Dallas Baptist University Top Questions

If I could go back in time and tell my high school senior self what I knew now, I would tell her to start applying for scholarships as early as she can so that she would not have to use as many loans or have no loans at all. I would tell her that she needs to not procastinate and really put an effort into applying for as many scholarships as she can so that she would not have to worry about whether or not she could afford going to college. In addition, I would tell her that she needs to start changing her study habits earlier on so that when she starts college, she would not have to make drastic changes to her studying habits. Furthermore, I would tell her that she needs to do her best no matter what she does. Also, I would tell her that she needs to listen to her mom more and actually apply her mom's advice to her life earlier on instead of waiting. Finally, I would tell my past self that once she finds a balance between work and play, then she will do fine.

If I could go back and give myself advice as a highschool senior I would say that learning to take responsibility for everything in your life is not just something that your parents say you should do. It becomes very real when you enter a world where you're on your own, and you don't have mommy and daddy there to take care of everything for you. They may or may not be willing to help you out, but for the most part this is when you learn how to be your own caregiver and provider. It's better to get a head start now. Learn good study habits. Learn how to separate your laundry into lights and darks. Learn how to manage your time as well as your money. Learn to eat healthier and exercise on a regular basis. Things would be so much easier in the long run, by simply learning to take responsibility, and it will make your college experience so much more enjoyable.

Kowing what I know now about college life I would tell myself not to worry about making friends and meeting new people. I met hundereds of incredibly nice, caring people the first week I was on campus. I would tell myself not to worry about the decisions that seemed life changing at the time like meal plans, classes, and even how I would decorate the dorm. Those things are all too small to worry about now that I have been there and lived it. However, more importantly than that, I would have told my senior self to slow down and enjoy every second of the time with my friends and family. I chose a college six hours away from home and I have loved every minute of it! I just know that I could have spent more time with a few friends that I have not seen in awhile now. I would have placed more importance on family time my senior year. I did not think I would miss them, but eventually I did miss them. I would tell my senior self to worry less and enjoy the people and the relationships that I have been blessed with.

I would advise myself to have confidence in my abilities and to be cognizant of others and their differences. College will unequivocally change your perception of the world and those that reside within it. People are vastly different in the ideologies, biases, affiliations and experiences and this is what makes society so intriguing. You will be faced with many challenges; emotionally, spiritually and academically, but it is definately not the end of the world. Persevering through life's storms will give you character and an immeasurable amount of accomplishment. And finally, I would tell myself that all successful people fail at some point in their lives, so never give up. Those failures are temporary setbacks that are preparing you for a bright future.

There is a commonly used phrase that declares “wisdom comes with age”. It has been only a mere five years since I was a senior in high school, but I think that I have grown immensely since those days. If I could go back into time and give myself a word of advice it would be one thing. I would tell that skinny eighteen year old Ryan “Don’t worry, try new things, get outside of your comfort zone”. Sometimes in my college career, especially in my freshman year I was so worried of what other people thought of me. I tried to stay up with the status quo of being cool and popular. Trying to mold myself into something I didn’t necessary fit into. It is liberating to participate in new activities, and to be adventurous in various aspects of my college life. It has opened up many doors and developed many friendships that I would of otherwise never of experienced. The only regret I have was that I didn’t implore this philosophy in my early years of college. I only wonder the many experiences and people I missed out on my first two years on campus.

I would tell myself that the most important thing about picking a college to go to is making sure that the faculty and professors are very supportive of the students. If you do not have a great suport group on campus, succeeding could be a big challenge. I would also tell myself that going to a huge university that is well known is not important. Most schools like that are very good at social lives, which could cause problems with your academic life. It is important to find a school that will challenge you, but also make you better in all areas of life. Also take into consideration your finances and what kind of help you will have available. Fill out all scholarships available and as soon as possible, remember that the early bird gets the worm. And last but not least, make sure you will be comfortable with your surroundings at your college of choice. If you do not feel at home, your time at that school will drag by.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I'd tell myself that college is not what it looks like on television. College is about getting an education and it's good to have fun but to not make your social life a priority. I'd also tell myself that it is better to have one or two close friends rather than a huge group of friends who don't really know you. College is just another transition, I'd tell myself to have fun and enjoy every single day of it because time sure does fly by!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to plan for the future. I would tell myself to research different schools, and try to visit them. I would tell myself to be honest about my home situation, and talk with my high school counselor and the admissions counselors at the schools I was planning to attend. I would tell myself to try to get the best grades possible and do my best on the ACT. When I was a high school senior, I had a rough life. I was a teen mom, and got kicked out of my house the summer between my junior and senor years. Finishing high school was a real struggle for me. I wanted to go to college, but was intimidated by the admissions process. Everyone wanted to know my parents income, and I was too embarassed to tell anyone that my parents had kicked me out, so I just gave up. I was 36 years old when I decided it was finally time to actually go to college. By this time I actually knew what I wanted to do with my life.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry, because I am about to make the best friends I will ever have in my life. I would tell myself that playing volleyball isn't everything; relationships and my future is what truly matters. I would tell myself to take Dr. Mullen for Old Testament, rather than Dr. Tarwater! I would tell myself not to worry, and promise that I will miss my parents less and less as time goes on and as I begin to become more of who I will be in the future. I would also say that even though it becomes easier to live away from home over time, that doesn't mean home is not always there to run to when I need it. I would tell myself to get ready, because I am about to have some of the best years of my life, and to cherish every minute of them because they fly!

During my first years of college, I found my education was much more enjoyable when I actively engaged myself in it. I was surprised by how much taking the time to study (even utilizing highlighters, notecards, study groups, etc.) and delving deeply into the class material increased my confidence; while I maintained a high GPA and didn't struggle in high school, I rarely committed more than the minimum amount of effort required and thus didn't get nearly as much out of it as I could. However, my advice to myself as a high school senior would certainly not be to study constantly; I've found that my well-being in college hinges equally on the time I take to relax and have fun. Therefore, I would include in my advice to take a break when needed, maybe to go to a party or hang out with friends. Although the balance between work and play is not at all an easy thing to maintain, my advice to myself as a high school senior on making the transition to college life would be to aim for just that.