Florida Gulf Coast University Top Questions

Don't stress out about making new friends because every freshman is in the same boat and everyone is eager to meet new people. Take advantage of every free meal you can and dont forget to keep track of your expenses. Crazy college weekends have a way of sneaking up on your bank account and shrinking it without you realizing. Dont wait until the last day of the week to do all your homework because its a huge stressor and on the night you decide to do it all there always ends up being something exciting going on that you wont be able to go to. Use the tutors and form sudy groups. Asking for extra help doesnt make you less smart... it gives you a one up on the rest of your classmates. Dont forget to live it up! Study and work hard during the week so you can kick back and enjoy life on the weekends. College is the hardest but most exciting and fun chapter of your life. Dont let a day pass by that you will regret. Try new things, meet new people and explore who you really are and who you want to become.

Take the chance the first time, instead of being afraid. Go away from home, don't stay close because you will regret losing a year of valuable college time. Sometimes changes mean giving up something, but it doesn't have too. You can still do what you love, you will just have to find a new way to do it. If you stay because you are worried about being so far from anyone you know, realize that you will meet new, valuable friends. Also, realize that going far away is actually the best decision because it will force you to put yourself into more clubs, and to get out of your dorm more. Leaving your family behind is hard, and going to a school out of state may be costly, however go to where you want to go and do what you want to do. When you have a job in the future doing what you love, you will be happier that you went where you wanted instead of where was cheaper. Don't let your anxiety get to you, try to keep calm even in stressful situations.

I would tell myself that studying is a key part in college. I might have a little higher of a GPA if I took the studying a little more seriously. College is a lot different than high school in what you are responsible for. Yeah you get the freedom but with that comes responsiblity. College is a place to have fun but there it is also a place to get serious and start learning about your life. I hope to continue on with my journey in college and have the time of my life!

If I could go back to my high school senior self, I would tell her to relax. Yes, the college transition can be hetic at times, but it is nothing that she can't handle. You just have to pace yourself and know that you are more then a test score. I know I got consumed by the thought that I wouldn't be able to attend college if my scores didn't get higher. Colleges look at you as whole, not just a number. Get involved in clubs, church or sports. Colleges want a well rounded person. Other than that, you will do great, just remember to BREATHE!

I would say to myself: "You must start applying for more scholarships and grants, as well as looking for a part-time job, it will make it so much less stressful for you and your family and you will not be upset when they worry about money because though it is not easy to get scholarships amd jobs, the more you try the better you will be. Also do not leave your homework to the last minute, staying ahead with your homework and getting it done when it is assigned will create a much less stressful time and allow you to just relax and be happy. Finally, join a sports club (swimming if there is) because it will make you feel better physically and emotionally and it will give you friends, as will joining other clubs. I know you will live at home, but it is still important to get involved even if your schedule does not have you on campus so much, find at least a few things to do."

I would like to tell myself that I will actually have to study in college, unlike I did in high school. This way I would have proper study skills and not worry the night before an exam. Studying is an essential skill needed in college, and it is needed to pass unlike highschool, where I was able tro get by with almost no studying and keep my B average.

Make a list of things that are important for college life for you. Then rate these items in importance. It will help you put priorities in order. I would aslo recomment that you walk the campus and radomly ask several students what they like and dislike about the school. Make sure you know your campuses strengths and weaknesses. Also, I would advise myself to stop and meet a few teachers in both the general study areas as well as the intended area of interest. I would recommend to find out about all the extracurricular activities. Is it easy to participate in these activities or are they selective (friends, roommates etc). I would also stress the importance of finding out the schools future plans for developement.

If I could go back into time and give myself advice about college before I graduated high school I would suggest that I go straight to Florida Gulf Coast University where I recieved my Bachelors Degree instead of going to a community college first. I really liked the university, because of the quality of education they provided. This is also why I plan to attend this same school for my graduate program. By going straight to the university I could have gotten the advice I needed for my future career from excellent counselors staffed at the school. Transition from high school to college can be overwhelming, but transitioning from high school to community college and then to a university can be difficult to adjust to. If I had gone from high school to the university I would advise myself to just study hard and set goals for myself and the rest would come with the help of the teachers, staff, and other students.

I would tell myself not to wait another two years to start college and make my mind up on the right program that is for me. I would tell myself to change my attitude about life and to learn from all of my mistakes because I am only human. I would tell myself to pay more attention to my grandmother and make sure she is taking her medicine and not stressing herself out. Because if I keep ignoring her and letting the family ignore her she will stop taking her medicine and end up in the hospital and then later die. I would tell myself to cherish all the good times I have with my family and friends because the next day they might not be there. I would also tell myself that no one can predict the future but that I can predict what may become of me within it. I would also tell myself to stop playing follow the leader and learn how to take the lead and to always follow my dreams.

As a new college freshman, I would advise you to fill out as many scholarships as you can now instead of waiting. It gets it out of the way and you will have more money to spend on books, housing, and tuition. It will save you a lot of stress to get everything for orientation out of the way so you will be ready. Register for classes early so you don't have to wait until new classes open because they are all full. You will also need to get your books ahead of time and print out everything there is to on your class websites. The most important thing I can tell you is to just relax. Don't stress over the little things and be organized. Organization is key to success. Good luck past self, everything will turn out fine.