Texas A & M University-College Station Top Questions

Mandi, I know you were kind of cynical about attending community college instead of jumping right into a four-year school. MVCC has turned out to be a great school with excellent teachers and you will learn so much from them. I promise you will appreciate your choice to start out there. You're taking college level psychology and sociology this year, I wish you tried a little harder in those classes because those two B's you earned are the only thing standing between you and a 4.0 GPA in college and I assure you it will drive you absolutely nuts. Be thankful of how easy you have it in high school, sit back and relax a bit because college will be more of a challenge for you. Appreciate your friends more, talk to them often, and spend more time having fun with them. Spend extra, extra time with Jillian because now she is gone and you will be sad that you didn't. Most importantly, Stop sweating the little things and worrying about what's to come, try to thoroughly enjoy your last year of high school and stop rushing head first into the future.

Dear Lauren, You have chosen the best college ever! I know you were worried about making the right decision, but visiting the campuses of different colleges was very helpful. You truly don't know what a school is like until you experience it first hand. Also, APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!!! College is more expensive than you can imagine. Do as many as you possibly can. It may seem discouraging, but it helps so much. Do your future self a favor. Also, make sure not to slack off senior year. Just being in the top ten percent of your high school in Texas means a good deal of money. Don't slip off that list. The idea of college might seem overwhelming at first. New people, new dorm, new classes, new everything. Just stay calm. It may take time, but you will adapt quickly. Get involved with organizations, and the rest will come easy. Also, order your books early and make sure to compare prices across sites. The university bookstore is often more expensive than you should pay. Don't worry too much about your major. Tons of people switch later on. Get ready for the best year of your life!

The first thing I would tell myself is that it is not easy for anyone and not to be hard on myself. I would tell myself that I do not regret any of the decisions that I made because I live a fulfilling, happy life. (Then I would smile and give myself a hug before this next part.) I would encourage myself to read “What Color is Your Parachute” before making a decision about my career path because there is a shorter route to where I end up. The exercises in the book will help me learn what is important to me and where my talents can be the most benefit. I would remind myself not to let anyone or anything influence me because I can be susceptible during these years. I’ll tell myself that I will be surrounded by smart, motivated people. I would remind myself that I attract these people because I am smart and motivated. I will forget that and others may tell me otherwise but to really believe it. Other than that, the rest is easy. I will tell myself to listen to my advisors, don’t miss class, eat balanced meals, and study hard.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stay focused because the hard work will pay off. I would tell myself to take those college courses I was accepted into because it would help out in the future. The easy road is only easy for so long and the harder road will only get harder in the long run. I would remind myself that opportunities would come easier if I apply myself and listen to the advice people gave me. If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to stay in school and get my education before starting a family.

I would tell him not to stress as much about making friends and being accepted. He needs to know that everything will be fine. If I did go back I would tell him to apply for alot more scholarships. The biggest thing I would tell him would be to get the application the day it can be sent in that way he could get the major he wanted. I would assure him that his life would be wonderful and that he has to go to A&M and especially fish camp. In this way he would know that he is going somewhere important and has a good life ahead of him. Don't get me wrong I would still make sure he worked hard but I would hope he would be less stressed.

As cliche as it sounds, studying is the key to success. Study groups are a great way to make new friends and exchange ideas too. For those who say, "I already study in highschool, I'll be ok" will be in for a rude awakening. For every hour you are in class, dedicate 2 hours of outside studying. If an assignment is due 2 months from now, do not procrastinate. I repeat, do not procrastinate. In addition, apply for many scholarships because textbooks can be costly and as well simple neccesites. Also, get to know your professors, they are not scary I promise! They are willing to take time out of their day to help you. With all that in mind, become involved in student organizations; there is something for everyone. Maintain a balance between your school work and extra-curricular activities, and your need for sleep and fun. You don't want school to consume your life to the point where you have nothing fun to look forward to, and you don't want to have so much fun that your school work suffers.

If I could go back in time a few years I would encourage my parents to tighten the belt on expenditures so we could put away a little more funding for college expenses. I would work harder myself in trying to earn money for college as college is very expensive.

I am finally a student at the college I had always wanted to attend, Texas A&M University. I had worked so hard in high school to get where I am now, but I wish I had done some things differently. First, I would tell my high school self to take as many AP/Dual Credit classes as I could, so that I could get them out of the way and not have to take them at such a huge university. Secondly, I would tell myself to apply for scholarships until my fingers fall off because let’s face it, college is expensive. This is something I really wished I could have done because I am paying for all my college by myself because my parents do not have enough to support the rest of my family. I would also say to get a job to help with expenses. That is something I really regret doing every time I go to pay my tuition bills. Lastly, I would just tell myself to not stress out about the future because everything will fall into place at the right time and as long as you work hard, you can do anything.

If I were to give my younger self any advice, it would be to treat college both seriously and light-heartedly. Take advantage of all of the resources Texas A&M offers, and spend more time learning about the history and traditions of the school, as well as the surrounding area. More importantly, I would make sure to tell myself not to stress out or get frustrated. Texas A&M offers many opportunities to explore your future, and even if you crash and burn, there is a huge support network and safety net for students who need extra help. Texas A&M is a unique school and you should enjoy all of its quirks and eccentricities.

I would tell myself to think about applying for more scholarships then, when there are more available to a high school student, than waiting until now. College is not cheap for anyone and most everyone sacrifices somewhat so I know that my parents could use as much help as possible when it comes to finances. I want to attend either nursing or medical school after graduation and I know that the more that I can help my parents out now, the more money they will be willing to put forth toward my medical or nursing school.

Honestly, college was not much of a shock for me, as far as academics and independent living. I was raised to figure things out on my own and provide for myself. Also, my parents pushed me hard in grades, so I already had a good study ethic. The big change for me in the transition from college to high school was the social aspect. In the small town where I grew up, fitting in meant being just like everyone else. Looking back, I realize everything I did - how I dressed, the music I listened to, the way I acted - revolved around being accepted by my friends. Therefore, the advice I would give myself would be this: Live YOUR life. I know it's hard to believe now, but there's a whole world of people out there with the same interests and hobbies as you. Your true friends should love you regardless of who you decide to be. Cliché as it sounds, don't worry what others think. Put yourself out there and be bold. The opinions of those who matter most won't be the ones judging you.

You can't do anything alone. Dealing with the stress of acclimating to a new environment and new responsibilties is hard and it will take a toll on you if you don't ask for help. Asking questions does not make you any less of a person. Make friends you can trust. Everything works out for those who are willing to work hard. You may not be the smartest person in your class but you can be the hardest working. The best advice I can give someone who is making the transition from high school to college is to work hard and don't stress out. Do the best that you can and work from there.

I would tell myself not to be afraid to talk to the professors. To make friends and to attend SI's. I would also tell myself not to worry about bombing a test it happens and that all I can do from there is to get better. Always ask others about classes you are taking and share what you know. We are all here to help and you would be suprised what you can find. Most importantly I would tell myself that it does not matter that you do not know what you want to do after college right now. You will find that most people change their minds in college several times. As you take more classes you will realize what you like and what you do not like. It is amazing how much you will be shaped by these classes. Lastly I would say A&M is great and you will love it.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself how important it is to search tirelessly for scholarships as well as how necessary it is to save up for extra spending money in college. As a high school student you do not really realize the financial burden that going to college is; the cost of tuition itself, housing, gas, food etc. All of the costs come up concurrently to one another and sometimes unexpected expenses also arise which can create financial trouble if that expense is not accounted for in the money you have available. So again I say, strong financial awareness and planning is paramount for any high school senior preparing to go to college. If you are prepared for a majority of the expenses that will arise and have a strong savings plan prepared, college would not be nearly as stressful or worrisome of a decision.

Join clubs early on. Volunteer more. It's harder to "fit in" when you're a Junior/Senior because everyone your age has already established their social circle. Study more efficiently, but don't be so hard on yourself. All of those all-nighters don't always work out in the end.

Get that job and license early: the earlier you assume an adult role in your financial responsibilities, the easier it is to be more prepared in dealing with it on your own in college. And don't quit the IB Program even though you really want to: if you put your all into the program and pass all your exams, you'll get the credits that could help you in college.

As a timid and supposedly attractive woman, I have had the typical guy problems of any good-looking girl. Because of this, I would warn past me of the different guys I would encounter and what I should do in each situation, saving me discomfort, fear, and some heartache.

Dont get too caught up on one thing. Their are lots of options to consider and you want to be open minded. Just because you are studying autobody doesnt mean you are going to be stuck as a body tech. forever. Utilize your time and skills. Most important dont cut yourself short. You are new to this feild and you wont know everything right off the begining, but with time you will develope into one of the best there is. It wont come quickly though. It might even be years after college before you are compfortable with everything. Make sure you never reach your peak. Their is always something new to learn and something you can do better. You might be a little scared of what the future holds but dont let that hold you down. To be the best, you have to beat the best, which means you have to believe in yourself.

Pace yourself. I know you're super ambitious but just sit back and enjoy life. Don't change your work ethic because that will take you very far in life, but also don't freak out so much. You will have time to get things done and enjoy life, don't forge to take advantage of every precious moment and relationship you have because before you know you'll be done and out of college. Whatever you do, don't compromise who you are, if you can't find people who like you for who you are, they're not worth your time. Take advantage of every opportunity and don't be afraid to take risks, make new friends, and get out of your comfort zone, where there are risks there are rewards. Enjoy! You'll do great.

Looking back at my senior year, there is not much I would tell my past self to change for his last year in high school and the subsequent rollercoaster that is college life. I would however tell him that there will be struggles; more than he's ever faced before, but he should not let that hinder him, nor should he use that as an excuse to not give 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} every single day. I would also tell him that there will always be time to play and enjoy life, but that studying and focusing on a rigid schedule would do him good and would benefit him far more than going to football games or other frivolous extracurriculars ever would. Saying that, I would encourage my younger self to actually talk to other people and ask to study with them, because two heads are always better than one, plus there is no way to tell how much one person can affect your life in a positive manner. I guess the moral of the story would be to study hard now, so that there will be ample time to play later, with a lot less stress hanging over your play time.

When I was younger, I was the kid who had to touch the stove to know it was hot. While I’ve received much advice over the years, I' ve always preferred to make mistakes myself and learn my own lessons. If I could give myself advice as a young go-getter, it would be this: listen to others. Freshman year, against all advice, I worked weekends during the fall semester. Weekends were a crucial bonding time for members of my organization, and, because I was often at work, I missed out on many hours of getting to know my buddies. This later caused much strife against those in my class and created a rift between all of us. This led to negative actions on everyone’s part and I eventually had to switch units in order to break free from the animosity that had developed. Had I listened to the advice of others, not only could I have saved myself from becoming a social pariah within the unit, but I also could have salvaged the lifelong relationships and not lost great personal friends. In a nutshell, I would tell myself, “Stop burning yourself, and listen to those who care.”

Take your time to find what you love, just beacause the path may mean a high paying job it may not mean that you will be happy. Thankfully you learn this but it sure would have saved you some time. Stay healthy in school, eat right and workout, don't let go of your fitness, it sure is hard to get back. Make friends with everyone and keep in touch with them, they will be your life long friends. Don't take things to seriously, this is where you get to make mistakes!

As a hgh school senior, I was a bit timid on how to put myself out there. Sure I could make friends but how was I supposed to make the friends that last forever. I had heard stories of old college friends from my mother and father, and now I was about to embark on the journey of my own. My biggest fear was making friends with the wrong people and not realizing it right away. Now I know that the fear I just mentioned was irrational and irrelevant. If i could go back in time I would tell myself to stop over thinking things. Friendship is something that can't be forced and the right friends will come along if you just be you. Those college friendships that last forever will come. If they dont happen during your freshman year you've got three more years to experience and develop them.

To my high school self, I know what you are thinking, you are in the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of your class, As and Bs your entire life. But guess what! You will fail all of your classes if you don’t study! If you play video games and sleep all day instead of going out, making friends, and actually going to class, you will fail! High school wasn’t difficult, college is a completely different merry-go-round. And you know those tutoring sessions you never needed in high school? Go to every single one in college. Believe me, it will make both our lives easier. Future you

Given the opportunity to prepare my high school self for college, I would tell myself to be more outgoing; everyone is in the same position and is just as nervous to be on their own. For my first semester, I wasn’t shy, but I was nervous about what others would think of me and I still carried some insecurities from high school. I’m so grateful for the opportunity of college because even though it took a few weeks, I completely blossomed and became so much more open with my classmates and those I had the blessing of meeting. I can say that after leaving behind old insecurities about what I dressed like, or how I looked, I met some of my lifelong friends. College brings out different ideas of importance in people (like keeping up grades, working, and clubs), so being themselves is more important than what their appearance regarding brands and the latest fashions. The truth is, no one in college cares about anything but being comfortable in their own skin, and it should be a priority for everyone. College is a time to figure out who you are and who you’re becoming.

If I could go back to my high school self I would say ""Self! Loosen Up, enjoy yourself, cherish the moments and live in the day". College is an amazing experience I meet alot of people I dont think I would have every met if I wasnt here. I also experience alot of different customs and cultures. In high school I was so serious, all I cared about were my grades and I didnt really have much of a social life. When I got to college I wish I would have been more open and diverse in high school, however I am making up for that now.

Casey Clarke [email protected] There are several things I wish I would have known as a high school senior. I did a majority of things that I was supposed to. I worked two jobs, participated in Drama, Choir, and Future Teachers of America and did a lot of volunteer work. What I didn’t do a lot of was scholarship research. I’m a smart woman, and in high school, had above average grades. I’m almost certain that if I had done my research I could have already paid off the tuition I’m about to endure at UNCW. Do not wait on scholarships, Past Me. Apply to several, and keep them all organized. Keep your registering smart. It may be tempting to schedule just four classes at a time like you had in high school. Don’t do this. Also, keep any classes you are worried about back to back. You’re going to wish you scheduled math back to back 5 semesters later. Also, I have one more thing. You need to network for future jobs. Trust me on this one. Some of those volunteer places you’re working with may need employees in the future.

Never forget that you are made beautifully and perfectly just the way you are. You have such a bright future ahead of you, and do not ever let the voices of others or the voice inside your head define who you are and what you can do with your life. God is the ultimate answer for everything, and you have to learn to lean on Him and trust in His will for you. With Him, you cannot and will not fail, for the war is already won. Let Him love you, let others in, and do what you do best-love others with all your heart. Do not forget to tell others that you love them, because you do not know when they will be gone. Live and love every day as though it were your last, and never let anyone dull your shine. Sing with all your heart, and love with all your spirit.

Knowing what I know now about college I would have told myself to be more positive. Granted it’s a new situation and a whole different situation than high school you are capable of being successful; you just need to be positive about the experience. Look at yourself as a brand new person, learning new things, looking forward to a new career. Set your mind to what’s ahead of you and don’t look back. Look for help, when needed and make each moment of your college career count, otherwise it’s a waste of your time. Your mind is powerful if you let it be, your heart is dedicated if you allow it to remain open and then at that point in your life you will prosper. This is your time to shine be positive and determined. Never give up or let go of your future dreams. When you realize you are amazing and college is only going to make you better you will succeed. If I only knew, what I know now back then.

You are about to embark on an amazing journey. The hard work that you will put in will have the greatest rewards. Grow the friendships that are filled with support and care because these friendships will carry you through the best and hardest times. Stay motivated in your school work and study as much as you need to because it will pay off in the end. Getting involved on campus is crucial. Follow your passion to selfless serve the community and don’t be scared to start something new because you will soon be the founder of an amazing service and leadership organization. When you are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, don’t be scared and lean on others to help you with this life change. I know you will feel like breaking down, and might not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but believe me, your life filled with happiness will continue shortly. Also, your parents are your greatest supporters. Don't forget to say thank you and I love you everytime you can. Stay strong, motivated and don't lose sight of your goals because you will soon be proud of what you have accomplished.

Don't be shy; college is not as scary as you think it is. Most people are more than willing to be your friend. Talk to that person you sit next to in class, don’t leave a stone unturned. The campus is filled with things to do and awesome people to meet. Don't stay in your dorm room alone wishing you had something to do or someone to hang out with, the only thing that can keep you from making friends is yourself. You need to initiate the conversations and start the ball rolling. People can tell if you are closed off and will treat you accordingly, it is what they think you want. You got to let them know that you want to hang them, don’t wait for them to come to you. Talk to people, join a club, and get off your lazy butt.

Go to college and make a good life for myself first. Think about making sacrafices now so I can be happy in life later. The hardest thing to do in life is go back to school after having a child. Facing the ups and downs of life without a good education to grow and build on is a fatal mistake. I see now the mistakes I made have left me starting back at the bottom and stuck in a dead end job with an endless struggle to find a way!

If I was back in high school, the advice I would give myself is that college is not easy, unlike high school; I would have so many options in career choices and classes as well as extracurricular activities. College is going to require you to be more of an adult than a child. Especially if you go to a college out of state, you will learn to be more responsible and accomplish matters on your own because parents are not there to help anymore. There is going to be much late night studying, meeting new people and making new friends. Experience what is outside your community, see what else there is in the world. College is an important step to achieving your goals; it’s a way to survive. In this generation it is a necessity to have a college degree in order to live a good life, to feed your family and give them all they deserve. It is very important to focus on your education and make good grades. It is also a wonderful event in your life to be a teenager yet you are learning to become an adult.

Sometimes I think back to when I was in high school and think about how easy I had it. I didn't really need to try in class, study or do homework and still managed to graduate in the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my class. When I started college I really thought it would be the same and a had huge reality check. My grades were falling and I wasn't being the student I knew I could be. After almost 2 years in college the most valuable piece of advice I could give to myself is to take school seriously! College was nothing like highschool for me, there was no one pushing me to do my work or study it is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} my responsibility and in the end the grades reflect that. I am glad to say I Iearned my lesson early on, but If I could go back and give myself this advice it would make a world of a difference just to really understand that college is very serious and it is a huge responsibility.

Become more social with your classmates. Create study groups and better study plans, and be prepared. Teachers do not pressure you to do well. You must take your own initiative and be prepared for your teacher to be, for lack of a better word, awful. You can do well, and it will take a minute to get in the groove, but never sell yourself short. Once you stop believeing in yourself, it doesn't matter what others say. You need to believe in you before you can do well.

The best advice I could give to students about to start their college career is to not forget who you are and what it is you really want. There will be time for relaxing and having fun but college flies by and if you forget your priorities your grades will suffer. The first year of college is the most important because it sets the tone for the next several years and you don't ever want to have to work from behind. Real joy in life comes from knowing you have done your absolute best so you don't have any regrets. There's nothing worse than knowing you could've done better or achieved your dreams after you have already jeapordized your future.

Never doubt the choices you make. When you are studying while everyone else is partying know that that will lead to leadership oppertunies that if yo gave in to the pressure you might not have gotten.

I wouldn't go back and tell myself to get better grades because that was never issue. Instead I would suggest taking more dual credit and ap courses. That way I could get credit for both high school and college and get ahead on some of the early required courses. I would also tell myself to get more involve in clubs and community service organizations early on instead of playing catch up in once getting to college.

If I could go back, I would inform myself that I should be more prepared and put more of an emphasis on studying to get the hang of things. Not only would I make sure to have a healthy balance between studying, but also hanging out with friends so I wouldn't interfere with my grades. I would also tell myself to study the campus because it is vast in size and really easy to get lost if you dont know it very well. I have always had the dream of attending Texas A&M and becoming an aggie. I am so glad that when the time came I chose A&M and became apart of the Fighting Texas Aggies.

I would tell myself that I need to be more independent and study more focusing on the future. I would also tell myself that it is important to have safe clean fun because although fun is important I have an army contract at risk and my future career is at risk. I would have told myslef to take things less-seriosly. I would have also told myself to find good friends who stay out of trouble and who actually care about me.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself a few different things. I would tell myself to apply for jobs. Both of my parents work extremely hard, but unfortunately, they do not have large salaries. Looking back, I wish I would have worked in order to help pay for some of my tuition. My two years in college have already gone by so fast and it has made me realize that I need to be intentional in my relationships with friends and family. I will not always be surrounded by the same people, so I need to fully enjoy time with everyone I am with and invest in their lives. Finally, I would tell myself to make the most of every opportunity and love every minute of life. I have come to realize that most of the time, you can not change your circumstances, but you can change your attitude and outlook on your circumstances. If you have a positive outlook in every situation, you will be able to enjoy life for all that it has to offer.

"It is okay to ask for help." These seven words could have spared me from numerous counts of stressful situations. It is also one of the most important lessons to learn in life. Help comes in many forms. From a collegiate perspective, the most relative are financial and academic help. For most students, including myself, college is often very expensive and sometimes unaffordable. Filling out scholarships is a vital part of continuing my college education and has been the greatest help I can receive. It is financial aid that made Texas A&M University a possibility, and has enabled it to become a reality. Academically, the biggest challenge in college is adapting to the teaching style of professors. Often times, you must teach yourself the material. However; that is not always the case. Tutoring is usually readily availabe to those who seek it. Admitting you need help is easier than it is to improve your GPA after it has dropped immensely. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and knowing when to ask for help is important in identifiying what those are and becoming a successful individual. I wish I had this knowledge as high school senior.

If I could go back and talk to myself about college, I would tell myself to work hard during senior year, learn how to study and enjoy time with your family. During senior year I slacked off compared to how hard I had worked previously. This constant slacking off led to me having to study extra hard at the end of the semester to get my grades up. If I had just worked hard the entire semester, I could have saved myself a lot of stress. Throughout high school, the material was easy and I never really felt challenged. I would tell myself to use my senior year as a time to learn to study, and to study for my classes, even if the material came easily to me. I’ve had to spend a lot of time in college learning how to study for classes. If I had learned how to study in high school, my grades first semester would have been much higher. Finally, I would tell myself to enjoy time with my family. Leaving home to go to college was something I had always looked forward to, however now that I’m here I miss my family.

In acquiring the knowledge of college life these past few months, I would recommend to my highschool self to study more and be more outgoing. While I did study in college, I have realized that in studying more I do in fact see a rise in grade percentages. I would also tell myself to be more outgoing because in college you meet many people with similiar interests and can make lifelong friends and connections with these same people.

I would tell myself to take the ACT again and apply for more scholarships, regardless if I was able to meet the qualifications. I studied hard and got really good grades so I have no regrets about that. My senior year was very productive and I was involved in numerous organizations and clubs. I would not change anything about that and would tell myself to continue to keep active. I would take more college level classes. My high school only offered English and Goverment. I took the English, but not the government. I would tell myself to take both and to also enroll in one online college class at Grayson County College each semester.

I would like you to know that college is very beneficial and rewarding. It will take you a long way in life and make it financially easier on you and your family. You will have more rewarding opportunities in your working environment. Take the time now and finish your college degree before you decide to have children. Children are the greatest reward in the world, but it will only make it easier on yourself and your family if you get a college degree first. Take your time and decide what program will be most beneficial for you and compare different schools. Get the best grades possible now in high school so that you may qualify for more scholarships to help you pay your tuition. Also, make yourself more marketable for the scholarships and volunteer or join extra-curricular activities. Make sure you have good study habits and are geared for success. Don’t let anything stand in your way, set your mind on your goal and achieve it with success. Good luck in your future and make it count!

Try your hardest throughout your senior year. Many of your peers will start to slack off and fall behind, take advantage of this to maybe move up in your rank a few people, try and be in the top ten graduates! Be sure to tell Mom to do her taxes early so you can file your FAFSA early, just get it off your chest as soon as possible. When you actually get to A&M, hit the ground running and get involved. Don't worry about being self-conscious, the people here will love you for who you are and by being yourself you'll make friends ten times easier! However, be sure to remember that school comes first and just because you do well the first semester doesn't mean you'll do well the second. You don't have to declare your major right away, take some time, go to some seminars, and broaden your horizons first. It may seem like elephants are two-stepping in your stomach now, but don't worry, you're about to become a part of the Aggie family and that's an indescribable love.

If I could go back to high school and talk to myself, I would tell myself to enjoy being at home more. I would appreciate my time with my family. I would also tell myself that life goes by too fast to not enjoy everything you do. I feel like high school just flew by because I was constantly involved in something. I was always in sports, school organizations and church groups. There were times I complained about always having something to do and never having relaxing time, so I would tell myself that all of the responsibility and leadership of being class president for two years, waking up every morning for cross country practice or leading my church's first youth group all pays off at the end. I would tell myself that everything I learned from being involved throughout my high school years has helped me through the transition of being off on my own and taught me responsibility. In the end, I would say enjoy all the hard work and dedication you put into everything you do because it really does help get you through college, one of the most important times of your life.

Go straight to college from high school. Keep your head in the books. It will be of a greater benefit in the long run. All the long hours studying and making yourself better now will come back tenfold later on in life. Things don't get easier as you get older, especially with trying to go to school and bettering yourself. The best option is use the time you have wisely and never look at what you could be doing. There are times for parties and children later in life, once you are financially stable and going to college is the greatest gift you can give your future family.

If I could back in time, I would definitely tell my Senior self to study hard in college. Nothing else can kill your grades and GPA faster than procrastinating. In addition, I'd tell myself that it's always best to ask questions when you are not sure about the answer. Don't be afraid to ask questions! It's an essential part of learning. Also, I'd tell myself that if I'm not sure about scholarships, or things that deal with "prerequesites", try either way. Find out what you can, and make calls. Don't just sit there and expect the opportunites to come to you. You have to go after those opportunities yourself, because how will they know you are in need of them? If I could go back in time, I'd tell myself to enroll as in many classes as possible, but also to take tutoring. Don't be afraid of tutoring. It's worse to know you failed when you know you were right, but were afraid to speak, than to fail when you tried as hard as you could. Dear Senior self, keep trying as hard as you can!