Portland State University Top Questions

I would tell myself to relax and be myself, and to put what I want first. It's important to follow what you want in life, because you can find what you need anywhere, but truly finding a place where you want to be and are happy is much harder. Also, being stressed about the future is pointless, because it's going to happen however it happens anyway, and there is only so much you can do to be prepared for it. But what you can do, what you can control, is yourself, your feelings, and your actions. Making sure that you take of yourself is number one. Making sure you are satisfied with where you are and where you are going is most important, and doing the work to get there is neccessary. So don't stress, get it done, get it done well, and thrive.

Don't stress yourself out so much. Seriously. School will be challenging but you're gonna master it. You might be lonely at first but take time making friends, the loyal ones will show themselves. It's okay to tell your parents to stop calling you every single week, they won't get used to you being away as fast as you will. Don't get hung up in any drama. You are here for you, to focus on you, and beimg distracted with other people's business will get exhausting. Take care of your mind and body and your mind and body will take care of you. Take full advantage of the things your university has to offer you, they will come in handy. And no matter what, you keep doing you. At the end of the day, there's gonna someone who critizies you, so might as well do what you want.

The main advice that I would give myself is that this is my life. I have a numbered amount of breaths and days. My highschool self needs to understand that maintaining your personal health is one of the most important aspects to success. This includes mental and emotional health. Look into student health center and see what programs they offer. For academics, look into the availible programs there, interact with your proffessors, talk to the dean if you are struggling. Realize that everyone you meet in college is fighting their own battless, just life you. At times the transition will get stressful, utiliize the resources that your school has, if they have little to offer contact a resource center. When figuring out finances, read the fine print and ask older people for help. Most importantly realize that everyone makes mistakes when transitioning from highschool to college, you are not expected to know everything. When you do mess up give yourself a break, relax, reorganize your thoughts, then focus on the problem at hand. Love yourself and sorround yourself with people that also love you. Don't be afraid to get rid of situations that harm you, it is your life.

I would tell myself to make sure I study a field im really passionate about, because your education is the beginning to the rest of your life. I would tell myself how needed a college education is and that procrastination isn't always a bad thing. I would tell myself to get involved in the Universities social activities as much as possible and make college fun but not at the price of your education.

Dear Future Self, University gives youthe chance to enhance and open YOUR mind to the abstract world arund you, so take advantage of it. Set yourself goals of where you want to be in the future, career wise and education wise; know that college is your stepping stone to achieving those goals. Stay focused, stay dedicated, work hard and most importantly stay committed. No one can help you, but YOU. You make your opportunities and only you can pave your way to success. Don't stress over the little or big things, instead cultivate that stress positively and put that cultivated energy towards your work. Prioritizing your work is key to staying balanced and giving yourself the flexibility of a healthy social life. Find new ways to stay motivated and get into the routine of making the things I've said above a habit (it'll make life in college a bit easier). Lastly remember one thing, the harder you work now the more you'll get to play later. So stay postive, stay vibrant and stay true to yourself always. Cheers, Future Self

Once I had unpacked my belongings into my new dorm room and felt aquainted with my first-ever roommate, I had no idea what was en route for me during my first term of college. The classes were stressful and difficult, the costs were expensive and seemingly never-ending, and, most of all, I was completely on my own in a new city in a new state. During my senior year of high school, I did not take a full schedule, nor did I apply for many scholarships. If I could go back in time to guide myself as a high school senior, I would have taken those extra credits and applied for as many scholarships as possible. Adjusting to a new city and a new school takes time, but if I could have given myself advice senior year, I would have recommended spending more time restoring and constructing relationships in my old community to practice building connections in my new community more easily! Now I know that having more preparation for college my senior year could have only helped strengthen my confidence transitioning into my first term of freshmen year!

If I could go back in time and talk to my past self I would remind myself that my skills in life are not directly tied to my degree. I would encourage my younger self to explore my natural talents before subjected myself to a program of study. I would remind my younger self what I already knew then, there is much more time than it appears, be patient, step thoughtfully. I would tell myself to give myself time to heal from my brothers passing and I would beg myself to spend some time with my family. I would look myself in the eye and make sure I understood that nothing will ever get in the way of my creative endevours, but I might not yet have the experience to clearly decipher what technical skills I need to truly flourish as a creative, complicated, and overly ambitious individual. Most importantly, I would remind myself to live minimally because my spirit steps the lightest when tied down to the least material.

Take general classes freshamn year and experience many different majors. Learn as much as possible about the different fields before picking a major and then stick to it. Too much time and money can be spent on switching majors after you have invested a few years into the program. Always work on a major which directly relates to a career, never study something that is purely interest.

I think I should have been more open to looking at larger colleges, because they have a lot more to offer in terms of courses and scheduling than smaller ones. Also I should have looked for more scholarships, it definitely helps. With what I have learned at this point, there are things I wish I had done differently, hindsight bias isn't much fun. But I know that with what I knew then, the college I went to was everything I thought I wanted.

As a high school senior I was depressed and felt trapped at home. I lacked the energy to imagine life's potential. To ease the college application process, I picked one nontraditional college near my home to apply at. The idea of attending a more "traditional" college seemed frightening; I imagined it would be nothing more than an extension of high school (which had felt overly restrictive and oppressive). I didn't consider the fact that college could have been my ticket to a better city with more opportunities for me. I was accepted to the school of my choice, where I spent a year making bad, unhealthy decisions and getting in to dangerous situations before finally dropping out and making a move to a new city (where I would eventually go back to school and finish my undergraduate degree). I would love to tell my past self to value herself, imagine a better life, and utilize college as a tool to get to the life that she wants. I would let her know that she should apply to multiple schools - and pick schools in cities that intrigued her. Mostly, I would want her to know that life gets better.