George Mason University Top Questions

If it was possible to talk to myself as a high school senior I would convince myself of my self worth, hard working nature, and ability to succeed. I would advise myself not to consider others' opinions as valid as my own, and let myself know that loneliness is a natural thing in life, and that that void in my heart cannot be filled by anyone but God.

Looking back now, one of the most important pieces of advice I would give myself would be to let things happen naturally. The first semester of college is very overwhelming. Especially the first few weeks, there is a sense of urgency to make new friends, get involved in campus life, and do well in classes that are very different from high school. It is easy to start comparing oneself to others, and believe that if I am not having the exact same experiences as others than I must not be doing college right. Everyone is different, and everyone has a different college experience. You can not enjoy your experience until you begin to relax and just let things happen as they come. The people I am close with now are not the people I met the first week. The organizations I thought I would want to join are not the ones I actively participate in now. It takes awhile to find where you belong, and college is about exploring a wide variety of interests. Be open to new possibilities, enjoy each and every experience given to you, and everything else will just fall into place.

I would tell myself to continue to listen to the advice of my parents and older sister since they have been through the college process and can give valuable insight. I would also tell myself to continue not to stress. I was rather laid back about the change to college life and I think that helped me cope with being away from family. I would stress to my high school self to get more involved the first semester of college. It can be an adjustment and the more involved you are the faster it is to adjust. It helps to have those friends. And the biggest advice I would give is to know that you can do it. You have put in the work and you have the ability to succeed so enjoy your life.

Be open to new experiences and wise about where you go and with whom. The world is going to look bigger than it ever has before - don't be overwhelmed by the largeness of it all, embrace it! You will find a freedom and independence you have never experienced before, but that liberty can be life-giving or deadly, only you can choose. Be careful with whom you choose to spend all your time. It's been said that you are the average of your five closest friends and that is certainly true. Boys are going to hit on you, but that doesn't mean you have to go out with them. Girls are going to try to belittle your values and make you see yourself as "less-than" because you hold on to your self-respect. Keep your eyes on the prize. If you know who you are and what you are about, you will exit this phase of your journey more mature and a richer person because you came and you will touch lives in the process. Be real, persevere, and hang on! It's a crazy ride.

First off, the teachers are not lying when they say all the seemingly pointless essays and book readings will help you once you walk into a lecture hall. So instead of blowing them off and pouting about it, take them seriously and work harder to be more efficient. It will pay off when you reach exam week and are drowning in more than enough studying material. Also, do not worry about not having enough extracurricular activities that involve the school. If you are passionate with something else, like softball or working in your church, do that. It will still give you experience that some people never get if they sit at home. But also, do not let fear hold you back. Give something more than one try before you give up. I understand it may be scary, but it is better to try than to give up and never know. Lastly, do not be afraid to fail. It will happen and most likely more than once. That is life. Failing one test will not be the end of the world. It happens. Relationships will fail too. Just pick yourself up and keep moving. Do not forget to laugh.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I would give myself is to have a good sense of time management coming into the first semester of college. One must remember that in college, a years worth of material is now being crammed into a mere 3-4 months. It is true that in college there isn’t that much busy work but the tests are much harder and the classes require a lot of writing. Prioritizing school before work is essential as well. Transitioning into a new schedule is tough and it would be a good idea to cut back working to 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 times. By minimizing the amount of time you spend at work you maximize the amount of time needed for actually studying the materials and notes given during the lectures. One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to underestimate the time needed for studying. Studying one week before the exam is not going to benefit you in the end. My overall advice: Make a plan, manage your time, and always put school first.

I would tell myself to take life more seriously and not to associate myself with negative people. Association with negative people can bring you down and your mood. It can take a toll on your personality also. Another thing I would tell myself is to learn how to be more confident. I was a relatively shy person which held me back from many things such as volunteering and joing clubs. I would say to just put yourself out there even if people may be mean to you. It is possible that they may grow to like you. Live for the future and not the present.

Dear Ellim, girl you need to just stop. Stop biting your nails and pacing the floor and just breathe for a second. Having already gone through all of your experiences let me break down for you exactly how you will live your senior year of high school: the first half of the year you work extraordinarily hard on your college applications but worry excessively over every little detail; then after making an arduous decision of where to go to college you become so tired of the worry and anxiety you had surrounded yourself with that you then pull yourself into a coma of distractions and laziness. It is time for you to stop the worry and stop the laziness. You will go to college and have the time of your life and wonder why you had ever worried so much. You will also go on to regret the time wasted and the life taken for granted. I promise you that college is awesome so stop living like a zombie and actually live life, soaking up the rich experiences that only come from being in high school. I promise you much happiness! Bye!

If I could go back in time to talk to myself in high school, I would have a lot to say. First I would tell myself that drinking alcohol will only get you in trouble, and fat. Going to the gym when you have gained weight is harder than you think. I would also tell myself to focus more during my senior year, apply for every scholarship I can find because being broke in college is not fun at all. I would tell myself to always wear flip flops in the communal bathroom, and save save save your money so you can afford to buy food! The last thing I would tell myself if I could go back in time would be to have fun, but focus on school- you're only here for a few years, make good friends.

To my younger self, I know you’re probably under a lot of stress about whether or not you should go to college or just work and help out the family and the kids. Since you had no role model and no one else in our family that had actual went to college you’re probably wondering if it’s even worth going to NOVA and pursuing Mason, but I’m telling you now don’t give up. You did a good job applying for that pathway program since they help out with the transition from high school and college and definitely get involved in programs that help with transfer students because they’re really useful. Learning how to manage classes and work because it makes it possible to have a social life. Upon graduate high school with your Advanced Diploma priorities are going to change just keep in mind that you need to put yourself first. I wish you could see the man you’re going to turn into because he is strong in holding his ideas to the core with pride and open everything in life. Stay focused in school because it will pay off Mr. Mason junior.