Boise State University Top Questions

Don't be afraid to set goals. You can change your mind. Get through school and explore everything that interests you.

I would tell myself that it's okay not to know exactly what you want to do when you grow up. Wait to go to college until after you mature a bit and explored your career options a little more carefully, because decisions made under pressure are rarely the most sound. When starting college, take as many core classes as possible that sound interesting. It's easy to quickly find out if a subject is not your favorite when you have to study it in depth. On the other hand, it's suprising to see which subjects are suddenly intriguing when you find out a little more. Finally, I would tell myself to jump at any opportunity for any internship which might provide valuable skills to bulk out a resumé. You never know what you'll end up doing in life, or what you'll find that you like, and there is no better time to explore than when you're in college. You're not a failure if you take a little more than four years to find what you enjoy.

I would tell myself to keep my head toward the degree I already knew I wanted, Electrical Engineering, and to take an extra class that coming fall while I was at it. Could have saved a lot more money for school if I hadn't taken that summer class in 2013.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self I would tell her that nothing is permanent. Leaving home and leaving your parents and starting new is not permanent. It might feel like it when you first make the huge step to move to college, but you'll adjust. You just have to believe in yourself and believe that you're there for a reason. Know that people will always love you no matter what, and always do what makes YOU happy. That's the most important thing. Don't do anything that you don't want to do, and don't worry if you're standing alone. Standing up for yourself is one of the hardest things to do, but the only way to stay true to yourself is to do what you believe in your heart to be right. That will be the only thing that will truly make you happy.

Dozier is well worth it. Teachers keep telling you how hard college is going to be, but it is not what they all say. It will not be a smoothe ride your first semester, but you will meet amazing people and have great success in your first semester. And it doesn't involve soccer or sports you think you know how to play. Don't give up on your studies now, and just push through to the end. Also, prepare for some really cold weather. Winter can be pretty bad in Idaho.

I think the best thing I could have done as far as personal development goes, which I did, was to go into college mostly blind of expectations and lacking in advice. While I got sick and forgot to eat fruit for a long few months, both problems of which could have been avoided had I simply thought about being more careful or had I listened to advice to avoid them, I have developed immesurably since coming to college simply because I am not being too careful. If I had to give my high school self any advice, I would simply say "make sure you always have enough money to get a cab home."

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would tell myself that it will be a really hard several years in college. That I will make many accomplishments, and I will fail at a few things along the way. I would tell myself that it will be hard to get i nto the dental hygiene program at TMCC but that you will get choosen as one of the 12 students they take a year. I would let myself know that the teachers will be really hard on you and that the classes will challenge you, but that you can make it through and you will be a really good hygienist some day. You will make a difference in many peoples lives and be really happy with what you are doing as a career. I would make sure that I never strayed and that I kept up with my dreams and fulfilled them, because being a dental hygienist has always been my dream and my passion and I would not want myself to give up along the way before I was able to accomplish my goals.

If I can go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice that I would give myself would be to apply to as many scholarships as possible and starting the application early. The reason I would advice this to myself is because I didn't apply to scholarships until March of my senior year. If I would have applied early, I could have raised my possibilities of winning scholarships. Also, since high school is different than college, and considering that in high school, we actually have more time to apply for scholarships, it would be easier while in high school than in college because in college we are focused in our classes. Also there are many scholarships for high school seniors.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advice myself to get involved in as many opportunities as possible, because there is so much more to college than getting good grades. College is the easiest time to explore many different activities, from sports to volunteering, arts and activism. It's the best opportunity to get to know yourself better by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and realizing your true potential. It's not only a fantastic way to develop interests and skills that you never knew you had; it's also the easiest way to meet new people; something that will be much more difficult once you graduate and you don't have a built-in social system. Becoming involved in the campus community will make you feel more socially competent, thus raising your self-esteem and thus improving every aspect of your life. You will be able to carry the skills and interests you develop during college with you for the rest of your life. Trust me, it's much more difficult to become involved and to build new relationships from scratch outside of college life.

Wow, I really wish I had the opportunity to go back and talk to my younger self! I would tell myself to go to college right after I got out of high school instead of waiting 10 years to go to college. I would also tell myself that I need to be more flexible because in life there are many, many obstacles and it is important to be flexible to get through them. Of course I would warn myself about certain individuals that I now know were not good for me, but mostly I would want to tell myself that everything is going to be okay. Even when it seems like there is no hope, a little time passes and things have a way of working out.