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If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would remind myself that it is in fact very beneficial for one to develop good study habits. I would also tell myself to focus less on what others think of me, and more on learning how to grow into the woman that I need to be- to not let my emotions run rampant and use my head. I would say that in order to get the most out of my education, one has to be willing to give all that one has to the educational process. I would encourage myself and let me know that I'm just as smart and competent as my friends and that I have the same chance as anyone else to accomplish great things as long as I am willing to work for them. Most of all, I would tell myself to stop worrying because God has everything under control. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " (Jeremiah 29:11)

As a senior in high school, I enlisted into military service. I saw the Navy as an opportunity to gain discipline, experience and because the economy was in a terrible state, it would also give me a job. When I enlisted, I was offered the opportunity to either enlist for four years or six years. The benefit of enlisting for the extra two years was a promotion and possibly a bonus once I completed my initial training for the Navy. At the time, I was concerned about not liking the Navy and regretting those extra two years when the first four years were completed. So I declined to sign up for six and went with the basic contract of four. If I could go back to when I decided to only sign for four years, I would tell myself to sign up for six instead. As it turned out, I made the Navy a career, retiring with over twenty-seven years in the service. It took me two years to attain the promotion I could have had just for signing up for six years. Those two extra years on my contract would have put me ahead in my Navy career.

I would tell myself to buy rain boots and a windbreaker because the weather does not care that you have to go to class, and mother nature does not always warn the weather channel that she wants rain and wind. I would tell myself to be as open as possible to everything that is coming. It will be a wild ride, but worth every minute. Embrace all the opportunities given to you in the first couple weeks of school. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there to make friends. That's part of what college is; you act like yourself and find others who appreciate you. I would warn myself that everyone who constantly reported on college being harder and more demanding than high school was right. Start studying for exams a week in advance; a professor's job is to weed out the students who don't want to put in the work. However they are not mean, your professors want you to succeed, but they are not going to baby you. I would tell myself to prepare to be responsible-- college is a test drive to see if you can handle the real world.

Go easy first semester! High school classes are worlds different from college. I took all AP in high school and attempted to take multiple honors courses my first semester in college. It's important to let yourself adjust to your new surroundings and get a feel for professor's expectations before overwhelming yourself with honors classes. Regular college classes are enough of a challenge so get used to that before moving to the next level. When a professor says you will spend twice as much time working outside of class as you do in class, they are serious. Don't mess around, you came to college for an education and that should be your priority.

I tell this to all my friends still in high school. Spend time with your parents, you never realize how much you will miss them when you head off to college. Your senior year of college is one of your last opportunities to spend consistent time with your parents. At that stage of the game you are old enough to understand them as people and become friends with them. The independence of college is incredible, but one thing that students often miss is the home life. Returning home to your family every night becomes something that many of us take for granted, and we feel the dissonance when we realize we are off at college by ourselves. I liked to take at least one night a week to sit down and have a conversation with my parents about what was going on in our lives. You will become so much closer with them and those bonds will make the college experience much less stressful, with every phone call and text you exchange.

I would say that other than the bonds you form with family and friends, learning and exploring new things is what makes life worth it. Your roomate Carly will turn out to be your best friend so be nice to her during orientation! Also, You do not want to major in political science, so don't sign up for the class. Insead, take your pre-medical prerequisites first so you might save yourself an extra year to pay for! And finally, at Ohio State everyone excepts you for who you are, don't be afriad to show your true colors and step out of your comfort zone from time to time. Wait, one more, don't forget to call mom and dad every Sunday!

There will be a long road ahead of you and you will work hard before you are able to attend college. Enjoy your journey because it all part of the process of seizing your destiny. You will grow into the person you were created to be with time.

I would advise myself to take high school classes more seriously and realize how important grades and GPA are when trying to get financial aid for college and when applying to college. I would tell myself to do more research on financial aid oppurtunities.

Be more committed to doing better in High school. Caring more about my studies and applying myself more.

The key to a successful transition from high school to college lies in the realization that you are not alone in your first year struggles. As a freshman I thought I was the only one who felt friendless, homesick, and overwhelmed by new course work demands of an unprecedentedly high caliber. Incoming first year students must fight the urge to stray to negative, self destructive thoughts, don’t ask yourself what is wrong with you, because the answer is nothing! As a sophomore, I have had countless conversations with numerous friends about their first year experiences, only to learn they also felt isolated or out of place, or academically incompetent at times. I was shocked, they had seemed so put together and at ease! Despite the outside façade peers may project, their inner feelings may tell a different story. So don’t be afraid to confide in a roommate, a classmate, a professor, or upperclassmen, the number of people who can relate, and who truly want to help would surprise you. Above all, realize that it gets easier, you're simply experiencing a temporary growing pain that will only make you stronger in the end.