Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Top Questions

The best advice I could give myself as a high school senior would be, "live it up with your friends...to a reasonable degree." I feel that I had a good high school career and had a great time with my friends, but I just wish I could have done more. Get involved, reach out to more people, make relationships that will truly last and endure the onslaught of adulthood. Also, have no fear about yourself. By this I mean, I love reading, writing, and poetry; but what small town boy admits that to his friends who enjoy trucks, chicks, and a cool, refreshing Miller. So to myself I say, "Embrace yourself, love yourself, and take pride in the things that you love. If you love playing the tuba, play the tuba! If you want to moonwalk across a stage, grab your crotch and go 'Tee-hee!', go ahead and do it." Following this advice I think that I would have been more happy- more satisfied with my high school experience. Academics always come first, but you have to make room for little ole' me.

The advice I would give myself is always plan ahead. I would also advise myself to practice better communication skills. Another thing I would also tell myself to limit the pesimistic comapny I keep. I would also have advised myself to work part-time during senior year, so that i would have my own personal emergency money. And the last advice I would have given myself was to break-up with my girlfriend, because there are alot of beautiful single women on campus! These are the advices that would have made my life in college up to this point alot easier.

Apply for college loans as well as other financial aid resources early.

The thing that I would say to myself to really try to step out of my shell. I am normally very shy and introverted, so the first month or so was kind of hard for me. I would definitely say to myself a year ago to really try to be more confident and extroverted because everybody just really wants to make friends, so no one is really going to care whether or not you are extremely extroverted or if you make a fool of yourself or not. I think that definitely would have made the transition better, and it wouldn't have made that first month so lonely.

IF I COULD GO BACK IN TIME AS A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AND KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW BOUT COLLEGE LIFE AND MAKING THE TRANSITION, THE ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MYSELF WOULD BE TO, STAY FOCUS AND DO NOT LEFT THE PARTIES AND OTHER ACTIVITES STRAY YOU FROM YOUR WORK. IT IS EASILY TO GET DISTRACTED FROM YOUR SCHOOL WORK. YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND THINK THAT IT WON'T SET YOU BACK, BUT YOU THOUGHT WRONG. DURING THE UPCOMING WEEK FOR THAT PARTY THATS TAKING PLACE FRIDAY OR SATURDAY WILL TAKE ALL YOUR ATTENTION OFF OF YOUR WORK. DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU'LL BE TO FOCUSED ON WHAT OUTFIT YOUR GOING TO WEAR TO WHAT YOUR GOING TO DO AFTER THE PARTY. YOUR SCHOOL WORK WILL BE PUSHED ASIDE, AND JUST AS FAST AS YOU BRUSHED OFF YOUR WORK, THE WEEKEND IS OVER AND YOUR WORK IS DUE AND YOU DIDNT EVEN START ON IT. SO THE ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MYSELF WOULD BE STAY FOCUSED AND DON'T LET ANYTHING DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR SCHOOL WORK AT NO GIVING TIME NO MATTER WHAT'S PLANNED DURING THE WEEKEND.

I would tell myself to start my research right away, apply for more scholarships, talk to my guidance counselor about taking the SAT more assertively. There is also a possibility I may have attended a community college rather than a University as I now know that it could have saved me quite a bit of money. I would also tell myself to invest my money more wisely and not go crazy. Lastly, I would tell myself to prepare for the major changes that I will occur, both in my education as well as my daily life.

I was a bad apple in high school. I was not planning on attening any college or any higher education institution. If i could go back in time and give myself advice, I would encouage myself to be more focused on my education. I would encourage the old me to try a little harder and strive for the best and research more colleges and majors to set myself in the right path.

The advice I would give to myself as a high school senior is to relax. Everything seems scary and happens so quick so just go with the flow and soon enough you will catch on to how everything happens. When you go to college everyone going with you is in the same situation as you. It makes it extremely easy to relate to the people around you and make new friends. Also,most professors understand that you you are transitioning and can be a big help, so do not be afraid to go talk to them! When you are going through a hard time, do not forget that your family and old friends are still there if you need someone to talk to who understands you. The most important thing is to live for every moment because it will most definately go faster than you think.

Knowing what I know now, I would definatly study harder & do further research on the classes I wanted to take for my major. I would also advise others to do the same. I say that because my parents told me that time would fly by before you knew it. I never paid any attention to that until now. Everytime I think about it, I was just a high school freshman, now I am a college senior, where did the time go?! I do not regret anything I have done from then til now, but knowing what I know now would help me be a better person than I am now! -D.W.

If I had the chance to go back in time to advise myself of anything, it would be to stay smart and keep your eyes open dedication is key. One might think; that?s what you would say? The answer is yes. I believe my senior year to be one of my less appealing years, due to the lack of direction. After graduation it would be an entire year and a half, before I would wise up and decide to take control of my direction in life. I knew that one day I would return for my education. However I was not prepared for the dedication, or the financial burden I would face and commit to as a student. I know! If I was to go back in time and give myself this advice. I as the person I was then and still am today would think long and hard about my actions. To understand why such words would inspire, I must let it be known I ?m a thinker someone who, when told words of wisdom I seem to respond. I know the transition into college would have been easier, had I heard such words.