Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are plenty of things that I would want to tell myself. I would tell myself that despite the fact that college is known for parties, there are still many other activities to get involved in and that there are many people who do not like to go to crazy parties either. I would remind myself to stay true to who I am because it is easy to get lost in the pressure that you sometimes face. Even though you will miss home and feel lonely at times, it is important to stick it out because you will come to truly love the school and make some amazing friends. Get involved as much as possible because, as corny as it sounds, it really helps to make such a big school feel a lot smaller. Most importantly, I would remind myself to stick with my morals. I have always had very high morals, but with a huge change, like making the transition to college life, it is easy to forget or let them slide. You know who you are, and stay true to that person.

If I had the ability to go back in time and educate myself about the college life and transition I would most importantly say that education is number one. A lot of the time, college freshman are excited about the process of being an independent individual and steer away from the fact that they are still trying to get an education. It is very easy to get trapt in all of the social activities and parties and become astray from your school work. So, that education is the most important factor and socializing will come when you are more stable. Another piece of advice I would give myself is to be very active at your University. Join a sorority and extra curricular events. It is a great opportunity to meet people and will help you grow as an individual. Lastly, I would advise myself as a senior to prepare more financially. It is a lot more expensive then I had ever imagined so, it is vital to apply for scholarships, grants, and loans. If I would have applied for scholarships my senior year, I would perhaps not be in a financial struggle like I am today.

Throw yourself into it. Even if you don't like your floormates, even if you don't like your classes, even if you don't like the town atmosphere- you have to throw yourself into it. It's going to be different. Expect to be uncomfortable with this whole new mode of living. But go ahead and check out a call-out meeting or two. Apply for that research position. By doing so, you'll find your niche. You'll find the people you were looking for on move-in day (but were instead greeted by the hippie from Vermont and her roommate, the girl who considers classes an interuption of her late-night partying). It's not going to be what you expected it was going to be. But you'll come to like it, or at least part of it- the part that you carve out. Attack campus; dig in; you'll find something worth while. I promise.

If I had the opportunity to speak to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to never waver in self-confidence. In coming to Indiana University Bloomington, I certainly didn't think that I was the best student out there, but I was confident in myself. However, after the first two weeks I quickly came to see that there were so many strong, powerful, talented students. Students much stronger than myself. My self-confidence began to waver, which led to a bit of a depression on my part. I would tell myself that all you can do is take what you have been given, work to build a strong foundation, and then build a sky-scraper to reach your dreams (however cliche that may sound). I would tell myself that college is not about who is the best, the strongest, the smartest. It's about who is willing to work the hardest to reach something personal, something that only you want to attain. No one in the whole of Indiana University Bloomington wants what I want, and therefore no one can love it as much as I. So keep the self-confidence flowing; all will work out.

If I could go back and time as a high school senior and give myself advice about how to handle college life, I would tell myself 1. Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and make new friends! Everyone is in the same boat meeting new people and trying to acclimate. 2. Don't worry about what you want to major in quite yet. It's ok to explore your options while you take classes in college that interest you; most people have no idea what they want to do with the rest of their lives as a high school senior! 3. Be aware that you might have a bit of "culture shock" when you come to college, but that's ok! Diversity is a GOOD thing that should be celebrated and appreciated. 4. Get involved on campus from the very beginning! Volunteering around campus, joining intermural sports, becoming a member of a club, etc are all great ways to give back to your community! and 5. Continue to work hard in your last year of high school; resist the temptation to slack off!

If I had the opportunity to go back in time to give myself advice about the huge transition I was about to embark on to college, I would advise myself to take courses you are interested in, study what you enjoy, and major in what you can see yourself having a career in that you would love. Attending college is a huge expense to students to who attend, but most importanlty, attending college gives students the opporutnity to reach goals and achieve dreams. When I first applied to Indiana University, I was planning on enrolling in Kelley School of Business and majoring in Business Management. What I soon realized was that business was not the career path I was destined to take. I had dreamed my whole life of becoming a teacher, even making my twin sister play school with me when I was young. Besides applying to Indiana University, following my dream of majoring in Social Studies Education was the best decision I ever made, and doing what you love is what I think all high school seniors going to college need to understand.

The biggest thing I would tell myself as a high school senior would be that college is not a game, nothing like the movies make it out to be. Not everything falls into place or goes as planned. Of course, college is an experience where you get out of mom and dads house and have the freedom to go wild but it is also a time where you have to prove to yourself that you can make it in the real world. So Allen first, when you get to college set priorities mainly keeping your grades up. Because if your grades falter then so does your financial aide and the consequences having no financial aide is paying for school out of pocket or spending multiple semester out so that you can save money to pay for it. Wake up for class because mom will not be there to help you get up. Make sure to pay attention in all your classes because one bad grade can throw off a whole semester. Lastly, to make sure you use your free time that you have to study for ALL your classes because it is hard to get by on minimal knowledge.

In high school, I was the student that could pass with great grades without studying at all. I never developed study habits because I never had to. That all changed in just the first week of college. I had to immediately learn how to study, take notes, and do my homework without someone telling me to do so. It was an extremely hard transition and one that I had to learn the hard way. My grades my first semester suffered because of my nonchalant attitude towards studying in high school. I ended my first semester with a 2.32 grade point average, the lowest I have ever had in my life. That lesson had to be learned though, I just wish it had been learned in high school. There is no doubt in my mind, the advice I would now give to my high school self would be, pay attention and actually study, no matter how much you think you can put it off. It will immensely help you in the next four years.

I would tell myself to relax, and make the best decision for myself and my family. Any college you go to there are going to be people similar to you that you can get along with, so don't attend a college just because you feel like it's "better" or because it's private. I would tell myself to go into college with a positive and open personality, and to give people lots of opportunities to get to know you. If you live in a dorm, always keep your door open and be willing to talk to strangers. Since everyone is in the same boat, you have nothing to lose! Everyone is nervous! Just be yourself and take advantage of all the people your age trying to make frieinds too!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to save my money from my summer job! I always knew that college was going to be a big step for me, but I never realized how much pressure the financial aspect of college would put on myself and my family. I've had to grow up these past couple years and do my best to help my family financially get me through college. If I did more before college to prepare for the financial defecit that I am in now, I would be better off, knowing that I could support myself. Secondly, I would tell myself to be open with everyone I meet. I was very shy my freshman year of college, not wanting to make new friends or speak to professors. I am now an active participant in all my classes, and I've even followed my dream of dancing and was recently excepted into the African American Dance Company. I would tell myself not to worry, to have faith, and to trust in my dreams.