Gordon College Top Questions

If I could go back in time to tell myself one thing about college, it would be to slow down. My mother had just died of an 8-year battle with cancer, I was focusing on baseball, and I was rushing into a summer job, and trying to prepare for college. It wasn’t until I got to school and I had a little more time to think that everything hit me at once. It was then that my grades started to decline and I just didn’t know what to do. Slowing down and taking time to heal and recouperate would have made a substantial difference in my campus life in the beginning. Knowing that I could ease my way into things and then start to get more involved and busy would have been a huge blessing in that first year. I would also tell myself to stay focused. It is so easy in college to get mixed up in so many different things that your education begins to suffer. A reminder that good money is being spent on my learning useful things for my future dreams is always helpful and encouraging.

Grades aren't everything. Twenty years from now, are you really going to remember your grade in Biology? Is it really going to matter what grade you got in Statistics? No! I'm not discrediting learning or education because you should be extremely grateful for this education you have the opportunity to receive but sometimes relaxation is crucial. Grades are definitely important in both high school and college but you cannot let them rule your entire life. Try and try your hardest. Know that you don't always have to miss out on socializing and spending time with people you love. Maybe you don't study as much for an exam as you should have but instead talk with your friend during a difficult time. It is acceptable to step back from the books and look at the bigger picture. Your grades won't dictate the rest of your life. Put as much effort as you can into your papers and exams but know that you need to pause sometimes and enjoy this beautiful life. After all, you are only granted one life, so you have to live it to the fullest.

There isn't much I can say to prepare you for the journey you're about to embark upon, girl. A large part of what makes the college experience is the unexpected people and circumstances you find yourself in and the life lessons you learn from them. That being said, I will tell you these few things: with everything you do—each class you take, program, job, or internship you apply for, each activity you participate in—make sure you give your absolute one-hundred percent. Because each of these things, no matter how seemingly mundane or irrelevant they may seem at the moment, are building blocks for your character and play an important role in directing you toward the place you were meant to fill in this vast world. Never compare yourself to anyone else. You are one-of-a-kind. And finally: have fun! I know four years may seem like a long time (but it's really not).

Dear High-School Self, I know what you are thinking right now; you are stressed about what everyone is telling you about college, what and what not to do and what they went through. What I want to tell you is to make college your own experience. It is fun to hear what other people went through when they went to college, but at the end of the day, you are the one who is living at college day in and day out. Make choices that will make you happy, not necessarily your parents or friends, because your choices affect you in the end. I know what you are thinking; it sounds like you are into yourself and narsasistic. Once you get to college, it is like starting your real life: employers will be looking for the activities that you were involved in to see the whole you and not just the degree that you acheived. Think about what you want to be known as and make those everyday decisions that will help and please you. Good luck, and do not forget to have some fun too! Sincerely, Your future self.

In college, you should major in engineering to be an astrunaut like you originally wanted as a kid. There's a reason you were drawn to it an still are, so don't choose anything other than you're first choice. It will be the more challenging path to take, but will open up more opportunities for you in more regions of the world. Engineering has the widest applications in all the other fields of study, although you'll need to pick a concentration. You would also get a higher starting salary. All the other majors are competitive as well but it seems that more people gravitate to them. Show the world what females can do and do you're best in physics so that you can be that person that the marine biologists or chemists can rely on for matters that confuse them. If you chose this path, you'll be more likely to get hired by the military and the government. Remember, there will be no other way to get the chance to travel to outer space in your lifetime.

Dear Nate, In just a year, you will be entering college and it will be a time of great transition. Listen closely to what I am saying to you and if you follow these instructions, you will have the best Senior Year! Firstly, let go of the past. Yes, some things may have happened, like a bad break up or not getting the position you wanted in Student Council, but you need to forgive and forget, or forget as much as posible. Second, enjoy your family this last year of being at home. Yes, you will always have family, but you do not realize how vital they are until they are taken away from you. Yes, you may have annoying brothers, but you need to just love him this year because he too will miss you. Thirdly, study hard. The more you study, the more prepared you will be for writing papers in college. Practice reading a ton, because in college the amount of reading that you will have to be doing is almost impossible. Practice keeping up on your work and not falling behind. And don't forget to have fun and make some memories with your class! Enjoy!

Things seemed much easier back when I was in High School. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would tell myself to be more prepaired for college. I was depending completely on Finanicial Aide to be able to pay for all my college fees, unfortunatly they did not. I only recieved about $900. Little did I know that my parents made too much money a year for me to be granted with more money, but yet my parents could not afford to pay an additional $300 for the remaining balance of tuition, and $400 worth of books. If I would have been more prepaird I would of applied for scholarships, and my parents would not of had to take a loan out for me to attend my first year of college. This advice could of saved my family from more financial burden. In the end I learned that college is serious, and being an adult now, I have new responsibilites to undergo; so from now on I am taking complete advantage of every opportumity to be successfull in the furture. I would also tell myself, something good comes out of something bad.

College can be scary because it is a time when people may be away from home for the first time and figuring what they believe about certain issues while dealing with academics, social life, and a job. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would tell myself to accept how my worldviews would change and that it would be okay. I attend a small, liberal arts, Christian college. Before entering college, I would not have called myself close minded, but I certainly had my stances on certain issues. My freshman year of college, I was exposed to many different views on life and faith. It certainly shook me at first, but then after working through some of the issues I was able to realize that these views held truths to them and I started to pull from those views and adapt them to my views. Changing or adapting my life and faith views was frightening because of the uncertainty, but it has been caused me to grow as a human and in my faith.

Major in physics! You can go anywhere with this major, even using physics for marine biology purposes. Besides, your first dream ever was to become an astronaut. So what if you didn't take physics in high school? Just study hard and you'll do fine. Physics applies to anything including light movement, engineering to build new devices, gravity, and all things that you consider to be interesting. When you study biology beyond the microscopic level it all comes down to atoms and movement related to physics anyway. How can you even expect to help cure diseases without respect to physics principles in chemistry? Don't back down from your dream because of fear that you'll get bad grades. It interests you more than you know, and majoring in physics will be the highets aim you could possibly achieve and probably has the least females in its field. Show that you have the determination it takes to come to the forefront of technology and space, and most of all to be a leader.

If I was myself back to my senior year, I would tell myself to make sure I know what I want. If I don't know what I want, its okay. Everyone takes their own time and goes at their own pace in order to decide their future. When you get to college, try to become close with your professor. Don't come so close its personal; get close enough to your professor that they understand what you expect, but at the same time, know exactly what your professors expect you to do and get from the course. Also, you will meet many people in college and there might even be some distractions, but always keep your priorities in order no matter what happens. You can still get close and have a few friends, but don't let the world revolve around them. Take care of business. In the next few years of college, there are many endless posibilities. Take advantage of every awakening moment and gather as much informatin as you can about yourself. The world is big and scary, and people will tear you down, but stay completely true, and believe in yourself.