Augustana University Top Questions

Well if I had known then what I know now about college, I would have advised myself to study hard and make good use over time. Because campus life is to make the most of it is studied once in life and if you want to get ahead have to start from the beginning with enthusiasm and strength. In the past I would have liked me to have the ability I have now I would have avoided many problems but I was never a bad person could do better work than they've done so far. But we can not turn back time I have left now is to optimize, to one hundred percent what I have at the time and to achieve my goals and continue with the greatest enthusiasm. For so my family can get ahead and be able to promise a successful future. So with the help of God to follow my path and to prosper.

Looking back on my high school days I would have told my high school self to pay more attention to my school work and less attention to what everyone else says about you. In my school there were mainly two types of people - the jocks and the music geeks, I was a music geek. Most the time I got alot more greef from the jocks because I did play sports in high school for the first two years. I played volleyball and was really good at it. However, I also participated im my shools Showchoir. So for those two years I was seen as a very versitile person who was good at both. But then my junior year I decided not to go back out for volleyball. My coach made it impossible for me to participate in both sports, so I was forced to choose between the two. I chose Showchoir and after that my reputation was never the same. However, now looking back I would have told myself to not care what others think, because when you get to college, you are accepted for who you are and no one expectsyou to change that.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior about college, I would tell myself quite a few different things. One of the things I would tell myself is to keep an open mind about new and different people. My high school is about 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} white, so going to college and seeing people of different backgrounds was very interesting. Keeping an open mind and accepting others that are different is one of the things that I would tell my high school self. The other thing I would tell myself is to be prepared to make new friends. When you are in high school, it is hard to think of a world outside of high school. When you go to college you meet new people and try new things, which is exactly what I did and is something I would tell myself in high school if I had the chance. There are many important things that I would like to tell my high school self, but keeping an open mind and trying new things are the two that have made the biggest impact on me so far in my college career.

If it were possible to travel back in time and converse with my former self, I advise her to never place restrictions on herself. I would tell her to never be afraid to speak her mind in classes, even if she is the only freshman. Throughout my freshman year in college, I have more often than not been the youngest and most inexperienced member in the classroom, and because of this I have talked myself into inadequacy and silence. This is not the proper response. I wish I had realized sooner that even if I were to speak up and be incorrect, and least I learned; at least I gained the ability to verbally synthesize my thoughts and share them with a group. I wish I never would have let fear of rejection based on my gender or self-perceived ignorance create in my mind a sort of deficiency in insight, becasue it is simply not there. My past-self would benefit greatly from the warning to not let anybody, even oneself, make you feel unworthy or inferior.

Dear Learning Leah, College is an extremely hard transition. It takes time. Don't waste precious hours worrying about if things won't work out. Get ready for some mental breakdowns, and know that you are not the only freshman going through it, even if you feel like a crazy person. You may not find that group of friends right away, but they are out there. Your other high school friends care about you, but they are also moving on with their lives. You really don't need a boyfriend, especially a freshman. Focus on your school work. This will not come as easily to you as it did in high school. It is difficult, but all of the hard work pays off. Those not so wonderful eating habits will turn out to take their toll on you. Working out is actually fun, you should try it sometime. Don't be surprised when you change your major three times in the first semester. Follow your passion, not what people think you should become. I would really try to get as much sleep as possible, whenever you can. Stay active, involved, and Have so much fun! Love, Doing Well Leah

Remembeing what it felt like as a high school senior, it seemed like I could never get enough information about college life. Knowing what I do now, I would give my high school self three pieces of advice. First, college classes are harder than high school classes because they are meant to push you. Teachers give the advice to manage your time and prioritize and in college, it is needed to take that advice in order to accomplish all your homework. Schedule a daily time in order to study for a specific class. You will be thankful when test time comes because you are already that much more prepared and ahead of the game. Another important thing is that it does not pay to stress out. Take it day by day, or even hour by hour if needed, when getting reading for college and transitioning to the college life. It makes a big difference in how you handle your situations. Thirdly, do not be afraid or too shy to go out and try something new. College is a great time to be bold and get out of your comfort zone. You may stumble upon something that you really like.

Hannah, you’re not going to believe what I’m about to tell you. I can’t give you much advice, but listen up. If you don’t pay any attention now, it will take you two years to figure this out. You’ll spend your freshman and sophomore year stressed, anxious, and not enjoying life like you once did. Like I said, you’re not going to believe this, but when you get to college, care less. Care less about your grades, they will fall into place. You don’t need perfect grades, you need to love learning. You can’t fully appreciate your education if you’re constantly worried about getting all A’s. Care less about what people think about you. College is about so much more than your education – you’ll meet people who will change your life and create relationships that hold incredible value. Hannah, this seems so simple, but you need to hear it now. Be yourself! I know you’re excited to go to a new place where you can “be anyone you want to be,” but the most successful and liked person is the one you are, without trying to please everyone.

If I could speak to my high school self I would advise him to not treat the advice of my high school teachers as a bother. I would advise him to take school seriously and apply myself so that I wouldn't be without direction when I entered college. There are ver important lessons that are to be learned by having a job at a young age such as networking and dealing with people in the workplace. These are things I struggled with when entering college and adapting to the lifestyle of being an adult. There is no one in college pushing you to succeed but yourself, and that is the biggest failed assumption that I made. In high school if you were failing a class, the teacher would tell you daily to do better, attend class more often or whatever your academic fault was and they would advise you on how to progress and succeed. In college you have no limitations, there is no one fixing your mistakes for you or telling you what your next move should be. College was the first step, for me, towards my maturity as an adult.

I would tell myself to start early in the application process for college. If you start early then the transition to college will be so much easier on yourself. Applying early will relieve a lot of stress on you than waiting until the last minute when a deadline is due. If you start applying early to colleges and as soon as you get accepted to one that you would like, its best that you start getting your financial aid ready and any other thing you need for college. While applying for colleges you should also apply to multiple scholarships to help pay for your education. You can never apply to too many scholarhips, the more money you have the easier it will be on yourself and your family depending on your wealth. The summer before you leave for college I believe that its best to get a summer job so when you do go to college you wont have to depend on your parents as much. So basically having your own financial security. In a much simpler way, start your application process early and dont procrastinate.

I would tell myself not to take the first year after graduation off! The smartest decision you can make is to register for school and start right away in the summer. You will have all the time in the world to have fun and be an adult. Get school out of the way now and by the time you're 19yrs old you'll be done and working in your profession and building a future. Taking the year off you will lose sight of your goals and school will no longer be a priority. You may get yourself into a situation that becomes a new priority because you have to think of someone else. Trust me, you will regret your decision later in life if you choose not to go and hopefuly when the time comes your obstacles won't be larger and more difficult to overcome. In 11yrs you will be an established cosmetologist with a great and brighter future ahead of you! Don't stop now, keep your momentum, and stay motivated. You can do it!