Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

If I had the chance to speak to myself during this time I’d say: Don’t worry, be happy. It’s hard to believe but everything works out. It’s beyond our control and we cannot predict the outcomes. So, why worry so much. I’d say: BREATHE!!! It’s okay to feel nervous about the future, but never forget what we’ve overcome. I’d remind myself that we all have a story because we’re all unique in that way. I’m the first generation to further my education at the collegiate level in America and in my family. My personality and who I am is shaped by my parent’s voyage to the land of the Free. I’d free myself from the very shackles that enslaved me to the depressing thoughts that caused me to lose a little bit of myself that year. I would instill within my heart the courage that I lacked senior year by telling myslef that I shouldn’t feel ashamed of who I am and that I can renew my inner self by expelling my thoughts and emotions onto paper if I just start writing from the heart.

Regret nothing, but remember you are not what other people make you. Show your worth and never be discouraged by the word "no." You have a wonderful life ahead of you, so quit worrying and start it already! Eliminate empty calorie friends. No one will give you the praise you want, but you will get it when you've earned it. Believe me, you will earn it. Respect Mom and Dad but don't let them bother your sense of self. This is YOUR life. Live it.

Dear High School Jillian, You will soon realize that college is a lot different from high school. You might complain about all the homework you get now, but you will be begging for it once you get a class where your whole grade depends on three tests. Studying as you go and keeping up with reading assignments becomes imperative. Keep track of homework assignments and projects that are due because your parents and teachers aren't going to remind you every day. There will be times when you are overwhelmed by the massive mountain of obligations you have to climb including homework, studying, work and social life. Time management is essential. Put your cell phone up, lock your door, and block out any social media for a set amount of time and get your stuff done. Once you have tackled your assignments, reward yourself and relax with some friends. The most important thing is to stay focused on why you are at college. It's easy to get too caught up in the social aspect of college, but your grades will suffer. Work hard, have fun, and keep the end goal in sight.

I would would advice myself to be prepared for all the hard work college is. I would also tell myself to treasure that time because college isn't as fun when you have so much responsibility on your shoulders.

Stay in high school and do your best to finish. It may not seem like it is worth the effort but without a diploma it takes a lot more work to get anyone to look at you. Also stay away from things that are not school oriented because these things will lead you down a path that ends in sadness and despare. Stay straight and be true to who you are if you can do that you will be an amazing person later on in life. One more thing have fun with what you do and who you hang out with also spend more time with family as they are more important than you realize.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, the conversation would probably begin with a mug of calming tea. I would look my younger self straight in the eyes and tell her not to worry. As someone whose main priority in high school was to complete perfect homework assignments and impress students and teachers alike, I would tell her to take a step back and breathe. I would advise her to say yes. Say yes to opportunities, say yes to new ideas, say yes to living. Sitting in a room studying the night away is a great way to succeed, but also a great way to miss out. The homework will get done, I would say. But the opportunity to hear a Holocaust survivor speak or participate in a workshop by a Jamaican poet will not present itself again. I would tell her to keep her door open in the residence hall, to say hi to everyone who walks by, and to invite new friends out for ice cream once in a while. I would tell her to value the opportunities she has and the relationships she makes, because college is the chance of a lifetime.

I would tell myself that it is truly okay to be different. Being in high school doesn't exactly demonstrate what it's like to be in the real world. After escaping the small bubble of my town and high school and attending college for a mere week, I discovered that everybody is unique. As a high schooler, I would always hear how college is so unlike high school, but I never really knew how true this could be. College is a melting pot of different cultures, personalities, interests, races, and everything else you could possibly imagine. It is a place that you can find yourself and somebody else to identify with, while also discovering your home away from home.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be more willing to meet people out of my comfort zone. I would also tell myself to be more outgoing in class and to build relationships with my professors and my classmates. The most important thing to do during the transition into college is to remember why you decided to attend that given university. Be sure to focus on your classes but also remember to enjoy yourself.

If I could go back in time and give some advice to myself during my senior year of high school, I would tell myself to have fun! I did not have as much fun as I should have during my senior year of high school. I am not talking about going to crazy parties or taking part in stupid activities that I will regret later, I am talking about spending more time with my family and friends because my high school senior self would have no idea how much I was about to miss everyone who I have laughed with, cried with, and grown up with. I would tell myself to spend that extra time I had with my family who supports me and has my back 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time. I would also tell my high school self to spend more time with friends intead of staying in and worrying about the future. Relax, have fun, have faith. Everything will work out in the future. Focus on the wonderful people who have invested so much time into you and cherish the time and memories you have spent together because time is far from unlimited.

The advice I would give would be to branch out from the friends you made in high school. Meeting new people gives new prospectives on life and new friendships that help you get through those sometimes difficult first few months. I would also say that it is okay if things are a little rough first semester. It can take a little while to get adjusted to college, and just because you have one bad semester does not mean that you are doomed. College is the time to discover who you really are and what you really want to do in life.