Wake Technical Community College Top Questions

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

Christopher

Chris, take a step back from every relationship other than your own relationship with yourself, and consider where you are going. You could follow your friends or your lovers, but the truest path to success will be to follow your own independent dreams and curiosities. Do not worry about the notoriety of the university you attend; instead focus on what that school can provide for you. The most important factor in the next stage of your life is the sincerity with which you make the next step. It is going to be a tremendous one, but do not be afraid to make it. Here's a clue: Forestry. Right now you don't have a clue what exactly you want to do with yourself and your future. You are considering becoming a writer and questioning whether college is even necessary. Well, over these last ten years I have learned that the most important element to being able to write a good story is by having lived a worthwhile life to pull details from. Forestry is a career that you are deeply passionate about, so take that course as a means of inspiration and congratulations on making it this far already.

Kayla

This is the million dollar question. If I was being completely honest, I would not say anything to deter my high school self from the path that I eventually chose. If I could still end up where I am in life, just with a college degree, I would tell my high school self that there are other means of paying for school. High school self, you don't have to listen to your family that never went anywhere when they say that life is all about job SECURITY. Don't let them scare you into a 9-5 that you hate. Fight to break that mold. You can go to whatever school you want, and you can change your mind if you need to, because you are so young. You can do anything, but don't ever stop trying to acheive your dreams. You are beautiful, strong, smart, and you are going places. I promise.

Derek

I would have told myself to be gentle and smart. Do not fall prey to the superficial wants and words of ordinary people. You only have one life and you have to make it worthwhile. Do not be worried to complete a task all by yourself and to use manual labor to get there. Get close to your teacher and absorb as much information as possible can. Do not worry about vain things. There will times when people will seem idiotic and offend you with their words. Do not show a responce of affection towards them. Most of all do not let them get under your skin. Hold yourself up to a high esteem but be modest about it. Everyday you are slowly building and sharpening yourself up to be something greater than what you are. Keep that in mind and live accordingly.

Joshua

Dear highschool self, You are not a freak, not broken, not damaged. You have Asperger's Syndrome and, while you don't think like other people and you see the world differently than they do, embrace that. Being an Aspie need not be a disadvanage. It is up to you to choose your path in life. College may get hard, and you will experience bumps in the road that others won't understand, but you also have a gift for finding patterns and for out-of-the-box thinking that let's you find solutions no one else can. Also, you don't have to be alone. There are people out there that will appreciate your differences and see the wonder of what you are. They are rare, like precious diamonds, but they exist and are worth finding. They can help you understand the world and succeed in college and all of your other endeavors. Be proud, younger self. Be brave. Take chances and dare to fail. Fear and confusion will be your worst enemy, but they only have the power that you give them.

Brian

If I could go back and time and talk to myself as a high school senior the best advice I could give myself is to enjoy the time that I have left in high school. Most seniors in high school are anxious to go off to college but do not realize the amount of responsibility that comes with it. In addition, if you are going to a school away from home I would highly suggest learning self-control. Many students go away to their first year of college and get pulled in to bad habits through the influence of their peers. Therefore, make sure you start your first year off strong by staying focused and managing your time correctly.

Suzanne

Dear Younger Self, You're not gonna believe this, but you have no clue what you are doing right now. You think you do. But you don't, and that's okay. Use the state scholarship and stay at home for a few more years. You're just not done cooking yet. Don't let anyone tell you what you should do. Trust your first instinct! Just concentrate on figuring out what makes YOU happy. And don't even think about boys yet! You've got too much on your plate to be distracted by social pressures and raging hormones. So, to review: 1) You're not a grownup yet. 2) Do what makes you happy. 3) Leave the boys for later. Love, Older Self

Brittany

The adive I would've gave myself was to be more focused, to pay attention to what really matters. Because, my future is in my hands and I should've applied myself more.

Felipe

Spending time in unproductive activities during college hours and frequently pulling of all-nighters to finish projects that were poorly done and graded, I was among the many students for whom the concepts of proper time management and effective study methodology were completely unknown. I would tirelessly rote-review my class-notes the night before a test to end up failing or passing with a C; nevertheless, I finally realized that this ill-devised modus operandi would drive me to utter academic disaster had not I changed my strategy. Thankfully, by reading the book “How to Become a Straight-A Student” by Cal Newport, I have learned that an excellent time management and effective study methodology are the foundations of academic success; were I a high-school senior again, I would advise myself to especially value and exercise them. By understanding and remembering better subjects, scoring better grades in exams and essays, and by getting more work done in less time than ever before, I have become a more efficient and diligent person in all aspects, and I shall achieve academic and professional success by applying the techniques described in Newport’s book and by exercising the two foundations aforementioned.

Brittany

You need to buy scantrons and a lot of paper. The scantrons are for quizzes and tests; the paper is for taking a LOT of class notes.

michaela

You're young; you're starting your own life and becoming an adult. How exciting, right? You're going to make so many friends, and your "best friend" is going to the same school as you, but you have to leave your boyfriend behind. What if he cheats? When will you be able to see him agian? I hope we're going to be able to stay together. Don't think about stuff like that. Seriously! You are going to miss out on so much stuff if you go home every weekend to see him. Yeah, you're going to get home sick, but you are going to miss out on what college is really about if you're worried all the time. You're going to make friends, life long friends, that will be there for you no matter what. The "friends" you had in high school are not your real friends. You're going to find yourself and you're going to figure out who you really are. But, you're never going to really experience college if you're worried all the time. Have fun! Worry about yourself not someone else! Experience life!

John

Use your time wisely. College has more fast paced and difficult courses and a student needs to make the most of his/her time in order to give coursework the necessary time to sink in completely. And since you are are on your own, time must be allowed for eating, sleeping, washing clothes, working out, and other necessary activities as well.

Abbe

Like most seventeen year old high school seniors, I was ready to graduate. I had such desire to want to do things on my own and be respected as an adult. I wasn't thinking about what my life would be like in the next year. If I could go back in time and give myself advice on transitioning into college, it would be to apply for as many colleges as I can. Most everyone around me was already telling me to do so, but I was not thinking enough about my future school and I should have done more research on colleges. I probably missed out on some great opportunities. In the end it ended up working out for me, starting out at a community college and saving money was a smart choice. I am transferring to a really great deisgn school in the fall, but if I had just done more research and believed in myself just a little more, I would probably have gotten into the design school or another great school sooner. I just didn't believe I could get in, I didn't care enough, and it wasn't my first priority at the time.

Sarah

Going to a community college does not make you a loser. It's going to be hurt when your best friends are tweeting about their acceptance letters and posting pictures with their roommates on move-in day. It'll be anticlimatic when you come home after your first day of class to the house you came home to every day after class in high school. But do not compare yourself to anyone else. Grow and learn and thrive in your circumstances. Don't waste your freshman year of college wishing you were somewhere else- even when you transfer, you will never get this freshman year back. Be in love with your life now.

Hettie

Believe in yourself. Set goals and stick to them. Don't let anyone tell you that you dreams will not come true. Know that if you wont it you must work hard for it. Nobody is going to give you a hand out.

Thomas

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, this is the advice i would convey. High school differs from college in many ways. You are required to attend high school and get your diploma. The teachers want you to graduate. Most of the high school teachers will do every thing they can to help you pass. In college you are not required to attent. No one is forcing you to go. The college professors donot care if you attend their class. You have to take the initiative to want to learn and succede. In order to succede in college, you have to be able to balance your social life with your academic life. College courses are gererally more advanced which means you have to spend more time on assignments and studying for exams. So take my advice, if you put the proper amount of effort in your college studies you will succeed.

Charles

I would tell myself that work is more important than having fun. Take more of an initiative in my own life and not to rely on others for help or to carry me. The most important thing i would tell myself is not to procrastinate. As a senior i procrastinated to the point where i had to put school off a year. I relied on everyone else to get me information about school , work, and anything else that i was too lazy to do myself. I realized how much i was going to miss out on in life if I continued to act the way i was. So if I had realized this sooner i wouldn't have missed out on so many opportunites.

Virginia

Given the opportunity to go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to slow down, take a deep breath, and realize that college is not about moving out of the parent's house, it is about investing in yourself. I know that the senior year of high school is a blur of excitement. Excitement about the prospect of "growing up" and moving out, of new found freedoms. Freshman year of college is a very different reality than the image that was idealized in my high school self's head. It is true that college brings more freedom, but that freedom brings with it responsiblity. There are choices that have to be made that will affect the rest of your life, and the reality of growing up is the realization that freedom is more than having fun, it is making decisions for yourself because you know you are the one that will have to live with their consequences. As you make the transition to college let go of the idealized fantasies, work hard and invest your time wisely and you'll find the true freedom that comes with the empowerment of education.

Debra

I would say be serious and stay in school. The only way to get ahead is to get at least a 2 year associate degree. An education is most important right out of high school.

Erica

I wouls tell myself to stay at home, go to school full time, and forget about boys for four years. Focus on your college education and grow up along the way. A college education is more than wghat you learn within the walls of the classroom. Life has many lessions to teach you. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Remember your parents are always right when it comes to advice on your future.

Caitlin

Easy, But first I would like to go back to a high school freshman; I would choose on a likely career goal and cater my high school experience to make it happen. I would work harder in the tough subjects (math :) , actively seek out help and assistance and have a plan like I do here at Wake Tech. I took electives that I could have done without and instead took more core courses that would prepare me more for my college workload. thank you.

Adria

If I went back in time and spoke to myself as a wee little high school senior, I would have precious advice: listen to your heart. This valuable tidbit has a profound story to it, but I willl have to cut it short for this purpose. Among the other senior fun, I was offered a full ride for volleyball at a big time school. It sounds great, but there was a catch. My heart was not in the sport like it used to be. I decided to ignore these emotions and commit. To make a long story short, I was miserable. Volleyball dominated my life. I developed situational clinical depression and an eating disorder. These two illnesses destroyed my personality and worth. I eventually quit the team and the harmful situation. My scholarship was taken so I am back home, attending a community college and recovering. I am grateful for this transition, contrasting with the last. Although I wish I listened to my instincts, I learned how to handle important future decisions, like which university to attend next year. I also know the perfect slice of knowledge I would share if I could go back-listen to your heart.

Megan

I would tell myself to fill out every scholarship application that I could. Paying for college isn't fun, but I would also tell myself to not rush into a big univeristy if I wasn't ready for it. If I needed to I could apply to a close by community college and start out small to get the feel of college, and when I was ready I could just tranfer to a bigger institution. If I could go back in time, that's what I would have done. Not to mention the amount of money that could be saved each year.

Martha

Avoid bills, live at home and save as much money as possible. Don't think you have decided on a major finish the general education classes first then make your decision on what it is that you want to major in. DO NOT RUSH INTO ANYTHING, take your time and please try to focus the majority of your efforts in school. One last thing, don't be in a rush to grow up, there is plenty of time to for life. Enjoy life, and pick up some good habits to release stress!

Keyaira

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself three key things. First, I would've told myself to keep my grades up. Second, I would've said to apply to UNC or Wake Technical Community College instead of the other ones that I applied to. Lastly and most of all, I'd tell myself to stay in college and no matter how hard it get's, continue to stick with it.

Wendy

Dear Young Me, You will be amazed at what life has in store for you. So many wonderful experiences are to come in your life. You say there is no one to help guide you, to tell you how to find financing for school. You are a smart girl. You need to ask someone before they can tell you the answers to your questions. Your guidance counselor, teachers, or family members can tell you how to get the loans, scholarships and grants. You can be independent from your parents and still get an education. You can have a boyfriend and still attend classes. If you could work and attend high school, you can do the same in college. It is so important get your education, so that you can accomplish all the goals and plans you have. Your life will be dramatically different if you take the time to get your education. A post secondary education will open up so many more possibilities in your young life. The most important thing to remember is YOU can achieve anything you set YOUR mind to do especially with the aid of an education. With love, older wiser me

Nadia

I would tell myself to find what you really enjoy doing and choose that as your major. I would also tell myself to apply for as many scholorships as you can. I would also mention the importance of maintaining a high GPA.

Johnny

College is the best investment a person can make. In college, you're allowed to be flexible and make your own choices. There is no requirements as to when you have to take classes. Jump straight into college after high school, your brain is at its peak and the transition will be much easier. When you're looking for the right program to study, take one that will last your whole life. Don't sign up for something because it seems the easiest. Study something that will make you happy and can withstand the tests of time. Be aware of the impact that economic hard times can have on your choice. Talk to your parents about what you want to study and what they think would be great for you. Your parents know you best and have much more life experience and will be able to help you find something that will both last your life and make you happy.

Hector

Study hard, drive SLOW to avoid the tickets, stay away from the the girl Grace Polo-wood, trust your real friends, and focus on the classes when you get to ECU because its a wonderful experience you don't want to lose.