New York University Top Questions

Benjamin, first and foremost I would like to say that I am proud of you. Your actions and hard work will get you through to a great school. Your perseverance held steadfast and your creativity amazes me. HOWEVER, I must warn you now. Get your act together. This is your senior year and although you may feel like now is the time for slacking, I must very stearnly warn otherwise. Your work ethic may get you into college but to stay in it is a whole other story. Work hard now so that you may already build the strong work ethic you will need. There will be times in the future when you feel overwhelmed with the work load and there will be times when your competition will have you questioning your place in such a university but stay strong and remain confident. As mom always says, if you work the same amount as everyone then you will only get so far as everyone. Listen to mom, it's great advice, and learn to work your butt off now so that the transition will not phase you and you will only excel in college.

If I were able to go back in time, the advice I would provide myself with would be about the financial issues of college, adjusting from high school to college, and having fun. I would tell myself to start planning now for student loans, establishing credit, and saving as much money as possible. My financial situation has never been easy, but having more knowledge on loans and credit would have made my life MUCH easier. Adjusting from the transition has been difficult for me. I would tell myself to take some time before classes start or in my breaks to sit back and allow myself to realize that I am in college now. I think those small moments of realization would have made it easier. Having fun is something I never do, especially back in high school. Now that I am in college I would advice myself to try to have fun. Explore the city more! Go out to concerts, the movies, or just hanging out in the park with friends. I need to leave the four walls of my dorm room and just try to have fun with friends and enjoy my new college life!

To my seventeen-year-old self: don?t worry so much about what other people think. It?s your college, not your parents?, your friends?, your boyfriend?s, your teachers? or the community?s. Who cares if you do or do not attend an Ivy League school? Quit worrying about status and believe in yourself. People will still like you if you go to a less famous school. Do what makes you happy. Choose a school for the way in which it will educate you. If you can?t be happy at a huge, internationally accredited university, go to a smaller, more intimate college. Research your options. There are thousands of colleges on the planet. One of them is bound to make you happy, so don?t settle for a school that may be exalted by others but is only mediocre in your mind.

Dear inspiration, Thank you for your wide-eyed ambition and unparalleled hope in our future. Recalling how we used to think always brings me back to a place of inspiration. Your commitment to life was the push I needed this last semester. I am happy because I remember you. Now, remember when we said "Columbia or bust!" well the world is a whole lot bigger and you can find an academically secure university ANYWHERE! It's not even all at NYU. What makes the university special is having you there and believe me you make some waves. As an artist (our Tony's are coming soon, I promise) you are going to experience so much and it's really nobody's fault but God's...and yours-because you're so darn stubborn! You're going to know exactly what you want in life and it's right around the corner, kid. I urge you to be your own person. Do not allow circumstances and misguided whispers to alter your already stringent hopes. You are enough! If ever you remember something, let it be that affirmative. When you get to this place, rejoice because you made it from far away.

Although seemingly perilous, filled with big changes, descisions, and a crushing workload, the things to come are not impossible to face, don't require you to read a how-to book, and can't be preempted by some formula. Like in high school, people are different and have their own agendas. Some will want to party, some will only study, and some will try to balance fun and work. There will be people who distract you from your goals and there will be those who remind you why school matters to you. The key to being successful or having fun is not finding the perfect social scene or hiding in the library; it's being the person who can balance and prioritize. Most importantly, remembering the important staples in your life, like values and goals, will keep you grounded and prepared to take on changes with ease. You don't have to resist change, because that's what college is about, you just need to have confidence in what can do and the descisions you will make.

Preparing to leave for college was stressful. I was scared to leave the comforts I had known and loved for 18 years to brave the unknown.After stressing for months, I found myself in my new room. I had been at college for some time, in a new environment, and I was happy. No nightmares, simply contentment.It was then that I realized how useful it would have been in those stressful months of being a high school senior to know what I know now. College is the most exciting time of your life, You are on the threshold of your future, taking massive steps toward your dreams, with everything in your control. You have the power to make your college experience as great as you want it to be. And, college and all that it brings are additions to your life, not replacements for your former comforts. Leaving home doesn?t mean leaving your younger self behind. All of your previous experiences travel with you, coexisting with your newfound self to create a well-rounded individual. Leaving for college isn?t a ?goodbye?, but a ?hello? to new opportunities, worthy of excitement, not that stress I unnecessarily experienced.

If I could move back in time to when I was a high school senior considering universities for my future, I would tell myself to explore many different options. Being a transfer student, I did not consider the possibilties of large schools and made the wrong decision. Now that I am successful at NYU, I have realized that some schools are not best for everyone. I, personally, enjoy the benefits of a large student body. It has allowed the opportunities to involve myself in more ways than just taking classes. I would remind myself as a high school senior that the next four years of my life will be revolved around this one place and it should be somewhere that I felt comfortable, made connections, as well as friends, and learned vital information about my career path and future. Learning as much as possible about a prospective school is key to understanding what your personal experience will be like. I would also give the advice to be sure to get as involved as possible in clubs, sororities, volunteer work, elective classes, and research in whatever may be of interest. These are the best, and most important, days of your life.

"Be honest." I would tell myself to be honest with myself--why I wanted to go to school, where I wanted to go, what I was studying, who I was going to school for, etc. The truth is, school isn't for everyone, and it certainly wasn't for me when I first attended Indiana University. I dropped out after my first semester because I wasn't happy with who I was. Then, I returned to school because, well, I wasn't happy with who I was! The truth is, I didn't even know who I was; I simply kept discovering who I wasn't. I was so blinded by what my parents wanted for me, what my friends wanted for me, and what people in general wanted for me that, ultimately, I never envisioned what I wanted for myself. I've now spent several years not only discovering myself, but accepting, and loving who I am-even when my friends and family have struggled to do so as well, but I'm happy now. If I could go back and tell myself anything, it's simple. "Be honest."

Step outside of yourself. Try new things. Meet new people. Never be afraid of something different. As you try to develop your own artistic view, it is important to explore who you are and who you want to be. The more you grow as an artist (and a person) the better and more able you will be to make something that can hold meaning for someone else. The more you learn about yourself, the more you understand yourself and your emotions, the better artist you will be.

If I could go back and talk to my senior year self, I would recommend for her to take some time and apply for scholarships. I never applied for any scholarships my senior year and a huge adjustment that any freshmen in college must make is a financial one. Some of us are lucky enough to have parents who support us throughout High School, so the beginning of being financially responsible would have been easier if I had not had to worry about the insane price of my loans as well. Also, I would have had more money to spend instead of having to scrimp for money to do laundry, which ?yes, senior self, is expensive in New York City?. Another piece of advice I would have given my senior self is to have a planner in order to keep track of assignments, events, and job hours because time management is crucial in that first year since you will be bombarded with a whole myriad of opportunities especially in New York. Lastly, I would advice my senior self to just relax, and take it one day at a time because that is all you have for right now.