Simmons College Top Questions

My first advice to my senior self is to re-take the ACT. Additionally, don't over-think the exam - slow and steady, but answer as many questions as possible as it can improve the score. Don't regret the decision about starting at a community college and working to pay through school, but don't work too hard. Take more time to study and don't procrastinate (so much). Finally, proceed to the BSN / MSN route while you still have a young brain and don't have so many complicated life situations. The support is there and it will be much easier to do it than to wait the many years that we did in this current life.

Don't say 'no'. Except to drugs, and alcohol, and excessive partying. Otherwise, throw yourself into college life head on. Don't think to yourself, "Maybe next year. When I know more people. When I have more friends." The only way you'll be able to make lasting friendships is if you get out on your own and try out new things and meet new people. And also don't think to yourself, "Well, this sin't really my thing. I don't do stuff like this." How will you know if it's your 'thing' unless you've actually tried it? College is a place to find yourself and your true passions without feeling self concious of others. Because remember, everyone is in the same boat as you. Everyone's new to college and no one really knows each other. So don't be afraid to say 'Yes!' It gives you the opportunity to try new things and meet interesting new people.

If I could go back to high school and give myself advice for college I would tell myself 3 big things. The first piece of advice I would give would be to go to all of the colleges you are looking at to give yourself more to compare on, you have to feel comfortable at the college. The second piece of advice would be to make friends with your floor mates fast, they are the people you have to live with and share your space with all the time. The last piece of advice I would give would be to get in the habit of keeping a calendar and making a schedule. Keeping a planner is the best thing you can do, even if you think you will remember every assignment, meeting, or test you have one will slip your mind and that can cause an upset in your course and get you discouraged. Over all, the best thing to do going from high school to college is have an open mind. Drop any preconceived notions of college and go in with an open mind and find new unique experiences for yourself.

I would tell myself to not stress out too much about the future. I would tell myself that I don't need to know exactly what career path I want before entering college. I would tell myself to try everything once, to join as many extracurricular clubs and activities as possible, and try them all out. Then to narrow down my involvement to what really makes me happy. I would tell myself to open my mind to new people, new opportunities, and new possibilities. And I would tell myself not to worry, because college is an incredible experience; life changing actually. College is full of knowledge, experience, activities, life long friends, amazing teachers, and self-discovery.

I would advise my younger self to be more involved with programs, activities and organizations offered at the college I will attend. One thing I most regret not doing while I was taking my prerequisite courses at a community college is getting involved in the activities. Looking back on my experience there I realize that there were many groups and activities that captured my attention and would have helped me to have a more well-rounded approach to everything from study habits to resume writing skills after graduation. The community college that I attended held and currently holds various workshops monthly to aid students in their transition from high school adolescent to college young adult and even further into adult hood. I would advise my high school senior self to actually pay attention to the many flyers posted around the school that advertised these programs because I now know that it is sometimes necessary and okay to seek help when something is very new to you and you are scared and unsure of what to do to achieve your goals.

First I would say, Keep your attitude at home. Do not talk back and most importantly LISTEN and interact with the teacher and students. Don't be afraid to ask questions and don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Most importantly stay focused on your school work and don't let anything else distract you from your studies. YOU CAN DO IT! No one is going to hold your hand and tell you to turn in your work. It is not like high school. Get a schedule that works best for you and give yourself study time which takes priority over everything else. Do not worry about what you are going to wear the next day, worry about how you will get all your worked turned in and passing that class! No excuses! Get it done because you can! Show the world what you are made of and excel excel excel!! Don't let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your goals! Work first play later! You are going to make it!

Dear Melissa, Make sure to take those science courses seriously. While you know you can do the minimum and still earn great grades, you need to push yourself more than you ever have before. Don't memorize! This will only hurt you in the long run. You have to be able to comprehend the material and really make sure you understand what you are reading. Don't take the easy way out. Don't be afraid to take chances! Go above and beyond what is expected of you. Don't be afraid to do things that may make you feel uncomfortable. And always, fight for what is right and just. This will only prepare you for what lies ahead of you in college. The tears and sweat may make it seem like you're getting nowhere...but you are. You just don't know it yet. You are going to be amazing and successful and a true leader in healthcare in the future. Those tears, sweat, and headaches? They will all be worth it. PS- Make sure to go out for Varsity Basketball your senior year. Don't take the easy way out. Sincerely, Your older, wiser self

If I can go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I need to get ready for college by doing the research on how applying for college works. Signing up for scholarships would be another important topic I would mention. I will tell myself that scholarships are more important than I thought and that it will make my college life so much easier money wise. Since I had a very difficult time deciding what class i wanted to take, I just jumped into any class without really thinking about it. Instead of making that mistake I would tell myself that the career I really want to work in is Occupational therapy, not Criminal justice. I would also tell myself what school I should pick, which is Keiser University, because Everest will just be a waste of my time and money. The last thing I would say to myself is to take every class serious and pass with the highest grade to my ability. If I were to fail I would have to pay for the whole class and for the books, if the books are different depending on the year.

Remember, you can do the crazy party thing and the college part. Remember to do the college part.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself the advice to take advantage of every scholarship opportunity available, and give myself more credit for what I have done with my life. In order to succeed in life one must learn to brag. Not become arrogant, but instead able to acknowledge your accomplishments. I once thought I had nothing to write on a scholarship application except my name, but I never thought of all the little things I did every day. I was a volunteer math tutor at my high school, I sang at charity events as lead vocals with the band at my music school, I was a Girl Scout for nine years and I was a Pease Greeter. I had so many things to write that I never gave myself credit for. So I would have asked myself to remember that I had more to offer the world than I once thought. That way when I got to college I wouldn’t spend the first few weeks looking around wondering how I fit in with all the accomplished women around me, instead I would know I belonged.

Well to be honest, I was prepared and handling college just fine. Since I started college in the Fall of 2010 I earned all "As" so my GPA is 4.0.

Dear Me, Choose Simmons College. You will not gain many friends, but plenty of friendly aquaintanices. There will be times for making friends later. Don't worry too much about what other people say. You will learn a lot that many co-ed colleges will not offer in their classes. You will be overcome with many expereinces that Simmons have to offer and I encourage you to take them. Join groups! Go to networking events! The students are traveling at 100mph and you are not. Its time to get up and moving! Do not sit there and let the world pass by you. Have fun and work hard.

The most important thing that I could tell myself as a high school senior would be to take a deep breath. In my final year at home I spent a majority of it up to my eyeballs in stress. Honestly, most of it was self-imposed. I missed out on so many things I will never get the chance eto do again because I was studying. Being in college is fantastic, and I really do love it. But if I could go back in time and be in high school again, with my friends and my family all so accessible to me, I would do so in a heartbeat. I've realized now that I took for granted the ease of the people in my life. Never again will I be able to count on seeing my closest friends everyday. From now on, seeing them will be a special occasion; something we have to plan. If I could tell senior-me to take advantage of her time and have more fun I would hope that I would take myself seriously and smile a little more and study a little less.

If I knew then what I know now, the biggest piece of advice that I could give my high school senior self would be to seize opportunities, no matter how different or challenging they might seem. An important thing to realize is the fact that college is what you make it. You will be given unlimited school clubs to explore, community events to attend, and lecture series both within your school as well as other colleges. But nothing will be mandatory. No one will be there encouraging you to explore things and step outside of your comfort zone. There are no more application procedures requiring you to be engaged outside of academics and there will be no outside pressure to be a well-rounded individual. The school may have organized events or systems in place to socialize freshmen, but these will drop off as time goes by. Being an interesting individual and exploring the limitless opportunities are up to you. Get out there; there's more to college than attending class!

If I could go back in time where I was a high school senior, I would give myself a lot of advice regarding the cost of college. I attend a private college now that is extremely expensive, and I am footing the bill alone with no cosigner for student loans so I am looking for all the help I can get. In high school, I didnt have a lot of guidance involving the costs of tuition and how to apply for grants or scholarships. I would tell myself to start as soon as possible researching scholarships and making connections with teachers at the high school. You always will have a network and it is the most needed thing in life especially in college. When applying for jobs or internships around campus, the supervisors want references and who knows you better than certain teachers you've had more that once... Your personal network is everything so everytime you meet someone, shake their hand and make an impression. You absolutely never know when you may need to refer to those people one day!

Ask why no one is promoting college.

The advice I would give myself is to get a second opinion. A highly respected trustworthy individual gave me bad advice my Counselor. She told me I was not college material. I believed her. Even though, she never gave me reason for her advice, I trusted her. I wanted to become a Registered Nurse back then but I did not attempt for fear of not being accepted into college. I became an STNA instead. Surprisingly for me, I went on hesitantly accomplishing life. I was indecisive at the smallest decisions. Sadly, I was living in fear of failure. I began to ask for help in small and great task, from completing an application to buying a home. Finally, I realized, that is what I should have done back in high school. I should have asked for help in understanding why I had been given such bad advice. I should have asked what I could have done to improve. Since then, I have learned I will never allow what someone says dictate who I am. Currently my grades always reflect at least the Honor Roll at my school, I was recognized in WHO’s Who among Students in American University & Colleges.

The most important advice I would give myself is to plan ahead financially. This is crucial because I did not realize how much I was actually going to be in debt after school until I started taking out my loans with sky rocketing interest rates. Applying to as many scholarships and as early as possible is key. Getting to know your financial aid adviser also helps tremendously. The second piece of advice would be to plan scholarly. Look into the different programs that colleges offer and buy a planner. There is a lot more free time in college than in high school and it is extremely easy to get sidetracked. By staying busy, the bad habit of procrastination can never be instilled. Also, as a college athlete, I would advise myself to plan a more rigorous preseason workout and stick to it. This puts you ahead even before the first practice which impresses the coach. Finally, one last piece of advice is to have an open mind. Diversity is much more common in college than high school and being more perceptive can allow you to have so many friends with different backgrounds that you would have never expected to have.

I would tell my high school self nothing. Not being wholly prepared for how disastrous my first year of college would be after high school is what led me to where I am today. I needed to mess up in the first place in order to truly find my passion. I have a love of learning now which I never did before, and I would not trade that love of learning for anything.

I would advise myself to manage my time more efficiently and to take one step at a time to avoid any exhaustion; overloading yourself with too much cramming into one session is not the best way to learn time-consuming material. Always have confidence in yourself even when you are situated in the worse possible scenario because the outcome may result from your actions in response to the situation. Try to encourage yourself to study more often by the motivations in your life and be grateful for the things you already obtain and is striving for and envision for the future. Have ambition and persistence in everything you do between school, work and family because it may be difficult to balance everything at the same time, but don't be discourage because you are the determiner of your life and future. And remember never to give up; one failure does not equal complete failure. Take one failure as a lesson and learn from it.

To not try and grow up so fast, stay focused on just school the rest will play its part.

Before I left for college, I was a nervous wreck, constantly worrying about how my roommates would view me or how I would do in my classes. But now, in retrospect, I would have told myself that worrying does more harm than good in college. I have seen some of my classmates throw away their classes because of stress. They get so involved in their worry and trying to be perfect their work actually declines in quality because of it. They lose sleep and gain weight. They feel like the whole world is crashing down upon them. But this is not what college is about. Yes, college is about education, but it's also a time of fun and personal growth, neither of which one can have without giving him or herself a break. Life goes by too quickly to let it be crowded with worry.

I would not overlook something like a social life. I thought that coming to an all girls school wouldn't affect me at all since it is in the middle of Boston but it really does affect your experience. I feel like nothing exciting ever happens. I would tell myself to forget the name of the school (Simmons was listed on Princeton's review as one of 373 top schools). It was a major reason I chose this school, but I now realize that doesn't matter. If you have any doubts about the school, you will most likely end up not liking it. I would just go to the state school 15 minutes from my house. It is an accredited university and I'm sure the educational experience would be the same or better and the social experience will definately be better. Just follow your heart and disregard what other people may think. If you want to go to a community college, then go, if you want to go to a public college, then go. It's really that simple.

Jade, college is hard work, but I've found hard work pays off. The more successful you are, the more you want to work. Find your study habits and use them to your best advantage. Don't be scared of the professors, they're so different from high school teachers. Professors treat you like a responsible adult and that's what you are when you get to college. Don't be nervous, you're going to meet wonderful friends and people that only want you to succeed. Good Luck!

To say that I am now the person I am meant to be is a wonderful feeling; The knowledge that my college experience is what got me here makes it even more satisfying. As a senior in high school I cannot say I was confident that my college experience would be capable of getting me to this place. I came from a small town high school to a big city college, and it was a big transition for me. I reverted back from the confident senior to the shy and timid freshman the moment I stepped foot on campus. Thankfully, the Simmons College community, along with my sports team slowly dragged me back to (and beyond) my old sense of confidence. If there is one piece of advice I would give myself looking back, it would be, "be fearless!". I would encourage myself to waist no time being shy and intimidated, because it takes away from the enriching and enpowering experiences that college life has to offer. I would push myself to explore more, to create opportunities instead of waiting for them, and most importantly to believe that no matter what I chose to do I could accopmlish it.

High school constitutes the four years of a person’s life where socializing and a good reputation is the primary concern and public humiliation is the equivalent of a slow and painful death. However, in all honesty, high school is merely a bump in the road compared to the mountain you must climb in college. You have not yet truly pulled an all-nighter, faced the treacherous workload of a college student, or faced the stresses that come with independence from your parents. Looking back on those four glorious drama-filled years, I am envious of the carelessness of my high school persona. If I could tell her one bit of advice from a college stand point, I would encourage her to reach for the stars. Don’t be afraid to go for something because you assume you will be rejected. You are your biggest critic. There is nothing to lose other than the opportunity that passes. Take a chance and don’t let your inhibitions get the best of you. Apply to every college, try new sports, join different clubs, and talk to the kids seated at the “popular” table. You are the judge of your future path.

Obviously, I have learned the many hardships there are to being on your own, just as every other college student does. I have become far more independent from my family and I think for myself at all times. This is valuable because it allows for growing up and becoming a responsible adult. Also, I have come out of my shell since I have been here. Not knowing anyone attending Simmons College, I found that I needed to put myself out there and assert myself in order to make friends. Thankfully, I found very many women here who are easy-going and good natured. In addition, I realize that I am now more worldly. I have met many people that I may once have walked by and never realized how great of a person they are. I have become cultured because I associate with people of so many different backgrounds. This is a positive experience because I have acquired more knowledge of other people and have become more adventurous. I have participated in many things that I once never thought about, such as the green club we have here. No longer living in a small town has broadened my horizons greatly.

I am starting my college classes march 21st, 2011, and i can not wait to begin to start not only my career but also my life.

In my college experience, I have taken a great deal of courses that have encouraged and help me grow a greater love for my career choice and that is to earn my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I currently work in a Physical Therapy Clinic as an aid helping patients with exercises and while learning everything I am in school I am able to apply my new knowledge to my job making it a rewarding experience. I consider it very valuable to attend school because it makes the whole process even more exciting. It's hard and a lot of work but in the end I know I will be very happy with my choice in school and my career path.

My college experience has been outstanding so far. From freshman year until now I have grown so much as a person, meeting new lifelong friends, living on my own away from home in Boston, and balancing my academics and social life. The environment at Simmons, the students and professors provide me with the support and opportunities that I need to succeed as a student.The nursing program at Simmons College has offered me an enormous amount of lecture and classroom time, simulations, and clinicals that have provided hands on and realistic scenarios and patients that have helped me learn a great deal of information. In May 2012, I will obtain my goal of graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in the Science of Nursing from Simmons College in Boston, MA. I can not wait to accomplish my goal and share these proud moments with my family and friends, and be proud to say that I graduated from such an amazing college.

As of now I am a college freshmen student. I did attend the University of North Carolina Greensboro in the fall of 2010, but I transferred in spring 2011 to Simmons College located in Boston, MA. Due to my unique transition to the south I feel that my college experience has been very valuable. I am a northern girl who originally attended a southern school. Initially I chose to go to school several hundred miles away from my hometown to "grow up". I did not want to be "mama's girl" anymore, I wanted to teach myself how to become independent... and I did. Moving to an unfamiliar place was hard for me. As a result I became stronger mentally. I learned how to work with financial matters, I learned how to represent myself well so that unfamiliar people took me seriously, and I learned that all people have different pasts and to be open-minded when approaching a stranger. Moving 1,200 miles and 7 states away was one of the best things that could ever happen to me. I learned how to depend on myself, make my own decisions, and represent myself well.

I have growen alot in confidence, when i started college this semester I was extremely shy and quied and very insecure but through attending cod I have growen alot both with inner confidence and being more confident in my voice.

College has brought me to a basic understanding of growing up and out of my comfort zone. I have found though I know that I want to eventually become successful, that it takes more time than expected to find what your true calling is. Luckily being surrounded by others who are in the same boat as I has relaxed my mind and has created a more open mind in the realm of education.

I have reinvented myself in college. In high school, I didn't get very involved and never really felt like I had a purpose and a place. So, when I came to college, I knew I wanted to recreate myself and take advantage of every opportunity that came my way. Simmons College was the perfect place for me to do this. Not only have I received a thorough and interesting education, but I have also been given opportunities to learn and hone my leadership skills. Having these experiences, I have decided I want to continue with my education at Law School upon graduation.

College is challenging especially for me. Transferring different colleges is the hardest part but transforming from a kid to adult is even harder. As much work as it can be, it can be a truly rewarding and fun experience. Going to college means leaving your grade school years behind and taking on a whole new experience. There are things in life that you have to change like how your interact with indivudauls. You have differnet workloads that you have too adjust to and most importantly getting to know your professors. Out of my college experience I have learned to respect myself more because I grew into a adult. I have gotten self control. I have learned to stay more focused. You don't have someone to take you by the hand and lead you the whole way through school. It has been valuable to attend because it is a wonderful experience. Its nothing like attending college and experiencing new things.

Wow where do i being.. college have been so valuable to me it has brought so much aspect to my life. im a person who likes to learn and be taught new things. Going to college has been a new adventure for me learning new things, meeting new people and most of all being able to make it through my classes with y teachers help! College has also been valuable to me becaus ei have my family and friends behing me 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} since im the only child in my family that has made it this far in life. I have so much support and it keeps me going and allows me to say to myself that i can do make it through this year of school to go to the next years.

College is something that you need to experience to fully understand what the hype is all about. I knew before attending that I would learn to live with someone I did not know, be away from my family, manage my finances and academics successfully, and live in a new place with all new people. From attending college for the first year, I realized that there is so much more beyond what you can read online or what people tell you from their experiences. I have learned to speak solely from my points of view, stand up for things that I believe in with knowing that everyone could stand against me, and learned that it is necessary to take risks to discover what you reallly want to achieve. My college experience has allowed me to become my own person, free of whatever injustices have been put against me. I am focused on what is in my best interest, and what allows me to become the successful young adult I aspire to be. Beliefs such as these came from who I became during my first year at college, which will carry on with me through all of my future endeavors.

My education meant very little to me until my freshmen year of high school when I had an epiphany about the significance of a higher education which forever altered my attitude towards my future goals. After being accepted to Simmons College, I became an ambitious and driven young woman on a mission to attain any and all information that was relevant to my coursework. Simmons has enabled me to continue on my journey to a higher education by empowering me as a woman, satiating my hunger for knowledge and allowing me the opportunity to thrive as a scholar. My interest in the field of nutrition and dietetics has only increased with each class that I take. The professors encourage and inspire me to work towards my educational goals and persevere through all obstacles that may stand in the way. By achieving this higher level of education, I know that I will be able to continue moving forward and making a difference in the lives of people who are struggling with problems related to nutrition. Attending Simmons College has granted me opportunities and experiences that have fully exceeded my expectations.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have a couple things to say. The first thing I would tell myself is to take my time researching colleges I want to apply to. Make a list of what I want out of a college (long and short term) and base my decisions off of that list. I would also tell myself to start a scholarship search so that I will need as little financial aid as possible. It can be tedious at times, but it's worth it in the end. You should know how much money you're willing to spend on school ahead of time because this will factor into what kind of school you choose to attend. I would tell myself to stay organized. After awhile, you will have a million things to do and need to prioritize them. Invest in a planner to help yourself. Lastly, I would tell myself to have fun. College is the halfway mark between childhood and adulthood. This is the time to make new friends, go out to parties, and stay up late! Enjoy it!

I would definetly say that if you are financing your own education to try out community college first (work while taking classes) and figure out what you really wanna get out of your education. Changing schools and more years of school are a waste of time and money so its best to try and know your career path. Get all the help you can and put yourself out there because if you dont nothing is ever going to happen

The main piece of advice that I would give myself for the transition to college would be that the feelings of transition and isolation go away. Going to college is a major change. You are in a new place where you don?t know anyone, and getting used to that will take time. However, things will settle down after a couple of weeks. When I started college the transition was incredibly overwhelming and felt like it would never end. Knowing that the feelings of loneliness and isolation eventually end helps ease the transition. My advice to my younger self would be to keep putting myself out there, meeting new people, and trying new things. Although it looks like every other freshman has it together, they?re in the same place as you and are feeling the same things as you. It feels overwhelming and like you are totally alone, but there are people and resources to help you. Use your resources. Ask questions when you don?t understand something. Go to a group?s meeting. Accomplishing the tasks that need to be done help with the feelings of being overwhelmed and interacting with people help with the feelings of loneliness.

Relax and take a deep breath. The fear that I have about college and how stressful it will be should disappear. I need to have more confidence within myself that I can do well and succeed. I have been working hard my entire life and my acceptance into my first choice college is proof of that. This school and the education I will receive will open new doors and opportunities which will ultimately make me rethink of what I truly want out of life. Its time to realize what is genuinely important and valuable.

I would tell myself to be prepared to work hard and to make many sacrifices. Studying will now be very important in understanding and remembering information that will actually be important in your life. Don't get discouraged with a lack of social life and fun in your life. Enjoy the people around you while in class and at work. Make the most of your surroundings. People at school and work will introduce you to a whole new world and way of thinking, so don't be afraid to open up to them. Most of all, when in the future you feel like you should give up, remember that although it will be tough and you might have no time for sleep or 'you time' while balancing school and full time work, it will be worth it in the end when you are employed in a field that you will thoroughly enjoy. Always remember the long-term goals as to why you are going through school when you feel discouraged. And last but not least, never forget where you come from and the building blocks that make you the independent and strong person that you undoubtedly are.

I would tell myself to get involved in evertything. I would tell myself to make as many friends as possible and always surround myself with people. I would tell myself to join in all activities, groups, study groups, etc... I would advise myself not to go home for the first month no matter how hard it may be and only go home once in a while. I would tell myself not to lose faith and confidence and to ask for help when needed. I would say not to procrastinate and to plan my days well. I would tell myself to start studying right away for tests or quizzes. I also would tell myself to apply to as many scholarships as possible and to keep a good relationship with my academic advisor.

The transition is simple, if you keep your mind and your heart open. Allow people to talk to you. Get to know your roomate. Try and look at your professors veiws without judgement. Study hard. But play hard too. If you get paperwork for something (like work-study) FILL IT OUT ON TIME! Quit waiting til the last minute. You won't have panic attacks and you'll be on top. If you put things off, like you normally do, you'll get sick, really sick. It's not fun. Be careful with the way you spend money. Just because you have an ATM card and you haven't reached rock bottom, doesn't mean you can just spend and spend, because it takes forever to earn back. Most of all, take the time to make friends. Don't curl up in a ball and facebook all day. It doesn't help anything, not your social life, not your grades, nothing. Get out there. Have fun!

The first piece of advice I would share is to never stop challenging yourself to do better. Do not take the easy class because the difficult class seems irrelevant to your interests. You never know when the knowledge you learn will come into play in the future. Knowledge is key to success! I would confirm that my parents really do know what they are talking about and to go to college where the financial aid is best - it is really helpful not to have student loans upon graduating in a tough economy. I would stress the fact that when people say that college is the best time of your life, they are really telling the truth, but always remember that your studies come first and to push yourself harder everyday to do your best. Lastly, I would say that you do not have to know what you want to be when you grow up. You will figure that out in time and the more you explore different areas of education, the more you will find out about yourself! Make sure to intern and job shadow in many fields - this is really important to seeing what real working life is like.

The advice that I would give myself would be that college is nothing like high school. I would tell myself to give ample study time for exams beside the amount of time that is used for going over material every day. You should strive to succeed in school as well as having fun and making friends for life. There is a balance that can be achieved between fun, school and work. School may be tough and at times but the important thing is as long as you are able to achieve the main goal which is to graduate you are ok. Have fun in everything you do at school and live to the fullest while you are in colleg. Good luck in everything.

As I sit here now, a female that will soon complete her college education, one of the main pieces of advice that I would have had for myself while I was still in highschool, would be to make sure that one is one hundred percent certain that they wish to continue their education right after graduating highschool. I wish at times that I had taken a year off to explore the world, along with myself as a young adult and an emerging member of this society. I believe that it is necessary to make sure one is ready for the transition into a fast-paced environment that does not have bumpers for what lays ahead. One is thrown into this environment of chaos, peer pressure, and intense learning. Although it sounds frightening when written down, college life and the transition into college is the most amazing and exciting experience one will ever endure in life.Entering college becomes the passageway into the "real world", real struggles, and the real you.

I would tell myself that college is not going to be as easy as high-school. During the first year of college, you have to adjust to so many different things and this is going to be hard. You have to adjust to living in a new place, being away from your family, and living with total strangers. It is rare that you will room with someone you know from home. In addition, you will have to deal with homesickness - some days are going to be worse than others. There is a bright side though. Once you get through all of this - usually by sophomore year - you'll start to realize that college is not so bad. When you are a college student, you don't have a curfew (if you choose to stay out until 2am, no one can stop you). College gives us the opportunity to be independent and think for ourselves since we can decide when we want to eat, sleep, and do our work. Last but not least, it also gives us a chance to meet new people that may become life-long friends. In short, college can be the best four years of your life!

When I was a high school senior I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was the United States Champion in the sport of figure skating and skating was the only thing that I was focused on. A few months after graduation, I broke my foot and my skating career ended. I had no other goals for my life except for becoming an Olympic Champion. I was completely lost and I found myself unhappily attending Emerson College with people who were completely different from myself. If I could go back in time, I would have told myself not to put all of my eggs in one basket, as I completely neglected to learn who I was as a person outside of skating. I would have told myself to explore additional activities in order to gain a more enriched perspective on life that would have helped me form other life goals. I would have also told myself to do more thorough research on the institutions that I applied to so that all of my choices were places where I would fit in, as well as, a place where I could attain a high quality education.