Winthrop University Top Questions

The fear of getting into college is something that all high school students feel and I was no exception. I had received various pamphlets from universities and military affiliates during my high school years. I wanted to get into a good school. However, I wanted to go to a school that I chose, and not a school that was pushed upon me. At the beginning of my senior year I looked into a lot of colleges, and had narrowed them down to two. If I had to say anything to my high school senior self it would be to relax. In the end you will pick the one that right for you because no one knows you better than you know yourself. After I got accepted into the college of my choice my next emotion was meeting knew people and exploring new classes. I would strongly advise myself to really choose friends carefully. Friends aren?t everything and you need time to yourself some times because college life is very different from high school. Therefore, take time for yourself once in a while and try to enjoy college life as well as take advantage of it.

I would tell myself that just because I can easily put off projects until the last minute in high school it does not mean that I can do it in college. All nighters are no longer as much fun. Money is much more valueable now as well, so I would have told myself to look for and enter every possible scholarship that I could find. Tuition and books are much more expensive than I ever anticipated. The biggest piece of advice that I would have told myself though is to not stress out so much about starting college. It is not all that much different from high school. The biggest difference is that the classes are slightly more difficult.

As a young adult I have come in contact with the good and the bad. If I could go back to my high school senior self I would say "Look self we have got to stop procrastinating, theres a whole new world filled of things that we are going to love doing. I would tell me high school self not to be afraid of change, because change is good. Then I would say you know what self and then my self would say "hunh" and then I would say "you are a smart woman, beautiful, young, and black....you are perfectly fine so keep your head up and dont be afraid of who is, who isn't going to like you, because at the end of the day, you are you...and thats nothing that anyone can take away!" So basically I would give myself a pep talk, because knowing me I'd definitely use it to my advantage.

Assuming that I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior and knowing about college life, I would give myself the advice that college is not as scary as it seems. If anything it is better than high school because of the freedom that you have. Having said that, however, that emmense freedom comes with huge responsibility. Not only do you have to learn how to manage your time wisely, you have to develop good study skills so that you can do well and maintain the scholarships that you have recieved. Everyone thinks of college life as a 24/7 party place, where in reality you actually have to study to do well in your courses. Once you get that down, then you can expand your horizons and start to mix in extra cirricular activities outside of focusing on school work. College is also a great place to network for planning your future. The friendships that you develop with your peers and your professors will be ones that can pay off in the long run to help you be successful in achieving you career goals.

The transition will be extremely difficult at first, but after the first month or so it will get easier, I promise. The best advice I can give you is get involved! Even though you are shy and not very outgoing, get involved. It is the best way to make life long friends. Make sure you call your parents and boyfriend atleast once a day to make that transition a little easier, because otherwise they will get upset and think you have forgotten about them. Also, know that mom will be extremely attached and unwilling to let go at first, but give her time she loosens up eventually. Get involved is the best and main advice I can give you. If not for Alpha Omega, the Athletic Training club, and club soccer I would be without some of my very closest and best friends. Goodluck!

If I could go back to my senior year of high school and give myself advise I would say that I should have picked up better study habits along the way instead of tring to change my intire study habits when I get to college. I would also tell myself not to wait until the last minute to do a project or study for a test or quiz. Make sure I study at least 3 days in advance and do not pull all nighters when me have a month to do something. Stay on track and do not let friends distract me from my school work. Always remember our mom wanted us to have a bright future and if she could see us today she would be very proud. Make sure you treat your grandparents with respect and don't give them a hard time because they care. If you do this you will do a lot better in school and you will not have to worry about taking out loans before you even get to college.

Before you go to college make sure that you are going to take your academics seriously. College is enjoyable and you learn alot about people and yourself. You will get out of college what you put into it. So be open-minded and prepared to be challenged. Look for mentors to aid you into receiving a job. Life is about networking and building relationships with people. Remain focused and know that your college years go by fast.

The process of completed college is the true value of college. Take time to build relationships with people outside your normal friend group. Your life will be enriched by the efforts you make in college to build relationships & gain knowledge; though, your life path will not be set by either one of them.

I would tell myself to try harder to get involved in school activities sooner. Also, I would take as many tech classes offered at my high school before I get into college, as long as they transfer.

Make should that you meet people and make friends during orientation. When you get in your classes, no matter what everyone else is doing make sure that you are studying your tail off in order to keep that 3.0GPA and stick with German, the language you have a grasp on instead of switching languages.

I would tell myslef to take things more serious and to stay focused on what I have dreams on doing and becoming.

If I could give my younger self any advice before heading off to college, I would say if you're not totally committed and focused then, do not waste money and go to college until you are completely ready to devote your time to studying and never quit until you fully understand the topic at hand. Do not give your ability to think to someone else. Be consistent and stay at it until you comprehend the idea or concept presented to you. I would also say study more basic math and reasoning skills during the summer time so as to better help you understand mathematical concepts in college especially since my math background was not all that great. Anything is possible if you stick at it and believe. I would also tell myself to join organizations and become seriously involved in them early on. This, will help you to be more socially confident as well as help you to make more friends and establish that solid friend base early on.

When it comes to college, it is all about managing your time and having priorities. Some tasks or activities must always take precedence over others. As a senior I was able to get by without taking the effort to study the material. As a student in high school many times I would memorize and forget the information after the tests, but in college the material is progressive and cumulative. Having spent a year and a half in college now, my advice would be to learn to retain the information because it is something that you will have to use later in your profession .

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior there are really only two main things that I would tell myself. First, I would tell myself that I am making the right decision in choosing to go to Winthrop. I only applied to one school, and that was Winthrop. I would tell myself not to worry about my decision because I was making the right one for my major and the career I want when I graduate. The class sizes are the right size for me to succeed and the teachers really care about their students. The campus is open and welcoming and everywhere I go I see someone I know. Second, I would tell myself not to worry about making new friends and not knowing many people going in to school. I have made the best friends of my life and I couldn't imagine life without them now. Basically, I would tell myselft not to worry about the decision I was making because it is the right one and I will make friends for life.

Get involved! Get to know people and do not procrastinate. The faster and the harder you work will only make your experience more enjoyable. There are so many opportunies to get involved with on campus. If you don't see something you like, you even have the opportunity to create your own club, fraternity, or organization. You will meet so many people, and the more people you know, the more support and love you will receive in order to help you succeed. You must also stay focused. Do not get behind. If you stay on top of your work, you will have no trouble doing well. These next four years will be best years of your life. You will have ups and downs. You will feel love and rejection. No matter what happens, keep your head up and stay positive. For every door that closes, many more will open. This is your opportunity to make a name for yourself. Be proud of yourself. All your hardwork, dedication, and even the fun will all pay off before you know it.

As a young adult, I find that my hardest transition was the lack of having family at my side for the first time in my life. I would learn stronger homemaking skills such as how to fix a leaky sink or how to deal with an overflowing toilet. In truth, these experiences are a part of growing up and even if I had learned more basic living skills, I still feel that the process of comming into one's own is a major part in the growth process in life.

The college application process during your senior year in high school is a very stressful and anxious time. I remember visiting numerous college/university campus's looking for the feeling I wanted to have when I knew I had found my school. The social and academic relations were the most vital part in my decision making process. Luckily for me, Winthrop University, proved to be my home away from home. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I wish I could tell myself not to worry and enjoy the remainder of my high school career. Making the transition between high school and college life can be as easy as you make it. If you accept the fact that you need to broaden your horizons and go out and meet new people, you will have no problem succeeding both academically and socially. You now must rely on yourself to get out of bed in the morning and go to class and that can be a very rewarding feeling. The best way to have the best transition is to get involved on campus. You will be so busy, you won't miss home!

If I could rewind the hands of time, I would tell myself college is not as easy as you think. They're not anymore teachers to hold your hand or give you extra credit when you need. College is hard but you can manage. Just get ready to work hard, spend numerous amount of time in the library, and learn how to manage your time. Knowing this, you will conquer the college life by storm.

What ever you do DO NOT I repeat DO NOT procrasstinate.

I would tell myself to work harder make better grades. Try to be more open minded about the world out there. Don't think that it can never happen to you. You can be successful in life.