Ball State University Top Questions

I would tell myself to become more assertive. I had been timid for so long that once I got to college and had to be assertive, I struggled with it. While I have no problem speaking up now, my freshman year was difficult. I would also tell myself to get involved in activites and groups. My sophomore found that there were so many great student groups on campus that I did not know existed my freshman year, mostly because I did not know where to look.

I would tell myself to spend less time with new friends and more time with new books. I have spent a lot of time with people that I have met and have failed to pay attention to my studies. I wish I had spent more time studying. I would tell myself that you should always be reading or studying for your classes. You can't procrastinate in college. I would tell myself to break that habit immediately. I would tell myself to go see the professors if I need help. You may feel stupid, but the truth is, you are making the effort to get help, which demonstrates that you aren't. I would also make sure to tell myself to utilize the study lounges and the library. Yes, you may have to walk across campus in the cold rain, but it will all be worth your time in the long run.

If I could go back in time and advise myself on how to handle college life, I would not start off by talking about grades and how to study. Throughout high school I always knew how to study and earn good grades, but I always had a problem with change and getting used to new situations. Therefore, if I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would say "Sharisse, you need to learn to be more open-minded and accepting to new ideas, people, and situations. You'll be living with people who do not have the same values and ideas as you, and that's O.K. There's nothing wrong with change and it'll be good for you, so don't dwell on the fact that you're 4 hours away from your old life and just focus on beginning your new life. Also, when you first get to college, go out more! Don't eat lunch and dinner in your dorm, stay in the food court and meet new people because it'll help you adjust quicker. Just remember not to lose yourself in order to fit in."

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I'd give myself would be to investigate the finances that you'll need to attend the school . When you first arrive at the school, one of the first thoughts on your mind is, "Will I get lost on the first day"? But what should also be on your mind is if you and whoever else may be helping you will be able to come up with the payments needed to stay in class and on campus. Before coming to campus, go online and look up the cost of tuition along with your financial award package and the cost of your class books for that semester. Doing this will alleviate a lot of stress and it will be one less thing that you will have to worry about when it comes time for exams. If you're ever unsure about how much you owe or the payments that need to be made, ask the Bursar at your school. Remember, looking up the information before you reach campus is important so you won't fall behind in payments, and you can continue school.

I would say "Self, high school was a little difficult and though part of that difficulty was dealing with mom always breathing down your neck, you are going to miss that. Being up at college is a completely different experience and no one is there to watch over you and make sure that you are getting everything done or reminding you that you have an appointment at this time. So when you get to college make sure that you make your self aware of all that you have to do that day and GET IT DONE! Once you arrive at Ball State don't focus on "getting settled", focus on making friends. No one wants to simply go to their classes and come directly back to their dorm rooms everyday, so get out there and meet new people. Don't worry too much about parties or people doing other said typical college activites because it doesn't matter what they are doing so long as you do not allow your self to get caught up in them, besides you won't encounter that very much. Overall, have fun, keep your grades up and live your life.

I think I would tell myself to be more prepared. I didn't realize what was at stake as a high school senior because that was my final year and I was glad to be almost over. I think that really over shadowed my focusing to the point where now, college really is a lot harder and I know that know. I would be more likely to tell myself to get your head in the game and focus on the task at hand. This is a big chance in your life and you really need to take it. Getting to college is a big deal and your so close to moving on to even bigger and better things in your life. My senior self was little bit more about fun back then but being a sophomore in college now, I know that I can balance my fun and be focused all at the same time. I know college is here to help me better myself and I would just need to tell my past self that to understand what what greater ahead for me in life.

if i could go back and talk to myself as a senior I would tell myself to focus more on my goals and less on my social life. I would have tried harder to get better grades and keep my GPA up. I would also tell myself to learn better study habbits. If you dont have good study habbits in college you wont make it very far. Also being more involved with groups or clubs to show my leadership ability, and helping the community by doing community service to show my character.

As a high school senior I constantly stressed about getting into school, living on my own, and being able to make good grades in college. After completing a semester at Ball State University, I would give my high-school self some great advice: Relax. You will get into school without any problems, living on your own is a fun experience that sparks tremendous growth, and college classes are no more difficult than high school classes because you have prepared yourself by taking honors and AP courses. Challenging yourself by choosing the Honors College will prove to be a fantastic decision. You not only will have some interesting and intriguing classes, but you will make incredible friends. Ball State is definitely the right choice because not only do you get the big-school, highly popualted campus, but through the Honors College and honors housing, you will get a close-knit community and will be more than just a number while getting the chance to shine and stand out amongst your peers.

I made the choice to take a year off between high school and college to heal from an eating disorder and to discover myself. I was initially afraid of what other people would think about it since it isn't common. Now I'm so glad that I did it and I would tell my high school self to stop worrying what other's think. It's my life and it shouldn't be run by people I won't care about in a year. During this year I've learned volumes about myself by doing things I've always wanted to do which has prepared me for college beyond any class or orientation. I'm one of the kids who is completely undecided about my life and major and through travel, work, internships, and activities I'm way closer to knowing what I want. Studies show that students who take time off are way more focused upon returning to school and in fact do much better than most who go straight from high school. Next year I'll be at GWU but I'll be the girl who can handle the curveballs and the rest of life.

I think I managed fairly well as far as transitioning from high school to college goes. I am a shy person, so I would have advised myself to be more sociable during high school. That would have probably helped me more in college as far as meeting new people goes. When it comes to school work, I would have advised myself to work a bit harder to get better grades in all of my classes in high school. I did well in them, but I could have worked much harder to get better grades. I would have told myself to study harder for the SAT. If I would have done better on that, I could have been exempt from more college courses.