Aquinas College-Grand Rapids Top Questions

The advice I would give my high school self is to take more chances. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to be unique. Your uniqueness is what people like about you. Also, don’t be afraid to take risks. Ask the guy you like out or to a dance. Join more than just one or two clubs, get involved with your school. Take more classes that give you college credit, because college is expensive. Also, Challenge yourself. Without challenging yourself there is no way you could ever be prepared for college because college challenges you every day and without practice you are sure to fall behind in some of your more challenging classes. College is a lot like high school in the way that the people act the same but the classes are different and provide more of a challenge so when you study your senior year, study as if you were already in college. Then you'll be more prepared than your fellow classmates in just about everything.

Never underestimate the value of hard work. Be prepared to make sacrifices to make ends meet. Although some days taking on multiple jobs may seem overwhelming, it may be necessary to afford your college education. You have dreams now, of what your life will be like. These dreams probably include what college be like. Be flexible with your expectations. Some of the best college experiences are free and unorganized. Engage other students outside of the classroom. Learn about where your peers come from. By learning their stories you enrich your story. Get involved. Don't simply sign up for a club because everyone else does. You don't seem to connect to any of the clubs? That is okay, start a new one! And most of all, none of it matters if you do not have fun, learn, and grow from the four years you will spend in college.

I would tell my high school self to break up with the girlfriend before going to college (before summer started even), save all the money you will make during the summer, not to go into pre-med because you won't like it (switch to accounting/economics), don't join over 15 clubs but rather focus primarily on 5 clubs at college, change your roommate preference so you would be able to get a better roommate, and don't get into a relationship until you actually want to.

Focus more on school, and don't allow yourself to assume that you can get by without studying like high school. You're going to miss your family and friends but you will make new friends and your family will always be there for you when you come home. This is your future, and there is no second chances.

If I were able to go back in time to give advice to myself, I would first tell myself to get into the habbit of saving money. School is a lot more expensive than I anticipated. I would have told myself to get more involved with the community and after school clubs, in order to be eligible for more scholarships. I would have suggested to start small. If you do not have the income or scholarships to go to a well-known university, that is okay. Start at a community college to help cut costs and then transfer. Community college is a great place to help find out who you are, what you believe, and what you want to be. The diverse atmosphere allows a well educated opinion to be formed and an experience with other cultures. I would have told myself to not look down on a community college experience. Finally, check into all your options, and do not be afraid to ask questions. If I had asked more questions in high school about college, I am convinced I would have no debt going to school now.

College has been so beneficial to me because it has given me a chance to continue my running career and through this, I have become the happiest I ever have been. My teammates have become my family and have always been there for me. Running has always been important in my life and in college, my love for running has expanded so much. I am glad that I continued my running throughout college. College has given me the chance to realize that I want to become a teacher and help high school students get to college. My college experience has presented me with opportunities to branch out and create new friends. I thought that I wanted to be a teacher when I graduated from high school but when I got to Aquinas, my advisors helped me reach that goal. They gave me the right classes to take, what tests I need to take and they gave any other advice that I needed. Without college, my life would be very different today, and I'm very happy that I decided to attend.

College has taught me who I am and not only allowed me to polish my talents and abilities. It has assisted me in learning my flaws and understanding ways to grow and mature from them. I have gained friendships that I hope to keep for the rest of my life. College has also taught me how to adapt to my environment without changing who I am as a person. I have learned how to be diverse around others and interact without losing my identity. College has been a growing experience for me and Aquinas is a great school. I have gained education that I do not believe I would get anywhere else. Mentally I have grown and been able to hold conversations with many different people with different views. I have been taught to think outside the square and sometimes to even consider the grass on the other side before making hasty decisions or comments. Looking at the overall picture of something and what it says to someone else, can help you see what the artist was attempting to portray in one simple stroke. College is an amazing experience that I learn from every day and love it.

My roommate’s alarm goes off, I wake up, get dressed and the two of us head out the door for our 8 AM Biology lecture. We walk through the forest-like campus, exchanging greetings with familiar faces as the sun comes up. I sit through the fifty minute lecture about the Nervous System and stay a few minutes after class to talk to my professor about last night’s episode of The Office. This description was a typical morning on my small college campus. Going to a small school was better than I ever imagined. Being a Biology major, I was able to talk to my professors often. They really cared about me and my future. For me, college was not only about academics, but about relationships. The relationships I made in college have helped me grow into the person I am today and helped me to achieve my professional goal of becoming a Physician Assistant. Without my college experience, I would definitely not be where I am now—getting ready to start graduate school. I am grateful that my experience has changed me in many positive ways and I have my Aquinas College community to thank for that.

In high school I never really knew what college was about. I thought it was just a time to move out and go to classes just like high school. My school was set in preparing students academically for college, so I was set for classes. But I don't think I was ready for the amount of people I would meet. I came from a Catholic school of about 520 students. Going from that to a college of 2,600 was a little bit overwhelming. It would have helped me a lot if I could have spent time on campus more than just the few individual days I came to visit. If I was a senior again and I could tell myself anything, I would tell myself to not worry. No matter where I go I have all the opportunities at my fingertips and I just have show people that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I was shy in high school and I thought that I was always going to be shy and that college was just a big high school. But now I know I can do anything if I have the confidence in myself.

Dear Abbie, Transitioning into college life is going to be more difficult than you think. I know you think being farther from home isn't going to be a big deal. You think that you'll be perfectly content away from your family and your friends. Abbie, you'll be wrong. The transition into college is going to be a difficult one. You're going to miss the people that you spent your entire life growing up with. You're going to wish you chose somewhere closer to home. Don't give up. You'll make it through. You're a strong and confident girl-don't ever forget that. Make friends you can trust and have fun with. Don't succumb to peer pressure and don't put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Remember all that you were taught growing up. Don't forget about your life in high school, but don't dwell on it either. Thinking about how great your life was back then does not change your current situation and only makes things harder. Embrace where you are in your life because college is going to fly by even quicker than high school did. Good luck!