George Fox University Top Questions

Breath. It's going to be stressful, and a whole new experience, but it's going to be worth it. Make new friends, and don't be afraid to open up. College may seem scary, but it's a chance for a new life and a new begining. Don't waste your time making sure you won't get hurt. Now is the time to take chances, and live your life to the fullest.

Dear HS Senior Leah, Right now, you're stressing out: you have too much to do and little time to do it. Well, take a break. Take one day off, re-center yourself, and remember: You cannot do everything at once. In fact, this will lead you to crash and burn. You are allowed to say "no" every once in a while. You are allowed to ask your teachers for help. You are allowed to have fun! Do not worry about piling up an impressive resume. Instead, seek knowledge for the love of knowledge. Don't fret too much about how you will make friends in college; all freshmen will be looking for friends, so you'll find that you're really not alone. Don't be shy once you make it to college. Go ahead, try new things. Fail, learn, then try again. Ask as many questions as you can, even if you think they are stupid. Join clubs and explore different worldviews. Most importantly, be open. You will change drastically in college as you are embarking on a journey of self-discovery. So don't let the fear of the unknown stop you from exploring. Have fun!

It's easy to be lazy. When late nights and early mornings toss you into a weary, monotonous, tiring routine, don't slack off in class. Every second spent is a second filled with things to learn. Utilize as much of your time as possible by meeting new people and encouraging others in what they do. Never be afraid to laugh at what you think is funny, even if it's stupid or "uncool." Be weird in public, because weird is normal and normal is weird. College is a completely new beginning. Life will be filled with juggling classes, homework, jobs, and staying connected with friends and family at home, but all it takes is a bit of diligence and the ability to look at life with the right perspective. Motivation and determination are constantly needed to work towards excellence. In college, every moment in class is spent taking notes and listening intently; it's important to practice now, in high school, and make the transition to college easier. Live with the intent to make a positive difference, and shoot for the stars even when it seems you can barely touch the clouds.

You're going to feel alone. You're going to feel like you're the only one trying desperately to fit in, to be perfect, to make friends, and be accepted. It's going to be messy. You're going to learn that chemistry is REALLY hard, and that it is going to be the first class that you actually have to try in. You're going to cry, a lot, probably more than all of your high school years combined. You're going to be sleep deprived as you try to balance all of your classes and friends. You are going to realize that not everyone is a nursing major and that some people will have A LOT more free time than you. You're going to binge watch a lot of Grey's Anatomy. You are going become dependent on coffee. You're gonna gain some weight. So what? This year is gonna be brutal, but it's also gonna be SO worth it. So take a deep breath, relax, keep both hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times, and prepare yourself for the life changing, mindblowing, relationship building ride they call Freshman Year.

Make sure you take time for yourself, and learn about time management, and don't get overwhelmed. College is such a big transition, so learn about that, and go out and talk to people, and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Learn to budget well, and save every last dollar while you can! Do not be afraid to start conversations with strangers; Some of the most interesting people are sitting right across from you at a coffee shop. Finally, do not be stuck on one career or one major. There are so many exciting opportunities, and you need to take them when they are offered to you!

Take time discover who you are, do what is important to you. Be who you want to be, and most important, when other people tell you what to do, do what you know is right, because you will make the right choices, and you will do the right things. Be brave, be bold, and dare to be everything you want to be.

Don't worry too much about your life being radically different once you get to college. It is different, but you'll adapt to the day-to-day tasks fairly easily Make sure you have everything in order, though. You'll get more freedom, but you also have to self-discipline more, because people will not hold your hand as much. You have to start doing things for yourself. Don't feel too bad if you're not sure what you're doing, because that's okay, you're not supposed to just magically know how to do this adult stuff. You have to ask and research like everyone else.

DON'T WAIT! Even if you want to go with the father of your daughter in life (however temporary that may be) DON'T drop out of college! Find SOME WAY to make it work so that your mom can see you graduate with a degree before she passes on suddenly in 2010.

I would tell myself to apply everywhere because you should not limit your options based on what you think you want out of a school. Also, remember that you will have to pay your loans someday so do not rule out living at home just because you want to go somewhere new.