Indiana University-Bloomington Top Questions

I would tell myself to not stop my education and continue through high school straight into college. Being in college full time at age 26 with 18 year olds is discouraging but I have pushed through and greatly succeeded. I would tell myself to never give up and fight for my dreams. When times get hard, work harder. Don't ever think that you can't because you can!

Trust yourself because you are too passionate, relentless and dedicated to let yourself be unhappy or unsuccessful. You're going to make the right choices for your life, and you will seek out opportunities that apply to your desired career path as a magazine editor. Don't worry so much, because in the end, it isn't worth it. Making the transition from college to high school is difficult, but you are going to meet professors and friends that change your perspective, and ultimately change your life. Step outside of your comfort zone as often as possible: It's always worth it. Ultimately, the experiences that make you uncomfortable are the experiences that change you. Don't be afraid to ask for help, and always accept constructive criticism. Smile, take a deep breath, and know that everything happens for a reason. Every grade, every bad day, every rejection, every triumph--It will all lead you to the place you're meant to be in life. College is the best time of your life. You will learn more about yourself than you ever thought was possible. Love yourself, trust yourself, and most of all, believe in yourself. The rest will follow.

I would tell myself to take more challenging courses in high school, doing this would look really good on my transcripts. Also, study harder and retake the SAT, so I would score higher. I would also say apply to many scholarships, and colleges, and participate in more clubs and organizations that deal with contributing to the community. The most important piece of advice I would give is to just relax and enjoy high school and make many friends. High school and college are going to be the best times in your life, so it is important to enjoy them now before you have to start a full-time job. Time is going to fly by and before you know it you will be working full-time, so enjoy yourself, have fun, and study, study, study.

If I was given the opportunity to go back to my senior year of high school and advise myself on what to expect from college life, there are so many things I could better prepare myself for. For starters I would have had more self-discipline to force myself to fill out scholarships, invest in my grades, take more advance placement classes, and also work harder on the field for a higher scholarship offer. I’d suggest that I’d look into ideal housing, electric and food expenses for an average college student living away from home. Also make sure that my mindset was ready to transfer from high school teachers always reminding you what was due and assisting you throughout assignments to a professor who states a due date once and expects you to understand the course material on your own. All in all, I should have been more prepared for the real world and not just my idea of what I was expecting.

Dear Roxana, growing up in communist Romania, you will be the first member of your family to attend college. You will chose a field of study that could ideally empower you, regardless of your gender or economic milieu. While you were never silenced at home, you will discover through the study of gender, sexuality, literature or history the pervasiveness of an entire world of socially silenced individuals in continual search of, to paraphrase Virginia Woolf, a world of their own. Your destiny will lead you to study in the UK and the in the US, where you will receive two MA degrees and a PhD. All these will not be unexpected. However, you will never expect to feel so empty in the US. Know that the life of an immigrant is a life of sacrifice and disappointment. Your graduate degrees, your awards and publications won't be able to replace the closeness of family, the warmth of home, and the feeling of belonging. So as you prepare to graduate, look around and take the world in. Keep it safe and fresh in the warm lair of memory and in the abysses of your soul. This is how you grow roots.

If I could go back in time and tell my high school senior self one thing it would be- that you are going to gain about 10 pounds and guess what... ITS TOTALLY OKAY. Going into collage and even freshman year everyone psyced me out about making sure NOT to gain the freshman 15. I became so concious and worried about it that I wasn't enjoying myself at the beginning of school. Then it finally dawned on me as a sophmore that -Hey! it is TOTALLY okay to gain some weight and no one is going to judge you for it. Also you body is not going to look like what it did as a senior in highschool when you are a senior in collage. We are all still growing and figuring out who we are. Why is there so much pressure to not gain the freshman 15! My advice to myself would be to sit back, relax, work hard and just enjoy the ride!

If I were to go back in time and see myself as a high school senior, I would've told myself to get my act together. Too get myself situatued for the simple fact in college your not handed everything in high school, you have to seek for it because in highschool all the teachers either looked for you or helped you out in the process. Even so for the transition it's basically a life lesson you have to go through certain situations to grow up from them. All I know I wish I had someone to tell me that to prepare for college even so to have something to know ahead of time to not full around.

I would tell myself not to take a gap year, it was the worst decision I have made in my short life. I love IU so much, I wish I could have been here right after high school, getting back in the groove of schoolwork was dificult. I would let myself know that the best experiences are in college, both in the classroom, and socially.

As is apparent throughout history, mistakes will be made. As a high school student, I took my limitless opportunities for granted. Regrettably, I did not apply myself to my studies. If I could return to my naive high school self, I would certainly have a lot to say. First, and perhaps most importantly, I would tell myself to turn the passion I demonstrated in the leisurely activities I enjoyed toward excelling in academics and extra curricular activities. Similarly, I would encourage myself to truly learn from the weath of knowledge I had access to and use that knowledge to discover my potential career interests. Given the opportunity, I would also tell myself to abandon my selfish feelings of entitlement. Many American's grow up with priviliges that we take for granted; I was no exception to this troubling complex. I would tell myself that true fulfillment comes from giving back to the community you are fortunate to be a member of, rather than turning a blind eye to those less fortunate. Volunteerism is the single most selfless act of human kindness. Those pieces of advice would have undoubtedly humbled and prepared me for the fierce and unforgiving real world.

A high school diploma is hardly worth the paper it is printed on in the next century. Go to college early; don’t wait until you are in your 40’s to get your education. In the future, a college degree is necessary to get a decent job so that you can get ahead in life, and you will be able to provide better for your family if you have your degree. Instead of struggling to make ends meet, you will be able to buy a house when you’re young enough to enjoy it, instead of waiting until your kid is in high school; you’ll have the credit to buy your first new car before you are 40 if you have a decent job. Set an example for your son, don’t tell him “I want better for you than I had for myself” or “I wish I had done this years ago”. You don’t have to try to work full time and go to school now, take advantage of the schools offering you those academic scholarships. They won’t be hanging around in 22 years, just waiting for you.