California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Top Questions

Back then, I thought I knew it all; if only that had been true. I would tell myself to listen to the words of wisdom of others who have lived. They have experience, and they have insight. The reason that they are offering up their knowledge for my benefit is that they want me to be successful, happy, and well off. I could list dozens of opportunities and situations where I thought I knew the right answer. I thought I knew exactly what I want. Looking back, the pearls of wisdom that others shared with me should have been given more consideration. However, I try not to live life with any regrets. I now truely appreciate the advice of others and hope they continue to offer it.

I would have taken the time to meet with more people in the industry that I was pursuing to enter. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but at the same time had no clue what that would entail. My parents were both college grads in somewhat successful jobs, but they were never interesed in climbing a ladder of success, they were happy just where they were. It is easy for me to also feel this way in my current job, but I know that I am not where I thought I would be now, as when I was in the middle of my college career. It is important to realize things such as benefits, job security, geographic location, etc. I believe that networking with the right people is one of the most important things I learned along the way. In order to meet people within the agricultural industry you must be around those who are the most involved. This included staying involved on campus, but more importantly, to be involved in some way with the people you would like to work with someday. These people will later be your advocate for a job down the road.

I would love to be able to go back, grasp my past self firmly by the shoulders, and give maybe a little bit more than a gentle shake and say: "Calm down, it's OK. You're going to make it." I worked so hard in high school, I never truly allotted any time for fun. Looking back, I realize how important those years were to my development and I wish I would have taken the time to observe and enjoy the world that so quickly passed me by. I would be sure to tell myself to keep working hard, because all my efforts got me here to Cal Poly, but to make sure to take the time and enjoy that period in my life and what was next to come. I would also remind my past self that its going to be hard at first, everything will be so different and its going to be a little scary, but it will change, you will make great friends, find your stride and in the end, you will succeed.

Go for it. Make the tough choice. Err on the side of risk and faith. You may be afraid of the cold, but you will love the four seasons. You may be scared of the city, but the city has a niche for everyone. You may be uncomfortable with dorm life, but your future bridal party may just live a few doors down the hall. You may be worried about the cost, but you will appreciate the intimacy of a small school and there will always be scholarships available. You may be nervous about the competition, but you have been preparing yourself for this challenge for the past four years. You want peers who question your ideas and excite your intellect, are passionate about what they do, and help you make the most of college. You have longed for these challenges and risks since you were little. Don't lose sight of your goals. Don't forget to pursue what you love. Don't trade in opportunity for security. Your life should err on the side of risk and faith.

Matt, I am your future self, listen to my advice about the college transition. The senior year can be very relaxing academically, but make sure you continue to work hard each day in your studies because you must do so in college to stay current on your material and do well in each class. There is no room for getting behind in the college classroom. As far as the transition into independent living goes, two general rules will help you: 1) now that you call the shots, don't go carzy with the freedom, and 2) every other freshman will be in the same boat so make good friends who can relate and help you out. Trust me, you will have an abundance of freedom, but stay in control. The quickest way to lose out on your amazing college experience is to take advantage of the freedom and lose yourself, and your academics that got you there. Also, it will be incredibly easy to make friends, so make sure you find ones that will truly be a great influence and have similar lifestyles. Times can get hard learning to live on your own but great friends can make it easier!

Dear Self: College. Uni. Your new life. Whatever you want to call it - it will be your new home for the next four years (or however long it takes you to graduate). As a senior in high school, you are ready to leave home. You want to be liberated by the freedom of 8-3 school days and the confines of home. And you definitely will be. You see, I know that you aren?t outgoing or an extrovert, but you have to try new things. Try as much as you can, no matter how embarrassing it may be. Don?t stay holed up in your room all the time. What fun is that? Call or text people to get together. They want to be social just as much as you do. Go to the gym. Join clubs. Soak in the sun. Read a book under a tree. I have done all that and I am am pleased to say that I am not disappointed in my choices. Congrats on getting into college. Now, decide what you really want. Shoot for it. Give it all you?ve got. Also, don't procrastinate! It sucks!!! Good luck, Your future self :D

do your best as you can and if it gets to hard, picture it like a chellenge in life that you want to succeed

If I went back in time to when I was a senior, I would have told myself, to be perpared to become an adult. You will have many choices that you will need to make on your own. It will be all up to you, on what you want to do for now. You will have times when you feel lost and just want to go home, but that feeling will eventually go away. You just need to keep your head in the books and avoid the partying. You will have plenty of time to do that after you graduate or during your free time. The last thing I would say is to Just Do Your Best.

My first thought would be to tell myself that even though you may be leaving your hometown friends and family behind, it doesn't mean that they stop being a part of your life. This separation simply means that it is time that you begin your own life and grow to be a person that they can be proud of. I would also like every other year in high school remind myself not to procrastinate, because college is extremely fast-paced and there is no room for laziness. Among these pieces of advise I would also have told myself about how to make the transition into the collegial world a smoother one. I would say to myself and others to make friends that have similar goals and that you have a lot in common with. I would also urge myself to be involved in things that are fun but that can also help you in the future to build connections that you may later need in your career. Lastly I would advise to look into everything about your college, and make a serious decision about where you're going and to never give up no matter what the circumstances are.

I would tell myself to keep on doing what I love to do most and not to worry about the future because the future is promising even if life doesn't seem like it's going right . I would tell myself to just be myself and to never give up because in the end it's always worth it. And the last thing I would tell myself is that the world is full of new and exciting things that are waiting to be discover, so always be open-minded.