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If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to listen to my heart and do what I truly want to do. I have changed my major twice since being here at college, first from Journalism to Education and then Education to Spanish, my true passion. My biggest regret is not listening to what I knew I wanted to do and instead going on about something that I did not have this same passion for. My entire academic career feels much better now that I know I am going into a field that I am going to enjoy to its fullest and going to do something that I love, not something that I thought I loved. That is what I think is most important and also one of the most important parts about college - finding what you love and following your heart.

Knowing what I now know about college life and making the transition to college there are many things that I would have done differently in high school. The main thing that I would go back and tell myself is to study! In high school I never studied and I always "got by", college requires you to study every day. You cannot slack off in college, its the real deal, no re-takes and no curves, you have ONE chance. Another thing I would tell myself is to not take my family and home life for granted. It is very hard to adjust to living on your own and having 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} freedom, do not take advantage of it! In high school your parents did almost everything for you in college everything you do is on you, remember that when making choices. The last thing I would tell myself is not to take my senior year for granted, have fun and cherish it!

Not a day goes by where I don't wake up and think of how I could've re-lived my senior year of high school. So much happened, so much didn't happen, so much could've been done. I constantly find myself asking questions I don't have answers to. Is it regret? Hardly. I look back now and know that had my senior year of high school could have gone a million different directions. Did it go the direction I had planned? No, but did I truly know what I wanted when I was a senior? Do I truly know what I want now? No. All I can do is play the hand I've been dealt and enjoy the ride. All the hardships, heartache, and stress. I wouldn't trade any of it. If I could go back and talk to myself I'd have so much to say...but it would all be narrowed down to one quote: "life without pain ain't worth living."

The advice I would give myself is to avoid the "senioritis" of high school and take plenty of Advanced Placement courses, because they do make a significant difference in college. I would also tell myself to fill out as many scholarship applications as possible, as scholarships are an enormous part of paying for college, and my family cannot pay for any of my college, so even though my high school self would want to avoid scholarships in which she had to write essays, I would encourage her to apply to as many as she was able. Regarding the social aspect of college, I would tell her that college is not all about parties and that she should keep her priorities straight, while at the same time, making friends; in her classes and dorm especially. I would tell her that she should speak up for herself, and that it really isn't all that different from anything else she has been through, but that it is a necessary opportunity to establish a career and learn more about herself.

Senior year of high school I couldn't wait to leave my small hometown and experience life on my own at Ohio University. However, certain issues never crossed my mind while day-dreaming in Physics. If I could go back and chat with myself, I would say to really take advantage of shadowing various professionals at their careers. College is not just for the social experience, it is also to prepare you for what you want to do for the rest of your life. This is a huge decision, when you are only 18 years old. College is critical time in your life, and it is also an expensive one. So, having an idea of what career route you would like to take would help you financially later in life. If I am unsure of what I want to do for the rest of my life, my first two semesters of college, I should take a variety of courses in different areas to see what interests me most. Being a senior at Ohio University, I would tell myself that time goes way too fast. Whenever you are stressed or worried, take a breath, and appreciate the time you are there.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stay focused. I have been known in my family to be a 'people pleaser' and to not cater to my own desires before others. Some people may call me selfless, yet I believe that it hinders my potential. I know that I can do so much with my life and still, I eallow my family issues to discourage my ability. I take full responsibility for not going forth with my dream to be a performer, it is just that I wish I had stayed focused even In my most troubling times. I did very well in high school and felt that I was ready for college. I decided to attend Ohio University because of its Communications Program and I am enjoying my time here. Even now I have trouble focusing due to my finacial situation and so I apply for scholarships like this one here. I know now that staying focused is the key that I need to retrieve in order to succeed.

While in high school there was no one to inform me of what college was really about. Yes i knew that there was a lot of work, and yes I knew I would have to study. Though I knew these things I still was ill-prepared. If I could go back in time and speak with myself and those within my graduating class, I would give them the following advice. 1. Manage you time. Do not spend hours talking on the phone, watching television, etc. 2. Take advantage of your professor's office hours. It is very important that you form a relationship with your professors. 3. Utilize all of the resources around you. You can never know too much. 4. Get to know your classmates. When you feel like you are the only one who does not understand, you are probably wrong. There is always someone out there with the same questions as you. 5. Pay attention to how your professor tests you. There is a such thing as studying the wrong way for a class. 6. Do not cram before tests. Spread out your study time. Give yourself enough time to process and understand the information.

Take every chance to get in college placement classes. Search and apply for 100 scholarships, you may not get 99 of them but you will for sure get 1 of them. Professors are not like teachers, they will fail you if you don't try but they are more than happy to answer your questions and explain things for you if you make an effort to get a good grade. The moment you get a chance, get out of dorms and move in a house, its way cheaper. Last but not least, ask as many questions as possible because you never know when you get pointed in the right direction and get cheaper tuition.

I would tell myself not to worry so much about what others will think of me. I would also tell myself to just focus on my studies and not to be so worried about other things. Schoolwork should come first. But, it is always good to have some extracurricular activties to help unwind and relax once in a while.

If I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself in high school I would let myself in on a few secrets. The best advice that I would give myself would be to be open to new things and people. College is a perfect place to explore different cultures and meet people of other races. So far in my college experience I have met many people of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Now I have friends who are Asian, Indian, Russian, African American and Hispanic. Since my school was mostly white, I never had the chance to be around people who were of a different race or from a different country. All the new friends that I have made so far in college have exposed me to their cultures and ideas about life. Diversity is an important part of life and the best thing you can do is embrace it. Another word of advice that I would tell myself would have to be to be responsible. When you are in college you are on your own. You have to learn to look out for yourself and do your best to succeed!