Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Top Questions

If I could go back to my high school and give myself advice I would say to not be afraid of who you are as an individual. Do not let others pull you down and keep you from accomplishing your dreams. You are your own individual and need to make your own decisions, with little influence from your peers. Strive for something in which you truly believe in and stand for. Allow for new experiences and make as many friends along the way. Allow yourself to be diverse and versatile. Flexiblity will only help you in succeeding in life. If you stick to the same routine you will keep walking in circles and never truly obtain the goal you set out to achieve. Be yourself and do not try to act like someone you are not. Use the support of your family and friends to help you along the way. Most importantly, have fun in life, take risks and leave no stone unturned.

If I could go back in time a year I would tell myself to get out more. When you are in high school you see the same people for eight hours every day, so it is easy to become friends and hang out. When you get to college you are on your own. You have to break the ice and make new friends. You have to leave your shell. This was very hard for me to do at first and the first several months were lonely, but once I worked up the nerve to go out and make friends I have meet people that will be my friends for life.

There are a number of things that I would tell myself if I could go back in time, the very first being NEVER EVER procrastinate. Get it done now so you don?t have to worry about it later. Unfortunately I learned this the hard way, there are so many deadlines I missed because I would keep putting assignments off. Also time management is extremely important get your priorities in order and stick by them, it WILL pay off in the long run. Make up a schedule or checklist, keep a planner this way you?re not caught off guard, you know what to expect. Most importantly push yourself, stop being afraid, strive to be the best that you can be, stop caring what each and every person thinks and go out and just be you, because that?s all that you can be in this life. Don?t waste your time trying to be something you?re not. If you want something to happen go out and make it happen, you can do A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y anything you set your mind to, and lastly believe in yourself.

Don't take it too seriously! College is a rough first year and trust me if you can make it through your first year you are golden! I know that sounds easy but trust me, it is not. You will be challenaged every step of the way but if you have a strong sense of self you can make it through and be twice as proud on the other side!

If I could go back in time I would let myself know of all the distrations and financial issues. I would tell myself to stay focus no matter how hard it may be and don't surround yourself with negative individuals. I would tell myself to look for scholarships and grants constantly, to avoid having an outstanding balance with the school of your dreams. I would also advise myself to live off campus because it's affortable, instead of living on campus in very expensive suites. I would also suggest studying for each class for the amount of time spent in that class and be involved around campus. I would also advise myself to get involved in my Nutriton major's department, helping out with food drives, volunteering, and being apart of the American Dietetic Association. I would tell myself to start building a social network and make sure your academic advisor knows you by face and name. Because sometimes it isn't what you know, its who you know.

I would tell myself to start applying for scholarships while you are in highschool. I would also tell myself not to wait so long to apply for a college. But most importantly go to all of your classes, read the books assigned, and do not cram for finals.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself in highschool I would tell my niave self that I need to be more involved and active about my future. I was not too worried about what was going to happen after highschool when I should have been. I would tell myself to work a little harder and to make better grades. I did not make horrible grades; they were a's and b's. SATs would also be more of a priority. In highschool I took them only once and unfortunately did not do the best I could have done. Not only would I inform my past self of those things, but I would tell myself to get more of an idea of what major I would like to pursue. It could have really saved me money and time.

I would sit myself down and tell myself that this really is no joke. Knowing what i know now about how college really is, I can honestly say that I was not prepared at all for college. I slacked off a little bit in high school, but my grades and SAT scores were really good, but I believe they could have been better. I would tell myself to study hard and prepare for a huge workload. I would tell myself that it's going to feel intimidating the first couple of weeks but to not be overwhelmed. I would also mention that I should establish a strong relationship with my professors and that slacking off is NEVER an option and that procrastinating will only cause me more stress than necessary. I would tell myself to always remember it's work first and play later. This is my future and I have to take it seriously!

If I could turn back the hands of time and reenter my Fall of 2008 year, I would spend the first week giving myself some serious advice about honest priorities vs. vague pursuits. Playing basketball at a Division 2 level would take a bottom rung position on my chain of importance ladder and self discovery would be the umbrella over which everything else depended upon. I would take more campus tours, be less afraid to face the unknown and realize that few things of relevance ever happen without some level of change and discomfort. I would advise myself to spend more energy in quality pursuits of helping others via community activities and less time perfecting myself for personal gain. I would remind myself of my two-week experience in the Philadelphia public school system in which I became a teacher's assistant to a special education inclusion classroom and how it changed my soul. I would remember how I almost backed out due to fear. I know now that the only fear I possess will be those opportunities I fail to recognize or those which I refuse to engage in due to ignorance.

If I could go back on time and talk to myself while I was a high school senior I would tell myself to applied for more scholarships because by being in college it takes a lot of money. I would also tell myself that I would do fine in school but that I need it to focus just a little more. Next I would of told myself to talk to more people and hang out more with the people that are now my closed friends for the rest of my life. I would also tell myself to make the best out of it becuase you only go to college for the first time onces. Other then that I wouldn't really change anything in my life because everything was just like I expected and even more then that.