<p>Do you want to go into college with a new image? Maybe you just want to express yourself the way you couldn't in high school because of peer pressure and reputation.</p>
<p>As for myself, I don't want to completely change my personality. In fact, for anyone to change their personality altogether is not good because everyone will be able to see right through you and you'll look fake. I'll just be the better version of myself.</p>
<p>Here's what I'm doing:</p>
<p>-Reading self-improvement books: "Seven Habits of Highly Influential People", "How To Win Friends and Influence People" and trying to find good examples from fiction as well by reading stories and watching movies. Take this with a grain of salt though you don't want to look like one of those people everyone thinks only exists on TV! LOL.
Does anyone have any more suggestions for books?</p>
<p>-Saving enough money to get a new waredrobe. I want to have my own style and be fashionable. I'm looking through magazines to get ideas.</p>
<p>-Learn how to dance. I don't want to sit on the sidelines all night during parties, I also don't want to look stupid if I decide to dance. lol. I'll just watch music videos and see what they do. Dancing in front of the mirror helps too.</p>
<p>-I missed out on dating and hooking up high school so I'm trying to do this in college. </p>
<p>-Ask my sister to video record me. I want to see what everyone else sees when they look at me. I want to see what my demeanor is so I can get rid of what I don't like and keep what I do like.</p>
<p>-Taking notes. Yes, I'm very serious about this. I'm taking notes of what to do and what not to do. I don't want to forget anything. </p>
<p>-Have better social skills. I'm so introverted that it's boring and can't hold a conversation. How do I be more fun without looking like I try too hard?</p>
<p>There's probably more but this post is probably too long anyway. The problem is that I don't know exactly what the image is going to be. There's no one that I look at and say "Yes! That's exactly who I want to be like." I want to be myself but I at least want an example.</p>
<p>honestly...just try getting out more. get comfortable with yourself in social situations. you can't sit around and take notes at a party or with friends.</p>
<p>Here's the simpliest advice for college that guarantees you friends.</p>
<p>Remember this expression and understand it's meaning... God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.</p>
<p>Learn to extend your hand in friendship and introduce yourself and then ask about the other person and listen... you'll make friends pretty easy that way.</p>
<p>An outgoing listener will always have friends.</p>
<p>Good for you! Especially on the dancing. I didn't learn to dance well until I was 19, when I truly put some effort into it. I feel amazing when I'm dancing and you have to learn- learn lots of styles too!</p>
<p>As for reinventing myself, I am transferring from community college to UC Berkeley in the fall. I won't change my image but I want to be more outgoing.</p>
<p>i'm gonna try to change a bit going into college too. i'm not very introverted, i'm kind of in the middle i guess because i can be outgoing and i'm confident in myself and all of that. my problem is that i often don't bother contributing to the conversation because i have friends that like to talk, so i just let them... plus i don't have anything funny to say, haha</p>
<p>I told myself never to change when I got to college and I haven't. My friends like to comment on how I'm practically the same guy I was when I was in high school. I think the only thing that has really changed is that I sing in choir now (I didn't sing in middle and high school) and if it counts, I work out more thanks to more time. Oh, and I got a new car. But that was inevitable since my old car was almost as old as I am. Same deal with a job--had to get one to pay for stuff although it's the kind of job everyone would have expected me to take.</p>
<p>My wardrobe is the same stuff and while I've gotten new polo shirts and khakis, they continue to dominate my closet. I'm still really into computers and baseball and still spend a lot of time at church (more than ever with choir and adult level Bible studies now). I still do volunteer work, swim, hang out with the same type of people (usually the same guys, in fact--my friendships from high school are strong as ever), produce videos, and power walk at the mall. I'm also still one of the biggest Republicans around and still back Bush when others went away to college and turned their backs on the GOP.</p>
<p>If I were to go back to 2005, when I graduated, as I am now, there would be no questioning who the man was in any aspect. I know others who I would have said "WHO?!?" if they went back two years since they have changed a great deal and frankly sometimes it was for the worse.</p>
<p>To be more sociable or have better social skills: (what i think)</p>
<p>Just go to parties and meet ppl. Its very easy to meet ppl at parties and plus you can see how other ppl interact. Oh yeah, You can always date which is a great way to meet ppl. Just introduce yourself and you are on your way to becoming more sociable. Parties and Dating are the way to go. </p>
<p>Just hang out with your friends more and hang out with new different ppl.</p>
<p>Gl and Hoped I help</p>
<p>On the other hand, I am trying to be more of a book-worm in college (kinda the opposite of the OP). Time to work hard :p. I partied and dated too much in HS. But I want to have fun in college too..so I guess a good balance of work and play :)</p>
<p>That's the book I got as a "leadership award" this past year o_O. According to the teacher that selected it for me, it's an excellent read and highly "effective" (oh how I love corniness) at inspiring you. Not my thing really, but I hope you enjoy it and find it as helpful as he said he did.</p>
<p>But yeah in response to the OP, I guess I'm planning on reinventing myself in college a bit as well. However, this doesn't really involve changing myself; it revolves more around relaxing, having more fun, and being more friendly. Basically, I want to enjoy being me and lose the "study-until-I-drop" image that I somehow gained during HS (while still studying and doing well of course :D).</p>
<p>Oh and I did get a new haircut too. That always helps.</p>
<p>I was such a nerdy kid in high school, had about 5 or 6 people I ever really hung out with, 2 of whom I actually still talk to now. I had the reputation of a goody-goody in high school and I wanted to drop that in college and I think I did. I don't think any of my college friends would say that I was like that now. I also learned how to loosen up and now worry so much about what other people think and just enjoy myself. Fell in love and got my heart broken, but it was worth it. Found a major that I really like, got my mom to treat me like an adult finally, and made some really amazing friends. I'm a completely different person than I was in high school and I wouldn't change back ever. If you want a new image in college, you can do it.</p>
<p>Sounds like you're determined. And I think you're going about it in a good way. Just remember that you're searching and bettering your SELF. Don't become somebody else.</p>
<p>Am I the only person who thinks it's funny to watch music videos in order to learn how to dance? I mean... I guess it depends on the music video... but in most of them they don't exactly give the impression of dancing. They give the impression of something that is very elemental in human nature.</p>
<p>But anyway. I don't plan on overhauling my image for college. I'll wear whatever I can get in California that appeals to my sense of style--because it's always been my sense of style. I've never been slave to fashions and fads. </p>
<p>I'll probably get out more in college, but I'd have to be pretty intentionally reclusive to not get out more, since everything will be "at my doorstep" on campus. Things aren't exactly at my doorstep here at home. :p So that's just a natural reaction to the change in environment, not a self-makeover.</p>
<p>And I'll get involved with extracurricular activities right off the bat. I regret not being as involved in my high school as I could have been, so I don't want to make the same mistake again. </p>
<p>I admit, it seems like an odd thing to reinvent yourself for college. I mean, people change--I've definitely changed over the past few years--but to go about it in such a deliberate manner... seems odd and unnatural. Changes happen when and how they are ready to happen.
But that doesn't affect the OP or anyone else thinking about renovating themselves for college. It's just my opinion. </p>
<p>You do whatever you like. Just do it safely and stay *your*self.</p>
<p>be yourself, accept yourself, be responsible and independent, and yeah take care of yourself, nothing wrong with that, but that definitely isn't enough. learn to take risks and make mistakes and accept yourself.</p>