Ferris State University Top Questions

I would tell myself that it is completely okay to not be certain of the future. Being in high school, you think you know what you want until you move into a world of possibilities, where you are not sure of what you truly want. To my future self, I would also like to say that college gives you the chance to start over fresh, and make a new life. No gimmicks, no judgement, nothing but you and what you are capable of. The sky is the limit, and you're just getting started. Sure, rough times are ahead but it will make you a stronger person than you were yesterday, a week ago, a month ago, a year ago..it will make you stronger. So, do not decide what you want right away, give it time and let things happen; there is no need to rush a good thing when it is bound to happen. Yes, it will be hard being away from Mom and Dad, but they never leave, they are always with you. So go ahead, become and grow into your true self, but most importantly, have fun and enjoy Ferris State University.

College was by far the biggest transition I have ever been forced to make. If I could go back I would tell myself to get more involved in the commuinty and on campus events. I did not attend one school event, not including sports, until my second semester when I had to volunteer for an event in one of my classes. The event was cleaning up the community and helping some older folks in town with some of their yard work. I was always so caught up in my social life that it never occurred to me how rewarding something like this would be. Not only did I feel great for helping in the community and giving back, I met so many new friends that I never would have met if I didn't volunteer. I realized that giving back was such a rewarding thing and it was awesome to get to know new people. I also attended my school's youth group the last month and absolutely loved it. I realized how much I missed out on and how many opportunities were available and it is safe to say I will be a lot more involved this coming year.

Advice I would give my high school self might start with a bit of encouragement. Advice such as “Keep your head up and keep putting your best foot forward” and “Hard work pays off.” After a bit of encouragement, I might tell myself that a transition to college was everything I dreamed it would be. A true sense of freedom settled over me during the transition to college. Freedom to pick my own classes and times, freedom of when and where I complete my homework, and a freedom to get up whenever I want. For practical advice I would say penny pinch. I would classify myself as fugal, but really press penny pinching during high school. Advice might be “Going to the movies is overrated and overpriced” or “That shirt really isn’t worth the money.” My most practical piece of advice to myself, however, would be to get involved in the school’s technology classes. I often wished in college that I had taken more classes in high school related to my field of study. I tossed away chances that would have helped me later down the road and I wish I had the ability to fix it.

As a senior in high school I had no idea that I could or would be successful in college. I lacked the confidence it takes to even consider becoming a nurse at that time. I would tell my younger self that "you are smarter than you think or believe. " Time , patience, and perseverance will help you succeed in college. The young niave Ann should know that perseverance does further. Start college while still young as classes can be difficult and time consuming. When choosing a career pick one that you will enjoy, benefit others, and provide you with financial security such as nursing. Study to really learn the material not just to take a test,. You might need to draw on the information you've learned at a much later time. Accept help, criticism, and advice you will need it. Believe in yourself you can do it.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a senior I would probably tell myself that the transition between highschool and college life is a lot smoother than I originally thought. I would remind myself that even though my parents lived too far away to visit me constantly that I still had my friendly grandparents to rely on, only an hour away. I would tell myself that highschool had suceeded in completely, utterly, not preparing me for college so I should disreguard the majority of what my teachers told me. Making friends was a lot harder than I thought. It appeared the only way to make fast friends is to give into peer pressure and small vices. That was not what I was about. At the end of the day the most important piece of advice to give my high school self is to study hard and remember why you are really here.

If that day came where I could go back into time, that would be the best day of my life! I would tell my self not to be scared to go on to college and to apply my self in more things. College was the only way to understand what I want in life and how I was going to get it. That little voice in my head needed to slow down and enjoy going growing up. I was scared of what growing up was and what people thought of me. I wish someone would have told me all of these things. That way I could be much farther in my american dream than what I am now!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would let myself know that it's okay to not know what you want to. Changing your major is a normal thing that most college freshman and sophomores do, multiple times. I would make sure that I would know to take more general education requirement courses the first year so that when I do switch my major, my classes will still be going towards something. Another point I would emphasize is to stay at school on the weekends. Living only a hour away can be tempting to go home every weekend, especially when you miss your family. The only way to create lasting freindships is to socialize and make friends with the people you are living with or in clubs with. Staying at school on the weekends is the best time to get that time in.

If I could go back to high school and give myself advice, I'd start by simply saying "try everything." I would explain that "there are a multitude of organizations, groups, and sports to play that will enrich your life. Some of those activities will work out and some will not be for you, but you will learn so much more about yourself after trying these new things. On that same note, try to meet as many professors, peers, coworkers, and community members possible! You will make a lot of new friends, but it is important to surround yourself with only those who will push you to succeed and will help you become a better you. After meeting new friends and joining some organizations, do not forget that you do not need to party every weekend. On the other hand you do not need to study every weeknight, you will get better and better at classes once you finally get into sonography. Enjoy all there is to offer, establish your values, be a caring friend, an attentive student, and enjoy the time you have here. It is much shorter than you expect."

I would go back and tell myself to think about where you are now and where i want to be and let that be my mtivation. To stay focused and know that hard work pays off. I would tell myself to pick my scheldule more wisely, look at the times and the buildings in which they are located. I would also tell myself to go on the ratemyprofessor.com so that I know what kind of professor I will be dealing with. Also, if I would tell myself to make more of a social life with the people in my major so that we could talk to each other about classes and possibly work together on some things. I would also say that even if I'm home sick, I have to get away, better my life so that I could have a better living than what I did growing up. Lastly I would tell myself to use all the resources given, to go the student service center and ask question and to look at my options and opportunities more.

I would tell myself to stay in school, and finish your degree, and never give up on your goals and dreams. I would highly recommend that you job shadow to find out what your passion is. I would also recommend living on campus so that you can experience the campus life, such as joining a sorority. Apply for as many scholarships as possible because student loans are very costly and scholarships you do not have to pay back. I would tell myself that i am a brillant, smart and confident woman. you can achieve any goal that you are passionate about. Choose a career choice that you can have fun at, and pick something that you enjoy doing. If you do not like the career choice you picked you will become bored and complacent and not like your job. Never give up on your education, and constantly challenge yourself to keep learning. I would also tell myself that a respiratory therapist is the career choice for you. Their may be times where you may feel burnt out, from your studies, but look at the bigger picture and stay focused girl because I know you will succeed.

The advice I would give high school self would be to never ever be afraid to get involved, i'm stronger than I thought and to let go of the mean things that kids say. I was never involved in high school and once I came to college I found my home in a sorority and from there went on and took three leadership positions and found my voice and place where If i had been more involved in high school i might have had a better experience. Telling my self to be stronger in the fact that just because I was getting made fun of and there were times when it just didn't seem worth it, to hold on and really look into myself and realize how strong of a person I can be. Finally, people will always have something to say and it might not be kind, but let the words roll off your shoulders and never give them a second thought. It is wasted energy and you are so much better than that.

If I could go back in time to my senior self, I would try to better prepare for the expectations of college. As many higher educated students mention, college is northing like high school. Here, every decision made will directly affect the future. With this in mind, I would tell myself to get involved more. Marketing yourself is one of the best ways to advance in the career field. As a junior at Ferris State University, I wish I would have began vouneering in the international office sooner. I have met so many life long friends. Experiencing different cultures vicariously through my friends has opened my mind to where I see my future. From interacting with international students, I chose to convert to Islam. If I could go back, I would tell myself to make this decision earlier. I cannot explain the joy and satisfaction I have in my life since I have chosen this path. Lastly, I would tell myself, life isn't easy but to stick with the things you're passionate about, love your family, and keep your friends close.

Absolutely nothing. In these past two years of college, I have learned so much about myself as an individual, and have found many ways to improve myself as a person, and a scholar. I do not believe that college is something that someone can simply fully prepare themselves for. I believe that college is ment to be a monumental learning experince where a student should leave the comfort of their parents household and further off into the real world; off into a place where mistakes will and should be made so that a student will learn not just about what it takes to maintain a future job, but off to learn about life and what it truly means to that student. Being unprepared and not knowing what to expect was my best preparation. Giving advice to my past self would change who I am today and I am perfectly content with who I am today, and overly ecstatic with the direction and feats in which I am taking my life. - Arshano McKenzie

There are going to be hardships in life that you cannot avoid. My past self would not give this a second thought. Going up in a small town the biggest thing I had to worry about was how I was going to wear my hair to the Friday night football game. After losing my father the summer after graduation, I realized I can’t see the world in black and white any longer. There are going to be those gray areas that will make you want to quit. You cannot let those times bring you down. One of the biggest things I would tell my past self, can be summed up into three simple words. Let. It. Go. Do not have a heavy heart for something that you did wrong, or couldn’t have been avoided. Learn from those moments and grow into the person and student you want to be. Lastly, always fill out your financial aid and scholarships on January 1st. Do not wait till the last minute because you will miss out and be mad at yourself. Please do not let your college life pass you by. These are great years, remember them.

Being able to go back in time and talk to my younger self, I would encourage myself to dual enroll and take college credits. It would have saved time and money. I would also have told myself to develop a better study plan. There is a lot more work to do in college than high school and I would want to be better prepared for it. I would have also told myself to join Circle K International my freshmen year because it was one of the greatest experiences I have had in college. I've met a lot of great people and done a lot of amazing community service events that I am very proud of. I would also tell myself that failure is okay, and that it isn't the end of the world. I have learned a lot from all of my experiences and it has built me into the person that I am today. I would also tell myself to try and keep in better touch with friends because they are a great support system and they will stick with you through thick and thin.

"As a high school student, DON'T TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT!" These are the exact words that I would tell high school seniors preparing for the transition to college. Often times seniors want to "slack" and take easy courses to end their final year of high school, but instead, why not dual enroll in college courses or take college level classes offered at the high school? College isn't a place where you can relax or look for a shortcut, it's like a full time job and has to be treated like one. A college education dictates what a person does for the next 40+ years, and nobody wants to be stuck doing something they don't enjoy because they couldn't succeed in college and get a degree of their choice. Taking basic courses that a college freshman would take, while still being a high school senior, in my opinion, would make the big transition less shocking when the time comes. Knowing what you have coming while you still live at home and have help from your family is something everyone should take advantage of. Always aim high!

If I could go back to in time and talk with my senior in high school self, then I would tell myself all kinds of things. I would tell myself to not stress about everything, because it will work out. I would tell myself to hold on to those moments because I'll never experience anything like it before, but to look foward to the moments coming because those will also be once in a lifetime. I would tell myself to get ready for an amazing time.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior; the advice I would give myself is, “Continue to apply to Northwest Community College, but stay there until you graduate and then go to the university. I know what happens if you only attend for one year and it isn’t good. You will have a daughter and you will need to provide for her, it will be a lot easier if you already have your degree or will almost have your degree by the time she is born. At 22 years old I’m trying to go back to college and it’s a bit of a hassle when I’m still raising our baby girl. If you continue to go to college until you graduate then you will be able to get a career with stable income and thus giving her a more stable life. So I say to you; stay in college now, your life will be better later in the future.”

College is the perfect time to find yourself. The transition from high school to college is scary but it's equally exciting. It's a time to revamp your image and make some serious life decisions. You can stop relying on your parents and find your own solutions to your problems. Mistakes are supposed to happen, just learn from them and move on. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is choosing the wrong friends. Finding good friends can be just as hard as your science lab or economics class. It's easy to be friends with the kid down the hall. It's even easier to date the kid down the hall. Just becuase it's easy, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. It is said that you become the average of the five people you are around the most. The people you hang out with have a profound impact on your life so choose wisely. One great way to meet people is getting involved with an organzation, going Greek, or playing sports. Being involved is not only a great way to meet people, but also an avenue to explore new passions.

Don't cut your hair so short! (it was a pixie-cut) In the city, short hair on a girl is okay. It's almost normal. But here in the middle of Michigan, short hair is too edgy. If I had had longer hair, some of my social experiences would have been more pleasant and people wouldn't right off the bat assume I was a lesbian. Lesbians are cool, but they are treated differently sometimes, and I know there were several people who had assumed I was and had made things difficult.

As an RA at Ferris every year I have an opening meeting and give the freshmen advice that I would give to myself if I could go back. First, I tell them unapologetically be yourself you are wonderful unique person, you should never have to compromise yourself for anyone else. As a freshmen you will be tempted to change yourself to fit in, or gain that attractive boys attention. Don't do it it will only leave you unhappy in the end. Secondly, I always tell the freshmen to join as many organizations as possible, getting involved in campus allows you to make so many friends and gives you access to new experiences you would never have thought possible. I then advise the freshmen to remember to continue speaking to their friends an family from back home, while college is wonderful it's temporary and when your done you want to still be surrounded by the people you love.

The most importatnt thing is save all of your money!!!! You might think you have extra money to spend here and there, but you dont, you will need it for something very important later. I would also tell myself be perpared to do great and study hard. Join as many groups as you can and meet as many new people as you can because there are a lot of people in this world, and some of them have a lot to teach you.

Get out of the house and go to college. You should not regret anything you are trying to do. There is a path for your life and all you have to do is start walking. LaQuera, when you get onto campus you will know that this is what you have worked so hard for. Look for a group called Real Life because they will change your life for the better. Leave your mothers nest and spread your wings my little friend. You should experience campus at its best. You will make many new friends so do not worry about that. As long as you study and learn time organization, you will be fine. Do not let this world get to you. I have so much faith in you! Going to college will be the best thing that has ever happened to you, so no worries. Please just get up and go! And remember, do it for the children.

The first thing I would tell myself if I could talk to my high school senior self would be to learn how to study. That kicked my butt first semester. Not only did I have to learn the material for the course, but I also had to teach myself how to learn it in the first place. I would also tell myself not to be bummed when a lot of my high school friends did not end up being my friend in college still. It's a transition we all needed to go through, and we all ended up with better and more reliable friends from college in the end. I wouldn't trade the friends I have made my freshman year for the world. The last thing I would tell my senior self would be to blend in the first week you're in school. Don't wear your lanyard around your neck or be THAT kid to get lost on campus. While all of these things might seem insignificant in writing, they are just little things that would have made my transition the first weeks of college easier, and I wish someone would have told me them sooner!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to not be so scared. I was terrified of leaving home and getting out on my own. My freshman year when no one was looking I would start crying because of the horrible feeling of homesickness. As of now, I would tell myself leaving home for school was the best decision I have ever made. I am becoming an independent woman and figuring out who I am. Also that there isn't anything to be scared of and that everything will work itself out in long run. Worrying about what will happen in the future ruins what is happening in the present. If you don't take the time to appreciate what is happening at that moment you will miss out on a lot of amazing experiences with some pretty great people.

I would tell myself to go out there and be involved. Make new friends and don't be scared of the opportunities that will come your way.

Smile and enjoy each moment as it comes. Time passes and there isn't an opportunity to go back. Take each class seriously and learn what you can from each one. Visit as many colleges as you can so you know which one is perfect for you. Remember you values and where you picture yourself in five years and choose a college based on that. You don't really want to get away. Your friends aren't more important than school and family is priority. Love each day and make as many friends as you can. Remember that college is an adventure. You'll make mistakes but don't ever regret anything. Take a chance and join a group in college, you'll be surprised who you meet and what you learn.

"Jamie, college isn't as scary as you think it's going to be! It's easy-going, everything is your choice and there is no drama as long as you don't want there to be any drama! Book stores rip you off and you shloud rent all your books from Chegg.com, but you shouldn't rent your accounting books, you should buy them! I know they're expensive, but trust me, you need them for the CPA exam! Don't give up on your dreams! When it comes to the friends you are going to make, don't let them walk all over you! And the boys, of Jamie, don't let any boy get in the way of your studies and your future. If they want you to change they simply aren't worth your time. Oh and jamie, whatever you do, don't regret it! Choosing to go to a community college and then transfering to a university saved you a ton of money! When you graduate you won't have to worry about not being able to get a loan for a house, you'll be fine! You're going to do great!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to be optomistic and not be afraid to go for big dreams and set big goals. Starting fresh at a 4 year University can be overwhelming, but college goes by in a blink of an eye. If you think you will be unable to reach your goal you are wrong, it takes hard work and dedication but in college you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, so you should not be afraid to go for the gold!! If I could go back I wouldn't look at college as such a long process, and I wouldn't have wished it to go buy so quickly. I would tell myself to enjoy it one day at a time because when you look back on it you will wish you went to more football games, library dates with friends, and participated in as much community service as you possible could. College is a totally different world, you cannot explain it to someone who has never went there but when you graduate you will realize how much it actually tought you!

Don't drop out of high school and go to college right after you graduate. You might not realize it now but you love accounting. You really love school, so don't let your high school experience influance how you feel about school. You will find a new love to study and do well when you get in college. Day dream about the future you want. It will help keep you motivated to do well. You are smart. You are smart. You are smart! Don't listen to the teachers and students in high school. Your college teachers will love your drive. Attend classes, it will help you get better grades. Plan ahead, your future will be wonderful.

If I could go talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to listen to my mom and study hard in college because it will pay off! I would also tell myself to not fear change because quite often change is good, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. I would tell myself that getting good grades in college is way more satisfying than partying every weekend. Granted, parties are fun in college, but it doesn't even compare to the joy you felt when you got the letter saying you made the Dean's list. I would tell myself that when your parents tell you they are proud of you, they mean it. Dont' take those words for granted. Take them to heart and embrace them because those simple words will make you feel as if you can take on the world.

Don't give up on anything. Try to get experience for wahtever you want to try and do. Never let an opportunity pass you by. Take every chance you have. Save for tomarrow becdause you never know what it will bring. Always have a back up plan in case of the unexpected. Learn to understand people. DOnt let first impressions be everything. Hold youself to a higher standard and dont lose sight of who you want to be. You are the person you wanto to be so choose wisely what you do, where you do it, and who you do it with. Above all else have faith and hold on its a wild ride and you never know what the future hold even when you do.

Dear Callie, Life can get messy. It can be rough. Life can also be amazing and beautiful! Don't wait a year to start college. Go now. Shoot for the moon and the stars. You won't be disappointed. Most of all, follow your heart, not always your head. It may get you into trouble sometimes, but it will be well worth it. You don't have to worry about "fitting in" or achieving a certain level. Just be true to yourself. Love yourself. Love others. Be kind. Help anyone that needs help. Don't be afraid to ask for help yourself. You will have an amazing future with people you love and who love you in return. Don't sweat the small stuff. It will all be okay. -Callie

If I could go back to my senior year in High School I would tell myself that studying was important and that so were tests. Most of my college classes are based on test scores, and in high school I didn't develop the study skills that I need to succedd in college. Now I basically have to start over again and train myself with studying techniques. I would have also told myself that grade in high school really do make or break you. I now know that you need to get good grades to sucedd in live, I took high school for granted and I'm paying for that in college. Although I do get good grades I have to work harder to get them than most of the people that I live with. These are some of the things I would tell myself I coul go back to my senior year in High School.

One piece of advice would be to save up money for college instead of miscellaneous things like clothes, shoes, and going out on the weekends. That way I could be prepared to pay for any expenses not covered by financial aid or the scholarships I had received. A second piece of advice would be to get into the habit of studying more. Managing and setting aside time to really go in depth in studying for my classes in high school would have gotten me into that kind of routine for classes in college. This advice would have increased my intake of knowledge at a comfortable pace and decreased my procrastination. My third piece of advice involves uplifting myself into a more positive attitude and character so that I could be motivated and confident in meeting new people. My last piece of advice would be to get into the habit of communicating with my teachers on my grades and ways I could improve my performance. This would ensure that I am going to get help when needed and is continuing to grow as a young adult. All of this advice would have been very beneficial before attending college.

Dear High-School-Senior Heather, the best piece of advice I can provide for you is to simply do what makes you happy. Applying for college now may seem difficult and confusing, especially since you are unsure about everything at this point. Career paths, relationships, new responsiblities -- it can all seem very overwhelming. It's a lot of hard work, but it's the challenge that helps you grow into a stronger person. Take a deep breath, and choose the path that you have the most faith in. Do what you love, and the stability will follow. Open up to every new opportunity, and embrace it with kindness, respect, and your best effort. You don't realize it yet, but it's these opportunities that will connect you with wonderful people -- new friends, mentors, and teachers. Determine the most important people in your life, and hold them close if only for short time. Visualize a plan, and stick to it. You can take knowledge away from every experience, good or bad. Academics are important, but college is only four years of your life. It's what you'll learn outside the classroom that will set you up for personal success.

Knowing what I know now as a third year college student, I would definitely tell everyone to make sure you choose the best decision for yourself. Do what makes you happy and not what everyone else thinks. It was a big culture shock when I first arrived at Ferris State, I was not expecting a shock like that. I encourage everyone to get involved on campus because it is a great way to network and establish relationships. There are more than enough Registered Student Organizations on campus that you will find interesting to you; you have a variety to choose what you please. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help your professors are your best friends they help you understand when you don't grasp the concept of things. Every chance you get take the oppurtunity for free tutoring some students fear that others will judge them but in reality everyone needs a little help and that is what the tutors are for. Being a person who struggles with test anxiety I use my resources and talk to counselors to get the help that I need so that I may better my education.

I would say “put yourself out there more!” Make sure every day you never lay your head down with regrets. I remember how nervous and shy I was all throughout high school. I had a hard time starting a conversation with a stranger or even saying hi to someone I didn’t know. Since I have come to Ferris State, I have broken out of that shy shell. I wish I could go back and tell myself to make these self-improvements earlier in life. I wish that I could have not been so scared and learned more about the different views of the world instead of going into college so naive. It wasn’t until I moved away from home that I realized how much diversity has changed among the different generations. I see no difference in color or race of an individual but my parents and any generation before do. I wish I could tell my younger self to never listen to any of the negative comments about race, I would remind myself that God made each one of us special, and we are never to be looked at as less.

Don't be afraid, its not that scary. Dont think its going to be like high school at all, its a lot more challenging and takes a lot more work. You dont get good grades by barely studying like in high school. Sometimes youll wanna give up, but know its the best option for your life. It will be exspensive. Handle your books like a baby because theyre worth about as much as a cheap car altogether by time you graduate. Take time from studying and just go have fun with friends. The dorms are like living in a closet, choose what you bring wisely. Get involved.

Assuming that I could go back to my senior year of high school I would probably change a lot of things. I would give myself the advice to fill out more scholarships. I would also have told myself to dual enroll with our local community college because the classes were transferrable and they were fully paid for by my high school. I could have been ahead of the game coming into college. I would still tell myself to go to the same university because I like Ferris State University a lot. I would have told myself not to work away my senior year either because I had two jobs and did not really focus on the senior activies such as; sporting events. The transition to college was not too bad. I did a lot of research and wouldn't change anything about that. I would tell myself to spend a little more time with my family because now that I live at college full time I barely get to see them. That is the advice I would give myself if I could go back in time.

Don't slack off. Do your homework, it will be worth it in the end when you don't have to pay thousands of dollars to retake a class.

If I could go back in time to talk to my high school self, I would probably go back and tell them to focus more in school not on what was going on around me. I would say that others are not as important to focus on insteed of my classes. I would tell them to be prapeared for a hard road ahead and not to worry about things that didn't matter at the time. I would tell my self to stay strong through everything and not believe people when they told me to give up on things. I would tell them that college is more accepting and less judging and that not everyone was like the people you went to high school with. This is what I would tell myself if i could go back in time.

The advise I would give myself is to stick with school no matter what, once you stop going it is easy to get busy with life and postpone going back. I would also advise staying current with your school work, it is easy to do unless you fall behind.

Leaving my small hometown residence of 18 years to move over an hour away to college was one of the scariest things I’ve done. If I could go back in time and give my high school-self some advice, my whole outlook would have been different. I would tell my self that, the first day of school outfit I worried about for a week prior to school starting is not a big deal and is in no way important. That the pressure from others to instantly make friends is not what this time is about. Yes, college is about experiences and about making memories, but most of all, this time is about me. This crucial time in my life is about creating myself and becoming who I am meant to be. This time is about developing passions, and about education. Although most of the learning will take place at school this is the time to learn as much as I possibly can about everything. I realize that I wont find all the answers in college. I know that the rest of my life will be full of learning and lessons but, college marks the beginning of this learning journey.

I would tell myself to take everything slow and relax. Things are not as terrible as they may seem at the moment. Also, don't try so hard to be accepted. Be yourself. And remember to bring lots of snacks. You will get hunger. Oh, and stay away from the super cute guy in the basement of the Federal Building. He is not what he seems.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself in high school I would tell myself not to worry so much about meeting people. KCAD has small classes that allow students to connect with one another.

First things first, I would tell myself to apply for some more scholarships, and the only other thing I would tell myself is to not freak out about college! Every one always told me college was going to be hard, well it isnt; What is hard is the going to school full time whilst working full time, and paying rent all at once! But college, naw, you got that!

Budget your time well and search for more scholarships.

If I could go back to my senior year I would probably change a lot. I don't have regrets, but I am aware that I had more potential than what I showed. The number one thing I would have changed is my motivation. Not doing my work was something I was known for. Now that I'm in college it's not as bad, but I knew if I would've done my work to keep my grades up, things would have been different for me. I probably would've been accepted to my school of choice! Along with keeping myself motivated to my work, I think I would've also changed my habits outside of school, because they do effect you. I wouldn't of wasted my time with a game that meant so little.

If I had the chance to go back and give my high school self some advice, I would start by telling myself to stop focusing on the craziness that surrounds you in your senior year and find out who is really there for you. Take advantage of the relationships you have with the people around you and focus on how you can help those bonds grow. You should also get to know the people other than just your friends at school. Get to know your neighbors, your co-workers, and your teachers. Although these people may not be the ones you want to be seen with by a group of kids from school, but they are the ones who will truly help you succeed in life because they have lived it. You will help yourself grow as a person by getting to know these people and when you are in college these people will be the ones who truly have your back.