Baylor University Top Questions

Dear Elizabeth; Listen carefully, because what I’m about to say is going to make the next few years, and the rest of your life, much more bearable. I want you to know that there is a purpose for you going to college, and that you belong there. It might be hard now, and you might be freaking out about how you don’t know if college is right for you, but I promise you, you are on your way to the dream you don’t even know you have yet. You’re going to stumble upon a website dedicated to advice for those in college studying medicine, and feel the most peaceful calm wash over you. You’ll spend the next several years volunteering, getting the right credits together, and making sure you have what it takes to become a physician. This drive, this dream is going to save you when times get hard. I’m not saying it will be easy, and I know that it’s hard to understand right now, but please don’t give up on your self. I haven’t given up on you. I never will. Sincerely, Elizabeth

The primary thing to remember about college is the need to focus. Yes, I know the internet is a lot more fun than Pre-Cal, but all the funny commercials in the world will be of no use come final exams. Don’t worry about social awkwardness in college, believe me when I say that you will meet many people who will embrace your quirks and random Aslan quotes. Be prepared to have your sleep interrupted by studying, and brace yourself for 45 minute naps instead of eight hours of rest. There won’t be nearly as much drama in college as in high school, but there will be a few individuals clinging to the old ways. Avoid them at all cost; in the end they only cause trouble. Don’t be afraid to talk to Professors one-on-one when grades start to plummet; they only wish to help and have no intention of harming you. Never skip assignments regardless of how useless they may seem, and be sure to thoroughly read every assigned chapter. Force yourself to write essays as soon as possible, or else you’ll be pulling all nighters. Above all, never give up.

• I would advise myself to live on campus, because it is easier to make friends and get involved when you live near both people and where activities are taking place. • I would advise myself to continue to do the things that I enjoy, like exercising, even when my school load became heavy because of the lowering stress benefits. • I would advise myself to make friends in class more and keep up with them during school and after graduation, because a major benefit of college is the friends you make. • I would advise myself to study less and hang out with people more, because in the long-term, people are more important than the grades you make. • I would advise myself to sleep more often, eat healthier more often, and drink coffee less often, because if you take care of your body, your body will take care of you. • I would advise myself not to compare my physical appearance (i.e. physique, clothing, and complexion) with other girls, because that is a dead-end. • I would advise myself to let others lead, instead of taking control and doing things my way, so I could learn from them.

Hi, Rachael. You are about to experience your first year of college. Before you go, consider these words of advice. First of all, your roommate will become one of your best friends, so you can stop being nervous about living with a complete stranger. She's not the tidiest person, but you'll love her for her kindness, good sense of humor, and passion for art. Sooner or later, you will discover that the classes are not as difficult as you expect. However, this does not mean you can slack off. If you do, your grades will certainly show it. Don't spend every waking moment of your time on schoolwork either. You only get one first year of college, so you should experience as much as you can. You'll go to the football games, but make sure you don't forget about basketball and baseball. Play intermural sports. Make more friends in your classes. They make all your hard work worthwhile. Plus, you're more likely to find a study group. Explore the Baylor campus. Find your favorite spots. Learn to appreciate it. Most importantly, learn to love and appreciate what you have. I know you'll succeed.

Don't ever hold back. In class, with peers, around campus, and everywhere you are, never hold back. You are going to hear this a million times, but you hear it for a reason: ask questions in class, after class, before class. Professors want you to go to office hours and make sure you learn the material. It may not seem that way in a class of 150, but pulling them aside will not only show them you care, but it will help you learn. With peers, don't hold back. If you see people with a Taylor Swift shirt, comment on how much you love her. People want to make friends and at Baylor they are geniunely nice. Be real and don't stay away from a group or individual just because you are different. Don't hold back. The community will embrace you like you've been there forever. Ask questions. Go out. Make college your adventure. Most importantly, never ever forget why you're there, what you want out of the next four years and go get it. You will feel weak and stupid at times, but don't let that discourage who you are.

College is a lot harder than people think and if you take it for granted you are doomed to fail. Its important to stay on top of your work from day one. Procrastination is a college student's worst enemy and can lead to a lot of stress and bad performance in classes. Time management is vital since you have to prioritize your work and adhere to deadlines, so you need to make use of every spare minute you have, to avoid pulling those dreaded all-nighters. It is also important to balance your academics with your social life. Sometimes you have to put your social life on the backburner if you have school work that needs completing. However it's also important to socialize and network with people so that you can learn make valuable connections that will come in handy. This is important for you as an international student since you do not know anybody yet. So make sure you start working hard now itself and put your studies before all else, learn how to manage your time and work efficiently, and also how to bond with people from diverse backgrounds that you will meet in college.

If I could go back as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to stress out as much. I remembered being so worried and scared before I got to college. Everyone is in the same ‘boat,’ feeling the exact same-nervous and anxious. I also would tell myself not to set high expectations. College is more fun with an open mind because everything will work itself out. I would also tell myself not to ask about someone else’s college experience. Everyone has a different experience and forming ideas from someone else’s experience is not going to do any good. Going into college without any expectations or ideas of how a ‘normal’ experience should be is going to make for a more enjoyable time. I also would tell myself to become conscious about time management. In college, there are things going on all the time and it’s hard to want to do everything on top of trying to keep grades up. So in order to do the fun campus things, time management is the key to making sure everything gets done so the campus events can be enjoyed.

Listen, Davion, you need to stop being lazy and apply for as many scholarships as possible. I know it is hard to pull yourself away from playing video games and really crack down on this. It seem trivial now, but there's only a rough road ahead of you full of debt if you do not diligently search for as many scholarships as you can. College is on an entirely different level than high-school, spend your summer reviewing what you learned senior year, and also try to develop some study skills. College will not be a breeze like it was in high school. Time to be a man and be responsible. Also, you need to stop chasing girls, there's a past acquaintance who is just waiting for you to come to her. Focus on your studies, get a good job, and you will find the woman you are supposed to be with. If you take this advice, you will most certainly succeed, and never give up on your dreams. Best of luck to you.

The advice I would give to seniors knowing what I now know would be to use your best efforts to find a suitable roommate before attending college. While it might not always be possible, if you are able to find an appropriate roommate, it will greatly ease your transition to college. College presents many new responsibilities and challenges. Having a roommate with whom you can share daily experiences, voice frustrations and concerns and receive an empathetic response, eat meals together and simply attend functions together is very helpful when faced with so many new situations and challenges. Of course over time you will both make new friends and may drift apart, but that initial security of having a person with whom you can find companionship is very helpful. It may be obvious, but finding a person who has similar ideas about studying, attending classes and social functions is crucial. Also important are factors such as when the student will be studying. Differing study habits can lead to friction and result in failure since sleep deprivation may result in exhaustion and inability to function if a roommate is awakened or unable to sleep when faced with a noisy night owl.

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