College of Southern Maryland Top Questions

“Hey Stephanie, I want to talk to you! Yes you-the one sitting by yourself. Why are you sitting way over there? Are you afraid people won’t like you? They will think you're unlikable just because you aren’t popular? You have to give people a chance. After all, the past is behind us now, but you can take what you want to the future with you. College-heck the rest of life- is about the future, and self-discovery. Figure out who you want to be, what you want to do, and where you want to go by who you like to be around. That’s how you find yourself. Not by hiding from people-including yourself. Show up, participate, have fun and be social. Don’t be shy; you have as much to offer as anyone else.” This is the conversation I would have with my high school senior self. It would be a monologue, more than a dialogue. My younger self wouldn’t have enough courage to talk to a confident, older me. The older me who finally realized that living means throwing yourself into life, rather than waiting for it to invite you in.

As a high school counselor, I would encourage myself to pick a college where you feel you belong. No matter the obstacles that life throws at you, do what makes you happy. Choose a college that will allow you to progress in your learning. Challenge yourself. Anything that comes easy isnt rewarding. While you are in school, always balance your school work with social activties. Its important to get out and have fun sometimes. Overwhelming yourself with work can cause you to become depress, which can lead to negative results in the classroom. Keep a balance. Make friends and relationships, as they can be convenient when needed. As a college student stay positive and keep your options open. Enjoy the experience of being independent and have fun.

Do what feels right and go with your gut instinct; even if it means going against the grain. Mistakes build character and are part of the continuous learning process. Stand tall and firm, speak clearly. Be kind and courteous. Do well with others and live for the moment, but do not forget to plan for the future. Idiot-proof everything. School is a recreation to life, not a requirement. It is there to enhance your daily living. The grind is one of the most important tools in your arsenal of success. Never understimate the power of hard work and determination. Build on hobbies and dreams that people share with you. Do not forget to ask for help when you need it, because you will need it. Be humble. Learning by teaching is the best way to enter into advanced concepts. Beat your own drum and do not be afraid to take risks. Aspire to inspire. Most importantly, BE YOURSELF.

If I could, I would tell myself not to let my social life interfere with my studies. I would tell myself not to fall in love and get engaged while in college due to the possibility and likelihood of it failing and affecting my academic performance. I would say read the course syllabus over and over again and know exactly what I need to do in order to earn an A for the course. Most importantly, I would tell myself never give up no matter how frustrating things can be. I've proven I'm capable of getting good grades now, and with that I would pass everything I've learned about academic success to my high school self, even going back to Freshman year, in order to build a stronger foundation for better study habits.

As a high school senior you should apply for every scholarship you qualify for. As a student in attempt to enter college there is so much competition for each scholarship. After attempting to recieve a single scholarship, you will be very suprised by the amount of scholarships you do not recieve. Each scholarship is hard to come by and without finance you will not be able to do the things you would like to in college. In your best efforts do well in high school and do everything in your best effort to enjoy college.

One of the most important things about college that I notice everyone fails in is mathmatics. The majority of high school students do not average well in this subject; however, if this subject is more enforced and made exciting, students will adhere to this subject. With this being said, I would have to go back in time and tell myself to stay alert and pay attention in Algebra II. Also, stay goal and task orietened. Those are two necessary qualities in college life that most never achieve.

My number one piece of advice to myself as a high school senior would be to make sure that you dedicate an extra hour outside of every class you have to study, read material, or go over notes. This would best benefit an incoming freshmen because I can promise any person that a high school student does not follow those study habits. College is so different from high school or any other schooling because no one is forcing you to attend and classes range from an hour and a half to nearly three hours. And during that time you are mainly taking notes, so outside of class is when a student needs to re-read the notes and analyze them him/herself. If you don't look over your notes, then you won't be as prepared as you should to answer short questions on a test. So I would definately tell myself to set aside a couple hours a week just to look over notes taken during class.

If I could go back and give myself some advice to what I should do for college, I would make sure I knew that the unexpected is only a second away and that saving up scholarships would be a fantastic idea. You never know what the future holds and what problems may arise to hamper your goals and dreams. I knew that I would go to a community college for a few semesters then transfer to a four year college to get a Bachelors of Photography, but I did not know that my family and I would have to move causing a larger financial strain on us. Even though I was looking for the right college during my senior year, I did not know that it would be out of state. So, if I was given the opportunity to go back and talk to myself, if even for an instant, I would make sure that I knew to prepare for the unexpected and to make sure that there is always a safety net ready to catch me.

daf d fa fda df adf fsd af dfd sdaf sda ffda fd da df ad faf df adf sd ds d

If I could go back and see myself as a college senior, I would tell myself to make sure your in as many school activities as you can. Surround yourself and get involved with people that you can benefit greatly from. Keep your head in the books because it will all payoff in the end. The real world is a whole nother place outside of school.