Maryland Institute College of Art Top Questions

Relax and take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay. College is full of stress, drama, and definitely sleep deficiency, but you cannot let that get in the way of your goals in life. You were accepted to this fabulous instituiton for a reason, and you have to keep your head up high. There may be hard times, but there will always be good times to keep you going. Those good times will be full of friends, bonding and great learning experiences. These moments are what make the college journey worthwhile. If you can remember that everyday, you are sure to reach and exceed your goals.

I have learned a lot about the importance of dedication and determination since high school. I worked hard in high-school, but there were times when I lost focus or truly didn't understand the importance of good grades. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to never settle for average. I would encourage myself to work harder in school and focus more on the important things. I would tell that girl not to let anyone or anything get in the way of her hopes and dreams. Education is the only thing that no one can take from you. Therefore, I would encourage her to stay focused on her dreams and to never lose sight of the important things in life. I know now that settling for "okay" or average can haunt you for the rest of your life. So, strive to be the BEST! Strive for excellence and start finding out about college sooner because it will be here in the blink of an eye. Then, you will be forced into the real world and will have to take it seriously. Strive to be the best you can be at all costs.

I would have told myself to have done more research about the universities and opportunities available at MICA university. I would have told myself to focus and concentrate more on my artwork and grades.

I am only a freshmen; only a semester and half through college. Some people may say this as a short time, whereas other people may say this as a very long time. For me, this time was very short compare to how many things happened and how many things I had to learn. I don't think I was ever aware of knowing that time could pass by so fast; faster than any other time before. I was so caught up with the new environment, new teachers, friends, and new ways of sustaining myself that I didn't take the time to really sit down and reflect on where I am, what I am doing here, and what I will be doing in the near future here as an undergrad. Even now, my memories of first sememster are a blur. If I had known, I would have told myself to take things one at a time. There was no reason to rush through things, worrying that if I don't get things now, I won't get things later, because nothing is going to run away from me. They will be here, for the next 3.5 years.

Dear me, You may nto understand most of the tihings that I am about to tell you right now, but I want you to listen. I assure you that in due time evrything will make sence. The first thing you must know is its okay. That's correct. Its okay to cry. It's okay to laugh. It's okay to be yourself. Thers a big world outside of the four walls you hae spent these past years in. Next: the choices you make today will affect your future, but you will have no rerets so long as those choices are yours to learn from. Finally: choose your own path. If you do not one will be chosen for you and you will go through life being a character in someone else's story. By now I'm sure you're thinking that this seems complicated. Choices, paths, and you have college to worry about now, but trust me when I say hang onto this advice. It could mean the difference betwee being somebody and being no one at all. The future you Rayne

i would tell myself to stay in school and work and go home and then do it again until i can get more experience and so on

Dear High School Laura, I know right now things are hard on you. Your friends have abandoned you, and you have to move out of your childhood home because your dad no longer wants to pay for the mortgage. And not only that, but your brother blames you for the whole thing, which I know isn't great for your already low self esteem. But fear not, oh marvelous younger self. We took the time off from school to discover what we wanted to do when we "grew up", and we meet our future husband soon. (He's a real keeper!) We enroll in community college, where we make really great friends who support us. One of our best friends is from this college. We graduate from this college with a 4.0 GPA and are accepted into our dream school where we study art. So right now everything seems really, really crappy and it sort of is. But it does get better. A lot better. Granted there are times I wish we had enrolled in community college sooner, but if we had we would not have had the maturity to want to excel and do the best we can.

Enjoy every moment and expierence you can. Everything is a learning expierence. Although you could afford your dream school, you are still a talented passionate artist. It doesn;t matter where you go to school, as long as you keep an open mind about classes, people, and opportunities.

Dear high school me, College will be a completely new and exciting experience for you. The freedom and ability to manage your own time without having parents to decide what you should be doing. In order to make the right decision for college, you need to know what is the one thing you love to do and will be willing to spend all your energy on. College is all about self-learning and self-improvement. Professors are there to guide you, they are not there to teach you everything you want to know. So take time to think about that one thing that you are passionate about, because then you will be able to expand that energy to help you create a wonderful learning experience in what you want to do in the future. Last but not least, enjoy the last year in high school and really appreciate the close friends you have made during these four years. You have no idea how much you will miss your friends once everyone leave for college. Good luck and have fun! You will do great. Sincerely, Freshman me.

I was extremely involved in my education. Maintaining good grades and a passion for art, that, sometimes I would have second thoughts about the kind of degree I believed was acceptable and practical in school. As a student at a magnet school, for Visual Arts, I was tested on the two disciplines that I often times did not believe would coincide. At the Maryland Institute I am part of a dual degree program for fine art and art education, granting me a bachelors and masters degree in five years time. Sometimes in life we listen to our doubts more than we do our passions and its doubt that, sometimes, derails someone from being on the right track to success. If I could talk to myself as a high school senior today I would tell my younger self that it’s okay to have reasonable doubt. That it’s okay to be scared and excited at the same time! But to hold fast to your dreams and never let anyone steal your joy for what you love in life.