Sam Houston State University Top Questions

Dear high school me, Get of the computer because I know that is where you are right now. Go do your homework that if you don't complete any the whole year will drop your grade a full grade point. Learn how to take proper notes and learn how to study those notes. College is not like high school, if you don't do homework and if you don't study, you will not pass with the grade you want. You might get by with a C but when your final transcript comes in you will regret not studying for that midterm in Geoology. Sincerely, College me

If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to take advantage of every oppertunity possible, have better time management, and to take all of my more difficult classes earlier in the years, so that I would not have to try and complete them so close to graduation and risk having my graduation date pushed back. I would prioritize my time and submit assignments as soon as possible and get invlolved in clubs that I am interested in and that would beneift my future. I would take advantage of any leadership oppertunities and conferences that my university provides and I would stay active and eat healthy. By staying active and eating a balanced diet I would have the energy needed to complete course work in a timely fashion and it would have promoted a stress free lifestyle.

As the first in my family to attend college, I had no guidance as to what I should pursue, or what I should study. I was also not very motivated to do school work and my grades suffered as a result. If I could go back, I would give myself a swift kick in the behind and tell myself to get my stuff together. I would tell myself that I needed to perform well so that I can be competitive in the work force. I would also have guided myself to a different educational path. I would have tried to sell myself a degree in a STEM field. The fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are the keys to the future, and if I wanted to be relevant and competitive in the future, I'd better get onboard.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take as many college credit classes that I could. I came into college with no college credits, and I wish I woud've taken the advantage of that in high school. I also would tell myself to consider taking the scholarships I was offered to play sports in college. I would tell myself to focus on what I want to do, rather than what everyone else was telling me to do. As well as not to have a boyfriend going into college.

Fill out more scholarships to help with my college tuition.

Senior year in high school was the best year. I felt like I was on top of the world. All I had to do was get accepted to college piece of cake, everything else will follow. "Boy!" was I wrong. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would explain that its not as easy as it seems. I would advice myself to cherish the little responsibility I have and start prioritizing. Explain that procastinating only makes the work harder because there are multiple assignments you have to work on. The half work that you did in high school wil not make it in college. You have to transition into adult mode becasue you are no longer a child in these professors eyes. They look at you as someone who will one day be managing there bank account or running a business for thousands of people. Last but not least apply for scholarships it will make everything so much easier finacially. All this advice would of saved me from breaking out because of stress and sleepless nights. if only I knew what I knew now back then.

To apply for scolarships and take school more seriously.

If I could go back in time to advise myself as a prospective college student, I would mentor myself through the entire process. I am a first generation college student who regrettably realizes that I was blind to the basics of applying to and attending a university. I cringe as I recall how naive I was: applying to only one school, ignoring scholarship opportunities, and not filling out a FAFSA until last minute. It actually amazes me that I was able to make it to classes at all. I was completely clueless to all things a second or third generation college student would know. Even now, I am just starting to realize the importance of forming relationships with professors, getting involved with clubs and organizations, and volunteering. I know that if I had someone close to me who had gone through the process, my first year of college would have gone much smoother. If I could go back in time, I would be that person.

Don't rush to a large state school! You will do so much better if you learn proper study skills and experience college coursework from a community college first. I know it's not the ideal plan, but you will save a lot of money and will come away with a better understanding of college expectations. Get involved! It's important to establish new friendships and relationships with your peers. It's also imperative that you make an impression on your professors as they can help to mentor and guide you, not to mention provide strong references for scholarship and job applications. Mostly importantly, don't get discouraged! It's easy to not do well on one test and assume that you will never recover. Learn from that, take advantage of the tutoring available on campus, talk with your professors, form a study group - but don't give up. It will all be worth it when you finish!

If I could go back and talk to my high school senior self, I would tell myself that I need to learn how to study. Since studying is a major part of college life, I would have definitely told myself that I need to start learning my style of studying and getting use to studying. That, unlike high school, college you need to dedicate time for studying and some subjects will not come as easy as they did in high school where I didn't have to study.