College of William and Mary Top Questions

When I was in high school all I wanted to do was be an artist and go to art school. When I couldn't afford it I was devastasted, but it ended up being the best thing that could have happened to me. I went to a community college and learned about myself. I found out I excelled in more than just art. Now I'm at one of the best schools in the country. Everything has worked out for the best. I wish I would have known that then.

The transition from living at home to being on my own at college was not an easy one for me. I was accustomed to the comfort and cozy nature of my family and was thrust into the foreign and diverse lifestyles of my peers. Like many incoming freshman, my initial reaction was to shy away from differences. In hindsight, one of my biggest regrets from my undergraduate education was doing so. That's why if I could go back in time and give advice, I would drive home the importance of immersing myself in the community around me. In other words, just get involved! Freshman hall counsel. Greek life. Intermural sports. The French club. It doesn't matter! By jumping right into the fire upon getting to school, you will be exposed to unique people that will contribute to your personal growth. I only began to do so later in my undergraduate experience and the perspective I gained truly cultivated me into the person I am today. Instead of avoiding the cultural and other background differences, I learned to embrace them and push myself out of my comfort zone. I only wish I had done so from my first day.

Having finished my first semester with a 3.59 GPA, a little lower than I would have liked, but above the 3.5 standard at most schools for retaining scholarships and avoiding academic probation from honors programs , I have to say that I am satisfied with how I have begun my college journey. I do not have enough information to analyze and critique my position. I have made numerous friends, am on the verge of joining a prestigious fraternity, enjoy my studies, and have not gotten into trouble. If anything, I want to continue doing what I have been doing and when something unfortunate happens, I flunk a test or get into an argument with a friend, I will learn from it. Life is about learning from mistakes, but as cliche as that sounds, I have no desire to go back in time and warn myself to act differently; otherwise, "future me" will not learn anything. If I absolutely had to give myself advice in transitioning, it would be to watch what I eat and exercise more...the freshman fifteen is real, and fifteen is a bit of a stingy estimate.

I do my best work and am most sucessful when I am working toward a specific goal. In high school, I worked extremely hard to get into a good college, and I did well. However, when I got to college, I was completely undecided about my major or career aspirations. I took the advice of others and spent my first few years of school completeing my general courses. But without a specific goal, I floundered. My academic enthusiasm faded and my grades suffered. If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to take the time to decide what I wanted out of college and a future career. I would have deferred school for a year and spent that time considering all my interests and goals. With a clear plan at the beginning, I think my college experience would have been more enjoyable and certainly more sucessful.

The best advice I can give as you prepare for your first year at W&M is this: Don?t be afraid to open yourself up to people who are different even when doing so requires that you venture outside your comfort zone. I know it?s easy to feel insecure in a new environment, amongst people whose beliefs, interests, and backgrounds are unquestionably different from yours. Even so, don?t spend all your time hanging around people from high school because it?s comfortable or getting to know people who are like you because it?s easy. Embrace people who are different, seek them out, and take the time to really get to know them. In doing so, you'll be surprised how much you have in common with these people, how much you can learn from them, and how many of them will become your closest friends. Embrace people from Smithfield, Nepal, Taiwan, and New York, people majoring in neuroscience, Hispanic studies, history, and economics, people with a passion for Jane Austen, nude portraits, lacrosse, and gangster rap. Thanks to these very people, you might just discover that you love Naan, indie rock, and Nelson Mandela.

Now that I have lived one semester as a college freshman, I definitely have a lot of advice for myself as a high school senior. Throughout high school, I was generally taciturn and introverted, traits that would be especially detrimental in a college setting. As I have learned, a significant portion of college is about making connections, meeting new people, and making your own decisions. Therefore, I would advice myself as a high school senior to be more personable and communicative. Having this advice as a high school senior would have definitely eased the transition from high school to college and made it a much smoother one. At present, I am much more extroverted than I have ever been and I'm enjoying myself. This sense of accomplishment is definitely helpin me achieve more in the academic realm of college, as well.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself.... Not to stress out! Most schools are essentially the same, and if you really hate the school you end up at transferring is really not a big deal. Even if you're upset about being weight listed, send in the paper work to stay on the list. It's a huge bummer to get a call saying that you've been accepted.... oh, wait, you never sent in the paperwork so we actually cannot accept you... Pref a dorm close to all of the other freshmen dorms because it makes meeting people SO much easier! Pack duct tape! It can cover up creepy holes in your wall, replace the missing pieces to your shelving unit, hang up posters, and so much more. Establish ground rules with your roommate on day one. It's a lot easier to put stuff out in the open initially instead of doing damage control later (and then maybe you can avoid some really awkward situations ;) Study hard, have fun, and try new things!

I would tell myself to involve myself in more clubs and extracurricular activities. Finding common interests with others is a good way of starting friendships. I would also tell myself not to freak out about grades during the first year. High school work is different from college work. As a result, it is not uncommon for a grades to be less that spectacular freshman year of college. I'd tell myself to continue to do my best work. I'd also tell myself to create a well organized schedule. Merely getting an agenda where I can plan out events has made my life much easier. I don't have to worry about due dates sneaking up on me.

Remember how you felt that night before you started high school? The overactive butterflies, the numerous times you checked your bookbag--notebooks? Check. pens & pencils? Check. Loose leaf paper? Check.--the ridiculously early hour you went to bed, but somehow never... quite... fell asleep? That's how the night before you move into you dorm will be like--minus the bookbag checking, plus checking the packed-to-bursting minivan so many times, it's a wonder the neighbors didn't call the cops at 3AM. But, really, college is like high school--just better. Yes, you will get a sudden bout of homesickness at the most random moments, but, think about it. You're free to do as you choose--an overwhelming thought at the beginning, but something you will definitely long for when you return home during extended breaks. The hardest part of the whole thing is actually getting situated--and, don't worry, that's what orientation is for. The first step to talking to the unknown roommate, getting to know the people on your hall, memorizing the layout to campus--giant steps, yes, but conquerable ones, they are. college? you're going to love it.

Your first year of college is going to be one of the most challenging and rewarding times in your life. You will make new friends the moment you arrive and at the end of that first year, some of those first friends will just be mere acquantainces. That's okay, too, because that first year is all about finding where you belong and who you are as a person. Go in with an open mind and be willing to say "yes" to as many opportunities that you can. Take a long walk around campus by yourself, get to know your professors outside of the classroom, close the books and socialize every once and a while and above all else, open your heart. Allow yourself to love and be loved, allow yourself to say things that you are terrified about saying to another person, allow yourself to live. For if you come to college and just do everything the way you used to, then there is not point. College is the time for personal development and growth, so do not let it pass you by. Take charge!