell myself to not get caught up in the details of picking a school and just go with the feeling in your heart, because in the end school is still school and even if you pick the most amazing one ever you still have homework and tests and projects. I would tell myself to not be afraid that I'll make no friends at all because that is just not true. You just need to leave your room and walk down the hall and talk to someone about anything at all. I would tell myself its ok to cry in the beginning as your parents and sister drive away, and its ok to feel like you don't know who you are or where your life is going because everything is changing and thats a good thing. Its time to try things you've never done and be adventurous and brave and funny and smart. I'd say college is really scary at first and exciting and sometimes seems too difficult, but so worth it.

Make sure that you are going for yourself and not because of other people, even if it's friends or family . Take your time and choose a career that is comfortable to you. Find out as much as you can about your chosen field, to make sure that your career choice is really what you want to do, and it is not a decision that was influenced by others. This is the only way that you will truely be happy, and it will cut down the chances of you wasting time and money, studying in a field that you will later switch from. Surround yourself with people that are majoring in your field, in order to enhance your knowledge and experience. Network, to find people that don't mind helping you, and sharing their learning experiences with you. Be sure that you don't have any unanswered questions. If you are not sure about something, ask questions until you run out. Get aquainted with your instructors, and ask for their advice. Take your education very serious and learn as much as you can. The more you know, the more you're worth...the more you learn, the more you earn.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, it is difficult to know what exactly would come out of my mouth. I would most likely want to tell myself: Enjoy what you have, you want to be successfull and have a terrific job to support a family and have a fullfilling life, but most of all you need to meet people, try new things, expand your intellectual boundaries and find the kind of person you want to be, because people aren't going to respect the title you have as a professional, or the amount of money you make, they are going to respect you for the words you say, and the people that you influence. Do great in school,but d better in life and love.

This was a huge decision for me, deciding where to go to college. My senior year was very stressful in the sense that I felt really pressured to make the "right" decision, thinking that what I chose would set the standard for my next four years of life. Now, being about halfway through my freshman year at Whitworth, I would go back and tell myself that it really isn't anything upon which to place an extreme amount of stress. Sure, college is a big deal, but part of the fun is trying to figure out where you belong and who you want to be as this time of transition is occurring. In fact, I have learned so much about myself during these few months that I think my original choice isn't the right fit for me. Growing up is hard to do, but nothing is set in stone. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, which is why I would tell myself to relax, breathe, and think of this as another step into figuring out who I really want to be. Life doesn't have to be so intimidating.

College is a time of transition, exploration, learning, growth, and independence. High school seniors, though they have glimpsed this imminent freedom, cannot truly grasp the extensive changes that will take place. If I could, I would give myself several pieces of advice before entering this transition. One of the most important things to do in the first few weeks of school is to meet new people; at a smaller university like Whitworth, seeing familiar faces is not as difficult as it would be at a large state school, but trying to learn people?s names and make friends with a variety of people is essential. Even sitting down at a new table in the cafeteria can be a great way to introduce myself to other students. Another important aspect of college is establishing contact with professors. While I may not need help with assignments at the beginning of the semester, ensuring that professors know my name and know I care about his or her class can be important for those times when I need help. Finally, I would tell myself to establish a healthy balance of the social and academic aspects of college?remembering to be intentional about my time.

I would advise myself to rethink my social life and pay more attention to studies. I would also strongly encourage getting an on-campus job right away and to not stop looking for one. I would say to myself that I need to create a schedule and to follow it so as to keep a steady day, and to not have so much stress when studying. Finally, I would advise myself to work harder in everything.

I would tell myself to balance the fun stuff with the studying. At college there is way more activities to do than there were in high school. Also, a lot of these activities are free and right on campus so you don't need to drive anywhere. But don't forget to spend time on homework and studying. In college, the professor do not hound you to turn in your homework and papers. There is no more hand-holding in college. The professors expect you to take responsibility for your education because it is your choice to be there. Having fun and studying hard will help you have a good time at college.