Illinois State University Top Questions

Kat, you don't even know you will become "Kat," but embrace your new persona. Don't ever be worried about moving from smalltown roots to a bigger college. You will flourish there. You will find a home there. Illinois State will show you how to be the best teacher, bilingual learner, employee, friend, and woman you can be. Campus may seem huge and different, but home is never far away. Embrace the people in your dorm/apartment. Embrace the random events that you may not "feel like" attending. You will meet incredible people who you will love, and they will love you too, and quickly. If an opportunity arises to do something a little crazy, crazy in a good sense, don't hesitate. You will find confidence and strength in your academic abilities. You will find the strongest friendship and the truest love imaginable. College WILL BE the greatest years of your life. Don't shy away from something that intrigues you. Constantly work to better yourself physically mentally, spiritually, and socially; those are your home bases, so don't neglect a single one. You are capable of greatness, and you will achieve it.

Look at all of your options. Do research before you pick a major. Do not settle. Put yourself out there, and get involved!

Whatever you do, do not take a break after high school. You will deeply regret it and it really sucks seeing all of your friends in college while you are stuck working a full time job and doing nothing with your life. Start college as soon as you graduate even if it means less time hanging out with your friends. Do not go crazy if you have not decided your major yet; many people change their majors and minors multiple times throughout college. The best thing is to take your time and take everything one step at a time. Keep the long term goal in mind, but make short term goals and complete one at a time. This way you will not overwhelm yourself. Another great piece of advice is to apply for scholarships all through senior year and beyond. You may not think you will win a scholarship, but it does not hurt to keep trying. Take a deep breathe, take one step, and continue on your path. Everything will be alright, so stay calm.

Find something to get involved in and study abroad

i would tell myself to make sure you stay on top of your homework, and to not be lazy. thats my biggest set back, and it is showing in my grades. go to all classes, study enough, and do your homework and you should be fine.

If I could go back in time and talk to my self as a senior I would say, "Devan! First, hug everyone you love because you don't know it right now, but things are going to happen and not all of them will be there in a year. The pain you will experience from the loss of your friend and step-mom will never go away, but it is up to you to use your experience to help others in the same situation. Things do get better. Second, enjoy high school because once you leave you can never go back. Finally, college is not just about going off to a nice university, having fun or how cool it looks to other people. Follow your heart and go where you think you will thrive. College is a time to grow into the person who will make you and your loved ones proud. It's the chance to mold yourself into the kind of person who can change the world some day. Go to the school that will do that for you, not just the cheapest, closest or most convienent."

As the first in the family to attend college, there’s a lot of expectation for you to do great. You have no direct guidance from family so that means to empower yourself! All the resources are at your fingertips! During the summer after high school graduation, make sure you research campus groups so you will be familiar with the organizations that fit your hobbies/interests. I even encourage you to join one! Make contact with your roommate and plan to attend/meet at the incoming freshmen orientation during the summer so it’s not too awkward on day one. On campus: BE CALM, find a campus map, walk around and ask questions! There will be people from all over the world so prepare to be shocked but adapt and adjust! It’s not uncommon to be homesick. If you need to, cry or call supportive family/friends but don’t go home every weekend! Meet new people, go to class, study A LOT, establish a strong GPA, avoid academic probation, find your passion and most importantly, PRAY! College WILL BE overwhelming and hard work at times! Prepare yourself for the challenge; it will be worth it in the end!

For me personally, I think that I did well transitioning from high school to college. I work an a camp all summer and not home at all during the summer, so the transition was easier for me than most. I would recommend not going home very often during the first semester because the weekends are when you meet people and have fun. Also, get homework, projects, papers, etc. all organized and sorted out during the first week. When they are all placed on a calender, it is easier to keep track of when tests are, or when projects are due. Learning how to be organized and figuring out what organizational style works best for you, is vital during your freshman year in college.

If I had the option to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would advise myself to start working on campaigns sooner. If I started working on campaigns in the Fall Semester, especially the Presidential campaigns, I would have developed a more diverse understanding of the major I am in. I understand my major very much, but I feel like if I would have gotten more involved the experience would have given me a larger boost of knowledge.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to not give in to "senioritis". I wouldn't slack as much as I did because those study habits carry over to college. I would tell myself to stay focused and 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} effort on everything I do. I would also tell myself to get involved. I should have joind clubs or activities my senior year in order to stay active and busy. It would have looked better on my applications and would have given me so much more experience and probably a better outlook on life. I wish I would have focused more on my studies than I did on my social life. In the end, your studies are what matter most. Your friends won't be there for you when you don't succeed in school.