Sonoma State University Top Questions

If I could talk to myself in high school I would say ?Eric, success is attainable in any field, don?t sell yourself short. The potential exists inside of you, develop it and dream big.? I have severe A.D.H.D. and Dyslexia so I never thought I would be able to succeed in higher education. I was always told that everyone has talents, but I never felt that I was good at anything and assumed a low-income future. My mother made me take college classes in business and economics, which I ended up acing. I then realized that I did have my talents and education was an obtainable goal. This gave birth to a growing intensity in my study patterns and work ethic. I knew it would take more than business and econ classes to graduate, so I brought my spelling, reading, handwriting, and mental focus to center stage and worked hard to improve upon them. My work ethic now allows me to get A?s in everything, regardless of subject matter. I would inform myself that school is not a test of intelligence in which only the smartest survive, but it is a test of determination.

Now that I know how much your highschool education matters, I would tell myself to participate a little more. It is important if you want to do well in life and in college that you have the skills and basics from those highschool years. They build on eachother and teach you more then just information. They teach you how to get along with people even when you might not want to, conflict management, study skills, career goals, how to remember information, and how to pick classes that will benifit your goals. I wish I spent more time learning in highschool and less time fighting the fact that I had to be there. Since Im going into a health science I could really have used that extra time to learn about these things and also about myself. I feel like Im behind in all the basics of school. I had to catch up when I first started college and it has taken years to feel like Im somewhat prepared for life. Highschool is an opportunity and I would tell myself to take hold of it and use it for good instead of bad. I would have told myself to enjoy it.

If I could go back to my senior year and tell my self about what the past two and a half years have been like I would tell my self to get invovled early. To not let roommates stand in the way of getting invovled and meeting people. that though the two year relationship with a serious boyfriend ended badly that life is still amazing and the people I have meet through my travels for the residental community are friendships that will last forever. But mainly GET INVOLVED EARLY, school is important but the friendships you make outside the class are important too. Never be afraid to be myself because who I am is special and what I can offer the world is amazing.

As a senior in high school I was very concerned about going to a college that was well rounded with an excellent reputation. I wanted great academics and I looked a lot into the number of people from that school being admitted to Graduate School, but my biggest concern was money. I was absolutely sure I did not want to me majorly in debt. If I could go back,I would tell myself to stop worrying about all the numbers, statistics and even the price tag. My first year of college taught me that it is up to an individual, and not the school. Going to an ivy league school will not gaurantee dreams to come true. That is directly related to who I am and my work ethic. Even when it comes to paying for my education, it is up to me to have the determination and to follow through. I would tell myself that in the end I control my future and no matter what choices I made or what happens, whether or not I can make my dremas come true is all up to me. I

I would tell myself to make better decisions when you apply to college. I did not go and see the campuses I applied to and now I am going to transfer because of it. I would also advise to work harder in a subject if you are close to getting a better grade and to talk to the teachers.

DIVERSITY! You want to feel comfortable as soon as you walk on the campus, because if you don't get that feeling of comfort; you're not going to be able to walk around there like that. Undecided or decided make sure their are enough options in case you change your mind, but do take into account to check for things that you enjoy doing or want to participate in. Ask as many questions as possible about finances, because you want make sure that you benefit out everything you can for yourself to achieve success the way you want to. And since you want to travel and attend school somewhere outside of your home state, go!; even if it's community college for the time and do the basics to prepare yourself for a university Accacia (lol). Make earlier arrangements with your chosen school; ask what you can do for the time being with still being in school, that will help you attend the school of your personal choice. But always look forward to and for the best, because your perception of success with lead to a postive result for yourself. Smile, you're graduting and still going!

Having a conversation with myself almost two years ago as a high school senior would definately shock me and completely alter my expectations of college life. The first statement I would say is that college will be better than you think it will be. I would tell myself that even though it is scary at first to be on your own, that is what makes it all the better since during that time I have countless opportunities and loads of time to be independent and figure out who I am as an individual person. I develop a relaitonship with the rest of the world. In college there is plenty of time to study and the library is just around the corner. Finally, the most important thing I would say to myself is to not be afraid to try new things and activities - to challenge myself both mentally and socially and to above all - enjoy your adventurous experience of a lifetime.

I would tell myself first to build a relationship with my academic counselor becuase they will help you out tremendously in areas that you're unsure about. Also to be ready for the freedom and responsibility you will now have living away from home; sure it will be easy to make mistakes but you have the knowledge to make the right decisions. When it comes to class you will have the option to go or skip it and hang out with your friends; just because you have the choice doesn't make it okay not to go to class. You will need to realize that you're ultimately in school for one reason, to get an education. Don't get caught up in the crazy scheduling and anxiety that school may bring, stay in touch with your family and friends and let them know how things are going for you; they're the people that care about you the most and will make you feel better when times are tough. Overall just stay true to yourself and your beliefs and you will be fine, its rough out there but you can handle anything.

My best advice is to relax. You will love college. I had a wonderful experience at a college and met some of my closest friends. Most of all, keep yourself open to meeting new friends. I knew people who went home each weekend because they had trouble transitioning. Instead of trying to get to know new friends, they clung tightly to old friends. Remember, your old friends will always be there, and college is your way to make new friends and new memories.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to really take time in picking the right school for you. It is importanat to consider all the things you want in a college and take a trip to each of those schools. You should research each school you want to attend and think about the pros and cons of each one. Once you start at a school, you are there for at least the year, so really look into different schools and make the decision on your own. Do not let other people try to tell you that this school is better than that one, the decision is yours only.