Southern Polytechnic State University Top Questions

If I could go back in time to give myself advice to prepare for college, I would explain the importance of Advanced Placement classes. I only took a few of these courses in high school, but, after seeing the great advantages of having credit for many college courses before you even get to college, I understand how important it is. If I had taken more AP classes, I would be able to dive straight into my major requirements instead of taking core classes. I would also explain the importance of working hard in foreign language classes. I have met many international students during my time in college and wish I could break the language barrier in order to learn more about other countries. I would tell myself to take more than just the requirements and to push myself to do better in all areas instead of only math and science so that I can be well rounded and prepared for most, if not all, situations.

As a high school senior, I was always stressed out about how others would perceive me. I always wanted to be seen doing what the popular crowd was doing, and I never enjoyed my youth until I learned the lessons that I learned my junior year of college. If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry about what others think of me. I would give myself insight on how the people that I tried so hard to emulate turned out in just six years. In order to do this, I would use the model of Charles Dickens’s novel: A Christmas Carol. I would take my high school self first to see the life of someone who I considered “popular” in my high school class, then I would show my former self how a “nerdy” individual turned out. Then, I would show myself the modern me, and what I could achieve if only I decided to be an individual. Today I realize that, although it is important that others have a good perception of you, it is important to be true to yourself.

Life in itself has its obstacles to overcome. You are beginning an entire new stage that will require your dedication, perservance, and diligence to suceed in future endeavors. Although, high school might not have seem much of a challenge, DO NOT, take your college experience for granted. Everything from your school work, and turning them in, on time, and correct will take you a long way. Moreover, do the little things, which counts the most, including being efficient with your time. Procratination, is the biggest, if not, the worse behavior you can have in college because it does not have its benefits. When you wait to the last minute to do things several things can happen which include not finishing an assignment, getting enough rest for the following day, then would affect your entire day. Furthemore, Look forward to your goal, and dont get distracted by irrelevant things that you will come across your way. Every now and then, you can go to an outing with your friends, but only on occasion or during breaks in between semester. Your social life is important but not more important than your education. Take these words to the bank, and success is assured.

Get ready to have some fun but remeber what you want out of life, and try to stick to that. Understand that there are opportunities out there and do a little research into those to make sure that they are what you want. Remember to take time for yourself and be prepared to meet someone special. Go out and look for opportunities and study a little more than you think is needed. And be prepared for failure but don't let it bog you down you can overcome anything with the support you will find.

I would tell myself, "You are not the sum of your mistakes." As a minority entering a field where people of my cummulative demographic background are severely underrepresented, there is a tremendous feeling that only perfection is acceptable. It only serves to create a worthlessness that lends directly to self-destruction. I would trade anything in this world to gift my past self this.

My personal high school experince was out of the ordinary, but if i had actually held senior statues i would probably advise myself to look for colleges that were opposite of what i was looking for but held higher standards than i myself held. Some other advice i would give would definitely have to be to not worry, about anything, especially about the education offered, the community life, professors, or interaction with other students. The high standards you'd want to look for are morals they set for the students and professors, the quality of their education, and what kind of education the professors recieved. Don't put location or size on the top of the list, they don't make a real difference as long as the standards are in place. Most of your worries going into college will melt away as you consciously and unconsciously confront them, mostly with others around you going through the same thing, no matter how much of it you notice while it's happening, if you even do at all. Also that many don't feel they need advice, even as they go through the stuff without it, so go looking for some.

Make sure you only take morning classes if you are a morning person. Make sure you know what you wantto major in and what you would like to do in the future. Do not take Friday classes if you do not need to do so. Do not take science and math classes in the same semester if you do not need to, in order to focus on one. Lastly, go to tutoring to get extra help if you are lacking in a subject. Oh ...do not forget to get to know your professors.

Your life will evolve. Expand. Reach new heights and experience different lows. You will make new friends. Those of which have done you wrong before, will still be in the same low life they are living now. You will exceed this lifestyle. People will try and tear you down. They will ask why that you waste so much time on something as "lame", or " boring", or even "stupid" as school. Ask yourself, how could you call school stupid? Boring? These are words for the ignorant. You will learn new ones, such as "exhilirant", "stimulating", and "perspicacious". New places will be experienced. Your breath will be taken away. You have been given a chance of a life time. One that even your closest loved ones have never experienced and never will. Your dreams of being successful in life are within reach. You will be faced with hard choices, and ones that are easy. Everything effects your life. You are becoming independent and it is such a beautiful ride. The choice that you have made to further your education, I assure you, will be the best of your life.

If I could go back in time and tell my high school self anything, I would tell myself that everything happens for a reason. Do not sweat the little things because everything will work out in the end. Not everything in your life will be perfect, but learn to deal with what has been handed to you with a grain of salt and make the best of every situation. If I had known this in high school, I would have saved myself many sleepless nights worrying over grades, scholarships, my pending major and which college to attend. God has a plan for everyone and when we learn to hand everything to him, our lives seem so much simpler.

I would say don't be lazy. Don't just sit around and expect things to come to you like they did in high school. College is a completely different level, it isn't just to doing what is needed, you need to do what is expected and more. You can't just sit around and make excuses, there are no excuses in college. It's either you do what is expected of you, or you fail. You also need to do everything when it's supposed to be done, don't wait untill an hour before class and end up turning in assignments late. And finally you need to be an active student. Don't be a passive student. You will learn best when you question the teacher, when you participate in class activities, and do everything a good student does. Then I think you'll be ready for college life.