Gainesville State College Top Questions

Never underestimate the value of friends. Don't rely on just your family and girlfriend to get you through your two years of community college. You’re going to need more than just them. I know it’s going to be hard, and right now, you’re comfortable, but college is coming faster than you think. You need friends to help you through it. You’re life is going to fall apart and you’re going to want friends there to tell you it’s all going to work out and mean it. When it does work out you will want people there to share in the joy with you! I know you think you can do this all on your own, but you, and I, can’t. Trust me, I would know. After all, I’m you. You will need to make new friends and get involved. Don’t settle for the mundane! Get out and do stuff! Join an organization, start a study group! Besides that, get off your lazy rear and start filling out some scholarship applications! College isn’t going to pay for itself, even though you’d like it to! With all your love, you.

I would tell myself to not over-extend yourself. Work less hours for less burnout.

I would tell myself to have faith in and believe in myself; i'm smarter than I give myself credit for. When I was a senior I didn't believe I was smart enough for college, so I waited until I was in my twenties to enroll. I have learned that I am so much smart than I give myself credit for. College has opened up so many doors for me but it has also given me the opportunity to find a belief and self worth in myself. College requires alot of hard work and determination but it can be so rewarding; not only has it helped me to brighten my future by providing new possibilities but it has helped me to learn to have faith in my own thoughts and beliefs and given me the courage to express them.

Being a high school senior is an overwhelming time in life. It is important to research colleges that best fit your needs. Reality sets in and the fear of failure also kicks in. Relying on college advisors, parents, and family friends who are in the same field of interest, ease this important time in life. Choosing a college was very overwhelming because I felt I needed to have my life’s plan set in stone. I attended and graduated culinary school with honors. Through this experience, I learned the importance of time. I decided to go back to school for nursing because I want to help others. These experiences helped me gain the insight that no matter where life takes you, you can easily adapt to the situation at hand. This made me realize that starting college allowed me to explore a variety of career paths. The only thing stopping me from dreaming bigger was my fears. The most important piece of advice I would tell my high school self is although life’s obstacles may seem too gigantic to overcome, family and life situations will help you discover who you are and what career you would like to pursue.

Senior year of high school is filled with challenges, dreams, and big goals. If I could go back, I would reiterate to myself a few important objectives to remember when starting college such as mental stability, finances, and furthermore the importance of time management. First and foremost, mental stability is the key to starting college. Every student has to prepare themselves for an emotional roller coaster. Starting at the top of the roller coaster, full of excitment, continued all the way to the drop, feeling a rush of fear as the roller coaster drops hundreds of feet. Furthermore, I would have to enthusiastically express how expensive a degree can become. Americans now owe more than eight hundred and seventy billion dollars in student loans. Finally, the importance of time management, taking an anatomy test with the feeling of sheer exhaustion needs to stop before college. If I could have went back and rehearsed these points with myself, I'm sure I would have started the college experience a little differently.

Looking back at myself as a high school senior, I would give myself advice that would better prepare me for the real world. In reality, the brand of jeans you wear or what clique you eat lunch with doesn’t decide who is going to be successful in life. Instead, your grades, ambition, and attitude towards life have a great impact on your future success. I would tell myself to not worry about impressing other people or trying to fit in, but to worry about being me. Too many high school kids get caught up in the materialistic things in life, the things that do not have any “real” value. The best thing any high school seniors can do for themselves is focus on school and their future. Most importantly do not take what you have for granted. The time will come when you have to step up and take responsibilities for your actions, get a job to help pay bills, and work towards your own success. Your future is in your hands and now it is time for you to decide what to do with it.

SUCK IT UP!!! I know that you want to take time off from school. Don't do it. There is no time better than now to start your future. The materials are still fresh in your mind. Ok, so you won't be able to lay by the pool everyday. You still have the weekends. Besides, too much sun is not good for you anyway. What is good for you is an education. Four short years to build the best life possible for you. You will meet new and interesting people. Expand your knowledge of different cultures. Change your mind about stereotypes that were put in place when you were too young to think for yourself. Meet adults that will guide you in broadening your knowledge as far as education and socially. You will learn to be a critical thinker, sympathetic, caring, giving, empathetic, powerful and strong individual. Because this is all you. Sink or swim time. The more you put into it the more you get out of it. So, take a deep breath and dive into the college experience. The education will be awesome, but the total experience will open your eyes to the world around you. GO!!!

I would tell myself to focus on my grades more and not to let peer pressure and bullies bother me so much. I would let myself know that my grades and exrtacurricular activites help with getting into school and having better jobs. I would advise myself to pay more attention in class, and not to starting feeling myself so much because I'm making good grades. An "A" is a great grade to have but a "A+" is even better. I would talk to myself and make the teenage me aware that friends aren't forever all the time. I think I would just sit down with myself and tell myself in the 10th grade to stop what I was doing because I was only hurting myself and my mother. I would tell the 11th grade me that I'm so proud of how I got my act together and pulled my grades up and to continue the hard work. Lastly, I would let myself know that college is not as hard as people try to make it out to be, you just have to apply yourself and everything will be great.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to not stress out to the point of getting burnt out before high school was even over. Take a step back and enjoy the time you have left. Doing so will lead you to enjoy the next few years more and make it easier for you to achieve your goals. Just let yourself live your life.

Making the transition from high school to college will be hard. Remember that nothing worth having comes easy, and that by doing this, you are accomplishing something so great. You have to just go for it and stay committed. There will be many times where you lose your focus or have a hard time finding you motivation, but that is okay. The most important thing is to never get down on yourself or stop trying. Even if you just do the core classes (which I know nobody loves) it will get you one step closer to where you want to end up. I have changed my major multiple times, experimented with different clubs and groups, and have failed some classes miserably. Each mistake I have made has helped me to grow and become more of the person I am today. Try out different electives and really think about what you are passionate about. Once you find your passion, figure out a way to make that into your career and study that. Doing what you love will make your college transition a breeze and keep you motivated. Motivation is defiantly the key to success when it comes to life.