Ohio State University-Main Campus Top Questions

Since I have graduated college as a software engineer and have now gone back to college to become a physical therapist, my advice to my past self would be to sit down and think about what I want out of life. Do some research on your goals. Talk with friends and family about my goals for life. These interactions will help carve out the path to take to achieve those goals. Had I done this when I was in high school, I think I would have chosen the physical therapy path earlier. A lot of people are pushed to go to college as soon as high school ends but college is not for everybody. Some people would be better off going to a trade school. Some people would be better off working. The best decision you can make is to wait and be damned sure that you made the right decision for you.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would tell myself the importance of time management. Time management is the key to college. In high school, I excelled easily through all my classes and was able to maintain a social life, athletics, a job, volunteering, and extracurriculars. However, this definitely was not the case in college. I realized even if you do attend class regularly you are not guaranteed an A, a B, or even a C for that matter. Which is why you have to set a specific time for studying throughout your day so that you do not feel stressed or straying away from your social life or loved ones. It is extremely difficult to accomplish this, but this is a trait that several students do not posess. And it will definitely put you ahead of your peers and help you stand out if you can figure out how to manage your time according to your schedule.

Narcolepsy is going to hit you hard and you'er not going to expect it. It's going to be hard to keep up in class but you can definately do it! Learn HOW to study! You 've never dont it before and I guarantee it's going to bite us in the butt when the Cs, Ds and Fs start rolling in. Also, learn how to socialize. You're going to lose lot of friends, so the whole "alone on an island act is only going to make it hurt more.

I would remind myself of my goals in life. This would involve setting a path that was more focused on my education than my social life in my early college years. I had my son in my sophmore year of college, though he was a bleeing, I did not consider the difficulty that motherhood would bring to my life. I also believe that I should have made more connections with the faculty and attempted to establish at least one mentor. This would have given me a little more guidance and assisted me in accomplishing my dreams.

Care about the right things. In highschool, that's essentially just grades. You can go to community college and transfer, of course. But you probably won't get four years of "college" at Columbus State CC, and I can guarantee that you won't do it for free. Get good grades, get scholarships, go to college. It's so easy to get caught up in what others think of you and to let that influence the way you live and the decisions you make - utimately changing your experience. Do what you want to do. Spend time with those who you wish to be around. People have the potential to be your best and worst investments; Use your gut, but at a certain point - the numbers don't lie. Don't wast time trying to change minds. Be friends with everyone who'll have you. Try new things when oppurtunities present themselves. And most importantly, remember, if your mom doesn't answer you, the answer is no.

No matter how prepared you think you are for the first year of college, many of the actual feelings and experiences encountered will be a surprise. It is hard to get ready to be on your own for the first time. Your parents, extended family and friends are still available but the physical separation is a brand new experience and there will be a learning curve. There will be many things you will have to take the responsiblity to handle on your own for the first time. This will include financial matters, academic scheduling, future planning, general life decisions and many other areas that up until college, you had parents and others from your support system right next to you. The best advice I can offer is to be patient. Think things through clearly. Ask for advice, input and feedback along the way. Continue to lean on your inner circle but also utilitze university resources and build a network of college friends whom you can trust. Know that you will make mistakes and that's okay, as long as you learn from them and move forward in a positive manner. You will persevere and come out stronger - trust yourself!

At this moment I know you’re worrying about college applications and passing classes, so I'm here as your future self to help you. First of all, attending the college of your dreams can be very expensive especially when you are a nonresident; so choose an in-state university instead. You’ll thank me later. Next, the transition to college life may be overwhelming at first, but once you get into a routine everything moves smoothly; so try to not worry too much. A third and very important advice is to work hard. College is all about the amount of effort you put in and if you do your homework on time; attend classes regularly; and study hard, you’ll be successful. Also the high school study habit of cramming right before a test does not work in college, and for most courses you’ll need to start studying at least a week or more before a midterm or final exam. Lastly, college life can be fun depending on how you go about it. If you can manage your time well and balance your academic life and social life well, college will be a great experience; so enjoy it.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self about college, I would say that attending The Ohio State University is an amazing experience. I would also say that when you get the chance to purchase sporting event tickets, buy them! The atmosphere during Ohio State football games in phenomenal! The main thing on the fun, nonacademic part of college is just that, fun! Keep some time set aside just for you and to hang out with friends and try new things. It’s the short time before the real world that you are still able to go be silly, get into trouble, but not too much, and have a great time; so you can say “remember when…”! On the academic part of college I would stress time management and to make sure you attend class. Sometimes it might seem pointless, but you are paying all that money to receive a great education and missing class is like throwing money down the drain! While working on time management I would tell myself that procrastinating is never a good idea! Once you start to procrastinate you start to stress and get behind! Lastly, I would say have fun!

I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible. I did not see the importance of scholarships during my senior year and by the time I realized how important they are, the deadlines to apply had already expired. Now that I am payng for college and see just how expensive it is, I now know just how important scholarships are.

If i could go back in time and talk to my self as a high school senior I'd tell my self: Imby, high school isn't forever. Teachers giving easy tasks and wanting you to pass their class will not last. Going to college with your family living in another country is going to be hard but you shouldn't let it affect you because you're going to college for you and not anyone else. Your high school study habits will need to change once you enter college. You're going to need to focus on you and your grades. Make friends who have the same goals as you. Studying will be your best friend in college and remember that. Your grades arewhat are important along with your studying habits, if you can do that than your college life will be swift and fun because there will always be parties so you won't miss much. Just focus on you Imby and no one else.

Looking back at where I am now, I would tell my high school self to step out of your comfort zone and realize that being strong academically can take you so far. It is something that I continue to work on every day as I pursue my Master’s Degree in journalism at Arizona State University. I’ve always considered myself a very laid-back, easy going person who plays it safe and doesn’t take a lot of risk. I have learned very quickly in the last few months that this aspect of my life has to change. One saying by Abraham Lincoln comes to mind: “Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” In the last five years, I have changed so much about the way I do things as a person. I would tell my high school self that academics may come easy for you now, but the most important lessons in life are those that you don’t learn out of a book. You have to be willing to work harder than anyone else for what you want. That is how you find true success.

I changed career paths from biomedical research to nursing the spring of my junior year of college. Now, in the midst of my senior year, I have to continue cramming nursing prerequisite classes in one year to be eligible for an accelerated bachelors program next fall. I am constantly thinking, “My life would be so much easier if I decided to become a nurse earlier.” My advice to my high school self could be “forget biochemistry research; begin with nursing”, but that advice would be incomplete. Given only this advice, I would not understand nor appreciate it. I had to experience scientific research environments to realize I am most productive in social settings. I was unhappy and unfulfilled conducting research, so I focused on careers that would highlight my love of science and people. I did not appreciate the importance of my social personality when I was a freshman in college. Therefore, I would tell myself, “Choose a major that would allow me to engage with other people in a scientific manner.” This advice would help point me in the nursing direction and grant me plenty of time to develop my skills throughout college.

Try to apply for a lot more scholarships, not recieving any scholarship aid will put you into tons of debt. Also don't dismiss people from your high school as you go to college, its all about the connections you have and they offer some good connections.

Colleen… as you begin to transition into the scary college world take the time to embrace your final days at home. The achievement of acceptance into your dream school was driven by the love of others. Take the time to thank mom and dad. Although you think being independent is cooler than coming home by curfew, you find yourself calling dad for financial advice and crying to mom the first time you get sick on your own. Their voices will comfort you during finals and guide you through tough decisions. When you are faced with these decisions, remember to take advantage of all opportunities that present themselves. Everything has the potential to be a learning experience. If some opportunities don’t work out, know that failure is hard to overcome but when you keep moving successes are guaranteed. Take pride in your work, but don’t be so disciplined in your academics that you don’t get to experience meaningful involvement and friendships. The best times will be bonding over mashed potatoes and toast because that’s all you and your friends can find in the kitchen. These will be the best four years, live it up!

I joined the US Army right out of high school. If I could go back and talk to teenage me, I'd tell myself the importance of education. I have a great knowledge of how the adult world works from living on my own, working full time, and being responsible for my actions. I would absolutely tell myself that no matter how much work experiece I have, nothing compares to a soldier foundation in education. If I were to have joined the military after completing my educational goals, I would have had many more options available to me simply because of the education I would have. I am now transitioning from the military life, to a civilian student because I now understand the importance of a college education. I would have told myself to work harder in high school, apply myself to my full ability, and to understand how important education really is.

The biggest piece of advice that I could give myself going back, is to prepare to feel more challenged. I was always a strong student academically and high school was never overwhelmingly hard, even with AP and honors classes. However I do wish I could have taken a few more AP classes to get the extra credits and to prepare myself for coming to OSU. While I definitely didn't slack off my senior year, just being able to put the extra stress on my plate as a senior when the stress of applying to colleges and GPA was off my shoulders would have helped tremendously. At a college like OSU everyone is smart and everyone did exactly what I did in high school. I wasn't prepared for this, I felt very down on my abilities in the beginning of school but after a little while I realized that I was good enough and that I could compete. Not only could I compete, but I could thrive. But after getting through that and looking back on it, I wish I could have prepared myself a little more in my senior year to make transitionining even easier.

Never settle for less than your best. Too many people in this world are just okay with being "average", and that isn't good enough. The biggest problem people in this world face is being satisfied with good. Good is never going to allow you to exceeed your expectations for life. Being great in everything you do should be a challenge to yourself that you continually accept. Being great isn't for people who are special, it's not a lucky charm. It's for the people who are willing to sacrifice everything they have in order to have a better life. It's about goal-setting. If you don't set goals, start setting them today. Set goals for one week from now, one month from now, one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now, and finally set a lifelong goal. What do you wish to receive out of life? Ask yourself what legacy you wish to leave behind and make today the day you start working to achieve it. Set goals for your life and be the great.

Don't be afraid to go out and try new things, even if you think it's something you aren't even remotely interested in. It might surprise you and you might surprise yourself. Even more, throwing yourself out there like that is a great way to make life-long friends and connections to be happy and successful throughout the rest of your life. These are the years that bridge the gap between being a kid and being an adult. You choose whether you will evolve into a successful adult or just another lazy bum who goes nowhere. So go to those classes you are paying thousands of dollars for and be that kid that asks questions. Study when you should, but relax when you need to. It's all about finding the perfect inbetween. Most of all, just because you are pre-med that doesn't mean "pre-boring." You're allowed to have fun just like everyone else. Just know the right place and times, and don't let your studying consume you.

If I could go back to take to my high school senior self I would tell me that patients and hardwork is key. I was denied to going to my dream college, I was diagnosed a chronic illness, and I want to prove people I was special. Things seemed like they were never going to be right. But through patients, hardwork and faith I made it to my dream college and have reached an agreement with my chornic illness. I'd tell myself all the obstacles were worth it because what's easy is never worth it but what's worth it is never easy. Thank you.

When I was graduating high school I had so many interests I could hardly even consider narrowing it down. I took advice and lots of differant classes when I got to collage. In the end I ended up in a major based on others advice and the job market resulting in a later return to collage when it became clear I hated what I chose to do. The best advice I can give any graduating senior is to follow your dreams the first time. Find a way to make a living doing what you love because doing any less will waste money and your own life. Live your dreams before life just carries you away.

I would definitely tell myself to start saving for college and supplies for the dorm room. The tuition is so much, and adding all the stuff I had to buy for my dorm didn't help the costs. I would also tell myself to think ahead, to think about the future because you won't be a kid forever. Once you turn 18, you need to grow up really fast. Last but certainly not least, I would tell myself to have fun and get involved in all the wonderful activities they offer in high school, but not to neglect my studies.

The advice that I would give would be to put yourself out there for new opportunities. Talk to new people and don't be afraid to try new things. However, never lose sight of yourself and your values. If you lose sight of your values, then you will lose yourself. Be outgoing and engaging, be friendly and make new friends. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself first. If there is an opportunity that you are interested in, then go for it. The worst thing that can happen is that you don't get it. Pick yourself up and try again. You can't succeed if you don't try first. College is all about exploring your interests and getting involved in organizations and programs that you like. College is about your future and you have to take the step towards your own success. Never be afraid to fail and never be afraid to try new things. Putting yourself out there and open to new opportunities is one of the most important parts of college. Just be yourself and be open to new experiences.

Don't be afraid to try new things and meet as many new people as possible. You'll find some of your closest friends by getting involved with things you're passionate about.

I would look myself in the eyes, and say, "Relax. It's going to be okay.", because stress was (and still is) a big part of my transition. I would tell myself not to worry about all of the fees I owed, because somehow my struggling family would find a way to pay everything off. I would tell myself that all of the friends I had made where not going to forget me, and that I would still remain in contact with them, despite my thoughts otherwise. After saying all of this, I would smile and finish off by saying this, "Jordan, listen, I understand that you're scared. You're not a child anymore, but you know what? That's okay. It's time to move onto the most important part of your life, and there is no reason to be over terrified. Sit back, and enjoy the ride, because you'll never be as young as you are now. Enjoy it." and walk away.

I would tell myself to enjoy the summer more and not hurry up the time to get to school, because once you get there time flies and you get busy with clubs and class and meeting new people. Also not to worry so much because in the end it will all work out and nothings as bad as you think it will be and you'll never know about new things if you never even try them. Most of all I would tell myself to keep in touch with my old friends, but not to be afraid to go out and meet new people and see what they have to offer.

Entering college is a completely new experience. It is life changing, but should not be intimdating. I think the only thing I would tell myself is to be more open and social and to not be afraid of the changes life is bringing to you. College is about experience, having fun, and excelling in your academics to set you up for a bright future. It is OK to make mistakes or to not know exactly where you want to be in five years, but the experiences you have and the people you meet will make this a lighter situation and less intimidating. Have fun!

High school was a tumultuous time, but college life is not the same safe bubble that you grow up in. For this reason I would urge you to be willing to listen to your peers and in turn change if and when the time warrants it. None of us are perfect and you will find yourself having conflicting views with your peers. You must be willing to embrace differences, and acknowledge when your own views are flawed. Instead of being focused on only yourself, you should keep an open mind and share in experiences that make you feel uncomfortable. It is only when you feel uncomfortable that you have truly stepped outside of your bubble and can make progress learning and maturing as a person. You are the product of your actions; this is what defines you in life.

As a senior, you probably think that you can do this school thing and everything is so easy. You don't study, you just go to class pay as much attention as you need to and still get the grades. What you really want to be doing is learning how to actually study and teach yourself class material that the teacher does not go over. In college anything in the book or that has been mentioned is fair game for an exam and exam's are what your grade is going to be based on. You cannot just go to class anymore and have that be enough. Going to a school that has a great reputation means you have to work ten times as hard as you ever did to be able to earn that reputation as a student of your school as well. Studying might be foreign and it's not going to seem natural at first, but if you want to do well you will have to learn how to do it. Good luck!

Education matters because we need a learned society. For science and technology to flourish, and for our country to stay on top of the world, we must have an educated population. Taking a few years after high school to be educated is important in a person’s career progression. They will advance faster and be more effective, if they have learned something from experts in the field. They will also know more about where to find information needed in their profession. Education matters, so learn as much as you can in high school and prepare yourself so your first year of college will be easier. If I could do it all over again, I would try more in H.S.

Do not be afraid. To raise your hand and ask the question weighing on everyone's mind, to apply for the job that seems out of reach, to take the next step, to change your goals, do not be afraid. Talk. To your professors during office hours, the cute boy you see everyday en route to class, the boss who assigns extra duties during exam week, your parents who wonder how you're doing everyday; talk. Volunteer. Your shoulder to a friend in need, your time to a worthy cause, extra effort organizing an event, your opinion on a ballot; volunteer. Lastly, be patient and kind; to your professors, your peers and yourself. If you work hard and follow the aforementioned advice, opportunities will arise and take you far.

Going back in time to my high school years if I could give myself any advice it would be to one take more ap courses. Taking more ap courses in high school could of helped me transition into my college courses more effectively. I would of also made a bigger effort to vist the Ohio State University campus more often to get comfortable with it. Being the campus being one of the largest in the country, once your are a student here the size can be intemidating.

If I could to go back in time and give my high-school-self advice about college, my advice would start with a question, “Where is your finish-line?” One of the most difficult struggles I faced while in college was during my senior year when I faced graduation. Although transitioning from high school to college is a large step, one transition that most college students face, and where not much advice is given, is when you graduate college and join the work force. During this transition, I realized that I had always thought of graduating college as the finish-line, when in reality I had one last hurdle. By asking my high-school-self to consider where exactly is my finish-line, and getting myself to focus on looking past graduating towards crossing that finish line, which was achieving my desired career, I could ease the struggle transitioning from a student to young professional. Myself and students like me can use advice like this early on, so we realize the many opportunities we have in college, and utilize them to gain more out of our studies and degree that enable me to reach our own finish-lines.

It has been seven years that I’ve been out of school, with no formal education, only a working experience. I sometimes think about how my life would have been different had I continued my education right after high school. I am now 24 years old and looking back at my choices, I regret nothing. If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I would offer the advice of continuing to pursue my dreams and goals the only way I know how – To live happily in your way. Success is different to all of us and I am not in this world to live up to the expectations of others. Create your own path and embrace new ideas and challenges as you have been doing, is what I would tell myself. I’ve learned that encountering the unknown and unexpected is when you are truly living, helping me to grow and learn and helping my well-being. As cliché as it may sound, continue to make mistakes and errors, as this is what will ultimately help to achieve your dreams and goals. This is the advice I would give myself.

Work harder and prepare for college!

Knowing what I know now, if I could go back in time, I would tell myself to socialize with people outside of class more. I would also tell myself to focus on classwork, but no so much that I stress myself out, and to consider renting ebook versions of textbooks.

Get a job a save up

They provide toilet paper, you don't need to bring your own!

Advice that I would give to the high school senior me.. My last year of high school, I was so lost. I had no idea where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life. In all honesty, I was scared. Probably scared of the future and the unknown. If I were to go back and talk to myself, I would tell me to study and work harder, don't slack and get a bad case of senioritis. Dream big, because you only get one chance in this life; find what you want and go get it. Never give up on yourself and always do what you love; don't give up your dreams, chase them. And no matter what, never let those dreams slip away from your fingertips.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to be afraid to make my own decisions and to keep my goals in perspective. Making my own decisions is what go me to take a chance and go to my dream school, so far away from home. I have had the most success in my college in terms of my social life and my academic career when I kept my goals in perspective. There is very little I would change if I could go back, beacuse I have learned so much and become a better man for it. I only hope I could lead my past self to a similar place.

Everyone tells you that you will be on your own once you convert from high school to college, but because I had made so many friendships in the dorms with people that are similar to me, that transition has become much easier. Knowing that creating friendships through communication is vital to the transition, I would have worked harder at being sociable in high school so this would have come naturally to me in college. Losing parents and that cushion to fall back on may feel scary, but once you step foot on a college campus and see how many people are willing to reach out to you and help you creates a whole new sense of belonging that wasn't there in high school. Friendships in high school, although important, are not everlasting. The friendships you make in college will be friendships that last a lifetime because these people are your colleagues and are the people who have similar goals and aspirations. Practicing communication and socialization skills should be the first thing people practice before coming to any college, and especially a large campus that in itself feels like a city. Communication is the key to success, cliché or not.

First, I want to emphasis how important it is to perform exceeding well in all classes. Although the transition to college can be a challenge, you have to battle through the obstacles and finish off strong. Your friends will not always be there to motivate you; instead, you have to find the dedication and motivation within yourself. Furthermore, you have to use the many resources around campus to your advantage. Remember that the professors and teaching assistances are all there to help you succeed. Next, do not give into peer pressure. Though this may seem like common sense, it can sometimes be easier than you think. However, you are much wiser than to be fooled by such trickery. Lastly, do not forget that education is the key to success.

If I had the opportunity to give my high school self advice about college, I would not speak of commuting from a community college in order to save money or even to study harder. Instead I would tell myself to do everything in my power to enjoy the overwhelming and wonderful college experience as a whole. Through all of the stress and change I would not trade the experiences I was fortunate enough to gain or the friends I made for anything, I would only try to truly cherish the memories I made. Knowing what I know now about college, I would tell my younger self that there are a myriad of resources waiting to be explored and utilized in order to reach my full potential, and that all I will have to do is go and make that discovery. What matters most is to fully discover who you are as a person, the kind of people you thrive with, the nooks and crannies of your new city, all that your university has to offer, and what is going to ultimately make you happy in life. Do not stop until you make these discoveries and enjoy each to the fullest.

On this day last year, there were many things on my mind. It was time to study for finals. I was still undecided on what I wanted to major in at college. Soon, I will never see the faces I saw everyday in the halls. Everything was bittersweet; I was thrilled to start a new chapter of my life, but I desperately wanted to hold on to what was familiar. However, I was too distracted to focus on anything. The only thing I cared about was getting my classmates to like me. I have just finished my first year of college, and I am no longer the person I was in high school. I was so concerned on what people thought of me. I want to tell my high school self that all of that worrying was a waste. Cliques don't exist anymore. You will make great friends who will like you for you. It doesn’t matter who you were high school. We have bigger things on our minds; we are all focusing on the present in order to create our futures. The people who support you during your journey are the only friends you’ll ever need.

Make as many friends as you can and take advantage of the resources that OSU provides for you. There is a lot you can do to be social, since you won't really know anyone. Join a club, find a house with some other people, even go to some parties and hang out. You don't have to spend time at a job or at home if you decide to live there. Save some money, but have fun. It will be an experience you'll want to have.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now, I would simply tell myself to slow down, to not get so anxious over the small things and to make time for those who truly matter. Dont sweat the small stuff, have fun, and remember who your real friends are. Once you graduate from high school, the things that used to seem important arent anymore. Its not about who has the most expensive shoes or who ate with who at lunch. Its about maturing mentally and emotionally, expanding your horizons, experiencing new things, and meeting new people. Sometimes things dont always work out the way we plan for them to, and life is hard, so just play the hand youre dealt and smile. No moment lasts forever so make sure you cherish the special ones, and remember that youre a strong, independent, young woman who has the world before her that she needs to take full advantage of and never give up. Take my advice and youll not only be sucessful, but youll be happy.. Because in the end, thats all that really matters.

Dear High School Self: Do what you're afraid of. When you move off to college and everything is suddenly different, it's easy to gravitate towards things and people that make you feel comfortable. But you don't want to be comfortable. Comfort will not make you grow, challenge will. Challenge yourself to join the club you think you don't belong in. Take the dance lessons you're afraid of failing at. Take harder classes, find new and interesting people to talk to that you wouldn't ordinarily approach. Get lost in your new home and figure it all out. It took me half of my college experience to finally break away from the same group of friends and start doing things I wanted to do but was uncomfortable with. My fondest memories are of events that only happened because I refused to listen to my fears. If you face your fears to do what you want to, there's no way you can fail! The only thing you need to be afraid of in college is letting yourself down, because there are so many opportunities waiting for you. You just have to take them!

As I picture myself sitting in a class of over 20 students listening to my teacher reitterate herself about the importance of college, I tend to look away or doze off into a far away place. flash forward 10 years later I'm currently 30 yrs of age and just finishing my sophmore year wishing that 10 yrs ago if i knew that all i needed to do was concentrate, stay focused and keep with the values that I have put fourth for my life college could be much easier and I could have been done by now. those things of course I would have told myself, but now its a different day and I have now grown to know that those things are true and I hold them dearly to my heart. I always remember to remind myself of those things now which allows me to push fourth and obtain the career that I could have possibly had by the age of twenty five, but I also remember later is always better than never.

Be open to new experiences and opportunities. College will provide you with a newfound freedom but do not abuse the freedom, rather embrace it to better yourself. It is ok to not have a plan for your future and if you think you do, be open to new possibliities because you will learn so much more about your likes, dislikes, and your potential during your first few months as a college student. Stay busy. Taking advantage of the numerous opportunities on campus like part-time jobs, clubs and organizations, and listening to guest speakers you will learn how to accurately manage your time and improve your study skills while enriching your social life. Ultimately, try new things but never forget who you are and where you came from because it is those values that will lead you to success and keep you on the right path.

Take a good look at the campus. Go for a tour and see how the enrolled students act. Are students talking with others or more independent? Do the professors that you interact with impress you as insightful and interested? Can you see yourself sitting in the classrooms, getting around the campus, studying in the library, living in the dorms, etc.? Consider both inside and outside of the classroom environment. You will be attending that school for (most likely) four years so you need to be ready to make the commitment to an environment that best suits your needs and mindset. Take financial aid into consideration, but make sure you fit with the school more than the financial implications of the decision. It might be more beneficial to take on greater debt for a school you love than to be unhappy in a school you settled for because it offered the most financial aid. GET INVOLVED! People who match your interests might find you, but realistically you will have to simultaneously pursue those relationships. Find activities that interest you to keep a good balance between studies and recreation. Stay focused and don't sweat the small stuff! Learn, Live, Grow.

I would advise myself not to dwindle on the little things because when it comes down to it, that history test that I studied all night for and didn't do as well as I had hoped is a memory that has diminished. What matters is surrounding yourself with people who are truly there to help you succeed and bring you happiness. Leaving home and going off on your own puts a lot more into perspective. We begin to filter out meaningless relationships and replace those with people who genuinely have your best interests at heart. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to never try to impress anybody else or change yourself simply for the sake of another noticing. As cheesy and cliche as it appears, being yourself is all that matters. I would tell myself that the people who try to change you are the same ones that will be filited out of your life.