Stetson University Top Questions

Dear High school self, you weren't involved in high school, but it would be in your benefit to change that in college. There are so many great people you could make friends with, just try to step out of your comfort zone a little (or a lot). Also, start saving your money. You will end up going to an amazing college, but you will need to take out loans and saving your money would help you pay for books. It may seem scary going from a small community college to a larger school (even though it's a pretty small school) but don't be afraid- you will experience a warm welcome from everyone. Did I mention you should get involved? Sincerely, College self.

An advice I would give to my high school senior self is staying positive. I would tell my high school self to not be afraid in asking for help, to not be pesstimistic and to not think lowly of one's self. I've honestly made some mistakes here in school due to self-esteem problems and have fallen behind with school work. But I have managed to find help last year thanks to a music professor at the university. The music professor had led me to a career counselor who helped me choose my major and advised me to see a guidance counselor. From then on, I have seeked help from academic counselors, tutors and professors. With so many staff and faculty members helping me succeed in school, I am able to manage my studies and do well in school. My high school self never seeked much help in high school and did not study much. But, with a few words of encouragement and telling my high school self to stay positive I would've done a bit better with studying for SAT, ACT, AP test and probably would've been accepted into my dream school.

Don't go home as much freshman year. Don't get into a relationship freshman year. Just because it's a "beach day" doesn't give you a reason to skip class. Just have fun in college, it'll all be worth it in the end and you will make some awesome friends along the way :)

Cassidy, right now you stare in the mirror for hours picking out flaws. You waste money on fancy clothes to try to stand out, but end up just as invisible as before. Listen to me. Self-hatred is a waste. The only one who thinks badly about you is yourself. Other people are concerned with their own problems and insecurities; So, even if you feel like every failure is hung up on a wall like art and everyone is critiquing it, in actuallity they aren't. They feel the same way. So live a little more for yourself and care a little less what other people think (stop trying to please people: you won't be in contact in the future with the people who don't accept you now. They won't matter anymore.). You've wasted too much of your life already wishing you were someone else. Soon you'll realize what a gift it is to be you, and you'll wish you had appreciated yourself more. Love, Cassidy

Younger me, this is vital information I'm giving you. I know your going through a rough time right now, but it works out. Focus on school right now. It's more important than you realize. Get involved in dual-enrollment and get a few college courses done. As for Sean, just be his friend. That's best for him and you. When you leave for basic, don't be scared. You meet good people and become close friends. But do not, and I repeat, do not become a stick. You will hate that job and Chief will be out to get you. Also, change your MOS on classifications day- trust me Aircrew is not worth it. But if you do keep it and go to special physicals don't say you've had issues breathing, they will kick you out. And when you start college get all your papers in early. They make you run around in circles. Also- on your FASFA, number 38 is wrong. I wouldn't say we made mistakes this year but we could have made it better, so for you and me just listen to what I've told you and do your best.

I would give my self the advice to "take a chill pill". The college life is all about self growth, academically socailly and culturally. In highschool I believe i was too high strung about everything when college is nothing like that.

I would tell myself not to be afraid of talking to the faculty and staff or of making friends. I would say that the people at the school are nice and helpful and that I would make a lot of friends. I would also tell myself to try to be more outgoing and to not be afriad to speak out.

Being a child of immigrants who did not even finish high school I had no knowledge or encouragement to attend college. If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself that there IS hope for me. All I needed was proper guidance and to seek answers from the proper personnel. There is Financial Aid available all I needed to do was fill out the application, something that I had no knowledge of at the time. I would let myself know that I could have started filling out scholarships. There is hope, there WAS hope. There was not a need to join the military, deploy, and endure the hardships I have now in order to attend college.

I was quite the slacker in high school and almost wasn't accepted into Stetson University. My GPA was unimpressive and I graduated with no honors. I also had atrocious study habits and a bad attitude. My study habits caused my grades to suffer my first year and a half of school. This complicated things once I decided I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, as my academic record doesn't make me very competitive and I will most likely have to complete a post-baccalaureate pre-med certificate program, costing more time and money. My bad attitude (combined with living off campus) kept me from forming many friendships my freshman year. I also took a semester off and started in the spring, forcing me to take summer classes just so I could graduate on time. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I would tell myself to be more ambitious. Get better grades, start school on time, and go out and join clubs and make friends as a freshman. These things enrich the college experience and make all the hardwork so much more worthwhile.

I would tell give myself more encouragement. When I originally went to college back in 1987, I did so with a horrible attitude. My parents had filed BK, they couldn't help me. financially My dad was laid off and my mom made $30,000 per year , I couldn't get financial aid. It was all on me. I worked full time while going to school full time. That didn't work out well so I ended up one semester, one class. So after 4 years of struggling, I finally gave up. I would have told that high school girl to not give up, ever. Education is so important in life. I would tell her to find a way or just to keep going even if it took 12 years. I would also have told my high school self to have better organization skills. This is so key to secondary education. I started back in 2010. The classes are exceptionally fast paced in nursing and pre-nursing. My Anatomy/Physiology classes alone I spent over 70+ hours a week in class and studying. My 4.0 GPA and acceptance into two different schools nursing programs reflects those oganizational skills.