Virginia Commonwealth University Top Questions

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to be more confident in my abilities. I am a very bright girl, but I always seemed to doubt myself alot. I would also tell myself to be more focused because college is definitely not a cake walk. I think one of the biggest pieces of advice that I could give myself and anyone else is to just be yourself! I know we hear this from people all the time, but in college it is really important to just be yourself. You will definitely find your group of friends that will understand and love you for who you are. You don't need to change yourself or conform to what others think the "best" is.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that the main thing to remember about college is that it is a period of learning about yourself and your career goals that you will pursure for the rest of your life. In college, you will make mistakes, but do not let them slow you down; instead, learn and grow from them. I would tell my high school self that I should not hesitate to get involved with Delta Epsilon Mu, a Professional Pre-Health Co-Ed Fraternity, earlier because through that I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I would tell myself that it is okay to accept that a subject such as Organic Chemistry is difficult for me and not to give up or lose faith in myself when I struggle through the class. I would also tell myself that as long as I stay focused on my education, nothing can stop me from achieving whatever goals I pursue academically. I would end by telling myself that no matter what happens, do not worry because in the end I will look back on college as the best four years of my life.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would strongly suggest to apply to several schools in and out of the state, the more the better. This will give you a better chance to actually attend a four year university. As a high school senior I regret not talking to my counselor about different schools and scholarships that were always available for me on the internet. This would have made my collge experience much easier and stress free. Opposed to applying for loans every semester and having to depend on financial aid. Another thing I would've told myself is to not take a break between semesters and just attend college straight through. Once you take a break it is often difficult to jump right back into a college mentality because a lot of distractions may occur while your out of school such as work or just having too much fun. I would've also attended a large university and lived on campus, that is one experience a high-school student would enjoy as living on their own, and it will teach one to mature into an independent young adult.

The next few years you will try to find yourself and figure out what to do in life. Trust me when I say, you are a work in progress. No need to plan the next 5 years and stick strictly to it. Work on building yourself and enhancing the strengths and talents you have. Once you get to college take your time and experience everything there is to offer. Go to basketball games, freshman week and make new friends instead of planning your next trip home. Avoid overwhelming yourself with core courses and register for electives that spark your interest to keep the fun going. Focus on you and getting the most out of life. Grades are very important but the experience and knowledge you gain about life outweigh GPA by a long shot. Work hard and play hard; Join a sorority, go on crazy spring break vacations and last minute road trips. It is easy to get wrapped up in college life but your self-respect, God and family should never be pushed to the back burner.

Being on your own for the first time is a crazy adjustment. Dormmates become your family and sometimes you do lose touch with friends in other schools, that's why you absolutely need to make an effort to stay in contact and get together on breaks. New environments can sweep you away and overwhelm you, but just make your dorm feel like home and you'll adjust. Also, long distance relationships do not work. I know you love him more than anything but you deserve a lot better than crying your eyes out every night for eight months. There's a whole world outside your dorm; don't let an unhealthy relationship blind you to that. Extra-curriculars are all over the place and a great way to make friends; there's even a quidditch team! Most importantly, don't forget about yourself. These courses will open your mind to all sorts of possibilities and you'll feel yourself changing rapidly, but you're always going to be creative and talented and you need to love yourself for that, and everything else that you are.

I know you're scared. This is a huge step. You’ve been through a lot. I understand how you’re feeling. Just keep this in mind – you’ve got the potential to do a lot of great things. A few short years from now, you’ll see that. You will. You’ve been blessed with the ability to hear truth from God and you share that with your friends, speaking what He wants you to speak. All of this frustration you’re experiencing now, all of the doubt, fear, anger, and more… all of that will pass. All of that does pass very soon. You won't even recognize your current self in a few years. You improve so much. Keep pushing through with life. It’s difficult, but you can do it. Take a short break from school, collect yourself, and you’ll find out that every day gets better. Soon, you’ll be feeling like you’re ready to truly live, and you’ll let go of so much of the fear that has been holding you back. It’s your future, so take charge and go for it. Nobody else can live your life. Keep going.

I would tell myself not to get too stressed about the transition. Phillippians 3:14 "I can do all through Christ who strengthens me." Also, I would tell myself not to let prejudice overlook the opportunities that present themselves. Go for colleges that offer myself the best opportunity to succeed, both in classes and after college. Do not let pride dictate decisions, for it often leads to decisions that look great on the outside but horrible in reality. Just because you like the first school you visit, does not mean that it is time to end the recruitment process; it should continue onwards to keep as many pathways open to myself as possible to maximise options. While decisions would be tougher, there would be better options available for college. One last thing I would tell myself to spend time on scholarships, when I can, for every scholarship I win is less money I owe to my college of choice. As Benjamin Franklin said, "A penny saved is a penny earned." Likewise, money not used now can be used later to help with expenses. One final saying here: "Time is money." As time passes, scholarship opportunities dwindle for next year.

I would advise high school seniors to make sure not to get too caught up in college life and remember to focus primarily on grades. Classes are less structured, so you are allotted a great deal more responsibility for your work than in high school. Just remember how much you are paying for college.

I think most people would agree with me when asked this question, don't procrastinate! Through out high school and even till this day I am a major procrastinator. It's never too early to do what you need to do, stop wasting your time doing useless thing when you can finish a project or study for a test . The way I see it is if you must waste time doing uneccessary things you can always waste your time after you do what needs to be done. Another advice I want to give, is high school really is not everything, it's a short period of time it's only four years, that's not even a quarter of your life. So stop thinking that high school is so important, you may meet friends that last and you might not. The truth is there is so much more to life, the four years you spent there is so unsignificant if you think about what lies ahead. Don't think too much into everything and just try to enjoy the four years and if they're not enjoyable, well then just keep telling yourself it's only four years!

The only advice I would give to myself is this, "Join more organizations". I realized in college that the different groups of people didn't matter, whereas in high school it was all about being part of a certain group or clique in order to feel like you belong somewhere. I would tell myself to get into more clubs like the LGBT one and chess so I can do something productive after school with others instead of staying home playing video games. I really should learn to trust people more often since I distanced myself from people who I considered to be "jocks" but after communicating with them during my college years I learned that those guys are pretty awesome to know.