Benedictine University Top Questions

It may sound crazy, but I have written to old me, and I said: Dear Past Me, I wish you could see that you have found happiness. The rough years pass faster than you think, and you are stronger than you know. You will make choices and not be sure if they are right or wrong but the secret is that going with your gut will take you where you are meant to be. You will take longer than others to find your way through college and thats okay. Change is never easy but use your family, friends, and your school as support. Keep your head high and your heart open and you will find everything you are looking for. Love yourself.

During your senior year explore as much as you can as to what careers you are interested in. This will help because you can start taking classes that will educate you and prepare you for the upcoming class in college. Meanwhile, talk to the advisors at a university because they will tell you what is best for you and what you should do in order to be prepared for the real world. Last but not least enjoy the time you have in high school; not by partying but volunteering your time to do things that will benefit you later on in life.

To not be so stubborn and hard headed. I grew up as a foster child from the time I was nine years old. I spent my high school years rebelling because I was so angry with my parents for allowing me to become a ward of the state. All I wanted was to become 18 to gain my freedom, begin working so I no longer would need to report to anyone or listen to anyone. If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again. I would have applied myself, I would have taken advantage of money available to me from the state towards my education and I would have bettered myself in the right way. Life is too short to be angry and when I look back, I was only hurting myself. I feel like I missed out on a lot of "normal" kid activities by not attending the traditional four year university like I should have. I just never felt like I fit in and I never felt good enough or normal because I was a foster child. Looking back, I was no different at all. I was just a kid.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a highscool senior, I would tell myself to do less partying and more studying. I would have told myself to pay better attention in class, instead of daydreaming about or flirting with boys. You think you hate math because tests are hard. Future you, pays attention in math class and loves the challenge. You can actually be good at things if you try, rather than doing the bare minimum to get by. I would have also told myself not to become a nurse just because everybody told you it was a well-paying, secure, job because community college round one will not turn out so well. Instead, I would've told myself to follow my true passions, no matter what the income might be. If you are happy and excel at what you do, job promotions and money will probably follow and everything will be okay. Most importantly, I would tell myself what I have learned to tell myself now, "You can do it! Keep going! Get it girl!"

Don't listen to the hype. A name school isn't going to be the automatic answer. If you can't get financial aid, then don't go there - in fact, start at a community college and get your general education out of the way THEN transfer to a four year school. Save yourself time and money.

If I could go back in time to talk to my 18 year old self, I would tell myself to listen to my intuition and what my heart wants, and to follow it. I spent a long time listening to everybody but myself in regards to my future and all it did was cause me to run around in circles. The moment I decided to do what I was passionate about, which was Psychology, is when I began moving forward and toward a path that I see myself flourishing in. It also taught me to trust myself and to believe in my strengths rather than doubt them, doubting myself was what caused me to make decisions that weren't right for me. It was then that I made the choice to transfer to Benedictine and pursue a Bachelors in Psychology. Not only am I going to school full-time, but I'm volunteering for organizations that are helping me gain experience and working part-time to become more independant. I wouldn't have ever dreamed of reaching this point without learning to believe in all that I'm capable of.

The advice that I would give myself is not to worry so much about making new friends and meeting new people. This is the easy part of college because everyone is new to the school trying to find a place to fit in. Everyone is nervous and excited to be starting a new chapter. This is an amazing opportunity to get more schooling and learn more about your major. This is the time to transition into being a adult. Have fun and enjoy the time that you have in college because it will go by in a blink of a eye.

Students should understand that the process of career exploration does not end in the counselor’s office. The first ideas of one’s major are not final. College, first and foremost, is an exploration process and this mentality should be highlighted and encouraged for students. The first two years at a college should be years where students are curious and open to infinite possibilities. I would tell my future self to be curious and take many, many risks! Future self, “open your mind and get involved with as much as you can. The time is now. Get to know yourself.” I would tell my young self to explore every opportunity, every possibility. The most you can get out of college is not in the classroom the entire campus; It is about making connections and getting involved with both on and off-campus organizations. Grades are not as important as practical experience. Meet people and try things that seem interesting and challenging. College is the time to do it. Therefore, rather than spending all your time in the books and GPA, talk to interesting people, gain real world experience and create your own practical learning experiences.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would say two things. First, apply for even more outside scholarships because I only recieve one of the scholarships that I applied for. There are many scholarships out there, but there are also tons of people that need that money too. Just because you applied for a scholarship does not mean you are going to recieve any of that money. The second thig I would tell myself is that being denied a scholarship does not mean get discouraged and stop trying for two weeks. There are plenty of scholarships that I should have applied for during the times where I was discouraged. Eventually, hard work does pay off. You are doing yourself a huge favor by continuing to apply for scholarships instead of having to take out student loans.

If I can do this over again I would visit the schools and talk to the seniors of every school i am interested in to see whether the school is worthwhile to go to. Also i would try to save as much as money as i can since you never know what life brings your way. It took me six years or more to just graduate from college due to me transferring colleges and taking a life break to have a family. I would advise a college senior to think twice before transferring, making life decisions such as marriage, or going to a community college. Decisions like that sidetracked me, and kept me from attaining success. If i had any golden words of advice it would be to stay focused,save money, be dedicated and determined to earn that degree! With just four years of schooling you are able to be on your own feet. Friends and family are always there for you. Learn early in life to make the right choices and stick to your goals. A true friend would make sure that you are successful in life, so make sure to have the right support and good company.