Northeastern Illinois University Top Questions

Having completed a full year of in college, I would give myself advice as a highschool senior in Financial, abstinence, and dedication. To begin with financially based, if I could go back in time I would choose to save money. I would have started working as soon as possible so that I could save up for my college career. Instead of spending my money on things that were not necessary, I would open a savings account for college only. I would have also started applying for a lot of scholarships back then. I do realize the importance that financial plays in the college life. Following financial, I would give myself would be the importance of abstinence. I would give myself and other students to practice abstinence because being a single parent of a two year old is extremely difficult at times when pursuing a degrees. Being a full time mom, a part time worker and a full time student is a challenge everyday. Homework and studying comes hard to accomplish when you have to give attention to your baby. I would encourage young girls like me to really think about the consequences that come when having a baby before college.

If I new what i know now, I would tell myself to be more prepared. I would tell myself to not rely on everything the counselors say, and do some research of my own. I would tell myself to look more into public universities than private ones, because the financial burden associated with public colleges is not as great. Most importantly, I would tell myself to breathe. I spent most of my senior worrying about getting out of Calumet city, IL, when I should have been worried about the kind of schools I was applying too. My G.P.A. and credentials made me cocky so I wasn't worried about getting scholarship money, because obviously the schools would be knocking down doors to get to me, right? No, I was extremely wrong. I didn't realize that their were thousands, even millions of other students out there with just as good an academic track record as me. I would tell myself to breathe, and take it slow. I spent my senior year doing everything in a rush, because I assumed the first to turn everything in, gurraneteed an easy college existence.

The first and most important piece of advice I could give myself is to always believe in my dreams and never doubt how far they can take me. I would say that giving up should never be an option for someone as strong as I am and that there is always a positive to every negative. I would tell myself to try harder to finish the things I start and that every bit of hard work counts even if recognition isn’t acknowledged right away. I would prepare myself, as best I could, for the overwhelming experience that is college and that none of the anxiety in the world will change the fact that it has to be finished so that our dreams can come true. Above all else, I would remind myself to never forget to thank the people in my life who have helped me come this far and to never waste time listening to the ones who won’t carry me any further.

I would tell myself not to take a break from school. Apply for college as soon as you can. Set goals for yourself and stick with them. Accomplish all that you can when you get to college. Do not get involve with people who don't have your best interest at heart. Talk to your family about what you plan to do and what they can do to help you with your plans. Stay focused what's importatnt and what's in front of you. Don't be nervous. Talk to you advicing counselor at your highschool to help you in applying for colleges near and far away because sometimes it can be a great experience to go outside your comfort zone. Apply early for your classes. Try to apply for as many scholarships as you can to help with your education expenses. Don't apply or go to schools that your friends are applying to because that would be a distraction to you. Always mind your business and stay out of other people's business. Be a leader and not a follower. Choose your place and decide where it is you want to be and get there.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to be more self-motivated. All throughout high school I procrastinated doing my homework and projects until the last minute which sometimes made me feel so stressed that I would end up not doing my work at all. I tend to block stressful things out of my mind and just forget about them, which usually results in multiple missing assignments and low grades. Knowing what I know now, I’d like to be able to tell myself that self-motivation is the key to good grades in college. I've learned that no one's going to step up to help me unless I ask for the help myself. I’m still adjusting to the responsibilities of being a college student. I know that it could take some time to change my usual habits of procrastination and relying on others, but when I graduate I know I will be proud of myself. I just wish that I could go back and tell myself to be more self-motivated In high school so that I could be ready for college beforehand.

If I could go back, I would tell myself that college is a challenge. I would say that no matter what you have been through before now, none of it matters because college is a new playground, things are different. Hard work really does pays off, and studying is a must atleast 12 hours a week. Don't work as much as you would like to because having a full-time job while going to school full time gets in the way of your grades and it takes a serious toll on your body. Be patient and don't give up even when the work gets harder because chances are there is still a chance. Pick a field that you are passionate about because money isn't everything and Jenise, you know how you love and enjoy helping others. Take your time enjoy college and meet new people enjoy it while it last because if you work hard enough it will be over soon. Good luck!

In highschool, little did i know that college success was not completely reliant solely on grades. I would have advised myself to form priorities, inorder to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Additionally, I would have advised myself to take breaks when needed and reduce pressure on myself. The most important piece of advice i would have like to recieve, would have been to find, as well as, uses available resources without hesitation.

I would advise myself to study more regularly and to actually read the material assigned. In college, these two things are much more important than they are in high school, but to start good habits of doing these things now will make it much easier to transition into college life. I would also advise myself to work on time management. Although you may spend much less time actually in class, the homework, research, and paper writing takes far more time than it does in high school. Learning to balance your study, work, social and sleep schedules is probably the hardest part of transitioning into college life. I know it is said that college students never sleep and at times that is true, but getting adequate amounts of sleep is actually very important. Sleep is not only helpful for your health and helps prevent you from getting sick, it also helps you retain the information you are learning in your classes and allow you to be refreshed and ready to take on that big calculus exam. So take it from me, prepare yourself now for your transition into college life by following these few helpful tips.

I would tell myself to ago to college right away. Don't wait. If you wait, there will be too much going on, life, kids, job...it's a lot to balance. I am trying to do now what I should have done many years ago. It would have made my life a lot easier and I could have enjoyed it more. Now, I am doing a balancing act: going to school full time, working full time, studying whenever I can and trying to be a good dad while I coach my youngest son with baseball, watch the older son's games whenever I can. Not to mention, mowing the lawn, house repairs and all the other things that goes with married life. My other advice to myself would be to stay focused. When I was younger, I would get distracted and that caused me to put off things that I shouldn't have. Now that I am in college (at this late age) I realize that I could have accomplished a lot more in life if I had begun right after high school. Instead, I took the longer and harder road. However, better late, than never.

I would try and find more sholarships and money because college is too expensive. I would also be more interested in 4 year colleges.