Rollins College Top Questions

As a rising college senior, if I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would recommend taking better care of myself and making better decisions. My first three years of college, I struggled with severe health issues which impacted my academic success and my social life in addition to my finances. In addition to health issues, I took on too much each year whether it was 28 credit hours in one term or even 4 classes, an independent research study, and 5 jobs to try to make ends meet. I love challenging myself but looking back, I pushed too far and barely managed to get by with good grades and still struggled financially. The best advice I could give to myself would've been to enjoy college because it flew by faster than I wanted it to and to also not take on so many things and feel pressured to work as much because of my financial difficulties. Everything happens for a reason and looking back on my decisions, they have made me into a better person but had I not taken on so much, I would not have faced as many difficulties.

Advice I would give myself is to trust that the new friends you make, especially your R.A./teammate and Sushi, genuinely care about you and your wellbeing. Open up to Sushi earlier. Tell her you're entire life story, including the bits you havent told anyone else because If you don't do it fall semester, you will after you land yourself in the hospital in the spring. Answer your Big brother honestly when he asks if you're ok. He loves you like the little brother you will end up being after you rush his fraternity so nurture that relationship in the fall. Petition to switch roomates before you get caught up taking care of the emotionally unstable and broken drug addict you were assigned. It is not your job to be his caretaker. College is the place you hoped to find a boyfriend but it's not important. Understand that now or, in the spring, your hyper focus on your own loneliness will send you off the path and over the deep end causing you to lose your scholarship and end up in the hospital. Be open and honest and you will save yourself from mistakes.

I would tell myself to be more optimistic and less pessimistic about the future of my education. Although the United States is declining in terms of economic prominence, I believe that there still is great opportunity out there with the amount of technological devolopment there is still yet to uncover.

If I could go back in time I would urge myself to take part in activities that are challenging because you never know how great you will be at something until you try. Participating in Varsity Cross County is challenging and YES it is a great. Now, take that leadership role as a Captain and bridge that into a leadership role in a school organization, club, or volunteer opportunity. "I don't have time," is not a good excuse, buy a planner! Managing your money is equally important. Open a new bank account with a bank that services your area. This will help to avoid unnecessary service charges. It also makes deposits, transfers, and reporting lost/stolen cards much more manageable. Remember, plan according to your budget NOT others. My parting words would focus on my future career as a family lawyer. I would say that people are going to rely on you for help with life changing events like divorce, adoption, emancipation just to name a few. Think about this every time you attend a party where underage drinking is present, when you witness domestic voloence, or theft. These are all situations where your chracter will be defined.

I would tell myself to study what you really want to study instead of what you felt everyone else wanted you to study. I would also tell my self to try to study abroad and find something you are really passionate about that you can be involved with outside of school that could give you a break from academics. I would tell myself to be more open with people and to try new things that you have never tried before even if it makes you uncomfortable. College is a time to try out being someone new and you have to put yourself out there to find out who you really are and what you really want to do with your life.

Dear Patrick, You are going to face a number of challenges and decisions that are going to shape your life in the future. I am here to tell you to be confident in what you believe in and know that your decisions are the right decisions. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and always remember to act in congruence with your beliefs. You will be tested on this socially, academically and during co-curricular experiences. Take advantage of these experiences and don't be afraid to speak up. Also, always remember to be creative and innovative. You are the future and it really needs fresh ideas. You are full of them, so utilize them to the best of your ability. Never take any opportunity for grantite and take in all you can. Never forget that if you are feeling alone or scared you have a supportive group of friends and mentors to guide you along the way. Never feel like you can't open up about issues you are facing, they'll listen. You'll make a lot of people proud in the future. Remember that most of all. Regards, Your Future Self

Other than the obvious degree and knowledge in my specific field, I've gained new insight and perspectives due to being exposed to students and faculty from all over the country and the world. I've gained an intrinsic motivation to learn and I have been given the tools to be an effective learner that has been valuable throughout my graduate career. I also gained travel experiences I would not have had normally. Their emphasis on globalization offered me the ability and support to travel to many other countries in order to gain hands-on experience and to broaden my worldview, which has been a real advantage for me. I also gained the ability to multitask my different life roles, like social life, school life, and work life. I never felt "lost" at my school and gained a great sense of pride in my school. The most important thing I got out of my college experience was a sense of self-efficacy, worth, and identity.

My college experience has taught me about community engagement, independence, and responsibility. The campus environment permits me to concentrate on my education, while gaining emotional and physical support from my peers. In high school I was not aware of college, or its opportunities, so I did not make any preparations for college or my future career. I am now in my sophomore year of college planning to graduate with my BA degree in 2013, to continue onto my masters at Rollins and then my Ph.D. degree at University of Central Florida.

So far in my college experience I feel that my writing has improved so much since high school. I have also learned a lot about being independent and realizing that college is more than just studying. It's a bout learning how you are as a person and it really helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses and how to get through difficult situations.

I learned German during my tenure at Rollins College. I also developed my IT skills by working in the IT department at Rollins while I was studying.