East Carolina University Top Questions

If I was granted the opportunity to go back in time knowing what I know now I would be in such a better place. My first greatest piece of advice I can give myself is to take advantage of my resources. While in high school I did not take full advantage of leadership opportunities in my chosen field. I should have taken advantage of community service and internships where I could practice in the business field to find out if the major was for me. Knowing how much I loved children I should have talked with counselors about the pros and cons and different careers involving children. The most influential advice I could have given myself is to find a major I love. Do not go into a degree just because you are paid a lot of money for it. If you do not love what you do, you will not fully succeed. That is the reason why I entered into the teaching field. I would have also tried to ask teachers for study tips so when I came to college I would understand how to study effectively.

Having been a part of the work force for a few years now, and returning to school this fall I would try to express the importance of motivation. When I first went to school I had not career motivation, I felt like I was in school because that was what was expected of me. Now I see how important having a purpose for my education is, and should have been. Currently I know specifically why I am returning to school and I see what I will do for my career. If I could talk to my younger self I would try to get the point across that college is where you become an adult. That you can not continue acting like a kid any longer and relying on others to carry you in life. Mostly to think about my future and how the decisions I make will affect my future.

I would tell myself to learn how to cook. Cooking is essential in college, and will keep you in good health. I regret not having my mom teach me how to cook when I was at home because now I can only eat fast food or replacement meals (frozen meals). Fast food is very unhealthy and digs a hole in my pocket. Eating healthy can also help your grades.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell my self to learn how to study. I thought that college was going to be easy. I had never really had to study a lot in high school so I thought college would be much of the same. My first semester was a rude awakening to what college was really like. I found out that to make good grades in college, you actually had to spend time with that thing called your text book. Additionally, I wish I could go back and tell myself to pursue my dreams. I would tell myself to get a degree in what I wanted to do not what other people thought was best for me. I would also tell myself to pick the school that is best for me. I remember that as a high school senior, I was listening to what everyone else wanted me to do. If I could go back and talk to myself, I would tell myself to do what makes me happy.

If I was to go back in time to when I was a senior, I would tell myself to get my act together and quick. I would tell myself that college is completely different from high school. No one holds your hand anymore, they let you know when something is due and it is up to you to remember. The professors don't remind you about the project until the night before it is due. Also I would tell myself to get better studying skills. I can't just wait the night before to study a test or to do homework like in high school; I will actually need to study a week ahead of time in order to get a decent grade on a test. Also I would tell myself that social life is great but getting school work done and good grades are better. I will have all the time to party and socialize when I get my degree. The last thing I would tell myself is that the first year is the biggest year and I should use it to my full advantage by joining sports, clubs and anything else that will help me in my future.

Knowing what I know now about college life I would tell myself to save as much money as I could, first of all because books are not cheap and they are a definite must have to succeed. Secondly I would tell myself to study as much as I could so that I could pass my classes with excellent grades. And thirdly I would remind myself to have fun since I am embarking on a new experience.

If I were allowed to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would make sure to tell myself to do more scholarships to help out with loans going into a higher education. I would also make sure to tell myself to be prepared for classes that are much harder than classes I've been in previously. I'd tell myself that I need to learn how to study properly and to not be afraid to take help from those who offer it to you. Also, I'd tell myself to not be afraid to admit that I need help; if I need help in a class I need to look for help so that my grades do not slip below average.

I?m back in high school, and I?m about to graduate and move on to college, but this time I know what is in store for me. I know the workload is demanding and trying to balance a social life is going to be very difficult. But by setting my priority straight from the beginning, I should be able to find an even balance between the two. I?m going to gain more freedom did I have before but I will have to be more responsible in caring of myself and making such my time in college was time well spent. I know college is a chance for me to further my education into a world with many possibilities to succeed and make something out of myself but it is also a place were great memories will be made.

I would encourage myself to first explore studies of interest because whatever I study in college is what I will be doing the rest of my life. I enjoy the classes I have chosen because they are interesting to me and I feel I am learning about my future job. Secondly, I would tell myself to visit campuses and even stay a couple of days. I can get a feeling of what the town or city atmosphere is by visiting and actually walking around a campus. I believe if I feel comfortable in an area, that I will enjoy where I decide to go. Being happy with my surroundings will make a difference in my attitude and the way I express myself during classes, studying and social life. The final bit of advice I would give is to make sure the university has other points of interest that I am interested in, outside of the classroom. Getting involved either in sports, clubs, or other activities is very important when meeting new people and adjusting to a new life away from home.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself as a high school senior not to be afraid to try new things. I did not do a lot things that were outside of my comfort zone. I did not not take any advanced placement classes because I did not think that I would do well in them. I now know that I was looking at taking those classes the wrong way. I should have signed up for those classes and tried the best I could to do welI. I also saw myself more as a follower than a leader. There were many times when I was interested in running for an officer position in the organizations that I was a part of. I never ran because I was afraid of having too much responsiblity. Being a good leader is about having the courage to take on major responsibilities, which is very helpful in college. Now that I am about halfway done with college, I have learned that I need to take risks every now and then. These experiences will help me become a more well-rounded person, which is beneficial for me and the people I interact with.