Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Top Questions

I would tell myself to keep down the path you are going, you are venturing in the right direction. You will meet a lot of people so stay in contact with the ones you know who are good and will be helpful to you, you have a keen sense in determining this. One thing you need to improve is your study habits. Up to this point you have not really had to critically study, classes will get harder and you will have to learn how to really study. Stay focused because there are a lot of distractions in and around the college life. You have been very good at getting your work done before you decide to have fun or participate in other activities, keep at it even when the work becomes much longer than you expect. There is something for you in life, and you will achieve it.

All-nighters are not something to be proud of - learn time management skills. Instead of always relying on the teacher or professor to teach you everything, you have to learn to open the book once in a while and learned how to teach yourself. Lock yourself in a room or at a desk in the library and just focus - no distractions like Facebook or YouTube allowed. In fact, deactivate Facebook because it kills your time and right now, it isn't all that great. Read ahead - teach yourself math and sciences. You'd think that a school for engineering would have professors that can teach those very important subjects, but sometimes (normally) you get unlucky and you are forced to learn the material yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Getting tutored does not make you weak. Ever. Ask friends, but don't be a burden. Balance social life and school - it's possible. And sleep.

The most important thing to do is to mingle and connect with your class mates because you are all in the same struggle. Working with others can inspire, motivate, and ease your course work. Take every class seriously, if you are studying math and sciences everything builds on itself. Learning subjects well early will make life much easier, when taking higher level courses. Be friendly to students and faculty alike. Take the time to go to the offices of your professors and talk to the about course work, class performance, and or available opportunities, you will be surprised at how helpful they can be. Show that you are working or willing to work hard, teachers and students alike will take notice. Finally, get your work done early so that you can relax later! Start early on all work because it usually takes longer than you expect.

Looking back is always a dangerous thing to do, but sometimes this risk is necessary to move forward armed with the new knowledge and wisdom of years past. I attended a Magnet high school, graduated with a 4.6 GPA, played Varsity Tennis, was on every year’s Executive Board, and took 14 AP classes, graduating with 29 college credits. This might seem like the ideal high school experience, but it wasn’t. This is because it wasn’t reality. Reality is failing even when you try your best. It’s accepting that there might always be someone who’s better than you. Reality is harsh, but learning to accept and love yourself when reality hits the hardest is the biggest life lesson one can learn. And I learnt it in college. So looking back, I would remind my high school self that grades are only one aspect of measure. Extracurricular Activities don’t matter, if you’re not truly interested and passionate in pursuing them. Forgot the college application occasionally, and give yourself the freedom to do what you want. Take yourself less seriously, and try to learn and absorb knowledge as much as you can. Be a kid.

Most seniors spend their whole year dreaming of the moment they can walk across the stage (hopefully without any embarassing tumbles) and take their diploma, forever leaving the high school realm and finally becoming a college student. College is an amazing experience, but there are a couple of things I wish I had known before entering that new chapter of my life. Once at college, I finally understood what independence was, and with that independence came a great amount of responsibility. You are in charge of your grades, your actions, your finances, your diet, etc. Simple things, yes, but it's far better to enter college having an idea of what your standards and goals are in stead of making giant mistakes and then scambling to regroup from them. With that said, its imporant to have an open mind when you enter college as well. You will learn many new things and meet new people with different beliefs and backgrounds from yours; learn from these experiences and these people. They will change you and make you the person you are meant to be. College is exciting, challenging, and life changing. Take advantage of the opportunity and be thankful for it.

"Life is short. College is shorter." This may freak you out Lishan, but I am you, two to three years from now. Why have I come back in time to speak to you? I wanted to let you know that you are about to make the most arduous decision of your life: college decision. And I know that you will make the right decision, but I also have a piece of advice for you. Do what makes you uncomfortable. I know you are currently timid about trying things, but college is where you are given a blank slate. Only you can transcribe what you want it to say. Take on that leadership role for that project, or put yourself out there for an executive position for that project. Failure may come, but that is where you can learn. Experience what college means and absorb everything you can. Try to meet new people and save a couple of trees along the way. Volunteer to take ownership of things, to take command of groups, to lead by example. Inspire others and take full advantage of this great opportunity that you have been given at Tech. I mean, you only get four years.

As a high school senior, I know what you are thinking: ‘I’ve got plenty of time to plan my future’. However, I can tell you from experience that this is not the case. I’ve been in your position and walked in your shoes. The time to plan your future is now. For me, I waited till my sophomore year of college to get serious with my education. Due to this, I wasted the first year of college on unnecessary courses and threw away my money on tuition and books. Don’t do this to yourself. Begin planning the next four years of your life in high school so that you can optimize your funding and time. You can also begin to take advantage of the many opportunities available to you on campus. For me, getting involved in Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society, was the best decision that I have made. As an officer of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Hinds Community College, I have found a family amongst the other officers as well as the honor’s department as a whole. So think hard about your future for it affects me more than you know.

Dear less-mature, Highschool -Gabi, Enjoy your senior year. It goes by a lot faster than you could have imagined that first day of senior year when you realized that you had a whole year left "stuck" in highschool. Continue working hard- you will be relieved to have gotten in early to Georgia Tech while all your friends wait for their results in the spring. College is a time of growth, and although you think that you are a mature adult, I assure you that you are not. It might be easy to get "lost" in the the college campus with so many things to do and no parents to advise you on what is right and wrong, but stick with the friends that you have and be open to make new ones who will help you grow. Just because you have what seems like unlimited freedom doesn't mean that you should lose your strong sense of rationallity. Have fun, become involved in groups such as the American Medical Student Association in order to meet people who share your same interests and remember to always try your hardest. Sincerely , College Gabi

Take a risk. Being scared is normal, but you need to take chances in order to truly learn something. It’s alright if you’re unsure about where you want to go, or who you want to be. We learn who we are through unique opportunities, so don’t turn them down just because of fear. Open yourself up to campus life. Interacting with those around you is a great learning tool that can help you grow confidence, and create friendships. Join up with a club and learn about your community and the people around you. You might find something new about yourself. Life is short so enjoy it. Don’t over work yourself. Find a balance between work, school and friends. Too many people suffer because they tip the scales to one area. You are going to make mistakes and you sometimes might fail, but don’t ever let it get you down. If you fall down stand right back up. Analyze your mistake so you can do better next time around. Believe in yourself and work at your goals. Remember you are special to many people who will stand beside you all the way.

The most important thing I have learned being at college is to not work so hard at getting people to like you. In college, what is important is grades. I promise you will make them in your classes and around campus. If you want to meet people, then it will just happen, trust me. There are so many people around you to meet and learn from, you don't need to go out of your way to meet them. There is no need to fill-up your schedule with extra-curricular activities and go partying. Another important thing to remember is that this step into college is extremely important and you should not take a year off to give yourself more time to look around. You need to make a decision now. Do not be afraid that you won't make the right decision, it's ok. Now is the most important time to build your future. It is ok to not know what you want to study. Also, you are doing very well in highschool now, so you can continue those habits into college. Things change when you get to college, please don't make it harder on yourself.