Alamance Community College Top Questions

I would tell myself to seek help from anyone and everyone from the College. As an undergrad student I did not know exactly what I wanted to do, and that was where I was at fault. I should have seeked help from the college career center and other resources to help me decide what my major should have been and what I would really love to do as a professional adult. I feel like I chose the wrong undergrad major, and I hate that it happened that way. Now I am in a career that does not interest me at all and I hate it. It breaks my heart that I am not doing something I LOVE to do... I want to be able to be in a career that is exciting to me and where I can encourage others to be motivated. That is why I am trying to go back to school and receive a degree in Accounting. But of course, since I did not make the right decision before, it is even harder for me to try to go back to school now because now I am an adult and have to support myself financially.

As a student whose primary challenge has always been organization, my advice to myself would be to always plan ahead. A college student's life is so busy that it's easy to get distracted, to put off tasks, and to procrastinate. However, procrastinating makes tasks seem much more insurmountable than they are in reality. It also has a tendency to back one up against deadlines and make it that much more difficult to complete tasks. Nobody does their best work under stress and time pressure, and I am no exception. Therefore, I would advise my high school self to be very deliberate about planning tasks, school work, and extracurricular activities. Achieving a good balance of work, school, and leisure activities is crucial to success and mental health. I would also advise myself to do a little bit of everything each day. No day should be completely without "me time," but on the other hand, no day should be entirely without work, either. Parceling out tasks so a little bit is completed each day also would allow me to build mastery on a regular basis, thus enabling me to do consistently better work.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to start at the school that you are most comfortable. I started out at a different college and almost dropped out because it was not a good fit. I would tell myself there is no shame in starting at a two year school if it is the right fit. Looking for small classes with students who are at the same point in life as you is really important. Having professors you can connect with and a student body you feel connected to makes all the difference in the world. That connection to the other students will help you achieve your goals and stay sane through the semester. Study groups and tutors will completly change your college experience and help you pass classes and understand the information. Following your heart is key in a successful college experience.

Hello, Self! Has it been two years already? I'm just dropping by to give you a bit of advice. First, please don't worry! I promise it gets better. Your doctors diagnose you with Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes a few months after graduation (Yes, you graduate!). I know this doesn't sound like exciting news but it is! It explains why you're always sick and missing so much class! Speaking of class, you probably already know that you're going to be spending two years at community college and I know you're not thrilled. Again, though, don't worry! It ends up being a great experience and you make some awesome friends and meet some awesome professors. Also, since you're no longer sick all the time, you begin excelling in your classes and even end up in a couple of honor societies! The best part, though, is that, after two years of all of this hard work, you get accepted into UNCW! I hope this shows you that, despite your fears and doubts, life DOES get better!

The advice I would give myself is to focus more on school. Apply early for scholorships. Work harder in math. Try out for cheerleading earlier. I wasn't focused in school as i should have been. As a result i had to move down south with my aunt and uncle. I wasn't able to afford the university that i applied to and was accepted. I cant cheer for the potsdam bears. Its alot easier to get everything out of the way in the begining that way in the end you have time to have fun and enjoy being a senior. You'll have plenty of time to goof off. Also apply for a foreign exchange student earlier. So you'll have her longer.

If I could go back to my senior year, first and foremost I would kick myself in the butt for not sufficiently caring about my grades. Secondly, I would hope to make myself understand (I was very stubborn back then) that though having friends and enjoying time with friends is a wonderful thing, it is not the most important part of college life. I would hope to express how important it is to not only work hard but to push through the difficult times. I would also encourage myself to participate in all the sports I was too timid or self-conscious to join. Most importantly, I would advise myself to prepare for the life altering car accident that is to come all too quickly. I would implore myself to fight through the pain, accept the wheelchair and not take two years off of school, but to continue with my education as soon after. I do not wish to avoid my car accident so I would refrain from giving specific details that pertain to it. It has shaped me into the strong and resilient person I am today. I wouldn’t change who I am now even for that.

I would tell myself to try a lot harder and put in the extra effort to do my best and not just the bare minimum. I would say to study more and be more involved with my school. I would tell myself to not be afraid to ask questions, because that is how you learn. I would say that I should've spent more time studying so that I could have graduated higher in my class. Most importantly, I would tell myself that even though I think that this is the worst time of my life, I'm going to miss these times so take advantage of the fun things I have the opportunity to do. Although I didn't try as hard as I wish I would have in high school, I have learned from my mistakes and have pushed myself to do better in college.

Say, I am me now at 29yrs old talking to the 18yr old me using my current knowledge. I will tell myself to sit in the front of all classes so, all knowledge will be better taking in an understood. Think hard about what I have a true passion for in life. Then lay out a plan to get my degree. This way by the time I get to be 30 I will have had a good 8yrs of working to build stability with credit. Education is the root to a good stable life.