Washington University in St Louis Top Questions

During my second semester senior year and the summer, I slacked off because I was stressed out about the college application process and I was finally done with everything. Because of this long-lasted relaxation, it was difficult for me to start "studying" during the first semester of freshmen year in college. Even though college is the time for all of us to have fun and meet new people, it is time for us to transition to the real world and think about our future as adults. This pressured me to meet more people, engage in many activities, and focus on my studies. In order to keep up with all these, first of all, I need to be healthy. Freshmen fifteen is not an overstatement. It definitely happens to EVERYONE. So, I would try to keep myself fit and work out constantly. Moreover, I need to be diligent and make that as a habit so that I'd be ready to do something wherever I go. Also, since meeting new people is necessary, I would do lots of brave, interesting and crazy things during the summer so that I would have lots to talk about to new people I meet.

Work hard and don't get discoureged even if you may falter at times. Do not be afraid to utilize the resources on campus to seek help with a class, including and most importantly going to your professors office hours. Be careful how much of the good food you eat, as the extra calories show when you spend most of your time studying. Most importantly take the time to build strong lasting bonds, do not become romatically involved and push your friends away. And lastly- It's completley ok not to know what you want to do. Try diffrent classes, change majors. Love what you do because that is going to be the rest of your life.

If I could talk to my high school senior self, I would give a few pieces of advice. While I thought I would not be able to academically succeed in college, I was much better prepared than I thought, coming from a top ranked high school with many advanced placement classes. The fact that all homework truly aids my learning makes the workload more approachable. I had heard horror stories of college students being too competitive to help each other and some even giving others the wrong homework information on purpose. This could not be more false--there are many student-run tutoring programs and there exists a general sense of helpfulness among young adults striving for higher education. There are so many opportunities to become an involved community member that building a resume almost happens without trying. On a different note, partying is a popular topic to talk about going into college. While many students do drink, the amount and consistency are definitely up to the individual, and drugs are not nearly as common as many think; both of these statements are true for my experience and many of my friends', but they cannot stand for all schools.

“Create your own happiness” was not a mantra I had always lived by. In high school I lived in my own bitter world, one that transcended to my freshman year of community college. I went through the same motions as high school, kept my head down, as I told myself to just get good grades and get out. Interaction with my classmates and with my school was something that did not interest me, I had decided that community college was just another wall keeping me from my bigger dreams. Now I would tell my high school self that community college is a stepping stone, not a toxic quicksand. I would have told myself that community college gave me time to save money, money that allowed me the opportunity to afford to do an unpaid internship in New York. Instead of the opportunities I thought I would miss out on by staying home for a few more years, I was able to gain insight into what path I really wanted to follow. Once I opened myself up to my peers and joined clubs, I recognized happiness is not where you seek it, happiness is where you create your dreams.

My best advice would be to find a good work/ fun balance. During the early part of the semester, I was so overwhelmed by my workload that I didn't leave any time to relax, and I ended up getting sick and burning out. In the later part of the semester, I tried to have more fun: I joined the ultimate frisbee team, started going to the gym more, and spent more time relaxing with friends. At times it can seem like grades are the most important thing in your life, but that's not what you'll remember years down the road. Furthermore, you simply cannot work without a break for the whole semester, it's not humanly possible and it certainly is not what college is about. One of my best memories is staying up till 4 am on a school night talking with friends about movies, music and hot celebrities. Maybe it wasn't the most responsible choice, but it was worth it and I have no regrets. Make sure to look out for those moments and embrace them.

College life is full of opportunities, so take the time to get to know yourself so you can take full advantage of the wealth of options in college. Work hard in class, not for the grade but to enjoy the subject matter—learning out of true interest will take the grit out of studying. Do not be afraid of hard work, chase after your passions, and take advantage of any extra time you have: explore more careers, explore your community. Expect to devote more of your time to friendships than you ever have before; you will live with your friends, so the line between “work” and “play” will become blurred. In college, you will have to learn to draw those lines for yourself. Your place of abode (dormitory) may be conducive to studying, but at any time, a buddy can pass by and stick their head in your room, perhaps glimpsing in for a brief two seconds to greet you, perhaps staying two minutes for a quick chat, perhaps settling in two hours for a great conversation. However, pursue your interests, be passionate, be purposeful, manage your time, and success will not be far off.

Apply to a broader range of schools and think past playing college athletics. Think about what you like learning and not so much about what people want you to learn. Understand you can have a good time anywhere you go as long as you find something you like about that campus, city, or environment. Ask more questions to your counselors, teachers, and peers about different types of schools and go to more college informational sessions. Start applying early and do not get complacent just because you got into one school. Most of all, a rejection is not the end of the world.

I would tell myself to relax more and not worry as much because I'm bound to get into college anyway and I've worked hard to get where I am now. No matter where I got in and no matter where I went, I would find a way to like it and make the best of it. I would tell myself to always keep my eyes on the goal ahead of me and always remember what I want to get out of being a college student, without forgetting to make new friends and sacrificing happiness for grades. It's okay to go out and explore everything your freshman year because that's what they want you to do and you might open your eyes to new things that you might like, but make sure that when it comes to studying you know your limits and not to overcommit. Don't be afraid to try new things, and don't be afraid of the future.

Don't sweat the small stuff. College will always present new challenges, and living on your own has plenty of surprises. You'll never survive if you let the little things get to you. The purpose of college is not only to learn in the classroom, but to discover who you really are and develop yourself as an adult. If you allow insignificant details to hold you back, you'll never know your true potential. Give yourself a break every once in a while. I know it may be tempting to take on every opportunity you run across, but if you spread yourself too thin, you can't perform your best. You've got at least four years to experiment, so take the time to enjoy college. It very well may be the best time of your life.

I would tell myself two things: be yourself, and take your time. When I was in high school, I was extremely driven, very involved, and generally felt I was one of the more successful students in my high school. However, when I got to college, I realized that everyone else was exactly the same. At first, this was intimidating. People were immediately throwing themselves in to extra carricular activities and pursuing courses they thought were "necessary" to be successful. They assumed that overwhelming themselves with work and clubs equalled success. This frenzy threw me slightly off guard, and I fell to the background. Eventually I realized that this was ok. It gave me time to discover what I really cared about, and what I really wanted to study. It was not until my sophomore year that I started to get involved, and I could not be happier with how it turned out. I am extremely passionate about everything I am pursuing, and I am extremely busy in the best way possible, as opposed to feeling overwhelmed and unenthusiastic. So my advice is this: relax, take care of yourself, and do what makes you feel good.

It’s not the same. Yes, yes, I know you went to a residential high school. Living in a college is different; you have much more freedom, so do not let fear of the unknown deter you from leaving campus and exploring. There were restrictions before. Now the world is your playground. You had very close friends in high school – stay in touch with them. It isn’t as easy as you expect to make good friends, so don't make my mistake and let them drift. Finding good friends in a place this big doesn’t come naturally to you, because you’re introverted. Exert yourself in this respect. I know, I know, I was there too. School at a magnet school was absurdly difficult. Back then, you worked hard merely for the grades. College will change you so much that you will put effort into educating yourself because you will fall in love with the material. You will see calculus and biology and chemistry everywhere in the world around you, and will revel in this knowledge; don’t groan that school is invading your life, but enjoy the enlightenment that education is bringing you. And please. Carpe diem.

Don't obsess about the rankings and work as hard as you can at the beginning of the year, both academically and socially. Ultimately, any top 30 university will give you an equivalent education (and, in many cases, a lower ranked university in the t30 will give you a better education than a higher ranked school because of legacies and grade inflation found at some of those schools). That means that the real thing to be concerned with in applying to colleges is how you fit into the student body. Student body stereotypes are almost always true to an extent, so make use of those. Additionally, if you put in as much effort as you can at the beginning of the year in your school work and in making friends, you will be happy you did later. Your grades will be significantly better than your peers who went to top high schools in the country and you will have many friends and acquaintances whom you will be able to get to know better throughout the next year (and three years after that!).

Hey there! Who am I? I'm you...from the near future! No this is isn't an ominous dream, I'm here to help you. You must be wondering what college is like. After all, I can tell, it's all you're thinking about this whole year. The main detail I want to disclose is that college, and even life in general, entirely depends on your attitude. Lifestyle can range from several types but in reality, they're all the same; whether one is preferable to another depends on our interpretation, and out attitude affects that. I know throughout high school, you've adopted a stern and uptight attitude, taking everything much too seriously. This attitude certainly does not fit college. While having determination is necessary to achieve goals in college, there's not point in going to college if you don't enjoy it. Truly enjoying college means being laid-back and friendly; this sends a message to your peers that you are a person they like and to the faculty and alumni you are a trustworthy person who will achieve great goals in a work environment.

When looking back at making the transition to college life, I would advise myself to get involved in as many activities as possible early on. It is often said that you can join many different groups or clubs to find out what it is you want to become involved in. In my opinion, this exploration is incredibly important and I wish I had taken advantage of it more. Different activities are not only a way to get involved in school but also to meet new people. Unfortunately, I was somewhat late in finding my clubs at school and while that has not exactly hindered my involvement at school, I feel it would have been incredibly beneficial to have been involved earlier as knowing more people would have helped the transition to the new stage of life. Clubs offer many initial meetings meant just for this purpose - getting to know the club and finding out if it is right for you. I would advise any new college student to take advantage of these and try to find their own interests.

Dear 17-yr-old Margery, I know you're frightened, I've been there and done that. But don't stress out, college is amazing. Stop worrying so much about little things, like pairing the color of your towels with your bath rug. Calm down, take a breath and enjoy your summer. When it comes to it, here's my advice: don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Smile and make friends with as many people as you possibly can, especially during the first week of college. You'll meet some amazing people that share the same interests as you and will laugh at the same silly jokes as you. Also: put down that extra donut, trust me, you don't need it. Much Love, Margery

Study more , more responsible , take college more seriously my future is here and make sure what I want to study to be in the future,

Be ready to not be ready, prepare yourself to feel like the most unprepared, and understand that the some best and hardest years of your life are about to happen. Right now you're tired of high school and extatic to leave and start this new life where you'll be independent and mostly awesome, but cherish those last days because you will miss them. The transition will be difficult and, as you will learn, it'll go from a screaming "YES, I'M SO EXCITED" to a tearful "I want to go home" to an optimistic "I can do this and it's going to be great." When doubtful about whether you should apply for something, the right choice is to do it. When doubtful about a decision, go to the people that get paid to advise you. Eat when you're hungry, cry when you need to, laugh every day and meet everyone. Learn from the "ups and downs," appreciate each lesson gained from each mistake, and forget about the word "regret." Just enjoy it.

I would tell myself that it will all work out. All my life I have been very organized and hardworking, but also a bit controlling. So, when it came time to apply to colleges it was hard for me to not control the process. I did not know what schools would accept me, and even worse, I had no way of knowing which school would make me happiest. When I did not get in to my first choice school I was heartbroken - usually my hard work gets me what I want, but this time it did not. I felt like I had failed and was certain that I would never be 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} happy at another school. However, I am now a sophomore at my second-choice school and I am so unbelievably happy here. In fact, I am glad that I got rejected from the other school because that is how I ended up here. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to relax - it all works out in the end.

I would tell myself to take high school more seriously and start thinking about what career you want to go into. I would tell myself make sure you really want to attend school and finish the major you begin. I would tell myself to take the SAT or the ACT. I would tell myself that the right college education is worth so much. I would definately tell myself to appy for scholarships because college isn't cheap. Making the trasition was not that hard you just need to be dedicated to you college work. Paying attention to your professers is very important. Also making sure that you give yourself ample time to complete assignments even if they do give them to you at the begining of the year. Most of all : "Creating your adult life is had but if your work hard and keep your head up anything is possible."

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the only thing advice I would have would be to stop worrying so much. When I was a senior I was a nervous wreck, worrying about whether or not I would make friends in college, how I would adjust to living on my own, and if I would be able to keep up with the course work. After completing over a semester at my university, I know all of that stressing was for naught. I have made wonderful friends, love all of my classes, and although it is different living away from home, I enjoy being independent. In truth, I really don't know anyone who isn't happy with their lives now that they have begun college. So, for all of you out there still stressing to make those final decisions about college, step back, take a deep breath, and get ready to have the time of your life.

I would tell myself not to stress over the small things, and really enjoy life. College has taught me that savoring the experience is a good way to deal with rough times. I have just started my second semester of college and I know that these 4 years will go by faster than I can imagine. So even though some moments are hard I just have to remember that it is all part of the experience of life and that I just need to slow down and think about the good things I have experienced. As a high school senior I was worried about getting into a good university so I could get into a good medical school, but looking back now I should have been looking for a university that suited who I was (luckily I found one!) rather than worrying about the quality or prestige of the school. College life has really taught me that the most important thing I will ever learn is who I truly am, and I feel that the college experience will allow me to discover my true self and help me understand myself more than I ever could have imagined.

I would tell myself that going to a community college for the first two years of school was okay. As a high school senior, I was dead set against it - I knew what I wanted to do, and I was also afraid that if I started going to a four year school in the third year, I wouldn't make any friends. Now, in my third year of college, I have gone through three different major changes, and I am still not sure if I am where I want to be. I also have learned that you can make friends in any level of school - I go to a community college now instead of a private college where I started out, and I am still making friends with each class that I take.

If I could go back and tell myself a few things I've learned about college, I'd tell myself that asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve learned that no matter how much studying and work is put into a subject one could always use a little help from someone with more experience. Also, it is important to plan your time and stick to the plan, because excellent time management is the key to sucess. This semester has taught me a lot about what I’m truly passionate about, and more importantly that it’s okay to pursue my passions. It scares me to not know where my life will end up, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out because I’ve learned that as long as I’m doing what makes me happy the rest will work out. Next semester, as I begin to truly pursue my own dreams, life seems very promising, and I am hopeful to begin because I have learned so much from these first few months at Washington University. If I gave this semester a title, it would only be fitting to call it “A Learning Experience.”

Don't commit too early. It seems silly, I know, if you already are certain of what you want to study, or who you want to become, or what you want to do professionally. But please, don't limit yourself, don't define yourself too early, and please dont cross anything off, don't deny yourself any possibilities, just because you thought you had it all planned. It's not to say your plans aren't good. I still like the way they sound, and I may stick to them, but what I've learned already in these first few months of college, is that there are way more opportunities here than you ever could have imagined. There used to be a belief that school was to learn, to expand your mind. Today, with the recent economic developments, everyone seems to believe college is a tool for professional success. It is, don't get me wrong, but it is still an incredible oportunity to take classes you never will be able to take again, to major in something you've never heard of, and to meet people who are nothing like you. Don't forget the process matters too.

I would tell myself to show my appreciation for my close friends and family more than I did. I took for granted all the love and support that they had given me while I was growing up, and I only recently realized just how much they have influenced me. Without some of them, I would not be the driven person that I am today, and I would not have made it in to my college. It saddens me to think that it took a near-death experience on my grandmother's part for me to realize that I have failed to be an appreciative son, grandson, and friend to the people who matter the most to me. Until that point, I didn't realize how much I still rely on those who mattered most to me, my friends and family. So, if I could, I would go back and tell myself not to focus so much on things that don't end up mattering in the end (i.e. parties), and instead devote my time to showing my mother and father, along with my closest friends, how much I appreciate all that they have done for me.

If I were to go back in time, I would tell my high school self to relax a little, remember to do scholarship applications, and think about the implications of running at certain schools, not just the prestige. When I was a high school senior, I was completely obsessed with the idea of going to and running track at Brown University. I let that idea govern almost my entire life. Everything I did was for Brown, and other applications were these stupid things I had to do to before I went to Brown, which is why I didn't do enough scholarship applications. I actually ended up getting rejected, but it was the best thing that could've ever happened to me. I was only just good enough that I might've made Brown's track team, and it probably would've been a huge source of anxiety rather than fun if I'd ended up there. Moreover, the people weren't as friendly and the team didn't seem nearly as cohesive. The school was amazing, but it really wasn't right for me. I wish I'd known things were going to work out for the best.

The advice I would give myself is to remember your own worth and achievements. When you enter college, you are going to be surrounded by others who are just as smart, or even moreso, as you are. It is important to keep in mind that your opinions and ideas are just as valuable as theirs and deserve to be heard. Whether it involves speaking up more in discussions, joining a cause you believe in, or just meeting with a professor to chat about an interesting topic covered in class, it is good to take advantage of and learn from all the resources college exposes you to. Additionally, because college is a time for growth and self discovery, you should be sure to try something that you have always wanted to do, but maybe never had the opportunity to in the past. You never know, you may find that a passing extracurricular activity becomes a future profession that you are passionate about.

I would strongly advise my past self to learn how to properly manage time. College life is fifteen hours of class per week, as opposed to 35 hours in high school. There is a lot of free time that was not available before, and if you don't know how to allot the various activities among the hours, you will either drown in too many activities or vegetate in front of the tv and fail to fulfill an enriching college lifestyle. I saw my roommate waste away his time playing video games and flunk three classes because he coasted through high school and never needed to plan his day. On the other hand, I took on activities in the school newspaper, sports information department of the athletic department, the Indian student group, campus tours and the first year center. As a result, I didn't have enough time for actual school work and did not perform as well as I wanted. The trick is to find the right balance of social life and school, and the best way to do that is to know what you can and can't do with the time you have.

You'll recieve a lot of good advice in college, but you'll find that its hard to stay focused on all the things you're supposed to be doing when you don't have an end goal in sight. But this is not for lack of motivation. It's because you'll want everything, and in college you'll have more resources to aid you in your pursuit of success and fulfillment than you can wrap your head around. And you'll worry that while you stand frozen with indecision, your peers are running fast into the future. But know that most of them feel just like you, and that the billions of people in this world who are not in your position would give up so much to be you: a college student in America. So, above all else, don't worry as much. Spend as much time as possible outside of your comfort zone. You may be told that it is most important to be yourself, but don't forget that "yourself" is hardly more than the specter of something that doesn't exist yet. You're evolving. It's hard to mess that up, so relax.

If I could go back in time and give my high school self advice, I would be sure to tell myself to stay true to myself throughout it all. The college transition is tough from high school, and it is important to be yourself and find friends who are compatible with you and don't expect you to change in order to be friends with them. I would tell myself that it will get tough every once in a while to balance school, work, friends and family, but it is important to find a happy medium. Grades are important, but college is also about learning to be able to manage all aspects of your life. I would tell myself to study as often as possible and not to cram the night before a big test, and that the teachers I had were usually right about work ethic. The last piece of advice I would give is to enjoy the years I have in college as much as possible while still maintaining good grades because it will be the easiest years of my life before going out into the real world.

As I finally completed the challenging process of selecting a college to attend, I thought that the greatest challenges of my senior year would be over. However, within my relief and excitement for college, I still suppressed feelings of doubt and anxiety. I feared uncertainty, something I would undoubtedly encounter as I first moved into a dorm, stepped foot into a class, and met new students. But if I had the opportunity to speak to myself during this point in my life, I would surprisingly confirm my own fears. Knowing that many of my peers in college will not share my same interests or beliefs, and that some classes will challenge me beyond what i can imagine, I would pass onto my past self an extremely valuable lesson I have learned in college: to embrace uncertainty. By talking to a student that I seemingly share nothing in common with, or by taking a class that I have no prior knowledge about, I have grown the most as a student. Because of this, my college experience has been extremely rewarding thus far, and never in a million years as a high school senior could I have ever imagined it.

As simple as it may sound, making good use of the summer before freshman year is the most important thing an aspiring college student can do after they have graduated high school. There are so many things that need to be taken care of and most students brush these things off because there is a feeling of accomplishment and complacency that comes with a high school diploma. Once high school is done, students tend to de-stress and celebrate for a majority of the summer. A high school graduate does not necessarily have to start to research classes the day after graduation, but it helps significantly in the long run if the student makes use of free time during the summer. This time should be used to do productive things such as scholarship research, class searches, career path brainstorming, and even up keeping of some subjects so they can be easily remembered for the upcoming school year. Using only a fraction of the time allotted for summer break to do these things can greatly prepare a student for college and beyond. The benefits of a useful pre-college summer are invaluable.

After completing my freshman year at Washington University, I would have told my high school senior self to simply calm down. Instead of thoroughly enjoying my final months at home, I was plagued by worries. I was overly concerned about whether I chose the right school, if I was going too far from home, if I would make lasting friendships, if I was capable of succeeding at Wash U, if the transition would be too difficult to handle. I was an overzealous worry wart. I would have liked to remind my past self to go forth with confidence in my choices and to stop resisting the changes that were already in motion. I would have emphasized the importance of taking a breather after the essays had been completed, standardized tests had been taken, and the tough decisions had been made. I would have wanted my past self to enjoy the lull between graduation and becoming a freshman (yet again, only this time on a college campus), instead of being ferociously concerned with the future. I wish I could have been there to just remind myself, "calm down, calm down, calm down."

Knowing what I know now, the best advice I could give is: To find your passion and run with it. I have found my passion, it took some time, but I am now doing and going to school for what I love. Upon graduation from high school I was accepted early into GMU and thought I knew what I wanted in life. When I discovered it wasn't exactly what I was looking for I left and decided to save some money and go to NVCC. I wasn't happy with any of the classes and honestly I had no desire to go to class so I could earn a degree and have a job that I hated going to everyday. I felt pressured by my parents to study something that would make me lots of money- but at the same time I wasn't happy. So I left school for awhile and worked some pretty awful jobs. I knew I needed a degree and now that I am doing what I love, I am that much closer to finally graduating. It may take some time, but in the end once you find what you love, do it.

College has been fantastic. More specifically, Washington University has been fantastic. Having now completed a part of the ‘college experience’, I would advise my high school self to keep an open mind and relax because everyone will find his or her perfect college. After receiving a rejection from what I assumed was my top-choice school, I was disappointed and convinced I was a failure as a student. Looking back, however, my rejection turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I now realize my true failure was the close-mindedness I had developed to a University and the downtrodden attitude I had on myself. As the saying goes, “when one door closes, another one opens.” My ‘failure’ allowed me to become aware of the open door that is Wash U and has allowed me to discover the university that is truly my perfect fit. My advice to my high school self would be to work hard without stressing, keep an open mind to new experiences, and explore the many opportunities presented to you. For as I've discovered, everything has a way of working out for the best.

Don't settle too much into the "senioritis" mode which plagues most high school seniors. While the importance of awarding one's self a little hard-earned relaxation cannot be undermined, it's crucial not to let such an attitude become the norm or discourage in any way the work ethic you built and developed throughout high school. College academics are hard. There's no way around that fact. Unfortunately, no matter how many times you hear it, it's easy to go into this new environment with the belief that the school work will be just like it was in high school. My advice is to go into college with the honest understanding that to be successful here, you WILL need to try harder and study more than you did in the past. With this attitude, you will find the classroom work more easily manageable, and you can limit those otherwise long, stressful nights of cramming for that exam you might have procrastinated studying for, or that essay you blew off the past week. You can still make time for that hard-earned relaxation, and enjoy those nights off much more with no last-minute work to worry about.

If I went back in time and talked to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to get a job. I got a job in May of my senior year, but I should have gotten one earlier. Also, I would make sure I saved as much money as I could. My parents recently informed me that they can only give me $5,000 for college, which means I have to come up with the rest on my own and I haven’t saved enough. During senior year, I assumed that my college would just get paid for, but that isn’t the case. Now that I have grown up a little, I would let myself know what would be impending in the future and how to save myself from the debt I will have once I get out of college.

If I had the chance, I would tell myself to get organized early, focus on specific goals and to work hard even when it seems that nobody around you is. College is a mysterious place where homework and studying only gets done behind closed doors or on the crowded tables of the library so just because others are hanging out and having fun every time you see them does not mean it is OK to neglect your work simply because it seems they are too. Furthermore, college is a place to learn about anything and everything you want. While grades and homework are important, it is far more worthwhile to understand the concepts you are studying rather than mindlessly doing homework simply to get it done. The concepts are far more valuable in the future than a small later grade will ever be. In addition, I would tell myself not to worry about making friends or fitting in with a specific crowd. Friendships are forged between those who have similar values, ideals and interests so its far more important to find real friends and not fit in with those who seem to be the "cool kids" on your floor.

If I were to go back in time to speak to my high school self, I would quote my favorite lyric: "Take your time, don't live to fast; troubles will come, and they will pass" (from Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd). As I was preparing to go off to college two years ago, people told me "enjoy college, it goes too fast, but it will be the best years of your life." I began hearing it so often that I started to tune these people out, and ceased to really listen to what they were saying. But they were right. Having two years of college behind me, I have seen how fast the years have gone by. I have also seen that college is one of the best, and most challenging times in life. Therefore, I would want to tell myself to slow down and take my time while in college. I would tell myself make the most of every minute of every day I have. I would encourage myself that although college comes with challenges, I shouldn't be discouraged. These challeges soon past and give way to some of the most rewarding experiences of life.

1. Learn how to study. Don't sit at your computer for a few minutes switching between the facebook tab and wikipedia and think you are studying. Go to the library, sit down and really concentrate for hours at a time. This will really help once you get to college, and have a seemingly impossible amount of work to do. Instead of integrating time-wasting activities into your study habits, if you learn to really get work done, you will find the work you accomplish more rewarding, and it will take half the time. 2. You can't do everything. Taking 20 credits, playing soccer and basketball, working, doing research, and joining 5 clubs may seem like a good idea at the start, but overambitious freshman have come to realise time and time again that there is not an infinite amount of time in the world. Just because you don't have class from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. straight doesn't mean you won't spend that much time and more on schoolwork. Relax, take it easy, and you will learn how involved you can become without overwhelming yourself.

My biggest piece of advice would be to attend as many organizational meetings for diverse student groups as possible, and to stick around after the meetings to talk to people. I met many great people my freshman year, but I could have met so many with diverse interests. I also discovered after a while that sticking around after meetings is a great way to meet people, as the meetings themselves often are not conducive to conversations. Especially at the beginning of the year, everyone is eager to meet new people. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself to strangers, and try to find some common ground with someone. The more friendly faces you see around campus, the happier you will be and the faster your personal network will grow. Also, always go the office hours of professors at least once, and if you make a connection with him or her, go again. The connections are invaluable--for recommendations, for advice, for class help, for help adjusting to college.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be more involved my first semester instead of worrying about settling in. The workload was not going to be more than you can handle, and not getting involved will push you into a pattern of thinking that hours of free time a week is actually okay. You're going to be at a university with so many opportunities, that unless you take advantage of them, is not going to be worth the crazy tuition your parents are going to be paying. And that as a high school senior, you should search harder and figure out a plan for how to pay for school instead of letting your parents let you believe they will in fact take care of it. Going to college means a new level of independence, one that you need to embrace without alienating the important adults in your life. But don't worry too much about it, because that will stop you from taking any sort of action.

If I could go back into time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to save up every penny that I earned rather than spend it on petty things that I would probably never use or need. College is hard to pay for especially when you know that your family is not going to help you out because they themselves are hardworking, blue collar people who make enough to just make ends meet. I would also tell myself to get as many scholarships as I could because they would help out on cutting the costs for student loans.

Dear High School Senior, Hey, it's me. You probably do not know who I am and I won't bother explaining how I crossed time and space to write you this letter. I have some golden advice that you may or may not follow however I hope to decrease the stress you will soon be in. Yes, stress as a senior. 1. Senior year is hard-work. Work hard in academics because unbeknownst to you, mid-year reports are a crucial factor for college admissions. Also more importantly hard-work is who you are. Why give up your self-image of a hard-worker for a few months of laziness? 2. You will get into a college and you will fall in love. You will discover lasting friendships and social niches where ever you chose to go. 3. Maintain relationships. As you move into college life it will be more than too easy to forget about the important relationships you forged in high school. Don't. 4. Be open to what you study. The first and second semesters of college should be an exploration. Don't limit yourself because you or your parents have already decided your life goals.

No matter how hard you've worked before things in college are going to be different. The best advice I could give is to listen to the advice of upperclassmen, but truely listen to them and take it all in. It is so easy to not fully listen. We are all good students because we have worked hard in high school, but it is easy to become over confident. It's important to remember that they truly have your best interests in mind. They have made these mistakes, learned from them, and the unperclassmen hope that by giving this advice you can avoid these same mistakes, so take in everything, and be as successful as you can.

Going to college has given me something that I never really seemed to have in high school, that being a good work either. Here, it is impossible to slack off, if only because nobody else is. Everyone works hard, and the success that comes out of that is greater than any amount of praise or money a person could ever need. I think that in a place like Wash. U., I have also come to love the work I do. I can pick my classes, choose what I want to learn. I have happened upon a possible career, and relationships that, even if they end, will define the rest of my life for better or worse. There is nothing I could imagine being better than attending, and I can't imagine myself being anywhere else.

Everyone says that college is a whole different world compared to high school, but you don't believe it until you experience it. It's hard to live on your own for the first time and realize that you are totally responsible for your success or failure. You realize that you aren't accountable to anyone else but your self: you can choose to go out every night, you can choose to never do your laundry, you can choose to eat unhealthy and not workout, and you can choose to not go to class or to not study. It's hard to know what the right decisions are without your parents immediately accesible for advice. I didn't have the easiest first semester. I got really sick for about a month and did really poorly on my first mid-term. I gained some weight and didn't always make the healthiest decisions. But I'm glad I messed up a little bit, becuase I learned from all those mistakes, and I corrected them. I was able to truly realize my priorities and goals, and I ended up finishing off the semester with great grades, good friends, and some outrageous experiences.

Although it is a definite cliche, college has given me the opportunity to grow into an adult. Even though I have only been at college for five months now, I feel that college has given me the opportunity to mature and change faster than any other experience in my life. From an emotional standpoint, college has shown me that so much of life is under your control. I left a girlfiriend 500 miles away, yet we have been able to communicate and establish a system that lets us continue our relationship. From an educational standpoint, college has given me an exposure to knowledge that I had never before imagined. My education is really in my hands for the first time; I have learned responsibility and the importance of foresight and planning. I have been able to challenge myself and have a great time doing it. This brings me to the final point as to why college is valuable. It is the most exciting time of your life. Being away from my parents and having responsibility for my own life as well as making great friends has been absolutely amazing.

Six cardboard boxes, two large suitcases, one refrigerator, and a tiny girl plopped down on the sidewalk about 600 miles away from home. I thought college was going to be like camp, but really long and educational. No big deal... right? Once classes started, I discovered the myriad opportunities available for me to expand my knowledge and pursue my interests. I could perform in the orchestra, run student elections, re-enact medieval battles, or go on ski trips. Every second of each day released me from my previous lifestyle of completing the next "accomplishment" on my to-do list for "success" as prescribed by my parents. This freedom was, and still is, AMAZING! Yet, in addition to attending classes and working at the hospital, I realized that I had to give up some activities. College has taught me how to make decisions and allocate my time in order to participate in as much as I can. With my new freedom, I learned the weight of responsibility. I am not learning for my parents anymore, but for myself, forging my way through society. College has imprinted a new-found independence on my mind, making me hungry for more knowledge and experiences.