Arizona State University-Tempe Top Questions

I would tell my high school self to enjoy the social interactions as they come. Being a freshman in a university is hard, and sometimes you can feel like you are just another face among the crowd. I wish I could have just set down the pencil and study guides in high school and enjoy the time I had with my friends and family while I was still an outgoing individual. I would also let myself know about some of the challenges that I could, and have, faced with hopes of preparing myself better for the future. Now that I am away from home and kind of doing this all on my own I have to figure alot of things out from my own experiences rather than relying on others.

If I could go back in time to have a conversation with the person I was back in my senior year of high school, I would tell myself to start developing "college-like" habits. Becoming independent has been a huge step for myself as a college student and learning what that meant has been one of the greatest yet most rewarding challenges. While all my professors and ASU faculty ingeneral, do like to see their students succeed, there is a clear, visible difference from college professors to high school teachers. Keeping myself on track with homework, assignments, projects and due dates is something that is extremely important and in college professors are not there to constantly remind you to do your work like high school teachers are. I would tell myself to begin preparing for what it truly means to be an active, engaged college student by holding myself accountable rather than letting someone do it for me until it was not possible for them to do so. I would tell myself to imintate healthy school habits that have worked for me in the past and practice them regularly in school and the real world.

I have yet to make it through a day without cursing the past me, the high school version. If I had just put in the time and effort during high school, then I would have made college life so much easier. The first step that I would take would be convincing myself that school is not that hard. The key to exceeding high school and having a successful future in college is to not take my classes for granted. Rather than complain that there is too much work for students, I should have used the vast amounts of resources that schools offer whether it's the teachers hosting study sessions or using the library for projects. And the most important advice that I could offer myself, is to apply for scholarships rather than wait for them to come to me. There are so many scholarships that go unused every year, and the only thing keeping me from getting some of that free money is a simple essay most of the time. So if I had the ability to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would prove to myself that hardwork is the key to being successful.

I would go back in time and tell myself to get used to studying. Being a high school student that never studied for any class it was hard to transition into having to study in order to get good grades. Also coming across the country and changing time zones I thought 9am classes were going to be easy to get up for. No. Once you adjust its like waking up for 9am in your original time zone. Other than that I would tell myself to stay calm because college is as hard as you make it. If you set up a bad schedule or take too many hard classes you are not going to enjoy that semester and you are going to stress yourself out. Take it easy the first semester so the transistion is not as rough. Also do not worry about making friends, someone you thought was cool first semester might not be so cool next. So worry about what you are going to school for and the good friends will come and stick around for the upcoming semesters just like they in high school.

If I could talk with my high school self I would tell her to be a weirdo instead of a popular kid. Forget about everything that you think is important and stop worrying about friends, boys, and social engagements. It doesn’t matter who you date, what parties you attend, or how many people like you. Once you get out of high school all of that background noise fades away and you are left with the aftermath of whatever decisions you made in high school. In high school it seems like the captian of the football team and the head cheerleader are set up for the rest of their lives. They are popular, they attend every important social event, and people talk about them all the time. Little do you know that they both peaked in high school and end up reliving these golden years rather than becoming uber successful adults. Can you guess which kids from high school did become the uber successful adults? The weirdoes and geeks that spent their time at home studying and did activities that other people thought were lame and uncool. They knew who they were then and they know how they are now.

Apply for all scholarships that you can, even if you think they don't apply to you. If you don't, you'll be forced to get a student loan, which is no fun to have to pay for right after you get out of college. Find an internship or job (off campus or not) to help with your resume and just help yourself financially. Get involved in community service and clubs early on. When doing school work, pour yourself into it, fun will always come later. Go to community college first, it's cheaper and you can finish your general education requirements there, then transfer over to a larger university. The larger university is always expensive and has hidden fees, so be sure to save up money and earn as much as you can.

Advising myself would greatly improve my effectiveness in the transition to college but to the question of what i would say, I would speak about the importantance of goal setting. Learning about how to set goals has greatly improved my ability to go from making baby steps in learning to makeing great leaps and strides to further my own understand of the world around me. It would allow me to truely see what i was worth only but a few years ago. As I graduated from high school i had the opportunity to serve a mission for my church which included moving to a foreign country and learning the language there. I was required to learn Japanese and through the prosess of learning Japanese i learned that if you have a goal that i can reach for then it greatly increases my ability to preform and to learn and grow. If i was to understand the importantance of this earlier on in life i feel that i would have begun to stretch myself much further during the past few years. That is what i feel would most benifit me to hear as a senior in high school.

There are a million things that I ran into as a high school senior and not knowing what I would get myself into. I would change the way I viewed college originally and know that it would be a pathway for the rest of my life. As a high school senior I did not have the right state of mind and thought college was needed because it was a social norm, a pathway to friendship. It took an entire year for my self-realization that I needed this in order to succeed in life. The most difficult hardship is planning for your financial stability. Every student talks about their struggle with finances but facing it first hand is the hardest thing you have to go through. Going back as a high school senior I would budget wisely rather than spending on items that marketing geniuses knew would be needed in my mind. In the end, I can’t go back and change anything but my last bit of advice would be to stay focused. No matter what happens in life, no matter what anyone can say, to always stay focuses until the end.

I would tell my younger self to not quit school no matter how tough it gets, because it will be so much tougher to finish a degree as an older adult than as a younger college student fresh out of high school.

The advise I would give myself about college is to find something that you will really enjoy and what will give you a good quality of life. Also, to be better prepared for classes and study harder. In addition, I would suggest to take different courses to better help open more opportunities such as a grant writing course. It is also important to have fun and do things that will give you great memories and experiences.

1. Call home more often. You may not miss mom in the beginning, but you will soon. And she can't hold you while you cry when you're halfway across the United States. 2. Don't let a boy define you. He won't ever feel the same for you, and your grades will suffer because you cared too much about him. 3. Bond more with your roommate. When you cried because that boy broke your heart, she was there for you. Where were you when she needed you? 4. Spend more time alone with yourself. Take some time away from your friends, because when you first try to distance yourself from them, it'll feel like a knife stabbing you repeatedly. When you get over your fear of being alone, you'll be happy because you can relax and be yourself. 5. Sit down and really think about your major. Don't think about what your best friend is doing. Think about what you've had a passion for your whole life. Life's not about earning a bunch of money. Follow your dream, not your bank account. Money doesn't matter when you're dead.

Please make sure to grasp every positive opportunity thrown your way. You will learn so much from the negative and positive aspects but it is up to you to let the positive overcome the negative. Only you can make your mature decisions in life nad the first step is to make sure you are going to school for YOU. you are paying for this opportunity to make a difference in the world and to lose yourself then discover yourself little by little every year. Do not be afraid when you do lose yourself because pain is just a simple compromise and it will all be worth it in the end when you love the new and ever- changing you. Do not let others bring you down because the only thing you can do is push forward for yourself. Make sure you make as many TRUE friends/loves and learn to grow from them. Be the young woman you desire and dress the way you desire. Who gives a shit if someone looked at you for wearing platform shoes and having grey ombre hair. You better make sure to follow your dreams and mean it.

I have only a few words to sum up everything. (1) Never give up regardless of what the current situation or events are telling you. (2) envision your future and appreciate the journey that it will take to get there (good or bad). Lastly, (3) if someone says you cannot do something, show them why you can and not prove to them why you won't. Can't and won't are two different things and both are decisions you make. We have a choice (won't) not a boundary or restriction (can't).

Make sure to keep your head on straight. After high school you are in the real world, you have to make decisions that will impact your life. Get a job in high school and start to save for college. It is crucial that you save so that you do not put yourself in a situation where you are indebt. Do some self discovery in high school and see what you want to do as a career option. There is no point to go to college unless you know what degree you want to pursue. The final advice I have for myself is that it doesn't matter what anyone else does as long as you stay focused and find what you are truely passionate about.

I would advise myself not to worry, to work hard (and work smart) and to try new things and experiences whenever the opportunities presented themselves. I would reinforce that there is no value in living a life full of regrets. I would tell myself that in helping others, I would be able to help myself in more ways than I ever thought possible and that doing a little bit of good can and will go a long way. I would tell myself that the glass is not halfway full, but nearly spilling over the brim, and that there can always be silver, gold and platinum linings to any and all situations. I would tell myself to trust my gut, and that making mistakes (while sometime agonizing) can be the most effective and impactful ways of learning and growing. I would remind myself that when I feel nervous, it means I care. I would tell myself to work on making courage and compassion my strongest traits. I would not panic myself into thinking I wouldn't live a full life, but rather encourage myself to keep a balance of healthy logic, an open heart and open mind in all circumstances.

Dear Senior High School self,You did pretty well. But, you messed up on just one thing, the textbooks. Never have I appreciated high school more than when I saw my textbooks’ bill, a whopping total of $341.75. It scared the living daylights out of me, and I almost cried when I learned that all of those new books could not be bought back, or if they could be, only for a maximum of $10. After that wonderful incident I became textbook paranoid. For the next semester I sent emails to all my future professors two weeks before the booklists were released asking what books I would need. The result, a textbook bill of $153.66 with all the books being used, and mostly rented. If I did not need any of the books I could still return them until a week after classes began, plenty of time to look at the syllabus. It is almost $200 lighter than the previous bill, and I would not have to worry about selling back books. So, go enjoy your free high school textbooks, and just remember to buy your college ones as early as possible.With love,Your Freshman College self

Hey bro, you made the right decision of attending Arizona State University. First of all, apply to more SCHOLARSHIPS!!! You will need the money to continue your education. Gain as much knowledge you can from High School because it is the stepping stone to College. Make your math class your favorite too cause you will need it, you struggled in calculus class up here in college. You will be just fine in college, you will miss your family but they will always be there for you. They are very proud of you. Have fun buddy :)

It's okay if you dont have the highest SAT, ACT, and AP scores on your tests, do what you can to get the credits that you need. Getting credits from a community college is just as effective as any AP score, don't feel like becasue you struggle to get a high AP score you're not smart enough. Fill out as many scholarships as you can and start saving up money so you won't have any financial issues to worry about as a freshman in college. Don't be so nervous about starting college; get involved and put yourself out there so you'll be able to make new friends and really enjoy yourself at college. The transition will be different from highschool but don't stress out too much, it's a new chapter in your life that you need to enjoy but you still need to take things seriosuly as these next 4 years in college will determine your future.

Apply for more scholarships. Plan ahead and budget. Enjoy every minute, because it goes by so fast. Try more different clubs, activities, and classes that you think you might find interesting. Cherish time with friends, because once everyone graduates, you'll all be busy with work, grad school, getting married, or having kids. Enjoy the light workload of undergrad, because grad school is so much more work. Do everything you're passionate about. Get to know people from your classes, clubs, etc. Know that this time in your life will be one of the most memorable.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would first of all stress the importance of doing what makes you happy despite what other people think. When you come to college, you see so many different kinds of people from so many places. You start to realize that everybody is just trying to become the person they want to be, and people aren't as focused on what you do as you thought they were. I spent a lot of time in high school worrying about what other people would think of me, whether that meant my friends, classmates, teachers, or even parents. I spent so much time trying to do what I thought was "right" in their eyes, and lost focus of what was really right for me. If I could go back, I would make sure that I made the decisions that I knew were best for me, despite what anyone else thought.

I would tell myself a few things. The first would be that high school me needs to develop serious study habbits. They are an integral part of both passing your classes and for getting the most out of your investment. None of that waiting until the day before stuff. Second, I would tell high school me not to be afraid. At one point my fears were poised to take over my entire life but now I know that fear only makes for future regrets. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Do not be afraid to engage your classmates in conversation. Do not be afraid to answer a question because you never know what the answer may yield. Don't be afraid, high school me. There is a big beautiful world out there and if you let fear overcome your curiosity that world will pass you by.

I would have submitted more scholarships. My parents are old school and will not let me borrow for my education or anything. They believe with doing without which makes things difficult daily. I might have gone to a two year college and lived at home to save money but I wanted to get out of my small town and experience city living and I wanted to be in the Honors College at ASU I worked so hard during my schooling and my parents prepared me since pre-school. I know I made the correct decisions and the education is wonderful. Study more and always be prepared

Don't stress yourself out with the small things in life. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems so spend more time with your family and stay focused in school. The rewards of doing well will outweigh the small trivial matters that you have to deal with when growing up.

I need to SLOW down and be realistic! I spent so much time my first year making up for what I thought was lost time in high school socializing and fretting over things that do not matter that I let a lot of actually important things slip through my fingers. Yes, college is hard, which I expected. However, the financial situation tends to get actually real after you experience what it's like to do well and not do well in the passing semesters. I would tell myself to not take things for granted, as this is an opportunity not a privledge. Socializing is wonderful, and working both on my academics and in the workforce are a must. Time management is absolute key and without that organizational skill, the pressure and stress will become too much! I do not need to do everything at once, but rather little bits and pieces of each world to balance my life.

As an adult student, it's been over 10 years since I attended high school and almost as long since I last attended college. I'm amazed at how little I understood about the college experience and the impact it would make on my career. As a first generation college student, I had very little mentorship on the importance of attending and how to ensure it would be financially affordable for me. Due to familial commitments and an overwhelming financial burden, my quest to attend a smaller school with more hands-on learning caused me to become underwater in debt and drop out. Now that I've resolved my debt and began to develop my career, my focus has been to finish my degree and provide mentorship to underprivileged kids in my community. My goal is to help them have a plan for college and access to programs to help them get there. The best knowledge I can impart is to set a plan to attend college early, choose a school that will be financially affordable to you, and focus on graduating in 4 years. Finally, pay it forward and stay involved in your community as you develop your career.

The advice I would give my high school self is to practise good study habits and stay on track with homework assignments. In college you are an adult and your grade is based on your own academic goals. The professors do not allow you to turn in late assignments and they do not remind you when things are due. I would tell my former self to practise studying for at least a half hour everynight to get in the habit. I will also tell my high school self to start networking early and figure out people who were going to the same college as me and majoring in the same subject that way right at the start of my first semester I would already have a connection.

Knowing what I know now about college, I’m not sure if there’s one specific thing I would try to give myself advice about. College life is so much different from what I was used to in high school... The first bit of advice I would give would have to do with dating. Going into my freshman year, I had been dating (and am still dating to this day) a boy who I was crazy about. I must have spent 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my time with my boyfriend, and the other 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} either by myself or with my roommate, who I didn’t even like all that much. Looking back, I would have told myself that Alex would understand if I chose to make new friends at intramural games or in study sessions, or even at parties; no one wants to be “that girl” who breaks up with her boyfriend and suddenly has no friends, right? Not that there’s anything wrong with spending some quality time together, it’s just that I wasn’t spending much quality time with anyone else, either.

I would tell the high school me to make decisions that will help me succeed in the long run. It doesn't matter how popular you are, how many friends you have, how many guys you date, how many parties you attend. Stay focused. Earn the best grades possible. Join as many organizations ans extracurricular activities as possible. Stay focused. Rack up multiples scholarships and grants. Try to choose a career that you'll still most likey be interested and invested in in 15+ years. Don't choose a college or university based on where your friends are going, which campuses have the best parties, or which ones have the best dorms. Stay focused. Don't let anyone convince you that your dreams are ridiculous, irrelevant, and unattainable. Surround yourself by optimists and people who have goals and make necessary steps towards achieving them. Don't worry about what others around you are doing, you determine your own future . Be yourself, believe in yourself, find yourself, define yourself, challenge yourself and humble yourself. Stay focused. Set both miniscule and tremendous goals. Never stop learning knew things. Don't be a product of negative environments. Prove the naysayers wrong.

High School Me, Please heed this advice: The most important thing you can do is to not dwell on what is wrong with your life, but rather dwell on the most compelling thing that you find wrong with the world around you. This attitude will help you to define what exactly you could specialize in to make Planet Earth a place you are proud to come from. If you are having trouble paying attention, you need to learn how to better speak to yourself. What I mean by that is - at this age, you are unlikely to heed advice from teachers/parents, thus, it is best if you clearly state "I need to do this essay, because I want to enjoy my life instead of wasting time, and then feeling like a failure later". When you feel down, do turn to fun and friends occasionally, but usually: floss your teeth! Run! Eat well. Fruits and vegetables grow to nourish us! The most important thing to remember, is to keep a master list of things you do not like. This is so you may easily identify what you love when the time comes to choose.

You may trust, but you must verify. Parents and educators want what's best for us, but college as a means of obtaining a better future must be approached like the investment it is. It will cost a lot of money and it will take time. Without parents to help you pay for school, or provide free housing, you must take advantage of financial aid especially the pell grants, and apply for many scholarships. Talk to guidance counselors, but make decisions after researching the information. Do not blindly trust them or let advisors enroll you in any class they please because they think you might need it. My folly was to leave my future up to others, trusting they were doing what's best for me. While it may have been their best intention, any mess ups along the way would be my fault since I gave them permission to do so. You must always take charge of your future; make plans, set goals, and strive to achieve them. Advice is given freely, so take it, but think on it before making a decision. Just because it's free doesn't mean you have to use it.

I graduated from high-school in 2000 and gave birth in 2001 to a beautiful girl. During high-school I thought I had all the time in the world to worry about college. I was intent on traveling and taking a break from school. Little did I know that life would happen and I would become a mother at the age of 18. I don't regret getting pregnant so young because my daughter is my entire world. I do, however, regret being so carefree when I was in high-school. Knowing what I know now, if I were to go back in time to offer myself some advice, it would most definitely be to keep my future in mind. I would tell myself to enjoy life and live in the present but also plan for college, look into scholarships and set money aside to be able to financially survive. I would also tell myself that while it will be difficult going college as a young single mother, it will be worth it. You don't want to be in your 30's attending school while juggling a full time job and a family. Stay focused and do your best.

Having the knowledge and experience I have now, I would tell myself as a high school senior to set goals and to manage my money. I would tell myself to use those goals as motivation through the semester and the year. I've realized that college can be overwhelming sometimes and make a student feel like giving up, but having set goals and realizing that your willing to spend the money it takes to fulfill those goals can really push someone to be all that they can be and to make their education worth every penny. If I could go back to my senior year I would have set these goals for myself in order to be more succesfull and organized in the future. I would have put money aside for my future and used that as a reward for my successs that was to come when I reached college. If I knew then what I know now I would have used the strategy of what I wanted my future to look like to push myself on the days I felt like I wasnt't going to make it. I'd tell myself to always look up; never give up!

If I could speak to my senior year self, I would say, "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing your best, now trust God." I often struggled with family and relationship problems and when it came to academics I never truly believed in myself, causing much stress and heartache. Now that I am at a place where I want to be, I try to remind myself that everything that God puts in my life is for my ultimate benefit. The good makes me happy, the bad makes me stronger, and it all makes me who I am.

During high school, especially my junior and senior years, I was too focused on trying to decide what I wanted to become. I felt I needed to decide what I was going to do for the rest of my life, STAT. It seemed like all of my peers already knew exactly where they were going and what they were doing. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that neither one of those things were ever true. It was a huge decision and a learning process. Even the brightest kids in class were worried about the impending transition. I would tell myself that becoming involved and seriously looking for scholarships were both way more important. I would tell myself to talk to more people and meet some of my future classmates. The world would not have ended if I had graduated high school without having decided whether I wanted to be a teacher or a novelist. I would also tell myself to relax, because it's easier to think that way. Come to think of it, I could still use that advice!

I would have told my senior self to start learning about banking and finances, and to have applied for more scholarships.

My advice to myself if I were a high school senior again is to take chances and be outgoing. I learned quickly after starting college that I would regret the decision to stay in my room instead of going out and being social. It is incredibly important to have a social outlet in college, because without this, you will get burnt out. It can be difficult at times to put yourself out there in a new social setting, but those difficult situations not only introduce you to new people, but they teach you social skills that you would not otherwise learn if you were sitting in your room watching a movie. The beginning two months of college will be challenging and stresfull because everything is new, but these first two months are the most important months in starting your college life because this is where you learn how to balance your social life with your academic life. This is where your study skills develop, as well as where you meet the peoplpe who will impact your life for the better. Make it count. There will be plenty of time in the future to watch movies. Go out and be social!

Try to get to know a few classmates really well in each class so you can study together or get notes from when you are absent. Also make sure to register for classes as soon as you are able to so you can get the classes you need

I would say plan your finances way in advanced so you can realize how much you'll be spending in college and how much debt your student loans will make you owe. Also look into all of your options, sometimes there are cheapers ways for classes, books, dorms, transportation, and social finances.

Your father is going to die your first semester in college. I was in shock from finding his lifeless body on my first week of college finals that I ended up failing two classes. I wish I could have told myself this back in time so I would have had the chance to say goodbye. Yet, leaving me was the best thing he ever taught me. Not only am I a first generation college student, but every semester since then I have made the Dean's list. If he could see me now, I know he would be proud, and that is how I give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} every day keeping this in mind.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would tell myself to have studied more and to orginize everthing I did. I know that college will be a hard time and I must be prepared to orginize everything I do there. Also, I would tell myself to do the greatest job possialbe as the future will come soon and the past will disappear.

All right, listen up. You may have people all around you telling you what they think you should do and what the best path in life for you will be. And I know it is hard because you are not even sure of what you want for yourself yet. You do not want to disappoint your family and you want to impress your friends by seeming sure of who you are, just like they seem to be. But that is only going to lead you to what they want in life. Different things motivate different people, and what you have to remind yourself of is what will make you happy in life. College is one of the most important times when you will discover the things in life that make you passionate. So get involved in as many things as possible and do not be afraid to take risks. No one ever said, "I got everything I wanted out of life because I sat on the couch and dreamed it would happen." Dreams are for those who are too scared to take the risks to make it their reality. And I want you to have a reality, not a dream.

Alex, college is going to hit you like a hurricane, and if you just sit around and take it as it comes then it will blow you over. You will miss the marvelous and beautiful storm that's going on around you. This is the first time in your life where your education is entirely your own. YOU choose when and how you learn. YOU dictate your destiny. It's here, now. From here on out, this is for you--not for Mom and Dad, not for Coach--so you better sit up and start self-motivating. You need to develop a winning mindset so that when those winds come at your back, you can use them to push you forward. It's not enough for you to seize the opportunities for success put in front of you--you've got to make opportunities for success. No one else is going to do this for you, and no moment that you let slip by is ever coming back. So pay attention: it's time to invest in yourself.

As you ponder your academic future, here are three key questions that you need to answer to truly be satisfied in life: 1) What is your inward calling? What is it that you have an inward desire and longing to do that gets you excited and that you are passionate about? 2) What is your outward calling? What are some things that the people you are closest to think you would be good and enjoy doing? 3) One you have identified your inward and outward calling, ask yourself "will these callings benefit the world around me?" A career that focuses on self (pride, fame, money, luxury) will never satisfy. However, a career that focuses on caring for and cultivating someting that is bigger and more important than yourself will actually bring you more joy and happiness than one based merely on self self-indulgence. The deepest of desires is to love. How can you love on the world around you? Your career should be something you desire and enjoy (inward calling), something supported by those who love you (outward calling), and something that is other-minded. Finally, take this time to cherish and serve the people around you.

As a high school senior in 2010, I had more than my share of lofty ideals and timid confusion about college. Though so much about college life is confusing and counter-intuitive, here in 2014 I know there are more than a few pieces of information I would have benefited from having back then. If I could advise my high school self about the next few years ahead of him, my most urgent suggestion would be: do your research. I learned the hard way not to attend a university that fails to match my needs. I chose my first university for all of the wrong reasons, without considering important things like what the school's retention rate and campus life are like, or if programs at other schools in my major of journalism were better. I spent so many hours during my freshman year wondering if I had made a bad decision; though I now happily attend Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, to make such an important choice without considering the other possibilities remains the most important tip I would advise my high school self, or any other high school senior, to avoid.

The most wise advise I could give myself as a high school senior is to embrace every opportunity that is given to you. If there is someone sitting by themself in class, go sit by them. College is the time to make new friends and meet diverse people. All you know is what your parents taught and open you up to. Never say no. If an opportunity arises that could give you experience in the career field you are interested in, take it. Even if this means that you will have to stay up until midnight every night finishing homework. If you want to get ahead, you need to be willing to put some things aside and work ten times harder than your peers. Becoming successful does not happen overnight, just as Rome was not built in one day. The ones who work hard to get an extra course in, or more than one internship, will have more experience before entering the workforce. This will only make your resume stronger when applying for that dream job you have always wanted. Stay calm, relax, and go with the flow. Stress and anxiety only holds you back from your full potential.

The advice I would give my self is to pursue what I want to do and not what will gaurantee me a job. I would also tell my self that I should do duel credits for the AP classes I took in highschool because that would have saved me time and money. Another thing I would do is give my high school senior self a good lecture on not to be lazy, start applying for scholarships and actually research the college your family is suggesting you go to, and dont let people discourage you from pursuing something that you want to do.

Looking back, hind sight is twenty- twenty, right? I would tell myself to follow your heart. The pressures of fellow classmates are not always in my best interest, and I am the most important person in my life at this point. I would tell myself to be selfish, and make the most of every given experiene. Looking back, I always wonder about all the missed oppurtunities. I would tell myself to take chances on friendships, and really be open minded to meeting new people. These people are the networks that are going to get you places once you graduate. I would remind myself to smile more, and take each semester one day at a time. Class, and the transition is so overwhelming, that a day by day outlook is the most rewarding way to get by. I would tell myself to be proud, and never forget how hard you worked to get here. Believe in yourself, and trust your family. Take lots of notes, and to always take a bannana from the dining hall.. (hey, they just throw them away at the end of the day anyways...) I would tell myself that it is all worth it.

I would tell myself to start focusing on math a lot more. I would say that worrying about others really is not important and to just do your best. Have more confidence in yourself and your abilities and study, study, study. I would say that as soon as you are done in the Navy to focus a more on school and less on having fun, but not too much.

I would urge myself to reconsider my choice to attend community college, and instead to attend a four-year university immediately after graduating high school. One popular view is that community college is a smart way to save money while pursuing an undergraduate education; lower level general-ed. type coursework is almost identical at community college and most four year universities. This is the common argument in favor of community college; and the one which persuaded me to follow that path. However, what the majority of community colleges do not offer is the college-experience. This often abused term represents to me the opportunity to explore, learn and grow through new experiences and is a benefit that though intangible, is invaluable to a truly successful academic career. The community college I attended was lacking in the kind of extracurricular activities that I feel might have helped me to be more successful, and in retrospect, I feel that the benefit of attending a four year university immediately after high school would greatly outweigh the added cost, and if possible I would advise myself as a high school senior to attend a four year university rather than community college after high school.

When I was a senior in high school, I had applied to one college, got in and called it good. That's the biggest advice I would give myself: apply for every school possible even though you got into one already. I would also tell my past self to work harder in track and cross country, I had and potentially still have the talent to run for ASU. However, because I won so many races, I assumed I was going to get a scholarship to run. My diet during the time was also not the greatest for someone trying to became a NCAA athlete. I would eat burgers and drink sodas during track meets. Had I eaten right, maybe I could be running for ASU.