Rosemary,

Take a breather! Don't stress. Everything will be alright. Time management is crucial, so be sure to plan out time to study, complete assignments, perform college research, extracurricular activities, etc. The best way to manage your time is to maintain a strict regimen and schedule of do's and dont's. As long as you follow the plan that you set forth for yourself, you'll survive this year with flying colors and accomplish all of your goals.

As for college, the best way to start your search is locally. Visit the institutions in your area. See how you feel on the campus and interact with the students there. Campus visits generally provide a great introduction to the university atmosphere, and it'll help you to begin to gauge whether or not the atmosphere is right for you. Your likes and dislikes will start to become a little more apparent. From there, begin to narrow your college search based on specificities such as population size, student to teacher ratio, area (rural/ metropolitan/urban), benefits of the major (internships and research opportunities/highly regarded faculty/scholarship for excellence, etc). Talk to counselors and administrators, and most of all, take time to evaluate what it is that Rosemary wants and needs.

The next four years of your life will be highly impacted by your college experience. Select an institution and area that can nurture all of your needs as a student and young woman. You are coming into your own, and it is important to find a school that will help mold you into the woman you hope to become, both personally and professionally.

All the best to you!