Carroll University Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Simeon

Don't judge a book by its cover. Similarly, don't judge a college by the programs it offers. Meet the people and experience a day or two before you actually go there. Study what you decide to, not what you feel like studying. You will change your opinions several times over, so find your constants and stick to them. Make sure you never lose sight of your constants. Also, wherever you go, people will need you, so don't worry about trying to fit in.

Jess

Hey Jess! You're doing a great job taking all AP classes, they will really assist you with college level courses. Keep doing a great job and stay focused on your work , so you can pass the AP exams at the end of year and gain credits that go towards graduation credits. This will save you a ton of money on tuition. Stay positive and appreciate your free time, while you can. Once you are in college, your free time is limited, but it's actually fun studying, because you are taking courses that you want to take. I am so happy that you are taking AP Literature this year. You don't realize it now, but this course will help you in all of your classes, in college. You will be better equiped to write papers and have proper sentence patterns, use of verbiage and you are wise to be a "Grammar Natzi." Teachers will love your positive attitude and easy-going nature and will appreciate the help that you provide to others in your class. PS, be careful walking down the stairs, "don't text and walk" because you are sure to fracture your ankel! I love you.

Courtney

As a high school senior I did now know what to expect with the transition from high school to college. Now that I have had the experience for almost a year of college I have quite a bit of advice for incoming college freshman. Leaving home is hard, but it is important to remember that as you go throughout life your experiences will make you the person you are. It is important to get involved on campus because it will make you feel like you are at home. I would tell myself to not be afraid because in college it is up to you to make the most of your opportunities. Everyone starts fresh and goes to college so everyone feels the feelings that you do when you leave home for the first time. I would just tell myself to make the most of it because life goes fast and your experiences make you the person you are.

Ellen

The transition to college has been the biggest transition in my life so far. I have moved from one city to another in grade school which was a challenge for me but the transition to Carroll University has been an encounter I wish I knew more about coming in. If I could tell my high school one things, it would be to learn to not be so depended on others to find answers. In college, I have learned to do a lot on my own without the help of other. Although I have a great support system at Carroll University to go to for help, I have to motivate myself and figure out answers on my own. Most importantly though, I would congratulate my high school self for sticking to what she believes in and not conform to others and the poor choices they might make. In college, I am on my own to make smart decisions and I can stay strong in my beliefs because I build a sturdy foundation for myself and as a result, I am not conflicted when I have to make decisions for myself.

Dillon

If i could go back and talk to my younger self, I would give myself four tips I have learned over my years of college. I was never the best studier coming high school. The first and biggest tip I could give my younger self would be to get away from any distraction when doing homework. Go to quite area in the library. You will be able to focus better at the task at hand. The second tip would be to read the text book for every class even though you might here you don't have to, to be able to pass the class. By reading the book you will be able to get the little tricky questions the teacher throws in there. Its the difference of an 85 to 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} on the tests. The third tip would be to worry about yourself and not your friends. For example, stay in on some weekends to study. If they are your true friends they will be your friends stick with you through anything. The final tip is to have fun with everything you do. You only have this last little time left before you go out into the real world.

Jelena

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that there is no gold star for rushing through school. Therefore, I would tell my high school senior self to not rush through my college years and take my time instead of piling coursework upon coursework among myself and overwhelming myself tremendously. I would also tell my high school senior self to apply to as many scholarships as possible and get as much aid as possible, because trying to balane full time schoolwork with working is very hard.

camille

The best thing you can look for is the level of education you can receive, while making the best friends you can.

Sabrina

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I made it. All the hard work that was put in throughout the high school years finally paid off. I would say that college life is a lot of fun and it should not be wasted. Do not spend too much time worrying about what your old high school friends are doing because you are in a whole new world now. You can discover who you are as a person and who you want to be in the future!

Katie

Dear me! Congratulations you are headed to college! There are some tips I would like to share with you. Do your homework! There is a lot of parties, activites, etc. but do your homework, study, and you will do well in your classes. Also get involved! Find something your love and stick with it. There are tons of activities with all clubs and looks great on a resume! Lastly I would say WORK OUT! The freshman 15 is real. This will be the last time in your life that you have a free membership to a gym, USE IT! There are tons of classes, gyms, pool, etc. Eat from the salad bar once and a while. Take care of yourself and stay healthy!

Ashley

When I was a senior in high school all I could think about was college. I was excited for it to start, but at the same time I was scared. I was scared I was not going to make friends, do well in school, and because for the first time in my life I was going to be on my own. I wish someone would have told me not to be scared because there is nothing to be scared of. So, the advice I would have given myself would have been to not be scared. I learned that you have to take everything one step at a time. It is like a puzzle. During my senior year the puzzle was not started because I was so scared, but throughout my first semester at college the puzzle was completed. I wish someone would have told me that it was like a puzzle and that everything would fall into place. Maybe then I would have not been so scared of college. Overall the biggest piece of advice that I would have told myself is to remember the journey is like a puzzle and not to worry because everything will eventually come together.

Samantha

I would tell my self to take as many summer hours, and applay for as many scholarships as I could to make money so I do not have to worry about paying for college. I would also tell myself that I should dress, and act like myself, and not stay so quiet. You are only around your classmates for about hours a week and only for one semester. I doesn't matter what they think all that matters is that you feel good about yourself.

Abigail

I would tell myself to that balance is key. I am a student athlete at Carroll and it was a little overwhelming at first. I not only had to balance school and all of the free time that I had but also practice and the demands of running at a collegiate level. Also I would tell myself that studying gets taken to a very differnt level in college. Craming the night before will not get you very far. Exams are difficult and studying atleast a week before is needed to suceed. The first two weeks are rough, because everything is new, but it does get better and the friendships you make in college will last a lifetime. Finally, I think that you have to come into college with an open mind because there will be alot of people who are different from you, and learning to accept that fact can be hard but once you do, a person can be introduced to so many different things and people.

Marcus

Many people would love the opportunity to go back in time. If given the opportunity to talk to myself as a high school senior, the #1 advice I would tell myself would be to get more organized and serious about my future. I knew I would be going away to college, but in my mind, I thought it would be like spending the night away from home for a few days. Wrong! This experience has taught me how to be more organized and accountable for my actions, something I didn't always do in high school. If I didn't complete my work, I knew I had until the last day of the semester to submit missing work. It's not like that in college. Another piece of advice I would give myself is to develop good study habits. I recall staying up until 1a.m. cramming for a test or not doing my work all together. This is definitely something I do not recommend as a college student. All in all, this experience has been an eye opener for me and I look forward to taking full advantage of this experience.

Laura

I would let myself know that, although college is a whole other game than high school, don't be in such a rush to experience everything. I've only been here a year and a half and it is flying by! Don't be afraid to do something spontaneous, to stay in one night, or to be smart and study ahead. You're number one priority in college is the education your parents are so unbelievably kind enough to pay for, do not waste that opportunity; but at the same time don't be afraid to do things on weekdays, you will never be able to when you're old with chlidren and responsibilities. Be young, be smart, be sassy, be the strong, independent girl you were raised to be. Make people PROUD (including yourself).

Emily

I would tell my high school self to sit down and study because education DOES matter. Just because it's your senior year doesn't mean that it's okay to slack even if it's for work. Yes, working to get money is important but it's not the end of the world. Working three days a week until two in the morning and the other four until ten at night is not a good thing to do. You need sleep and to study for those tests. AP testing was important and you blew it because you thought work should come first. Also think twice before you quit a job because you left the wrong one.

Stephanie

Make sure to have enough money saved for college before it actually starts.

Anna

Try your hardest and never give up on something just because someone thinks you can't do, prove them wrong and do your best. Don't worry what people think about you just do what you think will be best for you in the long run.

Kukuhla

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself not to have stressed so much. When I applied for colleges, I was so stressed, thinking that after high school, that this would be it. I was scared to think that deciding which college to go to would be the first major decision of a lifetime and that I would fail at that choice just as I would fail at the coursework in college. It may just have been a few weeks in college, but I would tell myself that so far, the decisions made are not ones to regret. If there was one decision that I regret, it would be not applying for the dorms sooner. As I only live 30 minutes away from campus, I thought I wouldn’t miss much. Moving away from home worried me as I didn’t think I would know what to do if I messed up without my parents to help me. I would tell myself that my parents are only thirty minutes and a phone call away. Living on campus is a great and fun way to get involved.

Jennifer

To stay focus on education,and there will be always time my friends and fun. Alway put your educaton first. pace yourself and take the time to figure out what career path you would like to take.

Alyssa

Life is full of taking opportunities and making changes that allow us to grow as a person and become stronger. Having completed my first year of college I know the advice I wish I would have known as a high school senior preparing for college. I would say don’t be afraid. I would tell myself I can do whatever I want to do and should not be hesitant to strive for my dreams. Changes in our life, including college, allow us to choose whether or not we want to be fearless. Don’t hold back on what you think you cannot do because anything is possible as long as you believe and work hard. I would also tell myself that self-forgiveness will be a great part of your life. Allow yourself to start over and give yourself chances to do so in reaching your goals and dreams. College life teaches you about yourself and will help shape you into the strong person that is waiting in the future. I would say that you don’t have to have it all figured out in order to move forward. Strive for your dreams and don’t live with regrets.

Nicole

Thinking of what I would tell my high school self, there is so much I could say. Don’t sweat stuff that brings you down, like boys who say no to dancing or people who don’t appreciate your art. When people tell you something is impossible, do it anyway and prove them wrong. I’d tell myself to keep up the strong academics—you can be valedictorian, and you’ll need those scholarships and study skills for college. I’d say it’s okay to be friends with everyone, but don’t be afraid of clinging to friends who truly love you for you—they’re the ones who stand beside you no matter what. Sometimes friends you thought would be there forever aren’t, and those you thought would disappear leave the biggest mark on your life. Don’t count anyone out. As for yourself, stay strong. Make decisions for yourself. Be who you want to be. But the most important piece of advice I would give myself is this: don’t change a thing on my account, because the mistakes you make in high school made you who you are today, and you’re not so bad.

Rachel

I would say: Rachel, being an adult is hard, but you always knew that. What you didn't know is that it's really only difficult if you don't relax every now and then. Take everything in stride, and complete obligations early on. Begin looking for opportunities (like shadowing) as early as possible because they can be pretty difficult to find. While I know you find relationships to be important, YOU are much more important. Adulthood is a time of self-discovery, so don't be afraid to not help others for 5 minutes every now and then so you can think about yourself. Really, there is a lot of advice I would want to give. Lots of warnings, but the most important one out of everything is: everything will work out for the best. No matter what decisions are made, if past-Rachel's path differs after speaking to her, the future will still be bright. I'd tell her that she will be able to handle anything that comes her way, and that she should believe in herself more. Take everything in stride, I'd say, because you'll be okay no matter what.

Ashley

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself not to slack off during my last year and to apply for every scholarship I could find. My family does not make the best money and are unable to help me pay for school. Therefore, I wish I would have known how grueling the financial aid process can be. If i would have known that, I more than likely wouldn't be going into my second year of college already fifteen thousand dollars in debt. I would also tell my high school self to enjoy that last year of high school. I feel like I was always dreading for it to end and now I feel that I took my last year of high school for granted. That is what I would tell myself, if I had the opportunity to go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school.

Elizabeth

Using free times after completing the final examination at high school level should be focused on collecting information of various kind of colleges, especially that suit to the future goal that so close to everyone's talent. If it were possible, talk to the family (parents) in order to set a time for a possible campus visit, meet to the counselors and look around various things that may encourage to the process of personality building in the midst of professional guidance with the on-site concept of learning to be a mature person, where living examples have proven directly in every day life style

Ashley

Dear Ashley, College is really scary. It's really hard to be away from all of your siblings and parents. Just remember they are a phone call away! Also try to budget your money more... you are a poor college student and can't afford to get your ears pierced every other week or that frapuccino at Starbucks. Be more social. Just introduce yourself and start asking them questions. If you are confident people will flock to you, so just be yourself. Don't be suprised when you lose or make new friends. Some people come into your life as a blessing and others as lessons. Everything happens for a GOOD reason... Inhale the future, exhale the past. You can't change what already happened, so focus on what you need to get done and do it! Sincerely, Future Ashley

Emma

The advice that I would give my younger self is advice that everyone has received; just be yourself. When I was getting ready to head off to the big world of college I was leaving my high school behind and as a consequence, my high school friends as well. I was a bundle of nerves moving into a new world. Not only was I anxious about the difficult classes, but also meeting new people and whether or not I would be liked. However, looking back on my experience I was silly for being nervous. College is a place where you make friends that last a life time and I decided that I wanted these friends to know the real me. I did not change myself or go against my morals to be liked by my peers. At first I was nervous that this would result in few friends for Emma but I quickly found out that people respected my decisions and accepted me for me. I was simply myself, and that was the best thing to be.

Ashley

If I could go back in time, I would tell my high school senior self to start saving money, stay on top of scholarship deadlines and explore all options of every college/university looked at. When exploring college options I looked at prices and never thought much of it, now as I struggle to pay for college every month I look back and realize that I never put into perspective what I was getting myself into. With no financial help from my parents and not interested in taking out loans I needed to (and still need to) exhaust every financial aid avenue I could find. However, I pushed off scholarships and did not really grasp that I would need to pay a significant amount of money every month in order to pursue my education. Not staying on top of things will put you behind significantly so do not take finances lightly. Also, when exploring a college make sure you understand all aspects of a university and how the faculty can help you. Ask questions about everything, know where and how to get involved, understand academic requirements and ask how the experience has been for fellow students.

Genesis

Hi, I am you in one year, and let me tell you that there is much you do not know about going to college, but do not worry I am going to give you some advise that is sure to help you in making the transition easier. The first thing is that you will struggle in math if you do not seek for extra help from teachers in high school, because if you do not seek for help now you will have to pay for extra classes in college and that will upset you very much. I know you think that college is a second chance and, it is but much of what you learn in high school is applied in college classes. One more thing do not get confused in what path to take for becoming a dentist. It is essential for you to ask your advisors when you are not sure on what classes to take. The path you need to take is associate in science. Do not let your pass discourage you. Good luck and always keep a positive mind never be scared to ask when you need help and apply for scholarships you will need it.

Brittany

" College is a Balancing Act" Once you enter the world of college you will not want to go back to high school. The college life goes by your schedule; you get to pick when your classes are and which professors you want. With this comes a lot more responsibilty, however. It is up to you to go to class, turn your homework in, and do well on your exams. Professors will not hound you to hand in assignments like high school teachers did. While, in general, professors do care how well you do it is not their job to ensure that you are doing everything you can be. You need the initiative to obtain help from tutors and ask professors for clarification. Also, you have an excess amount of free time during college. Classes do not run from 7:00am-3:00pm anymore. You need to make good use of your time. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Make new friends and experience crazy things. If you do not get out of the books, you will have a breakdown. College makes you learn to relax. Keep in mind though that you are there for one purpose: to get an education.

Justin

I would tell myself to choose this University rather than attend a Technical College to purse a degree in Marketing. I spent a good amount of time getting a degree that I don't want to have a career in but eventually found what I want to do. Some people don't know what they want to do when they graduate high school, however, knowing what I know now I would have been able to save a lot of time and a lot of money and could have graduated from this school with a four year degree and possibly even a career as well. Sometimes it takes a long time to figure something out and sometimes that extra time is needed. However, if I had the opportunity to do so, I would have told myself to take my time in deciding what I wanted to do in life and not to rush any decisions.

Yvonne

My advise to myself as a high school senior would be to not quit attending school. Education is something no-one can take away from you. Once you stop attending school, you get caught up in every day life. Get a "job" not a career, start acquiring bills, having babies, mortgages. When you get caught up in "Life" its very hard to just stop and pick up where you should have never left off. It's very hard to go back to school after "life" starts happening. Being out of school for many years before returning may take extra studying. You tend to forget some of the rules of math after awhile. Don't use it, you loose it. I regret not listening to my parents about staying in school. I am now, 26 yrs later beginning my college education. It's hard! There is a trade off for everything.

shannon

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I would encourage myself to concentrate on education instead of fun stuff. I would let myself know how hard college can be and that there are not as many people holding out their hands to help. In college you have to self relient, responsible, and organized, I would also tell myself to work hard because college is expensive and you do not get another chance to retake things without paying for it. I would say being in college and being an adult are hard but dont give up just keep going. Get the good grades, be a good student because what you learn in college will affect your life. Getting the good job, making the money is important to your future so do your best, its well worth it in the end.

Brian

Going back I would definitley encourage myself to participate in more speeches and class discussions as this builds confidence not only in your speaking skills, but also how you view your potential abilities in applying your knowledge from what you learned in school to other students or professional workers. I was able to work as a voulenteer in our school's writing center as well as being a captain for our swim team. Both roles required allowing yourself to step a little outside my comfrot zone, verbalizing my thoughts and ideas to colaborate with all members of the team and students with different ability levels of how to write. As much as this helped, I would have prefered to have had more opportunities to speak to larger groups.

Emily

If I could go back in time and do this whole thing over again, I would definitely tell myself to look at other options, both college and career. If I could go back, I'm not sure I would still come to Carroll. I took the easy way out and picked a field that was more of a hobby at the time just because I knew it would be easy and because I was good at it. Looking back, I should have done more research on other career options to get the best job. I would probably also tell myself to save money earlier than I did as college is very expensive, both the school and livng expenses. Not only that but I would tell myself to look for books on cheaper websites in order to save some money rather than going directly to the school bookstore.

Stephanie

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would tell myself a few things about college. First, being to stay on top of class work. There is a lot more work to be done in college than there was in high school. Also when they say you should be studying 2 hours for every 1 hour you have of class they mean it. They next thing I would tell myself is to not get over involved too quickly. Find a few things and slowly get into them. I am very involved on campus, I help run our radio station, I work on campus, and I'm an active member of Alpha Xi Delta, but I wish I would have gotten involved slower in order to ease into them. I would have also told myself to not worry if Carroll was the right pick because it was. That's exactly what I would tell my high school self about college.

Oscar

-Eat the fish and throw the bones out: when it comes to problems don't worry because there is a definite way of resolving everything. -When it comes to procrastinating the best solution is to plan ahead. Count the amount of days you'll have and cut the assignment into the bits and pieces you can take care of to have it ready for the final day it is due. -Music kills your concentration, so have enough love for music to stop listening to it when you study. Don't waste your time trying to choose what music to listen and finally end up not studying at all. -Talk to as many people as possible when you get to college. Everyone's friends usually drift away after high school and it is really good for assignments or to have someone to talk to. Keep in touch with some teachers because they will be some help.

Emily

If I had the opportunity to go back and give my old-self adive it would be regarding study habits. Lets be honest, in high school you could get by with studying the night before or maybe not even studying at all. Everyone gave me the warning, "It won't be like this in College" looking back I regret not listening to them. My freshman year was a true wake-up call. It was in biology human anatomy and physiology sitting in lecture as our professor hands back our first exam. I thought I did fairly well on the exam and thought I had put forth the right amount of effort. I was wrong, I got the exam back and received a ''D." Low and behold I was not satisfied with this, something needed to change. From there I scheduled a meeting with my professor where we chatted about my study patterns. I had a lack of a "study schedule" and we both worked together to develop the best plan for me. It consisted of pre-reading the chapter prior to lecture, re-writing notes, and labeling diagrams. From there on I was able to develop more successful studying patterns!

katie

I would tell myself to get more involved my freshman year and make as many friends as possible, because it becomes more difficult to do those things as you get older. Also I would say do not procrastinate, when you have free time get started on work, because it will compile when you least expect it too. Lastly go and party once and a while, it is ok to have a little fun now and then, but be smart about it!

Gretta

Congrats for surviving life so far! Take this opportunity to remove yourself from what you know life to be. Realize that there is a world that offers much more than anyone has let you see. Attend a university maybe out of state or take that volleyball opportunity. Study abroad is a must, this will provide experiences that will change your life and help shape you into a beautiful, cultured woman. Study hard but enjoy the college experience. Gain relationships that will last a lifetime; that best friend most find in college, you will want later in life. Seek assistance when needed, remember everyone starts out with an empty toolbox for life, getting help and learning lessons is how you fill that toolbox to use throughout life. Don't let anyone sway what you're thinking or influence your decisons, only you have to live with those choices. The baby you have, love her like it's your last day everyday. She is special, learn about Autism, this will help too! Life brings angels some stay a short time, some forever. No matter what, listen to your heart and follow your dreams. The only person that can stop you is you.

Lauren

If I could go back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior I would have told myself to prepare more fully for the hugh financial burdens that achieving a college education can create. Apply for every scholarship you can and consider putting money towards paying off the interest on your student loans. Conversely, on a less practical note, I would tell myself to embrace every social opportunity that college has to offer. Don't work so much; have more fun and try new things. Start writing that novel that you have always wanted to write. Join new clubs. Volunteer in new societies. Join those fitness classes that you always wanted to try. And finally, make sure that you do not lose touch with the important people in your life. Throughout my college career, I became overly absorbed in my academic career and did not make time for a very important person in my life, a second mom of sorts. This woman later developed an aggressive form of leukemia and she passed away three months ago. I did not spend the kind of time that I should have with her and I regret that deeply.

Cassandra

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I wouldn't tell myself anything. This may sound odd to some but I look at life as an adventure. The beauty of life is that you never know what is coming; it may be something painful or something uplifting but regardless of the experience everthing that has happened in my life since I was eighteen has lead me to be the person I am today. I wouldn't want to go back and warn myself or guide myself any differently because that could have changed who I am now and who I was the first year of college. I learned in the transition to college that the people who love you most in life will always be there and that I am more independent than I ever gave myself credit for. However, I wouldn't give any advice to myself , instead I would just live the adventure of life.

Cabrina

What are you thinking about that hair? Oh, well! I have come from the future, Cabrina, to give you some advice. Work your butt off in the summer and save a lot of money. That way you won't have to work 2 jobs while you are in school. Your school work will suffer. Also, don't change your major because you dad wants you to make more money. You already know you want to be a teacher, so do what you love. You are smart, loved, and capable of great things. Wait, why am I telling you this? No, forget I said anything. I love my life in the future. If I tell you to change things, it could change the future. I might not appreciate my education as much as I do now. I might not have learned lessons about saving money. So I change my mind, past Cabrina. Mistakes are meant to be made and lessons are meant to be learned. From those lessons you will be a great person who will do great things. So go on, make those mistakes and be proud of who you are. Also, get your hair cut!

Alexis

If I could go back in time, I think I would tell my high school self to constantly remind yourself of your priorities. My freshman year was such an amazing learning experience; I learned to be independent and focus on myself. However, with this independence came more responsibility. While I still earned good grades and made the dean’s list, I think I could have pushed myself harder academically. I lost sense of my academics at times, and this was certainly my biggest downfall. Students must realize what is most important, and always prioritize accordingly. Additionally, I would tell incoming freshman to fully embrace the change; to be flexible, to meet as many people as possible, and to let yourself grow. Incoming freshman should know that freshman year can be one of the greatest learning experiences of your lives, if you just embrace it.

Christopher

I enjoy being an education major and helping mold the world’s future leaders, but sometimes I think I would have liked to pursue different careers. I could see myself as a medical doctor, lawyer, or dentist. If I could get one do over I would research more careers instead of being set on a specific one my entire life. I would select three to five careers I could see myself enjoying and shadow people in those fields for at least two years. By shadowing and asking questions I could see what each job has to offer and if it is something I could see myself doing every day. After choosing a field I would research top schools for the field and try to attend those colleges. If I had chosen this path I would have had more assurance of my career choice instead of pondering what different careers are like and if I would have enjoyed them more.

Kira

If I could talk to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to have confidence in myself and my abilities. I entered college shy and unsure of myself and have since then developed my self-confidence and I feel it has positively impacted my life. I would tell my past self that you will find a group of friends who will embrace and accept you for the person you are and will become, and all you have to do is be yourself. Don't change for expectations or because you feel it will help you be more social. Your friends and peers will like you for who you are, not who you feel you should be. Embrace the person you are and don't be afraid to express yourself. Your new friends will look beyond the imperfections you feel you possess and will help you to do the same. Their friendship and love will open a new chapter in your life where you learn to love yourself and what you are capable of. Not everything in college will be easy nor will it be fun but your friends will help you make it through.

Angel

I would go back in time and tell myself to study up more on the mathematics side. As a biochemistry major, I had to take physical chemistry as a requirment. Had I mastered calculus at an earlier stage, I know p-chem would not have been as difficult. I would tell myself to be more friendly and more receptive to people. As a commuter, I don't have as many friends when compared to people who live on campus. However, the friends I do have I would never trade for anything in this world. I would advise myself to take the opportunity to be more involved in campus events. To take some time to relax and enjoy life. My choice of career has led to high-stress situations but the key is to not worry about getting the perfect grade. I would tell myself this, that as long as you strived your hardest and gave it your all, you should never be ashamed of what grade you get. What matters in the end is what you learned as a result, not some letter grade. Exeperiences matter more than grades and it took me this long to figure it out.

Lindsay

Lindsay, I know you don't like school but I also know that you want to succeed. I know you just want to get a job and start working and quit school but that's not the best option for you. You need to go to school and get a degree so by the time your 23 you'll already have your degree and be out in the workforce with that degree. Experience is big but education is bigger, and you'll have experience with the Culinary Arts by the time you graduate from school with all the hands on learning you'll do. So from a money standpoint you can drop out now like you want to start earning money now. Or you can continue in your education and go to college for your degree and be making so much more than you could without a degree at the age of 23. It's worth it, believe me!

Taylor

Just because you don't see the lines dividing down the road does not mean that you have taken a wrong turn. You don't always know where you are, but that picture perfect image in your head of where you want to be just might be enough to guide you. On the way there, people will offer help when you need it, but many more will only have kindness and empathy to offer in the light of your misfortunes. My golden piece of advice to any all who seek answers: You can onl reach as far as you aspire to reach, and you can only aspire to reach as far as you can realistically fathom. Never set your expectations too high, and never set you priorities too low. Accept help when you need it, but do not forget that it iis your initiative that acts as a catalyst on your day's and your life's experiences. Be strong enough to blaze your own trail and to navigate your way throughout life's obstacles, but also be sensibile enough to know when to make exceptions and when to make sacrifice, and above all, when to trust your initiative instinct.

Tawny

Being as though I am a mother and a wife now. I would have encouraged myself to attend school earlier in life. It has become extremely hard to juggle college, children, a job and a relationship. I have fought for my career this far and I am not giving up. I am too close. Back in high school I would have told myself to get into school earlier in life. However, now I am setting a great example for my children to hold tight and keep moving forward.

Matthew

The main point that I would give advice to my high school self is to be open to changes because you never know what will happen with life. I would tell my self not to be set on a major because you might take classes in that major or find out more information about the major and find out that it is not a good choice for you. I would also tell my self to choose a major based off a combination of what you love doing and what class you enjoyed most through out school. I would also tell myself to be open to finding new friendships, even if they are people that you would not hang out with in high school. I would tell myself that going to parties and drinking is not all as hyped as it really is and that he should save his money and not waste it on alcohol because in college you may find the love of your life and get married before you are done with college. To wrap up my advice, I would conclude with that you will learn alot about yourself by jsut being open to new ideas.