Tarrant County College District Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give myself advice when I was a high school senior I would tell myself that I could do better. Not just that I could do better but that I would do better. I would explain that I am smarter than I thought I was and that I would figure that out six years later. I would tell myself that I should have kept better company. I should have surrounded myself with people that had the same goals as I did so I could focus more on school rather than my social life. And finally, I would have told myself to appreciate the freedom of childhood while I had it. I would tell myself to join any club or activity that even remotely interested me because life is short.

Apply to every university that you can, avoid community college because it is not for you. Grades are extremly importand so focus hard on them and try to get into a group so you can be involved and social. Scholarships are very important so apply to as many as you can. It is okay to work but your focus needs to be on school. It souds so cliche` , but listen to the adults, they know what they are talking about.

Out of the many things I would like to tell my younger self, the most important would certainly be the simple statement "do not be afraid." Throughout high school I made good grades, and I worked hard. Yet I was incredibly nervous to go college, and because of that I chose to only enroll at the local community college as a part time student. College ended up being much easier to adjust to than I had expected, but I have still not completed my degree. If I had not been so worried and afraid, I believe I could have graduated in the traditional timeframe. I would love to be able to go back and tell myself to have courage and not to hold myself back. Unfortunately, it is a message that cannot do me any good now, but I try to use it to encourage those that it does apply to.

One important thing I would tell myself is to not let Aaron's death control what you do in your college career. You should listen to what mom tells you and start at the 2-year college. It will save you a lot of time and heartache in the end. Also to trust what your gut says and don't always listen to what the advisors tell you. If you want to take that class, then take it. You don't need anyone to make you do anything. Just follow what you know to be right and don't be afraid to join the clubs and sororities. They help more than you know and are nothing like drill team. Always remember though that you can do anything you put your mind to and regardless of the obstacles put in your way you'll make it through.

I would have prepared myself better by taking more challenging classes my senior year!

I would tell myself to start on scholarships and grants in the 11th grade. I also would tell myself to do nursing(RN) and go to a college right out of high school. I would not waste my time and get the education I needed.

Given the chance, I would tell that frightened, stubborn, and confused girl that her parents were right. She would probably suck her teeth and tune me out, but if she would just listen for a second, then I'd remind her how important a support system is for a shy girl like her. Going to a smaller school closer to home, getting involved in school activities, and remembering she is not the only freshman that ever lived would make the transition far less lonely and overwhelming. Also, since that silly kid had never worked a day in her life, she naturally thought tuition and other funds would magically appear in her student account. I would surprise her with the truth: it doesn't. She would have to work, at a job and on her scholarships, to fund her education. And while the word "work" may have twisted her face, I would repeat it as many times as it took until she got it. College takes work. You do not quit and go home when classes and your roommates and the new world you've found yourself in gets difficult. This is your future. Grow up, and take it on.

I would have taken summer classes leading up to my freshman year in college, saved up more money for school, and studied harder. As a high school senior I really had no idea what college would be like.

Since high school I have learn somethings I wish I had done like starting on my scholarships early as possible. I had teacher and other people that I should be working on scholarships but like most students I wasn't trying to do all that; I was more interested in having fun for my last year in high school then doing scholarships. Another thing I would have done would to have talk to the two universities that I wanted to go to as much as I could so everything would have been done. Talking to people from UT Arlington is something I do more to make sure everything is received and that they don't need anything else's from me. Them were the main two things I didn't do as a senior and if I was able to go back and talk to myself as a senior thats what I would talk about about doing scholarships on time and talking to people from the universities that I wanted to apply to.

I would try to dispell some of the rebellious, non-conformist ideas I had regarding joining clubs and community service, because I have learned that it is really rewarding to be a part of your community and make a difference in it, instead of trying to distance yourself from the other people around you. I also would have encouraged myself to work harder to apply for scholarships, because it would have been nice to finish a degree with some of my small inheritance left over, instead of being in debt. Lastly, I would have encouraged myself to think more seriously about graduate school, as opposed to working towards a degree in Art Education. I enjoy helping and teaching others, but public education was not a good fit for me.