Triton College Top Questions

If I had the ability to go back in time, I would tell myself that the transition of going to college is hard because of being cut off from friends (who are going away to college), people from church, and not having a social life outside of school. I would tell myself to hold onto the friends you have and tresure them because they are not going to leave you in this hard time. I would also tell myself that the depression I would be going through would not be in vain because it is going to make me a stronger person in the end. Also, going through this time would help me empathize with possible clients I would have in my social work career. I would also tell myself to make time to hang out with friends because it would help me to not think I'm alone and it would help me feel better.

The advice I would have given myself is to be more outgoing in the school, like joining new sports, and being involved in committees that help other people in need. To be more social to teachers and students. Also to pay much more attention in classwork and when teachers talking about the problems or their advice. That is the advice I would have given myself if I could go back.

Pay attention. Do your homework. Smile more. Appreciate this moment and know it is essential to building your future. You are destined for great thins and your academic contribution will later prove societal contributions in unfathomable ways.

Going back in time to January 2002: Hello, me! Looking good :) I come from the future, year 2010, and please don't get scared. I come just to tell myself that my judgement about future education is not the best I have now... If I listen to my advice, I'll thank me later, trust me. This is about my education. Don't say "I cannot wait to finish about two years of college, work, and have kids". I will have time for these my whole life. Rather think about pursuing a real career. Eight years from now I will be happier. I will have more free time to spend with my future-husband, without having to work and go to school at the same time. If I don't do this now, when I get more mature I'll do it anyway; so for the best, just do it now, while I am young free of responsibilities. Ok? My time machine is here to take me back... It was good talking to myself. My future will look brighter because of this good advice, if I listen. I'll see myself in 2010. Good bye!

I would tell myself to look into more scholarships. Even community college is expensive. I would also tell myself to apply to more schools and not just one seeing as plans change. I would remind myself to enjoy how simple high school is. Enjoy not having to worry about how you are going to pay for tuition and books. I would want myself to know that I should save all my money and not spend it on useless things.

I wish I had the courage to tell my mom I didn't want to go to culinary school. I told her when I was eleven I wanted to be a chef but by my sophmore year in high school my mind changed but I never told her I didn't want to cook any more. My first semester in college I went to Kendall College to please my mom and thinking I could just live with me being a chef, but when after my first semester I didn't like it and I told my mom I wanted to drop out and transfer to Triton College to sort out my life. I wish in high school I made my own choices and goals instead of living by eveyone else's standards and goals for me. I am applying to transfer to a four year college to major in Art Education and minor in Art History because that is what I really want to do with my life, even though I'll be in school for a few more years longer than I hoped for.

The best advice I would give myself would be to always remain positive. Positivity eases the difficulties in life. For example, working part time and attending school may be a difficult tasks, but once I reflect on the positive, life's difficulties are not as harsh. Staying up late at night to work on homework seems difficult. I see the benefits of doing homework. First, I benefit from homework because I can increase my knowledge on a subject and after the homework has been corrected by the professor, any mistakes he or she found on my homework I can correct them. Senior year I was the complete opposite. I hated homework. I didn't see the benefits of homework. As a result of that negativity I did not meet my expectations. If I could go back to my senior year, I would keep that same positivity that I now possess.

First thing is first, follow your instincts. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Meaning if you want to be an artist go for it, a nurse just do it, you know what you want to do so do it. If you decide down the road that you want to change majors don't let others stop you. Sometimes what we want to do and what we are good at are very different but sometimes when we find something that we are good at we get great satisfacion while doing it. It is not always going to be easy to balance everything in your life but the best thing that you could do for yourself is stick with it. Take breaks and have fum with school and friends while your at it. Keep your eye on the goal at the end of the road, because even though it may seem a long way away, if you keep on pushing through to it, you will accomplish great things in life. Most important thing of all don't take on more than you can handle, your grades and mental capablities will suffer if you do.

If I were granted an opportunity to re-live my final high school year I would fully take advantage of the information I know now. I would definitely have taken advantage of honors and advanced placement classes. At the time, I was unaware of the importance of these accelerated courses. I feel that challenging myself then would have positively affected my success with the transition to increased workload, difficulty of assignments, and general preparation and test-taking skills. It would have also been a better financial move to earn college course credits without paying lofty tuition fees. Also, I would have gauged cost of living, transportation, and amount of financial aid much better than I did initially. Finally, I would have advised myself to do more self-preparation. I was never avid at reading when not required to or doing more than what was assigned. If I were able to look back and have another shot then I would absolutely show more initiative in all courses while striving for nothing but the best.