Western Washington University Top Questions

I would tell myself that the transition isn't all bad, or even scary. I would tell myself to mentally prepare for a slew of icebreaker activites. I would also tell me to put myself out there more and solidify and reinvent my identity a bit more before the transition so that I may have started college with more of a clean slate.

If I could go back and talk to myself about college and making the transition, I would have to start out by saying to follow what you actually want to do in life and not listen to what other people will tell you to do. To make sure it is what you want to do, because college is hard work and it is totally different then high school. There are more responsibilities and the work load is so different then what you had in high school, also the grading scale is defiantly different then high school. With making the transition easier, I would have to say not to overload on to many classes to where there can be a lot of stress put on a person. Take some classes for example: take sociology by itself and not together with psychology.

Knowing what I know now about college life I would travel back in time to my senior self in high school and tell myself to start taking time out of my day to look at what I need to accomplish for all of my classes. I would tell myself to utilize this time to really see what I need to do, such as readings and responses, and taking another look at all the requirements for papers and projects. It is crucial that everything is checked and checked to make sure that everything is done. I would also go back and tell myself how important it is to set aside long chunks of time to read. There was nothing to prepare me for how much reading there really is in college, and how to take quick and effective notes while reading long amounts of text for multiple classes.

It is hard for me to consider this question because I would give anything to be able to go back and redue my choices as a high school senior about colleges. At that age, I really had no sense of college and how much it was going to impact my life. I thought that every university was pretty similar and that I would make take away the best experience because I was committed to loving life. Unfortunately, not every university is the same. If I had the opportunity to go back in time, first I would kick myself in the behind and then I would encourage my high school self to go and visit each university. To really look at the specific requirments and classes for each major so that I could make a more educated decision about where I wanted to study. Finally, I would take a close look at the students who attend there. Do they look like people I would hang out with? Are they doing things I enjoy? So much of college is not about the classes, but the ways in which you experiences in your environment and how it shapes you.

Meet different people and develop your communication skills. Help others more in a more impactful way. Always learn and grow everyday. Most importantly, get a lot of scholarships please... you really need them. Time is money, and so much time could have been used looking and applying for scholarships. Especially when you wish to sail smoothly through college graduation.

I would tell myself to prepare to make a lot of new friends, and hold on to the old ones if you can. Also, remember to bring a mini-fridge as you'll probably end up sick of the dining commons food VERY quickly. I would also say that remembering to visit family is a must, as living at the residence halls can get lonesome and make you feel homesick.

College life isn't that bad, you are actually going to enjoy it quite a bit. You are going to find that you have a large interest in sociology so start taking classes to move forward in that early on. Go ahead and take guitar with Elke in your first semester but don't mess around as much with your other classes. Be serious here. Take classes that help your future and help you to move on with your life as soon as possible because you have a big surprise coming your way. Strive as hard as you possibly can for good grades. This isn't high school anymore. Most of all, and I know this sounds hard with all of this on your plate, but find time to be with friends and family and do the things you love, because that alone will keep you ready to face any obsticles that come your way (and don't kid yourself because there's gonna be a lot). Appreciate Jolaine and be there for her because she is gonna be for you. Have an amazing summer because from here in, it's gonna be a wild ride. Good Luck!

If I could go back in time and speak to my high school senior self, I would like to tell myself that everything happens for a reason and not to fret so much about having a baby at a young age. That I am strong enough to do what I am doing and that Kenzie will be proud of me. I just need to continue with what I am doing, to do well not only for myself but also for my family. I would tell myself that I need to stay focused on my schoolwork and know that I am strong enough to get through all the hardships life can throw at me.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that college is a lot harder than it looks and that I need to stay focused and try extremely hard. I need to put all of my effort into my studies. I would also tell myself to get out and make more friends. Along with studying I need to have time to hang out and relax to. I would tell myself to manage my time wisely.

Get involved and have fun. Learn to study more, you will need to. It honestly was not a very hard transition for me.

In highschool we all face numerous problems,from fitting in with the popular group to trying to find ourselves. Everyone feels that who you are in highschool depitcts who you are going to be for the rest of your life. However, this is not always the case. . If I was given the chance to go back in time to when I was in highschool ,thought it was only a year ago, i would greatly change how I acted. In high school I was the gay kid and i couldnt go down the hallway without being called a" faggot" or "fairy". I came out in school in tenth grade. It was very traumatic for me, especially when my mother didn't accept me for who I was. I still remember sitting in gym class alone with no one to talk to about my feelings. At that point of my life i became very anti-social and contemplated suicide. If I went back in time I wish I could tell myself that life gets alot better. As of now my family has known about my orientation for a year and I have made numerous friends who love me for who I am.

Dear Timberline Graduate of 2010, I understand that letting go of home, friends, and an environment in which you feel both comfortable and confident in is difficult. You are not someone who goes down without a fight. Throw a left hook at your fear and lay it flat. Walk right over it and into your future. You will be fine. Fear is not a locked door that keeps from the outside, it is an umbrella that shields you from the rain of possibilities. No worries though, in Bellingham where you will be attending college, the wind turns that unmbrella inside out. Your future as a student of Western Washington Univiersity is bright. A little advice though, spend more time in the common rooms. I know its hard to put yourself out there to new people, but common spaces like the one in your dorm are perfect and a great environment for studying and making friends. Ps. Please study a tad bit more for your Sociology class, it is your major so you should really make that class count.

i would give myself the advice to start my career and go further in it to learn and accomplish more in the Medical fields.

Get straight A's, do community service and learn a second language. Respect all relationships, personal or otherwise. Graduate sooner rather than later and do not take any professors advice for granted. Live up to your potential because you have potential. Care for others because you can. When you feel stressed breath look up at the sky and smile. Motivate yourself with what you have accomplished and what you can still accomplish. Motivate others by setting a positive example. Be organized, take notes and keep in touch with your family, your peers and your community. Smile. Laugh. Don't worry about what other's are doing worry about what you are doing. Study abroad, meet new people, ignore social pressures, relax. Life is an experience, live it, love it, enjoy it. Be prepared for the future and fond of the past, but live in the moment. It's okay if you don't know what you are doing, talk to your best friend he won't know what he's doing either. You'll find it's better to be open minded and flexible than close minded and ridged. Now go have fun and smile while you are at it.

So far I have gotten to experience a whole new life style. I was raised in a small town where I knew everyone, so the most valuable thing I have gotten is to meet people who have had differnt situations and experiences than I have. People are such a great way to learn new things. I have been able to go to classes that I never had the opportunity to go before and learn about subjects not offered in my home town. My home town is often refered to as "the bubble" because it is sheltered from the rest of the world. I am blessed to be able to have this opportunity to get out of the bubble and live and learn at Western.

I am a single mother of three with no income and returning student and what I am getting out of my current college experiance is a sense of confidence and capapbiltiy. It is valuable to attend to be able to be released from the grips of poverty, learn and have a career so that I can be able to provide for my children and afford them the opportunties to give my children a better future. I want to inspire them, while being inspired by receiving an education that can change my life and lives of my children. My experiance this time compared to my experiance in 1998-2000 is so vastly different it is hardly comparable to this experiance now. It is more technologically advanced and most of my classes are web hybrid classes and it is taking some time to get used to, but enjoy the challenge and gives me the confindence to be a good competitor. I desperatly want to get off of govt. assistance and provide my family with income I have earned myself...that will give me pride and integrity to set a good example for others.

Coming to college has helped me to gain self confidence. I have learned how to reach out and make friends as well as become involved in community activities. I have learned how to come to a new place where i have no support system and create my own niche. College is valuable because it has forced me to experience a wide range of cultures and beliefs. Coming from a small town, this has opened my eyes to the diversity present in our world taught me the importance of understanding and accepting people and ideas which i am unfamiliar with. These lessons will be invaluable in the workplace and will help me to achieve my personal and career oriented goals.

Attending college was an immensely valuable decision for me. Not only am I lucky to be immersed in many classes for my desired major (piano performance), but I am grateful for the friends I've found, and the world I've been exposed to. I waited a long time to finally let my music take priority over the rest of my academics, and now, because it's my major, I can finally make that happen, and it feels amazing. I was nervous coming to college, being an introvert, but my nerves were soon quelled as quickly I met some the best friends I've ever had. College is great for bringing together people from different backgrounds and areas of the world, and giving them the opportuity to meet each other. In addition to making friends with those you meet, it's important and wonderful just to meet people whos views and ideas are different from yours, as it's easy to believe your way of thinking is the only way. In this way, colleges like Western prepare you for the real world by introducing the concept of civility and acceptance to those whose ideas are different from yours.

I've never realized how much I underestimated the amount of knowledge I would gain in one class, one quarter, freshman year. In my first quarter, I was so involved in every class that I would look forward to every lecture as something special. I realized at the end of the quarter, that I could do so much better next quarter if I combined enthusiasm with hard work. Never have I been so motivated about my education. Right now I'm learning Mongolian language, but I'm also studying Japanese and German on my own. Another aspect of college that has been just as valuable are my relationships my roommate and others around me. Noticing that first quarter I focused more on classes than being social, this quarter I've been working on both and it's paid off. My roommate and I feel like we can trust each other much more and I've become much closer to those around me. I've started a get together at the Abagio coffee shop for every week. I'm gaining valuable social skills as well as education skills that I would not be able to attain otherwise.

The most valuable lessons I have recieved have come out of the classroom. Not to say that my education is in itself worthless, but understanding how to interact with an unfamiliar enviroment truly on my own was and is the most vital lesson I needed to learn. Simple tasks such as living in a house with 7 roomates and managing our bills has taught me a great deal about people first hand that I didn't learn during high school. Suddenly thrust into a situation where I needed to be able to pay for my own food, clothing, shelter, and educational supplies has given me a great deal of appreciation for the work of my parents and for the small things I took for granted growing up. Also, having and being able to establish my own life away from the friends I grew up with has been important for both myself and my friends to understand who we really are as individuals. You might think this distance would initally harm a friendship, on the contrary it has managed to bring us closer together. Learing all this within a university community has allowed for a smoother transition to the real world,.

The most important thing I have gotten out of my college experience is myself. I have been able to mold who I am with the knowledge I have recieved. I learned who I am and have started down a path for who I will become. The college experience has allowed me the opportunity to meet a wide range of different people and engage with them, thus enhancing my cultural competency. College has been an invaluable experience because I have been armed with the knowledge that can lead me to success if I so choose to use it. I have been enlightened by instructures who have given me the light and knowledge that allows me the chance to succeed. I know that without the college experience, I would be disadvantaged and unable to reach my maximum potential. As I continue with my schooling, at the master's level, I am afforded the opportunity to grow, learn and stretch myself in ways I did not think possible. I am a more rounded individual who can contribute to society in a positive and constructive manner.

The opportunity to learn not only what I need to fulfill my degree, also what I need to know how to survive in life. It has been a pleasure to learn from all kinds of people besides my instructors. I can honestly say that my college experience has been rewarding and life changing.

I made the decision to attend college with few ambitions or ideas about what I might find there. I was told this was a very difficult, life changing decision, but it felt like every other decision I had made up until that point. It wasn't until spring quarter of freshman year that I looked around for the first time, and started to realize the unique moment of my life I found myself in. I started to notice the people around me, the environment I was in, and the opprotunities I was a part of simply by being there. My interests, developing into ambitions began to dictate my future. My interest in the local music scene became my job as the concert coordinator and talent buyer for our coffeehouse venue, my insatiable desire to read anything and everything became my english literature major, my awe of the outdoors became hiking, kayaking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest, and my need for community became Western Washington University. It wasn't until I jumped in head first that I found the true value in where I was, and that the opprotunity for growth may never be this open and welcoming to me again.

My college experience has been absolutely amazing and life changing. It has allowed both my personality and mindset to mature as well as open my eyes to the vast amounts of different cultures and people that I would now love to experience more fully. I enjoy being able to make new friends without having to worry about cliques and what other people will think. In doing this I am able to experience different personalities and I have become accustomed to dealing with difficult situations in which personalities and mindsets have clashed, calmly and maturely. In essence I am now able to think critically. Furthermore I have learned to manage my expenses and I most definitely appreciate my family, namely my parents, a lot more now. I believe I am more equipped to handle the harsh world of living on my own. I believe that I have flourished as a person at college and I will soon have the means to obtain a professional job where I can help people develop maintain and or restore movement as well as function throughout their body through physical therapy.

I have only attended Western for one quarter and already I have had the most insightful and worthwhile class I've ever taken. A history class tends to be memorizing names, dates and events and why they were significant to what happened later on but this was a new take on history for me. We did not use a text book, instead lectures, articles and small books made up our class agenda and we wrote short essays on the books and essays and how they relate to one another. I learned how to evaluate an author's thesis and find evidence of it in a monograph (history book). I learned how to formulate my own thesis and how to build an organized paper that compared the work of others simultaneously. I learned how to read between the lines and come up with my own theories about the authors' ideas and if they were meant exactly the way they were described or if there was a deeper meaning. I have never improved myself so much and I think the most important part of the class was not the information we learned, but rather how we learned it.

I have gotten the ability to think outside the box and gain real world experience. I also have got the opportunity to study abroad in China.

College is the ultimate reward a young person can receive for their academic accomplishments. That acceptance letter was my ticket to a place of freedom where my only responsibility has been to focus on myself; my dreams, my future, my life. This responsibility is possibly the greatest that I will ever take on. When I fail and fall, I am the only one around to pick myself. I no longer have to do what parents or administrators tell me, and I can take pride in making the right decisions. I am in a pool of thoughts from thousands of different perspectives and I don't have the option to shut them off. Daily I am forced to think, engage, and mature. If I didn't do these things here, in college, I don't know that I ever would have. My future is reliant on my college education, thus, whatever value the future itself holds, that is the value of my college experiences.

My college experience at Western Washington University has given me confidence and piece of mind with continued interest in furthering my wisdom. I was able to apply and expand my full potential through hands-on experience. Western's community is open minded and outdoorsy, there is a niche for everyone but, they are all interconnected anyway. I enhanced my study skills, learned how to lead, follow and facilitate while refining my talents in an interesting program where I felt like I belonged. This school prepared me for the rigorous Master's and Doctorate to follow. I feel 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} comfortable saying that I found everything I was looking for at WWU. I met amazing students, staff and faculty on a regular basis and have made friends for life. I was able to harness my direction in life and find a grounded path towards the future. Western helped make me who I am today and will definitely influence the future to come. It was easy to be happy in this school and its surroundings, even when being pushed to the brink of my intelligence quotient. I learned a lot and lived a lot, enough said.

I am still realizing what I am receiving out of my college experience. My first year at Western, I walked around with jaw dropping excitement peering out of my eyes. The first few months of wanting to make as many friends as possible, do every activity and participate in every off campus party, wore me out. But I think that is okay, I think every freshman should be over excited and anxious about having the new experiences. My experience has gotten better, not worse but it is also seen from a different view point. Apart from the new things I am still experiencing, I have gotten to know what I am passionate about apart from anyone else. Now, I know that I am in love with being at school and learning. Attending college gave me a burst of fresh energy and new perspective that was necessary for me to grow into who I am now and that knowledge that I can continue progressing and changing.

I have gained very valuable research and career oriented skills and knowledge through all of my classes at Western. I know these skills will be invaluable in my future career and my life in general. I really feel that my education will help my succeed at life and make a difference in the field of marine conservation. I have also had the chance to live in an absolutely breath-taking city where I was able to explore activities that I will enjoy for the rest of my life. I have also gained friendships and confidence in myself. And along the way I had exciting classes and teachers that were always willing to help me, and went above and beyond their job descriptions to help me grow as a person and as a scientist.

My college experience is a complete eye opener. I am sad to say that I was quite narrowminded about my views and opinions, and to a point, shallow. I was very unwilling to listen to others previously, but since starting college, that has changed very much. College has allowed me to experience people of all different nationalities and religions, those with differing opinions than my own. I may not agree with them but I have learned to listen and respect them. My goal in life now is to visit as many major countries in my lifetime as possible, to experience all that the world has to offer. Last year, I was able to visit Jamaica and experience the culture and amazing things that they bring to the world. I am thankful to have the opportunity to explore and to have the turn around that I did.

So far i realized that college is very different from school itself. It helps you learn that basically you're on your own. No one gonna hold your hand because what you do is your choice even within your responsibilites. When i first came to college not only i saw people i knew, but i knew what i was getting out of this because its gonna help me out in the real world alone. Being as though this is my first year, i learning that u have to have a commitment on studying and lab work beacuse eventhough its alot, all information have to be process in your mind automatically. Some teachers are willing to help and some aren't but that how im learning to do and handle things on my own. To some people college isn't for them, i feel i needed to go because depending on the career either way u have to go to learn experiences and values of that career. Im glad I went to college because it motivates me alone dat i can go a long way and follow my goals and accomplishments.

Everything. College has changed how I feel about everything! I just love it. Do not get me wrong, being in school is incredibly hard, stressful and financially painful to the point where I forget that it is my choice to be here. However, it is a small price to pay when I know I am becoming a responsible adult. Being in college is comforting in a sense; it allows me to have a place in my life. I do not want to look into the future with a blindfold on. I want to be sure that I can find fulfillment with my place in society. At my age it seems like every day is a major transition, and I can find peace in knowing that attending school is going to give me a degree and therefore security in life. Becoming responsible and well-versed make me feel good about things, and feeling truly good about our lives is all we need as humans. This is so valuable; the college experience is valuable.

It have been a Great Experiance learning a wealth of skills to use in the workplace and in life. I will look back on this experiance as the turning point in my life to be open to all of the great things I want to do with my life, now and in the future.

I have learned so much about myself! I have never been one to experience something new alone, but I allowed myself to enter into a new school in a city I was unfamiliar with, and meet new people. This has built up my self-confidence and awareness of how well I manage change in my life. I am now open to life changing opportunities that not only WWU offers me, but also everyday life itself. WWU has gifted me friends and an education about the program I am so passionate about, Human Services. My professors are willing to work with me outside of the class so that I can better understand the program. They share their expereinces with me in the human services field, and I feel grateful for having instructors that teach what they know and care about. I am eager to explore the internship opportunities that WWU has to offer on and off campus that will give me the expereince I need to enter the field of Human Services.

I actually have not yet started at my college, I've only been accepted so far. I am looking forward to my college life very much

My asperations are to become a chiropractor. This dream could not be possible if I wasn't in college. A four year university gives you the experience of a life time. You learn great skills that will help you in the work force, you gain so much knowledge, and in addition you make plenty of friends. For a lot of people, when they are younger, school is kind of a drag. But for me, the most fun I have ever had is within the campus of college.

Being responsible for designing my own program helped me commit fully and tenuously to the curriculum. I had a clear objective for my academic career, and I was able to cater my schedule and class load to those needs. Fairhaven's mission, attention to diversity, and cross-discipline studies made me a well rounded student capable of integrating seamlessly into many professions. The most important skill I walked away with was a keen understanding of who I am as a learner. I believe this undergraduate program is what has inspired me to make CHANGE personal, and seek out an advanced degree in Teaching and Education.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as high school senior i would tell myself to relax. I was like many seniors, stress beyond belief and worried about getting into college and what i would study. College is a fun place to be and there is no need to stress, life works it's self out for you. I completed my Associates degree of Arts and Science while i was in high school, so the coursework required for college was not a tough transition for me, but the social life was. I would have suggested to myself to get more involved outside of my courses. I would have suggested joining the Swing club, Poi club, and having a bit more of a social life to offset the hard work. Because i have learned that hardwork is necessary, but so is hard play. This is something that western focus's on, Work hard, Play hard. This is what i would have told myself, and it is what i want to tell others. Find a school that you can enjoy all aspects of, one with good instructors and good friends.

I would go back in time to tell myself to become involved in more clubs and participate in any club activites. Volunteering, not only for school activites, but also for the community is important. I would also tell myself to spend more time studying and applying for scholarships. I have learned that all of these are now very important. In high school, I did not do enough volunteering nor did I apply for many scholarships. Volunteering helps enhance your college and scholarship applications. In addition, I should study even more than I had, which would have helped me get accepted into the top school of my choice. I would also tell myself to read more books, not just school textbooks. This would have enhanced my vocabulary and I would be better and writing essays. One final advice I would give myself is to take any opportunity that comes my way because it may never come again.

My experience senior year was slightly different from that of your typical student. I attended Running Start, a program allowing me to attend a local community college, and earned credit for both my HS Diploma and AA Degree via college courses. Because of this, were I to return and speak to myself the conversation would not be centered on striving to do my best in college, or what not to eat in the dinning hall. Rather, the focus of my talk would be to urge myself onward, to encourage the forward progress of all aspects of my life. I would press upon myself the importance of never slowing down, of doing more with my time, of learning and advancing both during times of study and leisure. I would warn my younger self that soon the opportunity to immerse myself in a wide variety of interests, both scholastic and non-academic, will narrow into the chosen discipline of my major. And I would demand that I prepare for that major, and that I channel all of my efforts into not only its successful completion, but also into the full realization of life such as only college will bring.

Some treat highschool like it's the most important part of your life. The drama going on between friends, the teacher that gave you a poor grade, and the bad lunches are all of dire importance to some people. Before i started college, i was one of those people. I went to a school with a graduating class of thirty kids, that's all i knew. I haven?t been in college that long, but in the short time I?ve been here, I?ve learned that highschool is such a small part of your life in the grand scheme of things, and i wish someone would have told me that it wasn?t the most important part. Maybe college isn?t either, but my world has opened up in vast amounts, and i have discovered that there is so much out there to discover. If i could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, i would tell myself to try as a much as i possibly can, have fun, and go on adventures. Make your time in college an opportunity for change, don?t be afraid of it, and open your world to new possibilities.

Wow, I would have loved to have the enlightened and growing new me sit down and have a conversation with my high school senior self. Before getting to college, most of my preformed notions about what college life would be like derived from my older brother telling me horror stories just to make me more anxious than I already was. I would tell myself that you really need to enjoy your senior year of high school and not waste your time trying to be "popular" or in the "cool group" because once you get to college, no one cares who you were in high school. They don?t know where you came from, your past?the people you meet virtually know nothing about you. Once you get to college it's a chance for you to essentially reinvent yourself or improve on the person you're already becoming. So treat your last year living at home with mom and dad and going to high school as the best time of your life because once you get to college a whole new world of opportunities awaits you; it?s the beginning to the rest of your life.

It's hard to know exactly what I would tell myself, but I know there would be a million things I'd want to say. I would tell myself not to be afraid to live life, have experiences and make new friends. Even if you mess up or make mistakes that's what makes you the person that you will become. Don't fear failure because nobody ever became extraordinary by sitting on the sidelines. Take risks and enjoy yourself while doing it. Be inspired to love others unconditionally and never judge them. Don't fear doing those things you're afraid of doing, because if you spend your life trying to avoid something the best you will have achieved is nothing. Don't waste any time when you get to school meeting people, because everyone else is just as nervous and confused as you. Don't stop with just textbooks but learn about other people's backgrounds and experiences to help expand your own worldview. But most importantly get out of bed every morning expecting to see something beautiful, and then look for it. It will always be there if you just open your eyes enough to see it.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to go the extra mile, even when i think that it won't make a difference, because it does make a huge difference. Spending that little extra time it takes to read the assigned chapter again or do the extra math review problems really makes a huge difference in your performance and your self-esteem as a student. Also, I would tell myself that my high shool career is coming to an end and don't start to slack off! I know it's hard not too when you have you own car and you wake up tired and unmotivated but STICK IT OUT! In the whole scheme of things, senior year goes by so fast so use it to the best of your advantage!

I imagine this conversation would be a rather weird one, and I am positive my past self would be extremely confused at first. However, upon going back in time and figuring out where I was at that given moment, I would probably assure myself of the fact that there is absolutely nothing to worry about and that I shall become a very happy person. Worrying was something I was doing quite a lot of at that time so hearing someone besides my parents tell me not to worry probably would have been great. I would also tell myself not to work in the dining halls as the pay does not measure up to the amount of effort the job requires and some other job would probably be better.

I would tell myself to not worry about the future and focus on my passions and what i enjoy most in life. From there the path to a happy future will slowly path it's way down the road. Life isn't always about money, it's about doing what you love most and making money on the side will just be an added bonus.

As a high school senior I was much too excited to begin my journey through college. Although I knew my family was wonderful and the farm where I lived was charming, I did not realize the immense value I placed on either of these aspects until I left home. My first week of college was exciting yet foriegn. I missed home, but not enough to want to visit. It was not until after my first month of school that everything sunk in. I was a college student, my career was now in my hands. The thought was intimidating, but it made me appreciate my family and those who raised me more than I could describe. If I could go back and inform myself of these realizations, I would warn myself to take each day as it comes and be thankful for what I have. Instead of constantly arguing with my younger sisters I would caution myself to be patient, for they love and respect me more than I know. I would tell myself that my future success is truly dependent on the effort I put into school. Never shall I take my future lightly.

Making the transition is relatively easy if you prepared accordingly. When I was in high school, I took the honors classes available to me. Although it seems cliche, taking the harder classes is what truly made the transition to college the smoothest. Having dealt with a full load of work in high school, college course work seemed easy. Instead of being in school for 6 hours, in college school only lasts for 2 or 3 which means you have a lot more time to control. Since I knew what the school work would take, I have been able to balance school work with social activities. It is not hard to balance as long as you plan. Even being in the Honors program at Western, I still have plenty of time to do what I want so I don't get stressed. The only thing that I was not exactly prepared for was dorm life. Going from having my own bathroom at home to sharing with three other girls definately took some getting used to, but with time it became normal. Now being home is the weird part. Bottom line: prepare for what you can, expect things you did not.

Free education is coming to an end, my friend, and cause for celebration due, Radiate your cheer and gather near, those who deserve a warm thank you. Now prepare yourself for the changes, of college life away from home, while holding dear 3 simple rules, no matter where you roam. The first is thirst, yes thirst, for what? For knowledge of the world and you, on how they work and all their quirks; the funny, strange, enthused and skewed. Never quenched this rule should be, for once you claim the truth as yours, the sea churns up your order; oh, how little can wash upon your shores. Secondly, to the full degree, search for yourself in others, because if you see that spark of life, you'll treat them as your brothers. Connections and compassion, are the consequence, The smartest man with clenched hands will lack all influence. The third rule is just a tool, to get you through those distressing nights, when the research and inquiry brings forth the worry and ignites anxieties on society, and nature seems upon the brink, remember that life on Earth is not as serious as you think.