North Dakota State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Get to know yourself. Get clear on the unique gifts you have to give to the world and your passions. Notice what lights you up and trust that feeling. Once you have strong clarity around who you are and what you want, then decide what university, what degree...what path aligns with those desires. You'll be encourage to go about this process the other way around. Most people will try to convince you that the path is what you need to decide on first. Then, you will be asked to try to make your gifts, passions, and desires work on that particular path. And, if they don't, you'll be encouraged to set them aside. I'm here to tell you: DON'T set them aside. There's power in passion. There are gifts only you are meant to give to the world. There are reasons you have certain desires. This is an amazing time to not only investigate the options available to you, but also to investigate "the you" who has all these options. Conscious engagement in the process is key.

If I were to go back to my senior year of high school to give myself advice, one key point I would make sure to emphasize is to be proactive in seeing a career counselor. After my senior year of high school, I applied to a local community college and pursued an AA degree, to which I never finished. Then, a semester later, I transferred into a near-by four year university. Seeking professional advice would have saved myself a year of time, and a year of college tuition. The advice of seeking a career counselor would have eliminated my year of uncertainty and narrowed my focus to my current choice of wanting to become a nurse. Nursing school has shown me the importance of having a good relationship with a mentor, or a school advisor. My naive-self needed this advice three years ago, but all I can do now is share this advice with others.

The advice I would give to my high school senior self would be to enjoy it and not worry so much about the future. I worry about the future and what it has in store for me often. I wish I could go back and tell myself to let things happen and enjoy life. I think that is the only thing I would want to say because I am happy with the way my life is turning out. I would have myself apply for more scholarships, however, because I did not know that they were as easy to apply for as they are. Lastly, I would just tell myself that you are going to find people that appreciate you, want to be around you, and treat you the way you should be treated very soon. That would have definitely helped my mental well-being at the end of high schoool. I feel like everyone needs a little positive reassurements every now and then. It is hard to convince ourselves that everything will be okay, but we need to. Things get better, and I wish my high school self would have known that.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would tell myself is to apply for as many scholarships as possible before the end of the school year. It's no secret that the cost for attending college is more expensive than it's ever been and applying for scholarships in large amounts gives yourself a chance to lift the financial burden off your shoulders and not be stuck in 20,000 dollar debt like I am today. Applying for scholarships is an absolute no brainer as I continue to do it on a daily basis in the hopes of reducing my education costs for the future. If I was able to open the eyes of my high school senior self then I wouldn't be in the financial predicament that I am in today.

I would like to tell myself as a high school senior to spend time investigating what most interests me. Taking an independent study class rather than an elective that doesn't suit my interests is most beneficial. Independent study provides space for creativity and allows research. In senior year, I should have been alotting time for a workshop while balancing after-school track practice with an AP Studio Art workload. An extra 70 minutes to study well-known artists' techniques and styles and practice applying those skills would have been transformative for my portfolio. An alternative to independent study is co-op. Integrating work experience with a school schedule teaches a senior the value of working experience relative to her goals. College is similarly a time for internships and jobs that can support my studies and further my involvement with the art community in my city. Aside from focusing intensely on my art practice, senior year should be for defining who I am as that artist. Participating in Grand Rapids' ArtPrize competition after high school was transformative. My senior self should seek out more galleries, competitions, chances for publication, and most importantly, opportunites to speak and write about my vision.

Get out there! It sounds cliché I know, but without getting involved school is going to be just school and nothing else. You are going to be bored and bogged down by the same thing all the time. So as much as you are going to hate it at first go get involved in clubs, try new things, and don’t be shy to meet new people after all you aren’t the only new kid. If you don’t listen to this you will find this to be your only regret. If you don’t start early and put yourself out there before you know it you will be done with college with no other experiences other than studying and school work. There are more things to college than that. It’s also a place to discover yourself to see what you really like and who you really are as an independent. This knowledge is not gained from sitting in your room all the time, this is priceless knowledge that you gain from the people you meet and the new things you try. The only way to do this is by just simply getting out there.

When you get to college, sell your xbox and don't buy that laptop, buy a external hard drive and a few flashdrives. The school has plenty of resources available 24/7 so you don't need to have that new laptop. Sell the xbox because it is a distraction and you can use all that extra time to take advantage of all the resources NDSU has to offer. Also, go to those new student things you never know who you will meet. Finally I'd get the winning lottery ticket numbers for a predetermined date, mark them down, and give them to my former self.

If I were to go back to my high school self and give her advice about what to expect in college, I would first tell myself not to make a big deal about the transition. It was a very easy transition from high school to college and I spent a lot of my time stressing about it. The next thing I would tell myself is to go out and make the most of the opportunities presented to me. I would tell myself to join clubs, go to church related organizations, talk to the girl down the hallway. During my first semester, I spent a lot of time in my room, or only going out with my room mate instead of meeting new people. Finally, I would tell my high school self not to bring so many clothes. It's very hard packing clothes into a tiny dresser, especially when a lot of them are clothes that you aren't going to wear.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I'm going to miss home more than thought I would; that I'm going to call my mom every day, and she'll be thrilled. I'd tell myself that it's going to be difficult sometimes, and I'll feel like giving up, but that everything will work out once I push through it. I'd tell myself that teachers aren't just talking textbooks -- they are people who care about your success, and have a great wealth of knowledge, resources, and experience to share with you. I'd tell myself not to worry about making friends -- everyone else will be worrying about the same thing, and conversations will naturally pop up! I'd tell myself that I am strong and capable, and that I am on the path that will take me the farthest.

I was always told that getting good grades was the most important thing in college; however, I have learned that being involved with extracurricular activities such as research projects and Student Government is just as important. These activities prepare you for your future career. You learn skills that you cannot learn in the classroom. You meet people and develop a network of contacts. These people end up being your friends, colleagues, advisers, and potential employers. They can help you decide what career is best for you or let you know if you are pursuing a career that you will never enjoy. The people you know can be as important as everything else you learned in college. If you want to be successful, you need both the information and the contacts. That is the advise that I would give myself as a high school senior.