Michigan State University Top Questions

The advice I would give to my high school self would be to apply to more scholarships and potentially attend a community college to get basic classes done first. The cost of university is stressful and reducing that stress is important to enjoy your time and studies. I would also tell myself to try new things and explore more options at Michigan State University. Attend all of the events you can and learn as much as you can about other people, cultures, and careers. Also learning about how to be apart of the research and environmental initiatives on campus too. One last thing, don't get so busy and stressed out with wanting to get great grades and having the total "college experience" that you never take time to stop, look around, and enjoy your university, its campus, and the people you are sharing it with.

The advice I would give myself is to just have fun. I was always so stressed about school, and sports in high school I feel like I never really got to enjoy it. I was working constantly, and I would tell myself to lay off that also. I feel like I grew up way too fast so definitely would say something like that if I were giving my high school self advice.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would encourage myself to be more open-minded. Starting college is an intimidating process, but I think that freshman year would have been more enjoyable had I been open to more new experiences. This involves everything from looking at different majors, classes, and clubs. Look into something you never thought you would try like underwater hockey! You never know what you may like until you do it. Remaining unstressed is also important and can be done by asking for help when necessary and doing activities to help you relax like yoga. I don't think that the importance of staying active can be overly stressed. It is so easy to get into the habit of rolling out of bed, going to class, going out with friends and doing it all over again. With less extracurricular activites then in high school, it is easy to put physicial fitness and eating well on the back burner. Taking good care of yourself and getting enough sleep is important and will save you from getting sick later. While this advice may seem simple, learning it early on leads to a smooth transition.

All of those alumni who came back were right, and wrong in a way. Much of it does get easier. You sleep a "normal" number of hours a night. You get to have a social life that isn't merely meeting with friends to cram for tests. There aren't nearly as many stressful classes. When you speak, people listen, and it's good. But it's worse in that there will always be that one class that is trying to tear you down and overwhelm you; and since you aren't surrounded by a bunch of people who probably qualify for a clinical depression diagnosis, it's harder to play it off as "normal", that "everyone gets that". There will be times when you feel like you're weak, like you're drowning, like you want to cry and scream, and it's going to be harder to push through. You just have to remember that you are strong, and that you can make it. You do what you have to in order to make it through, you force it to work. You're almost there, you just need to get through a little more before you can rest.

High school is different from College, but do not be scared. College is intimidating, but you can and will make it through. All you have to do is work hard and apply yourself. It is okay to take a low credit first semester. You are adjusting to a new life, a new home and new people. This in itself can be a lot to take on, so do not pile on 20 credits on top of that. Use your first to semester to figure out what you like and what you want from life. If you already know your major, join clubs and organizations that involve your major. You do not want to wait until your junior year to find out that you want nothing to do with this major. Do not ever shut yourself off to new friends, but it always helps to have a close-knit group you can fall back on. Most of all do not ever be afraid to call up your parents for advice. They have lived through this and they might know how to help. This does not make you weak; it makes you mature for admitting you need help and asking for it.

I would tell myself not to worry so much. I was terrified of college in general. I didn't know what to expect and high school didn't help me prepare well. I was nervous I wasn't going to find any friends, that the classes would be too hard, and that I wouldn't have any fun here. I wish I could tell myself that things were going to work out, that classes will be hard, but if I put in the work, I will succeed and even make the Dean's List my first semester there. I would tell myself that it's okay to be nervous, but that there's really nothing to worry about.

The advice I would give to myself being a high school senior is this; take your time and have fun. I don't mean do whatever it is you want and not care about school, but coming from a school where all you do is eat, sleep and study, its most important to take time to have fun with the people you've grown up with. Being a high school senior is one of the best times of your life, you're the top dog! You've made it so far and even though "senioritis" is kicking in, it's important to buckle down, stick with it and have fun doing it. Heck, most of these people you aren't going to see again, so reach out and have conservations and promise to keep in touch. Go out on weeknights and spend time with your friends which you never do, or even stay up all night talking to them. Take this time for granted, because college is hard, but nothing you can't do. Live spontaneously, love unconditionally, laugh uncontrollably, and forgive miraculously. Have fun, for your life is only about to begin.

I would tell myself to put my self out there more. Try new things, new clubs, new people and different classes that I might not consider interesting. I grew a lot in college but I have learn that most of my growth has come from new experiences so I would strongly tell myself to take advantage of every opportunity that MSU had to offer.

Take senior year of high school slow. It goes by so fast because you're busy worrying about colleges and their deadlines and those acceptance letters, scholarships and funding your schooling, and even what you're going to school for that you forget to enjoy your senior year. My senior year I was stressed and my grades suffered, I pulled back from extracurriculars, and was less social. Granted that everything worked out perfectly, my advice is to live life as it is happening. Don't let the present pass you by while you make plans for the future. Absolutely apply to all your dream colleges and all the scholarships you can, but don't let that bleed into your high school life. There's a time and place for college and it's after high school.

Be open to new ideas and meeting new people. Also don't necessarily trust the people you knew in high school because college definitely changes people, and not always for the best. I would prepare myself to be lonely and for the transition to be very difficult, but that finding the right friends and groups makes the experience better.