James Madison University Top Questions

If I could go back in time, I would tell my self to get involved in extracurricular activities and in organizations that were helping people. I would also tell myself to volunteer more and help my community. I have learned that while helping others, I was also helping myself to become a better person. It helped me realize what makes me happy and matters to me the most. I would also tell myself to lead a healthy lifestyle. I found it to be very easy to develop bad eating habits. I quite often would grab an unhealthy snack from a vending machine as my lunch, rather than going to a dining hall to eat a nutritious meal. Perhaps the most important piece of advice I could give myself is finding balance in my academic and social life. I was very overwhelmed by the workload in the first two years in college. I wasn't thinking about how stress was effecting my health and my academic performance as well. Now, I find exercising to be essential part of doing well in school.

It appears this deadline has passed...Crazier things have happened To go back and talk to senior-year me, the biggest thing I would speak on is to stay true to yourself. Yes, college is the perfect place to find yourself, but that doesn't require you becoming someone/something you aren't in order to find the true you. I'm not saying to not try new things, but there is no need to put yourself in situations that are largely unecessary. Also, college prepares you for the next chapter (the real world) exponentially more than high school prepares you for the next level (college). Recognize this. Realize that the adversity you face and the manner in which you handle it can serve as a template for further difficulties in life. Next, deadlines are a very real thing. If you are late, you are late. No high school sympathy will be shown. Again, just another example of how college is preparing us for life in the real world. And finally, as my dad would say, "have fun, but be smart."

I would tell myself not to be as afraid as I was. College is so much different than high school and so much better. College is where you will meet your life long friends and do not get so caught up in staying connected with home. Go into college with an open mind and do not turn back. Emerse yourself into everything that you do and never ever cry during high school because it's too difficult.

I remember when I was a senior thinking, "no one will know me in college and I can be who ever I want." I think while this is true, it is not advise one should follow. High school teaches you so much about yourself. I learned which subjects I excel in and which I should avoid. I learned so much about people and how they will treat you. High school teaches you social cuew that will help you later in life. If I went into college as a totally new person I would feel as though I were forgetting all that high school taught me. The cliche be yourself is really the best option. College is a time where you meet new people and learn even more about yourself. For instance I kow that I am outgoing and quirky. This was not all that applealing in high school becuase I wasnt as laid back enough for the "popular kids." But if I decided to stop being me in college I would not have found my best friends who are just as quirky and outgoing as I am!

I would tell myself to start researching colleges a lot earlier, and to plan things out better. I would spend more time calculating what dual enrollment classes and AP scores would tranfer for college credit. I would also pick a major even if I wasn't 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure that was what I wanted to major in for the rest of my college career, just so I had a goal to work towards and I knew what classes I should schedule for the first semseter. I would tell myself to truly enjoy the time I had left in high scool and to treasure every momen I had with my family.

If I could go back and give my high school self some advice, I would have a lot to tell him. First of all, college isn't as strenuous as people say it is. Sure the classes are a little harder, but the main thing you need to focus on is time management. This is something that I really didn't take as seriously as I should have my first semester. You can do well in any class if you just set aside the time to not only do the work, but actually understand the work you're doing. Help is never a bad thing; if you need help go to your professor's office hours or find a tutor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking help. Also, while school is still very important, so is your social life. Find time to be active and hang out with friends. That's the real challenge, trying to be social and getting involved while also acceling in school. Once you learn the balance between these two things, college will be easier to handle. These are the key points of advice I would give myself as a senior in high school.

I'm sure many people would say their primary goal in college is 'to get a degree', but with our vast and amazing access to knowledge, we have the ability to get an education with the click of a mouse. One thing attending college has taught me is that it is more important to learn than it is to get a degree. An education is more than sitting in a classroom and reading a textbook... an education teaches you why it is important to learn. As a musician, I can easily learn how to play the violin outside of college, but being in college inspires me to push my limits and to become a better musician than I ever thought possible. Most importantly, it has taught me that I can do anything with enough hard work and dedication. An education is more than what is in a classroom; it is about applying this knowledge to better yourself as a person. Education taught me that learning is the key to understanding your potential.

I would tell myself to go to summer school to build up college credits before I graduated high school.

If I could talk to my high school self I would tell myself to attend community college directly after graduation in order to save money and reduce time at an expensive university. I would tell myself about all of the scholarship and grant opportunities and encourage myself to get a job that reimburses tuition payments. If I had known these things I would not have been so hesitant to enter college. As it is I am now 32 years old and just now finishing up my bachelor's degree this year. I was smart enough to attend college after high school but I assumed that because my family was poor I could not afford to attend.

Allison, You are about to experience more change in one year than you have in all 18 combined. Please savor and love your hometown. You're moving to Virginia right after graduation and soon, you're going to long for the familiar streets of Linwood, New Jersey. Don't take the familiarty you're surrounded with for granted. It disappears all at once. You worry that you'll never make friends as great as the ones you have now, but I promise: you are going to gain so much and lose nothing. Don't forget that cute girl with the short hair you see at the Charlottesville send-off luncheon in June. You are going to laugh about it after you've met officially, become best friends and much later, fallen in love. Don't hesitate to love her. Your parents are dealing with it and she's so worth it. The bottom line is, don't get hung up on what you've lost with change. Embrace what you gain. PS: I don't think anything I could say could prepare you to watch Erin lose her brother. Spend a little time appreciating Shaun Sless while you can.