Johns Hopkins University Top Questions

My advice would be to begin life as a college student with focus and discipline. I would also tell myself to apply to all schools that interested me. Finally, I would tell myself to apply for scholarships.

Use the Pomodoro technique! Use more elaborate mnemonics! Take harder classes! All of this would have prepared you better for the intense academic rigor at Hopkins. You really should practice better studying, find ways to cut procrastination short, and start up a study routine. Otherwise, you may be disappointed. Hopkins is tough as nails and almost everyone I know there is flailing -- don't let this be you.

Nobody knows you like you do. So do not let outside pressures dictate what you feel you should or should not be doing. Look inward and rely on your internal compass to stay true to your own hopes, desires, and dreams. That is not to say that others cannot provide meaningful life lessons, help and advice, for they can. But you are the master of your own destiny. Set goals, self-evalute, and seek happyness and fullfilment above all else.

College is an entirely different ballgame than high school was. There's a lot more freedom, which is amazing. The biggest change for me, was that I got to pick which classes I wanted to take (instead of just being told what needs to be taken for each year). As a result, I ended up taking a lot of classes that I enjoyed, but that weren't practical. Our generation has it tough - unemployment is high, and so there's a lot of competition for every single position. If I could go back and talk to myself again, I would advise myself to take more classes that really would make my resume pop when applying for internships and jobs. This isn't like high school - you really want to take classes that will help you in the real world.

After excelling in highschool, the dream to study at JHU finally came into fruition. Unfortunately, these high achievements gave me a false overconfidence. During my freshman year, I was struggling to balance volunteering, research, and schoolwork. I was not succeeding the way that I expected to. However, I wasn't initially willing to cut out extracurricular activities from my life: it has always been important to maintain and pursue interests that lie outside the classroom. The shock of my grades made me recognize that something had to change. I reprioritized schoolwork, and temporarily cut out personal commitments. I made a promise that I would return to my extracurricular activities when I could achieve a balance between academic rigor and a rich personal life. I recommitted myself to school. I wasn't used to asking for help, but instead accustomed to succeeding on my own. I needed to put my pride aside and seek outside help. I learned that asking for help is a vital skill that doesn't portray weakness, but rather signals a willingness to collaborate and share opinions. With support, I developed stronger study habits and raised my GPA. I learned to tackle my schoolwork with greater humility.

Dear Meg,As my young adult years unfold, I am still undecided what exact path I should follow, yet I have discovered the one aspect of life you cannot live without; RISK! To understand what I mean, you must consider the following quote, "With great risk comes great reward." In the years since graduating from high school, I have pushed myself to take tremendous risks that have frightened me to the point that I almost quit and crawled back inside my shell of comfort. However, through my perseverance and determination, I tackled the obstacles that accompanied those risks and have only felt more rewarded. I now have amazing relationships with people I would have never been friends with before and have been privy to experiences that have changed me for the better. Overall, I have become a stronger and more inspiring person and realize that in order to develop further I must continue to take risks in every aspect of my life. As a result, my advice to you, a younger version of myself, is to take large and small risks, day in and day out, in order to make yourself the best you that you can possibly be!

Apply to more scholarships. Apply to everything as early as possible. You can skip a few high school obligations in order to prepare more for your future.

I would tell myself to get involved in all those clubs and extracurricular activies offered on campus! Learning in the classroom is one aspect of education but getting out there and getting your hands dirty is what really leads you to your path. I think about all the clubs that sounded really interesting that I didn't get involved in because I thought I didn't have time and was too focused on my studies. Looking back at it now, so many college graduates are lost in their paths and passions because they did not take the time to explore what their heart was calling them towards. Those experiences are what allow you to refine you passions. I would study what you love, not what you think will make money. Go out on those weekend trips with campus clubs because that is where you will meet people on the same wavelength of life as you and it will feed and stimulate a part of your intellect that a classroom cannot.

Dear Past Self: College is very, very different from high school - while you will have much more freedom to choose how to spend your time, you will feel the very real need to devote much of it to studying and learning material for classes. Prepare to study more than you ever have, and seriously use a planner - make a schedule and stick to it, and you'll find that you have plenty of time to get everything done (and get a good night's sleep!). Don't stress too much - four years passes in a flash, and it's better to take the time now to enjoy the little things than to regret afterwards not having done them! Love, Me

Keep calm and turn the cartoons on. If you have ever watched cartoons, there is always a hidden lesson to be learned. In Wile E. Coyote, we all know that the Road-Runner is never captured, but is that the main point? Well, obviously not or there would only be one episode! There is constant trial and error, but the one overlooked characteristic is the Coyote's determination. The Coyote faces countless obstacles and boundaries, but never gives up, complains, or gets held back in failure. Rather, he is positive and persistent. If he fails, he brushes himself off, returns to reading his little Acme book, and creates a new master plan. He possesses the greatest amount of drive and willpower. No matter how many times he is electrocuted, run over, set on fire, or pulled off a cliff, he remains resilient. My message for you is to be like Wile E. Coyote! Never surrender and even if you feel like doors are being slammed in your face, never lose hope! Lastly and most importantly, never sell yourself short because the future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams. Goodluck!