Biola University Top Questions

If I could go back to my high school self and give one point of advice, I would tell myself not to worry so much about the trivial things in life. When one is young, they are so focused on their small world, not realizing that there is so much out there for them to attain. College life holds so much potential for students, with education and friends and employment, that the worries of high school, such as friends and school, are miniscule in comparison. There is no point in sadness or disappointment in high school because the joy and happiness to be discovered in college is so much greater than any pain in high school. I would give this same advice to all other high school students out there as well as my self because I know that I was not the only one who went through it. Many students can only see what surrounds them during those four short years without being able to envision what lies ahead. I would love to be able to convey to them that in college their lives will change drastically for the better if they are willing to go for their goals.

There are two words I would say to myself if I could go back to my high school senior year: stop worrying. So much pressure and stress is put on students in that time of life that once in a while they need to hear a voice of wisdom. The point of college is to change you as a person, and to prepare you for whatever future lies ahead. With that in mind, look at college as an adventure. It is not something that should be dissected into minute details that will take a persons eyes off the big picture experience. Stop worrying about the little things and keep your eyes on the prize. At the end of the day the goal is to be a different and better person than when you woke up, and college gives you that opportunity. Don't waste it by undervaluing it, and don't ruin it by worrying about it. The future will be what it will be. It's time to take the first step.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior there would be a wealth of knowledge that I would desire to share with myself. However, since I am limited in my space I would say this. 1) Find your dream and hold on to it. There will be a great many people that will tell you that you canot and will not accomplish what you want, but F.D. Roosevelt was right when he said "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." Don't let anyone tell you, 'You can't', not even yourself. 2) The great activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." Keep this in mind as you interact with people you meet, some which you will easily love, and other that may seem like enemies. Every man has a heart, and if you are patient and gracious, you will find it. Also, stay true to yourself. Anyone can lie, but it takes a truly couragous person to be honest with others and themselves. Finally, never give up, life is a battle and victory is worth it.

Give your very best effort but also have some fun.

As a high school senior, I was a very introverted person. However after making the transition into college life, I would advise myself as a high school senior to value people and relationships more. In high school, I spent a lot of time by myself either in the library or just walking around campus since I did not feel like I needed people in my life. I found myself spending more time by myself trying to get homework done rather than spending time with family and friends. Yet I found that the more time I spent by myself, the more I wanted to exclude myself from people and the harder it became for me to relate to and have true care and concern for others. However after entering college, I realized that life is not meant to be lived on my own. I'd advise myself that I do need people in my life and I do need to learn how to love and care for others rather than living by myself in my own little world. A world without love is a world that is not worth living in and I would tell myself to learn to love others.

Live college life to the fullest. Do not carry around uneccesary baggage that burdened you in high school. College is a place to start afresh. Even though it may be extremely difficult at times, come out of your shell and introduce yourself to others. People in college are friendly and welcoming and they sincerely want to know who you are. Do not retreat back into your comfort zone. Take a giant leap of faith knowing that you will make friends in college that will last a lifetime. Now I am not going to sugar coat the situation and tell you that college is a breeze. There will be times that you will want familiarity and the mere desire of fitting in. All I can say is to give it time. The transition period will end and you will see college as your home: a home that is filled with long-lasting friendships and life lessons. In the meantime, get involved as much as possible. Try out clubs, extra-curriculars, and dorm events. Those places will help you build friendships and also broaden your horizons. College is an incredible experience that you will never forget. Just live it to the fullest.

Given this chance, I would tell myself to not worry as much about leaving home or about going out to a place I have never been before. There is no need to wonder if I will fit in, if I will like it, if I will be loved and accepted, because all of those things will happen in the best possible way. I would remind myself that getting a lot of sleep is a really good thing, and that getting my work done before it is due is a great habit, yet to remember that these relationships I make now last for a long time. I would tell myself to remind my family every day before I leave how much I love them, and to tell my friends that too. Yet, to also never feel guilty for not being there, but to live in each and every moment that I have wherever I presently am. I would encourage myself to be confident of my decision and to see everything as the adventure that it is. I would tell myself that the weather is perfect, but the friends are even better. I would tell myself that I will love it.

My college experience has made me more responsible of my own actions and my own responsibilities. My highschool history teacher told me: there's the stuff you know, the stuff you don't know, the stuff you know you know, and the stuff you didn't even know you didn't know about. College is the last one. Everything is new on a much larger scale. So many more new people and things to dig into deeper and get more involved in. I've been introduced to more people that think more outside of the box than i could even think to think of, as my history teacher would say. I'm excited that this is just the begining and that there is so much more out there for me to discover and learn.

My college experience at Biola has been a growing and exciting experience that has drastically changed my views in life. The classes are very challenging and the teachers expect a lot from us because they invest so much of their time into teaching. I really admire that the teachers do not want us to turn in assignments that follow a strict guideline, but rather want us to be creative and to do only our best. Because the teachers cared so much about my education, it pushed and challenged me to do better. I thought I would want to get through college as quick as I could because I never liked to learn. But now I am finding myself soaking up the material and applying the curriculum to my life. I now enjoy learning and it is because of how much the school invests in each of their students. The students are all very mature and very accepting. I have never been surrounded by so many solid, loving people ever before. This school has inspired me to learn and strive to be the best person I can be so I can use my talents and gifts to help better society.

What I have gotten from my experience here at UCF is a sense of community involvement. We learned that in whatever are endeavors are its a good idea to be involved in your community, because you ultimately have an impact on how your community functions as a whole. I found it valuable that I attended this university because I have made lifelong friendships . Frienships that I know I can rely on for any future opportunities and can rely on me as well. Being involved in such a diversed university has truely helped me to broaden my horizons . I truely reccomend that every high school graduate try college at least one year t get a feel to see if they enjoy the experience.