Northern Illinois University Top Questions

I would have told myself to volunteer more and get more involved in the community. I also would have told myself to take more college credit classes so I could be ahead when I got to college. Another thing I would have told myself would be to begin talking to some people through facebook before attending college to meet new friends.

Here is a list of what I would say to myself. 1: Start exercising again. It only gets harder. 2: Stop worrying about grades. The worrying only made it worse. Trust me. 3: Quit that lousy minimum wage job, it's not worth it. 4: Stop accepting mediocrity. You'll never get ahead. 5: Stop letting people walk all over you. You'll never get ahead that way. 6: Do not take communications as a major. It is useless. Take Law right away. 7: Stop trying to impress everyone. 8: Money, money, money. It's all that matters. I mean, that's why you're doing all this. If you have the opportunity to make more, do it. Don't be stuck in a slump like me. 9: Spend every moment of your time trying to better yourself financially and physically. 10: Don't go to a community college. It may be financially acceptable but it's miserable.

Well, you made it. Sometimes you doubted yourself and your abilities, but here you are. Don’t be nervous about what comes next. For one, enjoy this period of relaxation, because for the next four months you’re going to be busy. Brush up on your chemistry while you’re at it because all the stuff we learned in our sophomore year will come back to bite us in the butt and give us rabies in the process. On that note, study once you’re in school, we’ll make good friends but studies should always come first. You’ll pass all you classes but you can always do better. With that being said, don’t be too hard on yourself. We’ll do well and have all the fun in the world in the process. Hmmm….. What else. Oh yeah when you meet a guy from your chemistry class on the bus, get to know him, you won’t regret it, and skip meeting Carlo and Skylar, don’t question just trust me. Well . . . that’s all I can really say. Remember what I said and don’t be an idiot, especially with our money.

If I could go back in time, I would surely tell myself to stay focused on my education and not let the independence distract me. I was never a real partier but in college the new and exciting adventures allowed me to explore new things. College is a time for fun, learning, searching and growth. I did all of it but at the expense of the best educational experience I could have received. I would tell my self to focus on school, find a balance that works and enjoy the time. It was memorable and it prepared me for the real world. I would tell myself to keep in mind why I came to college and not let others get in the way. Set goals and go for them. There is a time and place for everything.

Chose a major that you'll enjoy, not one that's only based on money. Enjoy your college experience because you only live through it once. Make friends, meet new people. and enjoy being young. Don't take that semester off school to decide what you want to do, start planning earlier. Work hard and dedicate yourself to your school work right away.

Senior Deja, Look for scholarships, work, prepare yourself for a wild transition, save money and try not to get destracted.

Hey boy, I have been looking for you. When I was your age I was more punk than man, I thought high school was that grade school joke, "to get to the other side." Now when you get out you will find it is like when you ran away from home, the reason you did not make it is you had no place to go, why you never made it, no objective. Same for college. College is not an extension of high school, they do not care how far you run the ball, your last name or Daddy's bank account. You must have an objective, some place you want to be and will do whatever it takes to get there. The two big college lessons are; do your homework and get it in on time. Same for life. You have to do more than show up, be ready to spend three, four hours outside the classroom for every hour in it. You want one hundred percent of your objective, be ready to do one hunderd and fity percent to get eighty. You want more, give more, do more and if not satisfied, then do again and do it better.

Oh Jerrod, my do I have advice for you. College isn't anything like high school, so don't go in taking it easy. College summer courses cost hundreds of dollars that you don't have. Another thing is that the professors are there to help you so don't be afraid to ask. I know that you want to be "Mr. Independent" but it doesn't hurt to ask from time to time. Oh, and don’t forget to APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS THIS SUMMER!! You don't know this yet but our mom is going to be laid off and we are barely going to be able to pay for this first year and quite honestly, you can avoid it all if you get some scholarships. You also need to network with as many people as you can because in the end they can help you get you where you need to be after you graduate, trust me. My last bit of advice for you is not to forget your overall goal to help your community. The parties may be fun and the work may be hard, but don't forget about your neighborhood, they need you. Have Fun.

There are people out there who want to help you so never be afraid or embarassed to ask for help. Study hard and keep a positive attitude.

If I could go back and give advice to my high school self I would tell myself to listen a little more closely to the information offered about college. I would tell myself to take the time to look at my options for college. I would tell myself to look at how I could pay for my college education. I would tell myself to look into scholarships. I would suggest that I think about what I really want to do with my life, not just take classes because my friends are taking those classes. I would suggest that I ask myself some simple questions like do you like working outside? Do you like working outside in all kinds of weather? Do you see yourself sitting at a desk all day? Do you like working with people? I would definitely suggest visiting any colleges that offer the classes that interest me. If possible maybe talk to some of the students that go there.