Ivy Tech Community College-Lafayette Top Questions

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

Shane

The most influential time in my life was actually when I was a freshman in college. Prior to this, my High School education prepared me fairly well to succeed in my undergraduate education. I earned an academic scholarship due to my High School GPA. Everything was going well until my father passed away. My father was the biggest proponent in supporting me going to college. My mother, on the other hand, was unsupportative of my attempt to earn a degree. In fact, when applying for my sophomore year FAFSA, my mother was adamently unwilling to complete the required form. Because of this, there was nothing I could do in order to finish the FAFSA, and subsequently had to drop out. This significantly derailed my academic progress, and it took me 3 years to get back into school. Overall, I would not tell my high school senior self anything; rather, I would tell my freshman college self to be persistant in my attempts to persude my mother to fill out FAFSA. I believe with the experiences I have acquired over the past 3 years I would have a significant story to tell to convince my mother the importance of higher education.

Raquel

If I could go back as a Highschool senior I would tell myself appreaciate what you have now. From the friends to the teachers to the lunchroom food. I think now that I am attending college I realize that Highschool was actually ok! I would tell myself to enjoy the time I have there not to complain about anything but to enjoy the ride!

Rebekah

First semester is the worst. If you struggle, don?t worry, next semester you will know how to handle this new environment better. Don?t skip meals or sleep. There are some things that it is best to do with out in college but your health is not one of them! Keep a date book and a calender in your room with all of your class assignment in it and look at it every day. If you are having trouble, tell your instructor. They may know of something that could help you. Don?t turn your nose up at tutoring. It may help more than you know. Wait to get your books until the first day of class. Ask your teacher which books your really need and if an older edition would do. Buy all of your books online! I suggest half.com. Then sell them back online. You will save so much money that way. If you need a book before it comes in the mail, ask one of the other students if you can share theirs until yours comes or see if the library has one you can use there. Relax and have some fun along the way.

Ryan

Hey idiot, don't wait for ten years after high school to go to college! Although twenty dollars an hour sounds like a huge amount of money for someone who just graduated, you will not be happy for long. There is no satisfaction from breaking your back for long hours on mind-numbing tedious tasks. You will not be content unless you go to school, and get a career where you can utilize and expand your mental talents. Go to college!

Jennifer

First of all, I would tell myself to investigate into better birth control if I'm going to be serious about college at this point in my life. I would also tell myself to take my studies a little more seriously, and stay focused. I would have to tell myself to not be afraid of what the future holds, that in the end it will make me all the more stronger for it.

Kelsi

There is not much that I could really tell myself, that as a high school senior, I didn?t already know. Truly, there is only one thing I would tell myself and that is to listen. Wise up and realize that all those years of teachers saying ?you need to go to college? were right. It is the best thing you will ever do. You can make something of yourself. All it takes is to wise up and do it! Take that chance and come out on top. Forget what you think you know and go for it. It will be one of the best things you?ve ever done! Your dream will come true if only you would set out in faith.

Carrie

I am aware of a couple of Country songs that give advice to the "teenage self" that might cover this subject, but I will put it in my own words! Take it slow, enjoy this time in High School, ask a lot of questions and don't feel like because you are a teenager that your voice doesn't make a difference. Know that College can be the most fun you have ever had, but it will take a disipline that you didn't require in high school. You get to make the choices, you will get to know yourself and your strengths. Your senior year is about becoming an adult, acting like one and forming relationships with your teachers, parents and friends that could last a lifetime. But the important advice that I would give myself would be, Go To College! It is different, better and it will change your life forever!

chanel

just stick through the hard times. I felt it was very easy for me to not want to go to school knowing there was no-one that made me attend and go when i was supposed to. I would tell myself to not worry about who i was hanging out with after school and worry more on what i was going to focus my projects on. Ide tell myself to get into more clubs or activities that would benefit others and not myself. I would also tell myself to take pleasure in going to school knowing there are many people all over the world that would love to have the opportunity to go to a school. Lastly i would tell myself to live high school up, because once you graduate and its gone you really realize how much you loved it and how much youll miss it .

Alycia

I would convince myself that i still needed to take school seriously. Just because it's the last year of school doesn't mean that you can't screw it up in that last year. College isn't all about partying and meeting frat guys either, you need to focus on your classes and you can't be doing that if your always planning the socail events. Still relax and have fun, take a deep breath look around you at all your friends and just enjoy life. After all this is the best time of your life.

Alin

Throughout my high school career I was not advice me the things I needed to do. My parents work so much and were never there to advice me what decisions to take. I was a fifteen year old trying to figure out what classes to take to help me in the career I wanted to achieve. I am now a freshman in college and I can see I needed to do so many more things. If I could advice myself when I was in high school, with the things I know now, I would make sure that I take the right classes. I want to be a Radiologist, and to accomplish that, I needed to take classes that would help my career. In the high school that I attended, there was a dual credit classes. I was in advanced classes but I was not told I had that option of taking dual credit classes. I would also advice myself to investigate the different schools and the things they have to offer, and to keep getting good grades. The clubs and organizations that I was in were very good and the people who guided them thought me many things.

Alexis

I would tell me not to overwhelm myself by taking on 3 jobs and full time classes. I would tell myself that living with mom and dad might not be the most adventurous of decisions, but in the long run it will provide me with a much better opportunity to finish college in a timely manner instead of taking so long. I would tell myself to make sure to study hard, but also make time for friends whom I now seem to have left by the wayside. I would say that late bills and bad credit and struggling just to put food in the house is the reality of the glamorous life I saw in my head, and I should be in no hurry to jump into those waters. Most importantly I would tell myself to really really think about what I want to do before I change majors three times and make life harder on myself again than it needs to be. I would encourage myself to be more social, and not to let negative people hold me back because I can do this, no matter what it takes.

Megan

The advice that I would give myself would be take college seriously. What you accomplish in the next four years is going to affect the rest of your life. Have a good time during college, but push yourself to succeed and do your best. Life can be easy or hard, you just have to decide if you want to do the work to accomplish your dream. One day you will be the best at what you do and the next few years are going to help you achieve that goal. Stop at nothing, no obstacle is too hard to accomplish with your dream in mind. You just have to want it bad enough. College is not only a great opportunity, it's a gift. Use that gift to the best of your abilities and strive for excellence.

Stephanie

When you enter out the door into being an adult, step your foot into reality there is a big process of change. I would tell myself that High School has a reason to accomplish a life after the basics you need to learn. Thrive with passion and goals that are headstrong means you can get anywhere in life. Do something you desire rather than you dislike. If you have faith and believe in yourself and do what it takes, then everyone knows then it's never impossible to make something of yourself. You dream, then you can acheive the impossible. A lot of times people let their guards down and think only once and not twice about the actions they make when they are young. A lot of people have a hard path to walk and some easy. It takes someone to be independent and their head held high to prove what they are destined to do in just one life time they are given. Learn from advice and know the rights rather than doing wrong. It's faith in yourself and the thoughts that counts. Education is the door to joy and success to a better life for yourself.

michelle

I would tell myself to really focus and to take school incredibly serious. I would tell myself that the decisions I am making will affect the rest of my life. I would remind myself that my future is in my hands; and, if I apply myself....life can be quite rewarding. I will also tell myself that time flies; and, my future will be in front of me before I know it. I would encourage myself to exhibit self-control when it comes to thinking about impulsive decisions like eating and wasting time doing things that are productive and won't make a difference in my future. Most importantly, I would remind myself to always put others first; and, to consider how I can make a difference in the lives of others.