Oklahoma Christian University Top Questions

Dear Griselda (age 17), I realize that you are living in a world of uncertainty right now. There is so much going on in your mind right now such as family, graduation, and college!!! Just thinking about the word college can be very stressful and overwhelming. Please realize that everything is going to be okay! You have applied to Western Oregon University which is a great start! I am very proud of you for taking that initiative. I know how stressful the whole application process can be especially when you have no family support. You will most likely struggle in the beginning but you will soon figure everything out. Please realize that life may take you on a different journey than you have envisioned and it is perfectly fine. The transition between high school and college can be VERY overwhelming. You will definitely have to be more motivated and disciplined. Expectations are WAY higher in college than high school. Yes, this means you will actually have to study for a test. All your hard work will pay off. Trust me it will. You will soon become a wonderful blessing to your community as a registered nurse. Sincerely, Griselda (age 21)

I would tell myself stay busy and keep good grades throughout high school. Make finding scholarships, grants, finainical aid a priorty and do not put it off. Make sure it will be worth going to where you want to go, and go for the the right reasons. Do not forget about all the hidden costs in getting to school and living expenses, such as food and things you want to buy during the school years. If you want a loan try to avoid private-student loans. Make the most of your last year of high school you may never talk to or see your friends there again. Remember that instate schools will be cheaper if you are a resident of that state. Do not decide where to go based on where everyone else is going, base it on you, and how you see yourself there, and what you want to accomplish. Also whatever school/s you apply to, remember if they offer you money to go, don't just think every school will do that, take that into consideration, you do not want to be in debit after school if you can avoid it.

Though it is great to have an idea of what you want in life and to have a plan it is so very important to keep an open mind to EVERYTHING. When i went off to college I was expecting to meet my husband at a religious college and I knew exactly what I was going to do with my life. Now I am finishing my second year with multiple heartbreaks (now dating someone from another school), no idea what I want to specifically do when I graduate and have nearly changed religions. I wouldn't go as far to say that I should transfer because I do have 2 more full years ahead of me, but I have learned so much from my "unplanned" experiences at college. There are important deciding factors that have shown up in my life that I had not planned on but these events have changed my life in a positive way. Keep your mind wide open because it is only then that you can achieve the fullest learning experience. And after all that is why we came to college, to learn and gain life experience. You need an open mind to do both.

I would just tell my self to take the college compess testing more sieriously then I actually did, so i wont have to deal with the easy classes that i am taking now.

Though you will find that being a mother is truly rewarding you are also going to find that just a high school education will not be enough to support yourself and your children. I understand the thought of going to school for four more years is not something you wish to entertain, however the alternative could just end up being living on some form of state assistance with barely enough to get by. You will want to show your children what it is to be successful, I have no doubt you will be able to show them love comfort and emotional security but will you be able to offer them financial security? Without a college education the answer to that question in a flat no. Minimum wage jobs seem great now, but when you add up all that life will throw at you a minimum wage job will barely keep the lights on let alone put a roof over your head, food on the table, and clothes on your back. Listen to your mother Anjanette go to college that is where your future is at.

I would tell myself to strive for more than just passing grades because they really do matter. The higher grades you have to more scholarships you get and money always helps. I would also tell myself to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people and try new things.

Thinking back to last year, I remember myself as a very introverted high school senior. I had many friends at church but had sort of lost touch with my high school. During my freshman and sophomore years I was very involved in school but as I started getting closer to my church I lost touch with my school. If I could give senior self advice now, I would tell myself to be more involved. Now that I am attending a college I love, I am very involved in school and I love it. I wish I had pushed myself to be more involved last year because it is so worth all the memories. One other think I would tell my past self would be to try a little harder in school. In high school I was an A/B student, which I would say is a good thing. However, now that I am in college I see that when I work hard a push myself I can make strait A’s. Having such good grades makes me feel really good about myself and I wished I could have experienced this feeling my senior year in high school.

I would tell myself to get a job and to work harder at sports. In college you have to pay for everything yourself andthere are no intramurual sports at a community college. the plan to transfer from the community college to a four-year college was still a good plan and i would have told myself to apply to just the community college. Work hard to get yourself good grades in senior year of high school and good job staying away from drugs and acohol. It will be around you in college but avoid them and try to help your friends stay away from them because they will ruin your life and theres.

I would tell myself not to be quiet and stay back when I got to school. When I was in high school I was annoyed with my school for sending us on a trip to get to know our new classmates. Now I am so appreciative and have met some amazing people that I still hang out with today. I would tell myself to jump into everything and enjoy every minute of it. College is to learn, but it is also to have experiences you can't get back.

If i could go back in time and tell myself what to do or not do, I would tell myself to stop procratinatin, get to studying, and try harder at whatever I do. Now that I'm in college, I have realized that procrastination is very harmful to my overall GPA. I would tell myself to stop putting work off and just finish it. I have also realized at how much studying can improve test scores. I would tell myself to start a habbit of studying everything the teacher teaches no matter if I wanted to or not. I would also tell myself to work harder at whatever I do, because in college, it's good to stand out a bit academically. No one wants to get lost in the crowd of average students who aren't recognized other than to be a part of "the group." Standing out academically not only tells your professors that you're serious about your studies, but it also shows future bosses that you are a hard worker and a good worker.