Central Washington University Top Questions

Coming into college, I thought I had everything set and ready to go. I thought I was well prepared. Little did I know I was wrong. The transition was hard. I missed my family, my home, my job. Everything was different. I was on my own. I began stressing and doing poorly in classes. It was nothing like what I had expected. So if I could go back in time to my senior year and give myself advice, the advice Id give myself would be to be more prepared. That college wasn?t easy. I would tell myself to prepare by trying to be more independent and responsible. I believe that was my biggest problem. I wasn?t ready to be on my own and I struggled. I believe if I would have prepared better, settling down on my own would have been much easier. I would tell myself to look more into the college life. I did quite of bit of looking into the educational aspect of college but never the college life itself. Prepare, prepare, that would be the advice Id give myself.

If I had the chance to warn myself about college life back in high school, I'd warn myself about about homework and and roommates. Back in high school, schoolwork was a passive activity. Minor studying and doing the minimum assignments was enough to achieve a spot in the above average class, whereas in college, without a ton of initiative, hours of outside reading, and perfect attendance, classes are impossible to pass. The other thing that I would engrave into my high school brain is to value my roommate from the moment we met. The friendships formed by random roommate assignments blossom quickly and deeply, letting yourself become friends as fast as possible and sharing one's Cup Noodles goes a long way in making dorm life easier and much more fun.

Rachel, relax! Your life is going to be great! You will have some trying times but you will come through them with more strength than you knew you had. Take chances in life. Keep singing, not because you're "good" at it, but because its part of who you are. Spend as much time as you can with your family. Love your family and your friends with all you are because in the end your relationships will be the most important asset you have, not your GPA. Enjoy the journey!

Give the opportunity to go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would give myself some new found words of wisdom. First off, I would tell myself that there is nothing more gratifying then receiving good grades, the sense of pride significantly surpasses any of those few moments of fun often preferred over studying. Also, dedication and self control go along way when living on your own. You have to police yourself and routinely exercise self restraint. Whether it be overcoming the urge to skip a class for no reason, or deciding to study before going out to do something social, because the habits I create during this time of my life are the habits that will stay with me into adulthood. Most importantly, realizing as you get here rather than a year later that, yes, college may be a time for social growth as well as educational growth but I have to remember that academics come first and foremost. My educational success is directly proportional to my overall happiness in life. Lastly, remembering that the relationships I cultivate now are going to be some of the strongest and long-lasting friendships of my life.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high senior I would tell myself that college is not what you see in the movies. I would tell myself that a social life is just as important as school work, because I went through my entire first quarter of college doing only school work, while my social life suffered and I felt very alone. I know I'm a good student and I get things done but I need to step back once in a while to live my life and have fun. I would also tell myself to apply for more than a few colleges because I ended up saying yes to the first one that excepted me, which looking back, may of not been the smartest idea. Going to college was definately the right choice, but i need to find the right one. This is why I may not be at Central Washington University next year.

Write down lots of details on your roommate agreement and make sure you have a copy of it to refer back to. Don't let problems with your friends and roommate (who is hopefully also your friend) fester, but talk about what ever the problems are with them, bring in a Resident Adivisor if you need to. Have fun.

I would have encouraged myself to really experience the extracurricular activities that go along with college life. Experiencing the different sporting events, clubs, and numerous activities would have greatly contributed to my college experience. College is a once in a lifetime experience as a young adult. Even as a single parent, there are many aspects of college life that a person can experience. Don't limit yourself to the small group of friends you knew in high school and now attend college with you. Get out there and experience different cultures and groups of people. College is one of the most diverse places you can experience. Take time to get to know the different people and the different majors. Don't just settle on a major because one person suggests it to you. Take different classes to find out where your passion lies then persue it rather than hurrying through college to get the almighty degree. Because if you don't enjoy what you're doing, what's the point of having a degree?

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would tell myself three things: do not worry about making friends, participate and get invovled, and be open with new ideas. As a new college freshman I was nervous that I would be unable to make friends. Pretty much everyone has the same fear, however, and therefore everyone is friendly and nice to everyone else. This makes meeting people quite easy. I would also tell myself to participate in college activities. There are so many events going on that are so cool and interesting and culturally educational, it is better if I do not miss these opportunities because I may never have them again in my life. Finally I would tell myself to be open to the ideas of others. It is okay to think for oneself and question one's beliefs and ideas of the world. In fact, everyone should question and research and delve into one's thoughts. College is the time to change and experience and learn so do not take activites or people for granted, they may help shape your future self, the self you always wanted to be.

If I can talk to my high school self I would tell him to have a plan for our college career, and then four other back up plans. Also I'd tell myself to always network, shake hands, and remember names to faces especially for the faculty. Transition wise, I'd talk about how there's a lot more free time. Since Ellensburg is a small town, being involved within the school would be very rewarding and it helps make the days go by quicker. Some life skills that are VERY important for college is too be more organized and to manage the time wisely. Make use of everyday. Carpe Diem

Going back to advise myself as a senior, I would say, ?Nothing can prepare you for college. Just stay on your toes, keeping balanced of course.? At that time I felt confident, secure, and intelligent, never guessing college would bring about insecurity and uncertainty. Upon arriving at college, I?ve never felt so ugly, stupid, and unsure. I became scared to make decisions, decisions about my future, about my friends, and about myself as a person. I began comparing myself to other girls, whom I found prettier, to other majors in my field of interest, whom I found smarter, and to other freshman, whom I found more sociable. I doubted everything about myself, but came to realize I was not giving myself a chance. I had to jump into the wild and be scared, be challenged, and be brave. If I could visit myself as a senior, I would warn myself that there will be times I am thrown out into the world, and that I will never know when these times will occur, but always be ready to embrace them. During these times of change, I also need to remember to keep my balance, to love who I am.