St John’s University-New York Top Questions

Dear Marica, Sweet girl, you will make it. You will be a 2013 graduate of C. D. Hylton High School. You will attend St. John's University in NYC. College is not like the movies where you see them rarely studying. College is difficult. You will need to study in order to succeed. Do not party. Do not fall for those fraternity boys. Meet a guy that likes you because of your intelligence and your beauty. You will be miles away from home but remember, your mom and dad are only a phone call away. They want to hear your voice, so give them a call and tell them about your day. Remember, every time you visit home, dad puts a $20 bill in your glove compartment for emergencies. Do not spend it. Tell those you love that you love them. Try new things. Travel anywhere you can with what you have. Eat all the food you want. Eat the extra slice of pizza. Stay loyal and stay strong. You are beautiful sweet girl. Grandma and poppop are watching, make them proud. Most importantly, do what makes you happy. Love, Me

I would tell myself to carefully decide where you want to go to school. How you feel about the school itself impacts you're entire college experinence, good or bad. Especially, if you're in a situtaion where you cannot transfer, you have to find ways to make it the greatest experinence. It is what you make it.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior, my advice would be not to worry. As a senior in high school I was quite nervous about college. Not a single one of my friends was going to my college and I was afraid of having to start over. I was afraid of losing contact with old friends, I was afraid of the classes, I was afraid of the future. As I have progressed through my first year of college I realize it was a silly fear. I have made great connections with people who will hopefully remain lifelong friends, I have been engaged in some of the most interesting classes that have made me thing and wonder. And I am no longer afraid of the future. I have come to realize the future does not have to be this random thing where no one knows what is going to happen and where you will end up. I have set a goal for myself, and I intend to make that future happen. I wish I could tell this to my past self, without spending all that time worrying, I would have had a much better senior year.

If I could give my high school self-advice I would tell her that I should be taking my classes more seriously. I know I have the ability to be a great student and I chose to slack off and fly under the radar. I would tell myself to push harder and prove to everyone you are capable of being a straight “A” student. If I applied myself I would have been accepted to my dream university. I would tell myself it is way cooler to be a diligent student, than one who is embarrassed to speak about grades with friends. I would tell myself that when everyone was receiving acceptance letters from multiple schools, I could have been too if I studied more. I would tell adolescent me that it is okay if you are not good at a subject but if you apply yourself, there is so much to be proud of when you put in the effort to pass the class. I accept my flaws and my failures and although I made mistakes in school in high school, I am proud to say I learned my lesson to give advice to others not to make my mistakes.

If I could tell myself, as a high school senior, to do more early on, I would. Going into the medical field is extremely competetive and if you are not 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} focused on your goals from the beginnning, you will not make it. Start volunteering, interning, and reseraching from day 1. Don't let anyone put you down, or doubt your dreams. You can do anything you put your mind to. Don't be lazy. Spend your weekends studying, and party when its worth it. Have fun and don't stress.

17 year old Celeste Najera unfolded the paper she found at the bottom of her backpack while looking for her English homework: "September 16, 2014 To Celeste Najera: Hey dude! This is you from the future. Yes, I'm serious and no, you're not tripping. This is real and you need to read this and believe me...well you need to believe you because we are the same person. Anyway, the point is that I'm already at SJU. I've seen the dark side...and it's bad. You're not going to like it at all. Beware of the roommates! Trust me, you're going to meet them and they'll seem nice, but don't be fooled! Don't take anything that they give you and most definitely do NOT take their pizza! Just stay hungry and wait until morning to eat. You will think that they are trying to be nicer to you, but it's all a lie! Also, keep looking for scholarships because you're going to need it. Just do what I wrote and you'll be good, Future Celeste Najera P.S. Bring toilet paper. Seriously. P.P.S. Good luck!"

Knowing what I know about college life and making the transition, I would go back in time and advise myself as a high school senior to set realistic goals and deadlines to achieve. I would encourage myself as a high school senior to prioritize my short term goals and long term goals to help me succeed. Getting in the habit of setting goals that are achievable will help me to learn consistency and accountability. The idea and habit will motivate myself as a high school senior to strive to meet those goals by the deadlines set because in college professors set deadlines for assignments. I would also advise myself to learn time and date management. Time and date management is very essential during the college-career which would prepare me for a work-career upon graduating. A planner, calendar and myself as a high school senior should become best friends because in college ; timing is everything. With so many activities and events held on campus throughout the semster after academic studying , social life becomes interesting. I would encourage writing down all important dates as soon as they are discovered to plan study hours and extra-curricular activites accordingly.

Dear Stephen, Wassup man? How is senior year going? college is around the corner and you should really be asking yourself if you are ready. College is not just about party's, girls, and having fun with new friends you need to start maturing and getting everything together so that you will do well in college cause this is where it matters. Im Sorry I am 2014 Stephen, new and improved Stephen, and to be honest I dont think that you are ready for college! I think that you are too hung up on partying and worrying about missing out. Its time to buckle down and learn that everything isnt going to be handed to you on a platter and you need to strive and work for things. Oh and another thing START SAVING NOW stop spending your money on usless un-needed things. Start to put your money away for a rainy day, learn to love reading, and listen to mom when she says "do what you HAVE to do, so you can to what you WANT to do." Finnish Strong and and give a great speech at graduation, we dont want to mess up her name twice. Stephen

Hey Michelle! Yea you! It's me from the future, you have some really tough times ahead of you but don't let school become one of the many problems you worry about. It's time to say goodbye to Shaheen, yea I know I sound crazy but he's bad news. It's time to say hello to Socrates and Plato(way greater men btw) that ignite flames in your mind, instead of waste your time. What if I told you that in the future you lost everything and you had to try really hard to regain it and keep your sanity and life? Would you then believe me when I say all the worldly distrations will be there when you are extremely succesful and leave them alone now? He doesn't love you as much as he says he does, trust me I know. I know that you want more than anything in this world to be accepted and loved but you have to love yourself and realize that YOU and your FUTURE are more important than any highschool relationshit. Yes I meant relationshit because that's exactly what it is. Go before it's too late

I would tell myself to remain focused. With freedom comes responsibility and though it is easy to just skip class, always keep the end in mind. Four years can go by quickly and it is the future that matters most. It is important to do the most that you can in order to succeed. Don't be afraid of trying new things and don't hesitate to ask, is what I would say to my senior self. There are many resources on campus such as the Writing and Tutoring Centers, so it is essential to use those tools to help. Learning doesn't only come from the classroom but also outside, which is why St. John's Academic Service Learning program is so helpful because it teaches you hands on. It is a proram that teaches you the importance of service learning and how an individual can make a huge impact on his or her community. One thing I did regret not doing is studying abroad. I feel as though there is so much more I could have learned from by just going to another country. I would have been able to emerge myself within a completely different culture.

If i could go back in time knowing what I know now, I would've studied harder, taken my course work more seriously and been more active on campus life. I could have done alot better in school but my mind was distracted. The reasons for the distractions are so unimportant now. For the rest of my time, I will give it all I have. I now understand the importance of education and the value it adds to life and role it plays in future success. I would also not be so wary and nervous about things so much and just fully enjoy the experience. I would also be more open with people and make more friends.

Knowing what I know now about college life and how hard the transition was. I would tell myself as a high school senior, don't give up. Beleive me when I tell you it took me 21 years to get my GED and enroll in college. It is really hard going to college as it is, let alone waiting so long. Getting into the daily routine of going to classes, doing homework, as well as dealing with fellow students takes a lot of getting used to. Along with the demands of college, I also have to juggle the demands of my husband and daughter. I feel I have to work twice as hard as everyone else because I have decided to go back to school after 2 decades. Education is important to get a good job and to help your children when they are in school. My advise to my high school self is you don't know what is in your future weather it be children, your health or just finacial stability. Please work hard and don't give up.

I would say: do not be afraid of changes: not because something is different that means that is bad; just try to see it in a different way. You are going to live in a new place, you are going to meet new people, new school, new language, new cultures and all those new experiences are going to enrich you. Learn from them and you will be a better person. During your journey to self-discovery and knowledge; please, do not be shy: if you do not say your opinion, who is going to hear you? if you do not speak up for yourself; who is going to represent you? If you do not ask questions, where are you going to find the answers? I promise you that nothing bad is going to happen if you talk a little bit more; nobody is going to judge. Do not believe that you are alone: new experiences can be overwhelming, but just open your eyes and you will see supportive parents, and an oldest brother that is willing to give you a hand. You family will always encourage you to never give up and keep going.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior i would emphasise how important it is to apply for scholarships.

I'm going to be very blunt with you, young man. Get ready for the most challenging four years of your young life. If you're not prepared to do a strenuous amount of work, then don't bother coming here and don't bother wasting mom's money. You're going to be put on the spot, and you're going to have to grow up. But do not fret, young grasshopper. You are built for this! You have the power! Your spirit is strong, so let your spirit guide you. Remember, as it is written, he that endures until the end shall be saved. So if you endure and put forth your best foot, young grasshopper, you will be just fine. Keep the faith, be consistent, and work hard.

GET INVOLVED! I learned this the first semester of my freshman year. Joining clubs, greek life or organizations go a long way. It looks good on resumes, helps you meet people you would of probably never talked too and keeps you involved and busy. But at the same time, only take on what you can handle because you will be stressed out ! Learn how to manage your time, study first party later!.. or like i did, study as your getting ready for the party; unless you have a midterm/final. Also i learned that don't let one HORRIBLE grade discourage you. College workload is much heavier than high school, and it is a transition. Once you do bad on that one test or in that one class, make it a lesson learned. Don't give up or change your major because all of a sudden you think you cannot do it because of one bad grade.. Try Harder!

Even though it senior year, it dosen't mean it's time to slack off. When it comes to college application don't choose the school that your parents expect you to get in. Choose the schools that fits your current gpa because applying to these schools cost money and you want to have has many options available if one school rejects you. Apply for scholarships. Tutions is expensive especially in a private college. Talk to your past teachers and ask them to write a reccomendation letter. This will increase you chances of getting into a better college.

If I could go back to my senior year I would tell myself that I made a good decision in starting college a year early. During my senior year I enrolled in a running start program at Edmonds Community College, honestly the best decision I ever made. I was never a fan of high school and I knew starting college a year early would give me ajump start ahead of everyone else. The only thing I would have changed is taking more advantage of the low cost of the running start program compared to the cost when you become an actual college student. I took the minimum classes I needed and even though the work load was easier I wish I would have pushed myself to take more classes and learn new things. Other than that my senior year was a great experience and I am very happy that I chose to go to college a little bit earlier, it prepared me for what was ahead and made the transition much easier.

I think the best piece of advice I could give myself would be to apply for scholarships. For some reason, in high school, I thought that scholarships would just fall in my lap. Now, I am a junior in college desperately searching high and low for more money, so that I do not have to take out any more loans. I think I would also tell myself to have more faith in myself. There were a lot of schools that I did not apply to simply because I did not think that I would get into them. I am happy with where I am at now, but it took a lot of self-discovery to figure out that this is where I need to be right now. One last piece of information that I would tell my high school self would be that no matter how alone you feel, there will always be someone, somewhere who cares about you. I dealt with a great deal of depression during my first two years of college. There were many times that I felt alone and it took a lot of therapy and love to get me where I am now.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not let time slip away from me. I was afraid to go off to college right after high school. I lived a sheltered life and my family was close knit and my mother didn't want me to go away from home so soon after high school. I skipped college, got married and started a family. Going back to college after so much time has passed is more difficult than I imagned. I do believe that since I am going back to school now that I know I want to be a Network Engineer, I can appreciate the experience more so now and it gives me a good feeling to know that you are never to old to learn.

I would tell myself to deeply research the type of work I would like to go into. I am currently in my second major at college and have many years to go, as I spent my first two years working on a degree that is somewhat useless in the area I reside in. If I had researched and really thought more about a realistic career goal, I feel that I would be much farther into my education. In addition, I would tell myself to keep going. Anything that you want to achieve in life is worth the struggles to get there.

I would give a lot of advice if I could go back in time and talk to my high school self. I would tell myself that life is what you make it, that I should believe in myself and pursue all of my dreams. I would tell myself to figure out what I wanted out of life and go for it, and to be willing to work hard to get there because anything worth having is worth working hard for. I would tell myself to always be an active participant in the classroom and in life. I would also tell myself to take my studies seriously, to go out of my way to learn all kinds of things, and to be an active member of any school, work or social environment, and to follow my instincts because they’re usually good. Finally, I would tell myself to do all the necessary work to achieve everything that I want out of life and to feel happy and successful, but to make sure not to take life to seriously, and be sure to have fun, be smart but fun, and spread fun, love and kindness to everyone I meet.

My advice to my high school senior self is that around that time, they expect you to study from the book A LOT MORE. I would advise him to settle down and start reading more. I would have had no D's if I had just took a few more hours and studied.

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior, I would tell myself plently of useful information. Although I do not think I would change much about my life, because it has made me who I am today. I am a strong independent woman, and I am glad I am this way. I would tell myself to better prepare for the future though, because college and life are so exspensive. I wish I could have warned myself about the bills I would be paying, and how exspensive books, and class fees really are. I would also tell myself not to work myself so hard at my job because it was not necessary then, like it is now. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior I would not tell myself to change much, just to be prepared.

If I went back in time and talked to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that you need to seize any opportunity that presents itself. From here on out whatever amount of effort and hard work you put into something that is what you are going to get back from it. This is your life for a reason and you need to start finding out who you are. The only way to find out who you are is if you go through a couple of life lessons and experience new things and live how you want with no regrets. Dr. Suess said it best," Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind." I would also tell myself don't forget what made you you. All the people, places, and adversity that got you to where you are didn't happen on accident, so dont forget them.

If I was a high school senior, knowing what I now know about college life and making the transition, I would advise myself to do a lot better academically and also be more adamant in search of scholarships. The burdens of financial struggles to attend my school is something I would not want anyone to deal with. If I had a won a scholarship such as this one in high school, I could ease some of the stress away from myself and my mother who is solelty trying to help pay for my tuition. Needless to say, all high schools senior should constantly hunt for scholarships and continue to do perform to the best of their ability academically because the work definitely doesn't stop in college.

I would tell myelf that Saint John is very fun college. It consist of a lot of work and some sleepless night. It is worth the stress. St. John offers a lot of oportunities to it' students so take advantage of it.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would give myself very good advice. To begin, I would be sure to tell myself to manage my time well and work hard to make the best grades that I could make. I would also be sure to point out that sometimes in these next two years I will feel like everything is tumbling down on me all at once, but I would most definitely tell myself not to worry, everything will fall in place just keep pushing through. Knowing from experience now, I would be sure to mention that making the transition from high school to college is a major step. Experiencing this my first semester in college was a challenge for me. But I have realized that sometimes things take hard work, when things happen you just have to be able to find that drive deep inside and work hard with everything you have. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, this would be the advice that I would give myself after knowing about college life and having to make the transition.

I honestly wouldn't change much of what I did a s high school senior. I feel that I was well prepared and did almost everything I could to be prepared in transitioning into college life. However, if I did have to tell myself one thing it would be to save, save, save and be prepared to pay for books, food and going out.

Take a breath. Don't allow these next four years to pass as if you're merely a passenger along for the ride. You're in control of this journey and if you work hard, your efforts will pay off. Don't compromise yourself or your principles. It's too easy for some to make the wrong decisions. This road will be long and winding, filled with many obstacles, but the key to your success rests with you. Sets goals for yourself and make them reality. Strive to live a life of purpose and meaning. Give your all to every endeavor. Never allow anyone to give you any idea that you can't do whatever it is you want to do, or be whomever you wish to be. There will be days that are overwhelming, but never forget to take it all in. Learn all you can from the wonderful friends and mentors you will meet along the way. They will shape your life impermeably and forever.

Assuming that I could travel back in time to my senior year of high school, I would definitely tell myself to buckle down on looking for scholarships and get into whatever community service I could at the time. I was always told by my teachers that college was expensive and I need to start preparing as soon as possible. Me being a senior, did not take heed to what they were telling me and today, as I sit here a fill out multiple scholarships a day, I often think back saying "if only I listened back then I wouldnt have to kill myself looking for scholarships today." Lesson learned!!!

A Young Man worried about his place in the world and his future. Constantly caught in the flack of high school life. He wanted to be accepted but also wanted to be an individual. He wanted to be cool but also wanted to be successful. Little did he know that being successful is about more than just yourself and that the world did not revolve around people who were considered cool. If I went back in time during my high school days I would tell myself the exact words that my father has spoken to me all my life. However I refused to take it fully to heart. Life is not about fitting in. It’s about exceeding the norm, and it’s about elevating the bar. College is you taking that next step in being a pawn in the process of bringing about positive change in society. If you focus in on others and what they do you will become just another statistic. However if you put your efforts on looking outside of the box, those who you tried to follow, whose focus was based on fitting in will later follow you.

Honestly, I was a typical stubborn teenager. If I were to go back and talk to my high school self, I probably would not have listened to my older self. I had elder, wiser people in my life trying to advise me, but I refused to listen. Of course, I thought I had it all under control. Making mistakes and going through changes is all a part of life. If it were not for those few struggles, I would not have grown as a person. There is this quote I like to go by that says, "a calm sea doesn't make a skilled sailor" and nothing could be truer.

Plan your money wisely. Don't buy on impulse because half the things you think you need you don't. Also, watch who you put your trust in. There are a lot of fake people in this world. Don't go across the country or even across the city thinking naively that you can trust every new face you come across. And lastly, to have fun, study hard, and make lasting memories because you really do live only once.

BE PREPARED! You're going to make quite a few HUGE mistakes next year. Don't worry, everybody messes up. Your mother will lose faith in you and you'll spend your entire second semester and summer making up for first semester. But don't get discouraged. Through these mistakes you'll learn the true value of an education and the importance of family. You'll discover that you care a lot more about things you think are trivial right now. In the end, you'll learn never to blame luck on shortcomings and to pick yourself back up faster than ever before. You will prove to not only everyone else, but to yourself that you can succeed in college and take on a big load of responsibility. I'm not going to tell you not to do anything you want to do, but be smart and learn from it all. You'll make great friends, and grow apart from some but you have a great foundation. Don't get discouraged and keep pushing. You're following your dreams, don't lose sight of what you set out to do in the first place. Stay stong!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior and say one thing, I would say get ready for a wild ride ahead of you. You will serve honorably and proudly in the US Air Force. You will survive cancer at the age of 21. Stop an armed robber in Tampa Bay. See the World Trade Center’s fall by cowards and thieves. You will deploy to Afghanistan, Iraq, and visit 13 different countries. You will see 43 of the fifty states of our beautiful nation. You will marry the woman of your dreams and have two beautiful children. You will own your own business and they will fail. The failure will drive you to make a better life you and your family’s future. So, I say to myself, persevere, carry on and never quit. When it is time for college take the road less traveled. The piece of paper will not guarantee any success, fortune or fame. The world will still never own you anything after you receive it. It will show you have the guts to win in the end and never quit. I would tell myself, "Persevere."

Don’t be afraid to immerse yourself in college life even if you have to do things alone. If you spend your time waiting for your friends you might not get involved and you won’t meet anyone new. Try everything that you haven’t done before college is a place to discover yourself and grow as a person and you won’t learn anything new about yourself, if you don’t try anything new. Do all your work on time and never procrastinate, if you make a set schedule you can finish your work on time and won’t have to pull coffee filled all nighters. It’s not going to be easy you are going to have days when you cry and you going to want to give up. When you feel like this don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call mom. She won’t think you are not an adult if you call her for help because deep down your still her little girl and she will always be there for you. Most importantly have fun.

dont blow your money on food save it for something good, and dont try to get away with breaking the rules you'll always get caught

Dear Tyler from senior year, There are three things that I want you to know going into college and that is to pack light, have good time managment, and ventrue out your comfort zone. When you're packing to leave college days prior to moving day because you're so excited to start this new chapter in your life do not pack everything you own. This is your new living space, but there is no place like home... to leave your stuff. When it comes to how hard college is, honestly it is all on how well you manage your time. When you get an assignment plan when you are going to complete it because if you keep pushing to do it later it becomes harder to finish with the little time you have to complete it. Lastly, college is new to everyone. Challenge yourself to be more outspoken and do things you were too afraid to do in college. There are hundreds of new people to meet everyday and you surely will not meet them sitting in your dorm room. From, Already experienced college Tyler

If I could go back in time to the high school years, I would tell myself to start reading up on my major earlier and learn how to be self discplined. I would tell "high school Leonna" to study harder for AP tests and manage her work load properly.

The advice that I would give my high school self is to work on my time management skills early. In college, the most difficult transition is knowing when to have fun and hang out with your friends or discovering the new city that you will be attending for the next 4 years of life and studying and doing all of your school assignments and readings. Once you master that skill then you just have to remind yourself to do the minor things such as reading comprehension, proper studying skills and focusing at the task at hand which is eventually graduating.

My advice to freshman would be to come prepared for a lot more work than they did in high school and to not come into college with the intentions of just partying and taking advantage of their freedom. College is something that should be taken seriously from the moment you walk on campus. I'm not saying don't have any fun, I would just advise them to keep their priorities in order.

If I were to go back in time and talk to the high school version of me, I would tell her to get ready! College may feel like just another step but EVERYTHING is going to change. You're going to have to grow up whether you want to or not. Your friends will change, your lifestyle will change and you will change, but it will all be for the better. Also I would tell younger me to not be scared and don't hold back. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that not everyone has. You need to go out there and make the best of your time. You DESERVE all the great things that can happen to you, if you let them. Most people you meet, will be just as scared as you, so don't worry. Go out there, get involved, try new things, meet new people, experience the world (because your school’s going to have an awesome study abroad program, plus you’re extremely close to NYC) and enjoy every minute of it. Welcome the change, appreciate the opportunities and get ready to start your life Chelsea.

The main thing that I would try to hammer into my young and stubborn head is to, like Bob Marley says, don't worry. Though I would doubtlessly deny it, I was very nervous about going to college, meeting new people, and dealing with the general college scnene. I knew that a large part of the social life of college cenetered around drinking and I was and still am not a very big drinker. I was afraid that I would find no one but people who live to drink on the weekends. And adding to this, though I was accepted to my first choice school, NYU, I enrolled in St. John's University instead due to financial concerns. In summary, I was freaking out. But none of my worries were really warranted. I made great friends. I love St. John's and am happy I went there. It just goes to show that no one ever really knows how things will turn out, so we shouldn't worry ourselves into a panic. That is what I would tell myself from the past. And I would hope that any future versions of myself would tell me the same.

I would tell myself to go with my first choice because you are only an undergrad in college once in your life and you might as well be in a school you really want to be in.

To be honest, I've been prepared my entire life. When your in elementary school, your teacher give you, more like your parents, the ID & programs required for school. My middle school, your giving the ID & programs, because it's now your responsibility to keep them. In high school your instrucated to go to a specific location and pick up your own ID & program. In college, it's the same as high school except your not INSTRUCATED. You've learned your entire life how to be responsibility, it shouldn't be a major change in your system. Most college freshmen get overwhelmed, you shouldn't. College is just another phase in life. Be prephared.

I often wish that I could go back in time and tell myself that I should have worked harder. I wish that I could tell myself that high school was just another step in life and it only gets harder. High school was nothing compared to college. Sure I worried about every little thing in high school but I wish I knew what I know now. I wish I knew that college was so much more different and that it is yeat another step in life. Working hard and gaining an education doesnt end after high schoool and getting into college. In fact it is only the beginning of a very long journey. I wish I could tell myself to be more prepared for college; to anticipate everything possible because transitioning from high school to college was difficult.

As a high school student, I was very delinquent but still managed to make acceptable (good) grades. I absolutely hated homework and seldom did "home"work at home. So if I had a chance to counsel my former self, I would sit my self down and say, "Kinda, study. " I would advise the high school me to put a greater effort into my schoolwork, so college would be less of a shock. I would also train myself to get into the habit of doing homwork, so that meeting college deadlines would be less of a chore, and more of a routine. Finally, I would advise myself to stick with all my extra-curricular activities, despite the burden, for the perseverance and time-management skills garnered from balancing them all would be invaluable to the survival of college. I would warn the former me, that college is not all about academics, but academics sure play the greatest role; So work hard now to relish in the fruits of labor later.

The main I would tell myself if I could go back in time is remain FOCUS. In high school i got caught up in "Senioritis" and began to slack come the end of the year. I believe if I would have stayed focus i could have raised my GPA some more, over all possibly increasing my chances of recieving more money in scholarships. I also got caught up being with my friends. In college i learned firsthand that those who you thought were you friends, aren't. My grades in high school could have been signifignatly higher if I wasnt so caught up in what my friends were doing. I learned in college to depend soley on myself, not my friends, to remain focus. Remaining focus this year got me two internships as well as getting on the deans list. In high school i was caught up with being cool; in college i focused on graduating. The one thing iu wish i could tell myself in high school is to simply remember: these four years are the beginning of your life, literally. Dont wast time trying to fit in, establish your future now. Stay focused on the goal: a DEGREE!

If I was able to give myself any advise during my senior year I would say, if you don’t change your mind and value your education you will stunt your own growth. It was not until I enrolled in college that I saw the importance of education. I tried to continue the same bad habit from high school and saw that I was being left behind. I began to look around me and see what type of life other young girls my age were living without an education. I vowed to myself to be different and not become another statistic. Getting an education can be challenging, but with assistances from teachers and tutoring staff you are setting yourself up to become very successful. I would also suggest getting involved. I am currently involved in student government and I ABSOULUTLY LOVE IT! From joining student government it has given me the opportunity to enhance my leadership skills and bordered my horizons. Changing my mind about becoming educated has helped me mature tremendously. It has also made my family extremely proud to know I will be the first to obtain a college degree.