Sonoma State University Top Questions

I have only completed my first semester in college, and still learning some stuff myself. The only advice I can give you is to log meetings in your phone, on your calender on the wall, on your computer, everywhere. We both know how forgetfull you are, and mom wont be there to remind you to take care of things. Even though you can get yourself out of any situation, it would be better to just avoid them. You are going to be fine your first semester. Have fun.

I would give myself a few words of wisdom. First, I would advise myself to take a deeper look into the scholarships I apply to. While in high school I did not feel like taking the time and energy to submit any scholarships whatsoever. Looking back I regret this decision because I am struggling financially and wish I applied myself more in order to get the most help possible. I also would advise myself to not get too caught up in the social aspect of college. Yes, having a social life is important, but it is not everything. I am happy with my GPA so far (3.1), but I am not 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} satisfied. I think if I focus and apply myself more, I will be able to accomplish more with my education at Sonoma State University.

Dear high school-self, I am your future-self writing to warn you about some things that could change your future. I know that choosing a college can be difficult, but by looking at a few things the applictaion proccess will be alot easier. Some things that I wish I'd thought about are the level of academics, the location, and cost. Go to a school where you know you will still feel challenged by the academics but not overworked. Think about the time you want for other things such as a job, friends, or hobbys. What kind of school fits you? As for location think about environment you want to be in. Do you want to be in a city or the country? Think about things that the surrounding town has to offer. Afterall, this is where you will be spending your next 4 years! As for cost think about what fits your budget. What kind of scholarship and financial aid oppurtunities are there? Just know that you cannot make a wrong choice. Whatever college you choose, wether you end up staying or transfering, you will be learning something about yourself. It's all about the journey!

The transition to college involves many aspects, and one that I wish I had more advice on before I moved is friends. I was told that there would be so many people experiencing the same things I was that friendships would just happen naturally. In my suite, I live with five other female freshman. But they soon became a pair and a trio--I was the odd one out. Very few people told me that being best friends with the people I lived with didn't matter. I felt as though I had to be close to them because I was close in living space and it would make things more fun. By trying to become their friend I always felt like an unwanted burden; we are all different people and our personalities aren't compatible for a close relationship. When I found friends that accepted me for who I am and stopped trying to be with my suitemates, things got better. There are hundreds of strangers in college, there are bound to be people who I can be myself around. College is about choices, and choosing the right friends can have a profound impact on the overall college experience.

I would tell myself that as much as I dreamed of marriage and children, the best gift that I could give myself and my future children would be to first learn how to be a successful, autonomous person. By learning this, I would learn what it takes to participate in healthy, functional relationships as well as become a healthy role model for my children. I w ould encourage myself to take those psychology courses that I have now taken, and only wish that I had them years ago. I would encourage my young self to really soul-search to find out what I really dream of doing with my life and to pursue that with every ounce of strength within me, as I now doing years later. I would tell myself to be brave and take a chance on myself and to know that I was smarter than I realized but that although I lacked confidence or encouragement, this would come as I follow my dream to become the woman that I always dreamed I could be. I would tell myself to believe in myself and go for it because I definitely will make a profound difference in the world

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that college is not as hard and scary as it seems. I was afraid to leave home because I was leaving behind my friends, family, and identity. Once i moved to Sonoma State, I got really homesick and wanted to move back home. But with the help of the friends that I made, I decided to stay and I finally felt like I found a home. Although you may think that college is all about school, it is also about making lifelong friends and succeeding. You don't really realize the importance of friendship until you are out on your own and away from your family. Another thing I would tell myself is to be more outgoing and learn how to manage my time better. Even though college is easier than high school because the flexible schedules, it is important to make sure you make a schedule and stick to it because it is so easy to fall behind. Lastly, I would tell myself that even though you're going away, you're best friends won't forget about you.

Many students celebrate their transition to college life as a step toward independence. They no longer have Mom and Dad looking over their shoulder to make sure that assignments are completed on time or that they are in bed by a certain hour. They can make their own decisions, and they relish the fact that they don't have to report to anyone but themselves. At the same time though, they may not count on the fact that there are consequences for their actions. If their assignments aren't done on time, they receive a bad grade. If they don't get enough hours of sleep, they can't concentrate the next day and miss some of the important information they are given in lectures. They also might not count on the fact that homesickness can set in, affecting their performance. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would tell myself to keep up the good work because you will benefit from it eventually. Also, even though your parents may seem overbearing at times, they are really looking out for you. And, remember, you only get one set of parents -- cherish them.

The advice I would give is not to take advantage of the freedom and be prepared for a larger amount of responsibilites.

I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships because It has gotten really hard for me and my mom to pay for college especially after my brother's spine has gotten so messed up. He now has to go to the doctors a lot and is on a lot of differnet medications. If I would have applied for more scholarships it would be easier to pay for everything and I would not need to work as much to help pay my way through college. Because, I need to work so much it leaves less time for me to do my homework. This means that my grades are not as good as they could be and that I am not taking as many classes as I possibly could. I wish I would have known that I would be in this position when I was a high school senior so that I could have planned better.

Going back in time, I would tell myself what my biggest struggle was academically, because socially and overall, academics was the main concern. My main problem in transitioning to a freshman in college was the amount of time it took to study. I was an A student in high school, I thought I knew how to study, but I soon discovered it could take me eight days to study for an exam that was not a midterm or a final. High school teachers tell you all the time they are preparing you for college, that is where they are mistaken to a certain point. They prepare us for college in the little things by giving scenarios or projects, telling us that this would be what we had to do in college. What they do not prepare us for is the amount of work we would have. Looking back at high school it seems very simple.