Brigham Young University-Provo Top Questions

If I were to go back in time and prepare myself for the transition into college, I would have developed better study habits. In high school, it was easy to get away with not reading the chapters out of the book before class. I didn't feel like there was a ton of effort needed on that part in order to do well. Now that I am at a competitive university where a big part of learning is up to your individual study, it is easy to fall behind and sometimes to not be able to catch back up. Overall, there is a higher demand of time devoted to studying if you hope to succeed. I would also adivse myself to make use of the TAs that are available to you. Typically, there are at least 2 for each class and they are more than willing to help you succeed. That is what they are there for. Don't be afraid to ask for help if something in particular does't make sense and needs to be clarified. It is a good way to get some one-on-one help. Last of all, work hard and do your best.

Dear High School Self, College is hard, I'm not going to lie. It's not like high school, but you don't need to be afraid. Just be prepared It will take you a while to get used to college life, but you'll adjust. Don't get frustrated. Just remember that most adjustments take time. Another bit of advice I have for you is to get involved. Make friends with your dorm-mates. Attend activities. Participate in service projects. Have fun! This is an important time in your life, and you will be making life-long friends while at college. The biggest bit of advice I have for you, though, is to stay organized. Write assignments down. Check the class syllabuses often. Plan ahead. And if you need help, ask for it! You are pretty much on your own now, proving that you can make it without your parents' help. And you can do it, because you're smart enough and strong enough. This university accepted you as a student, knowing that you could rise to the challenge, so don't be afraid to spread your wings and fly! Love, Your College Self

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that I needed to be outgoing and not afraid of what other people thought of me. I think this hindered many of my relationships in college. I also would tell myself that teachers are there to help and that I should meet them and talk with them so they knew me better. Lastly, I would tell myself that I should trust my gut. I made my decision for a major before my freshman year and that major was all wrong for me. I should have taken the time to really explore what classes interested me and what I was good at. Then I could have avoided changing my major and taking a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Listen to your gut, even if others tell you it is dumb.

If I but had the chance to speak, as I am, to my high school self but once, letting him know what lies ahead, I would speak to him concerning honesty & integrity. In a constant world of comparing and competing… it seems too often we jeopardize the very precious person we have been so diligently giving our all to become. I would comfort myself, giving the counsel to calm down, take a deep breath, and to uphold my character. There is no greater success, nor source of success, than that of a man of moral worth. College was never about the grades. A job interview was never merely about the resume. But rather, it was about the man-be more. Maintain the grades, but do not be ‘possessed’ by the A’s; plan your life, stretch yourself, go for the scholarships, internships, and study abroad; seek advisement help, learn how to network, give service. Education is so much more than merely a ‘formal’ education. Regardless where his passions and ambitions might take him, a good man will lead a happy life. He will be successful… in whatever way he believes ‘success’ means to him. That is the life I want.

I would tell myself to work harder, and to start to be more responsible. I would say that in order to get good grades and to have a good chance of getting scholarships, I need to stop being so childish, and to realize that college is a big responsibility. Looking back, I know that if I worked a little harder, and put some effort into my senior year, and even treated my friends and family differently, I would have gotten at least 1 scholarship. Even though I feel like I am in a good place right now in my life, I feel that I could have succeeded even more in college if the decisions I made in highschool were different.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would definitely tell myself that college is for learning, not for having fun. It is important to enjoy yourself while there but the classes are not like high school courses, studying for them takes up your whole day. You need to go to bed early and stay on top of your course work, just focus on school. I would tell myself that college was going to be hard and being away from home would make it even harder. Everyone is capable of doing hard things in life. While in college you might feel like you are just wasting time and money but in a few years you will be thankful for the opportunity you had to be in school and all you accomplished. Just push through this and you will learn so many wonderful things about yourself that you never knew!

Hey Me! There really is no way to be fully prepared for everything you will go through at college. I could advise you about studying hard, but then you may just end up having horrible teachers which you aren't prepared for. I could advise you about making friends and study groups, but then you might have problems with your academic advisor or financial aid. There are a million things to prepare for in order to succeed at college, and trust me it is not worth the mental strain in trying to be perfectly prepared for every one. Let me just remind you that every time you had to take on more responsibility in your life you were not fully prepared, but you stepped up to the plate and succeeded at whatever responsibility you took on. This is no different. You will have greater responsibilty in college but you will step up to the plate just like you always have. Trust and engage yourself in whatever you do and you will succeed. This is more than just advice for college, this is advice for life.

At 1st you will feel out of place and maybe stressed out/homesick, but once you open your eyes to all college offers, you will love it! Set priorities and make study buddies; these people could become great friends. Talk to your teachers! You may need reference letters in the future and knowing your teachers will make that process much easier. For social life, find out what's going on (on- campus and off-campus)....aka make friends! There are plently of cheap/fun things to do, you just have to find them! Mainly, the fun happens when you have the right friends. Have lots of fun, but also remember that you want to do something with your education, so figure out a career as soon as possible!

If I had the ability to travel back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior with my current knowledge of college life and the transition it takes to be successful, I would advise myself to stay and keep focused on my high school classes with the goal of making and maintaining a 4.0 GPA or as close to it as possible; and to work hard to maintain that GPA throughout college. I would tell my younger self that this goal will allow for the maximum scholarships and honor programs that college has to offer, alleviating the need for school loans and the weight and stress of having to pay them back. I would also tell myself that this focus will lead me down a more financially secure path with better life options. Better options on, who to marry, where to live and raise a family, how to financially invest money, and what to invest those funds in towards retirement and my children’s educations. I would also let my younger self know that college life offers many opportunities to create and secure great friendships that can last a lifetime.

if i could back and talk to myself again i would tell myself to be more focused and actually do your research into what school your going as well as weighing out your options. the cost can be great and you may not always have help. you want to grow up so fast that you overlook all the major details. friends influence and can come in the way as well as relationships. take your time to focus and do your research and always do what heart tells you to.