Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to take more AP classes. I would tell myself to save money in college and take the classes that you can get college credit for while in high school. I would also tell myself to not even try to join the greek life and instead join the best organization on campus, Camp Kesem. It will help you decide what you want to do with your life, nursing, and you will love every part of the organization. It is a great therapy for dealing with dad's cancer, so join the organization, it will be the best decision of your life.

I wish I'd known how different the environment is of a school that is not focused on a continuous 8am to 3pm schedule. It is much more relaxed and independent. Getting an A is more reliant on one's ability to perform in and out of the classroom, whereas high school was mostly about showing up and completing classwork. The bare minimum is no longer acceptable. College challenges individual to not only think for themselves, but discipline themselves to complete difficult tasks. I appreciate school much more now that there is an aspect of challenge to it.

The advice I would give myself is to stay focused. College life is so much different than high school. In high school, you had teachers pushing you along the way. That doesn't happen in college. I would also tell myself to keep up with my homework and readings. It is so easy to get behind becasue there are so many things to do in college. You don't have parents telling you to study and do your homework. This will help me to develop better skills for life after graduation.

Don't assume that everything is going to take care of itself. If you are a minority with a low-income family don't think that scholarships are going to throw themselves at you. Go out there and get them. Also do the math and make sure that you have enough money to pay for your tuition. If you're short for tuition nobody will come in and save you, keep applying for scholarships because the money that you had in high school is not going to be in the back account forever. It costs money to live on your own and college is no exeption. Don't expect to have the money you worked for in the summer to be there on the end of yout freshman year at college. Don't stop going to classes because of some excuse. When you miss class the first time it only makes it easier to miss it a second time. Don't attempt to quit just because being able to pay for college looks impossible. If you've made it into college don't quit just because of money. You'll be making much more in the future if you stay.

When I was a senior in high school, beginning to consider and make college decisions, I believed that I wanted to get away from the small-town environment I had grown up in and the, as I saw it, poor education I had received. The schools I was considering were small, liberal arts colleges, at least 400 miles away from southern Indiana. I applied to one of these, along with IUB, and hoped for the best. I ended up going to Indiana University because the price tag of the other school was too great, and all that summer I worried that I had made the wrong decision and wondered about the possibility of loans. I know now that I did not make the wrong decision. I've had many of the best experiences of my life at IU: I've made wonderful, beautiful friends; met the person I believe I'll spend the rest of my life with; and learned more in these past few years than I could have imagined. I would tell myself this piece of advice: it's not just the place, it's who you are and what you make of it. Everything can be amazing.

The advice I'd give myself would be to practice balancing and to get out more. I'd get better study skills so I could do more than homework and study. I'd tell myself to not take myself so seriously, to let things go and to get the chip off my shoulder. To become more social and work on my lacking social skills that will cause many awkward moments. Saving money is also something I'd tell myself; it's good to buy stuff, but you won't use most of the stuff you bought in the next few years. I'd tell myself that I just need to be me and not to be so worried; there will be problems and you will lose old friends, but the people and experiences to come will mean more than any cafeteria table chit chat ever will. I'd also tell myself to take W131 English at the community college before going to IU to get it out of the way; primates are fun to read about, but it does get old. Simply, I'd advise myself to be ready for amazing times and to work on organization.

In narrowing my college choices down, I think I would have visited a few more schools and some southern schools located in warmer weather climates. I think you have to visit the schools to really get a feel for the type of campus and the type of environment. Ultimately I think I made the right decision in choosing to attend Indiana University in Bloomington. I loved the school the first time I visited the campus. I spent a great deal of time getting to know prospective roommates over the spring of my senior year of high school. That ended up being one of the best things I did because I ended up with a great roommate and an even better new friend. You spend a great deal of time with this person so I think that step of the process is crucial to a successful college experience. Try to remember that most of the other students are in a new place and try to go out of your way to make new friends. It's a bit hard at first but it's worth the extra effort because it will enhance your college experience.

If I could go back in time and advise myself about the transition into college there are many things I would say, but also many things I would not say. I would not tell myself to do anything differently, because then I would not be the person that I am today. However, I would warn myself about a few things that I could possibly avoid. I would tell myself that balance is the key to success in life. That balance includes religion, studies, social life, sleeping, eating, working out, relaxation, dating, and even classes. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you must balance your good and bad sides as best as you can. Try to stay on the good side, and dont let yourself fall into the bad side. As cliche as that sounds, it is the truth. Finally, don't look for women at the bars! Go to church! Not for women though. For soul food. Church is good for the soul, and also a great social place to meet fantastic people. Oh, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I mean, you are going to school to learn right? Enjoy your adventure and learn learn learn!

If I could go back a year and a half ago and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that everything was going to be fine and that there was absolutely no need to be as nervous as I was the first day of classes. Yes, there are many different people here and many different backgrounds and personalities, but we are all here for the exact same reason which is to get an education. I would also tell myself that paying for college is hard, and this is the first step in becoming an adult. This is a new start to what could be new you. College is made for people who want to higher their education and to get prepared for what comes after.

I would advice myself to take school seriously. It is not a time for partying but a time for learning who you are and what you are capable of. Talk to as many people as you can and choose your friends carefully - they will have the biggest influence on your learning. Be proactive in your learning and don't let homework be the limitation. Don't be lazy and finally don't be stressed about anything because nothing is worth being stressed about.