Skagit Valley College Top Questions

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

Novella

I have unique situation because as a highschool senior I was a sophomore in running start! If I could give myself advice I would tell myself to join clubs and attend more sports games. I would want myself to step more outside my comfort zone to make more social connections. It is harder to make friends while living off campus, so I really wish I would have been more outgoing and made more friends my first year of college. Not only do friends make college more exciting, but having peers to study with is am important part at suceeding in college.

Emily

Keep jumping through the hoops of the education system, even when they're on fire. While you're at it, introduce yourself to every person you meet; you never know who is a firefighter. For every flaming hoop, there is someone holding it up. Ask them questions; they know the tricks. When you've gotten through that obstacle, keep searching for the next. In the dark mystery that is your personal adventure, it might not be obvious which way to turn, but there are more guides than you think. Your parents or friends might not have every answer, but there are people who do. They are your firefighters and you are a professional fire hoop jumper. Keep jumping.

Marisa

As a senior in high school there are a lot of different choices that you can make that will affect how well you will do in college and it will affect what college you go to. First, manage your time wisely. When choosing between hanging out with friends and getting your homework done. Homework should come first because you can always hang out with friends, but your homework has deadlines that determine your grades, and having a good GPA determines what colleges you can get into. Also apply for colleges and scholarships early because early applicants have a better chance in getting into their first pick schools. One thing that I would advise you to do is to get ready for harder work because high school is not setting you up for the amounts of homework and studying you have in college. Become independent so you do not rely on others to help you all the time. Set goals for yourself because without goals you do not have a reason to be spending the money on college. So senior in high school, make all the memories you can in high school and get ready for a new adventure ahead.

Cathaleen

If I could go back in time and talk to myself before I started college, I would say one simply thing. Do not be afraid. I was homeschooled and entering college was terrifying. If only I could tell my past self not to waste so much time being afraid and try new things sooner, get involved in clubs sooner, and be more outgoing sooner. There are very few choices that I regret, but the ones I do regret I made because I was scared. I wish I could tell myself to apply for that internship, or addition for that play. I spent too much time being unsure of myself, attending college helped me to gain conference and discover who I am and what I want to do with my life. I used to be afraid of the world, but now the world should be afraid of me.

Lisa

If I were to have the opportunity to speak to my high school senior self, I would tell myself that it is okay to not attend college right after graduating. Going to college right after high school, I was thrust into adulthood and responsibility, as well as trying to navigate college. I was very overwhelmed trying to juggle all of these things. I believe if I had taken a year off to explore life, I would've better prepared myself to enter college being a more confident adult and more focused on my academics. I went into college not really having an idea of what I wanted to do, so I didn't feel motivated to attend classes or do well in them. Taking two years off of school allowed me to explore jobs and really find out what I was passionate about: taking care of people. Once I knew what I wanted, it was so easy to find the career that supported my passion. At that point, everything fell into place and I began to pursue a Nursing Degree. So high school self, I encourage you to take the time to discover yourself and all will work out!

danalee

Advise I would give myself. Damit finish college and do not take that summer off. Life gets busy and you can take that summer later in 4 yrs and enjoy it.

Samantha

If I were to go back in time, to when I was a senior, I would probably tell myself to do a couple of things differently. The first thing is to not procrastinate. To break that habit before I went to college would have been a blessing. I would would probably understand some of my course work better and have a better GPA. The other thing I would tell myself is to ask teachers for help when I need it. It took me the better part of the year to ask a teacher for help. I would have understood more of the subject matter the first time around if I had just asked them to explain things differently the first time around.

Katie

Knowing the things that I know now, I would tell myself to relax, take a deep breath, and reach for my dreams. I would also tell myself that what those other people said wasn't important. I can accomplish the goals I set for myself. Ever since I was seven, I have dreamed that I would be an archaeologist and a historian. Now, as a college student, I know that I can accomplish these goals and I wish that I was able to tell myself that in my senior year. It would have allowed me to enter college as a more confident individual than I did. I would encourage myself to socialize more often, to make lasting friendships and to just have a good time. I wish that I had balanced my social life and work life better, and now, the friends that I made in my senior year, are simply aquaintances and not good friends that I can spend my Friday nights with. Having good friends makes a wonderful support system for the transition from high school to college. Friends can make your stress go down, which is helpful to any college student.

David

You can never be to prepared i thought that i was perpared enough for school and sadly had to findout the hard way that i was no where near ready, now i have to work that much harder to get everything undercontrol and i understand that now but back in high school i was so focused on sports and having fun that i put my self in a bad spot to have to work harder and while all my friends focused on school and fun they all went to good schools and i had to watch them leave and i had to stay how and pretty much start over and now i feel like every on is run in a track and that my track is a up hill battle so basically i would tell my self to focus and fun will come later.

Christine

listen to that little voice inside your head that tells you to follow where the destiny that you will create leads you. That way you can "take the bull by the horns" and forge your own path and make your hopes become reality. (and do your homwork so your teachers won't give you The Speech every five days)

Alanna

With so many of your friends going to prestigious colleges and four-year universities, don't sweat about doing your own thing. Attending a community college is a great deal. The classes are smaller and more affordable. Plus, you have a better chance of meeting new people in smaller settings. Pace yourself and take a smaller credit load your first quarter in school. With cooking your own meals, doing your own laundry, paying your own bills, and shopping, it can become overwhelming at first. Pace yourself with your homework load. College is manageable if you keep on top of the work. It's all about putting the time in a class. Start saying "no" once in awhile. It's all about time management and knowing your limits, especially when you work and are on a sports team. College is going to work for you and you will get better at it over the years. Register for classes as soon as you possible to secure the classes you need at the times you need them, especially the prerequisites. Anything meaningful is going to: a) take work; and b) mean getting out of your comfort zone.

Jessica

Take more math so I wouldn't have to take so much college math. Be more prepared for lots of time spent on homework outside of class.