Cornell University Top Questions

Be a dork. Wiktionary defines dork as: quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. That's what college is all about! College is 4 years of focusing on yourself. Studying what you like, joining clubs you like, and socializing how you like. Unlike in high school, in college you can wear or do or eat something because you like it and more often than not you'll meet other people who wear or do or eat the same way you do. If I could go back, I would say try to find the balance between new experiences and the experiences you've already had that make you who you are. If you grew up on Mexican cuisine, try the sushi, but always keep you're Tapatio hot sauce in your back pocket. If you secretly doodle the Krebs cycle all over your notes (no matter the subject), chances are you'll find someone else as crazy for chemistry as you are. So don't be shy, don't try to be too cool. Be the one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Be a dork. Be yourself.

Almost any student can adapt to almost any college. It's all about your attitude going into college. If you are focused on making friends and joining clubs, then you will do these things. My advice is to look at college as an experience that allows you to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. Professors and peers will help guide you while you find yourself and determine what you want to do with your life. At the same time, deciding what to do with your life is NOT a race. Students usually have at least two years to take courses in a multitude of subjects before making a decision. College is about making friends, learning about stuff that you actually WANT to learn about, connecting with professors, and becoming yourself in a controlled atmosphere without the pressure of a full-time job. Enjoy college, do well, but don't stress out too much over GPA. It's more important to learn the material and succeed at your job than earn a A+ from memorizing the material the night before.

First and foremost, do not feel like you have to know everything about your life right now. Don't worry about money, or what you're peers are doing, or what your parents want to you be. Find something that fufills you, something that drives you and gives you passion. Once you know what that is, give yourself to it and let your ambitions guide you. Take a breath and trust yourself, even if you have no idea what you're doing. Intuition and confidence will take you farther than anything you will learn in life, but if you don't have faith in yourself you will have nothing to stand on when you're knocked down. Don't be afraid to try as many new things as possible, be adventurous, work hard, play hard, and most importantly be confident. The mind is everything, what you think you become. All else will fall into place. Learn from the past, live in the present, and work for the future without losing perspective. You only live once, so stop worrying and just be you. Do what gives you a reason to live. There's not enough time for anything else.

Look for a school that teaches to your learning style. A big, active univserity is exciting but it's easy to get lost in mix when you're surrounded by all those students. The reason you did so well in high school is because you had such a great support system with your friends, your family, and your instructors. You are going to need to keep that support system if you want to keep doing well and so it's important to find a university or a college where the professors are going to be watching you and working with you so that you do well. And remember, your high school wasn't a hard school. You are going to need to buckle down and study for once. And learn to withstand the pressure. College is important, but try not to take it too seriously or you'll fall apart. You know yourself well enough to make good decisions. Remember that. Remember to think about consequences. Think about what you want in life. Don't stop until you're there.

I would tell myself to follow my heart. Don't let anyone try to tell you where you want to go, what you want to study, or who you want to be. I would remind myself that college is supposed to be the best four years of my life, so I need to live it for myself, not for anyone else. Although it is nice to receive advice from parents, friends, and teachers on which schools seem like a good fit, if you don't listen to yourself, there is a very good chance that you will end up at a school that is not for you. Leaving home and being on your own in a new place is hard enough, so why make the process harder by placing yourself in an environment that someone else chose for you? If I could go back in time, I would make myself promise that I wouldn't let other people influence my decision on where to go to college.

Work hard in high school, don't mess around like you did then. Go talk to girls you like and don't be scared. Find out what you like to do and try to find out as soon as possible.

Have a positive outlook. Be flexible and open to diversity. Be ready to work harder than you've ever worked in your life. Try to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Be ready to make lifelong friends.

One very braod but also important advice that I would give myself is: do not be afraid to present yourself or to make mistakes. I remember in high school, I felt apprehensive about making mistakes, which in turn discouraged me to present myself with confidence. However, after coming to college and after several experiences, I realized that I can only grow by sharing my opinions and interacting with others who may or may not have different opinions from me even if I may be wrong. Learning is really not about making myself presentable to others, but it is actually the progress I make as I flounder through. Therefore, I realized I should not worry about how presentable I am or how agreeable my opinion might sound to others. Fear is the biggest hinderance to growth. Have courage to go on with what I hold or what I know. Then, I will find out soon if I am right or wrong, let alone all the more valuable knowledge and experience that I may have gained along the way.

My only advice to my past self would be to remember my priorities, that while hanging out with friends, watching movies, etc, is fun, I'm going to school for the education, and the socialization is secondary.

College is what you make of it. Don't worry too much about where you go, but study hard and play hard once you get there.