California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Top Questions

If I was to go back to high school my senior year and give advice to myself I would definitely teach myself the word ?dedication". When I was in high I was preoccupied with baseball games and work. When it came to academically receiving grades, I know I could have done better. It is all about dedicating yourself into to something you love doing. I always have had a passion and baseball and engineering. I would most likely and for sure teach myself discipline to succeed in high school and transfer. I would not only tell myself to be disciplined, I would also be determined for what I would want and have no boundaries to receiving better grades in high school. The most important thing would be to take High School serious, like a job and to graduate with honors and other academic awards.

The one thing high school never taught me was how important others are to my own success. I wish I would have know that had I been more involved my freshman year, my transition into college would have been much easier. Those who end up being successful in college either have a talent for learning or have enough connections to make it through their college experience. As a third year, I am just now reaching out to classmates and really making the connections that I was too busy to make my first two years in college. If I had the chance to go back in time, I would tell myself, ?Slow down?enjoy this experience otherwise it will be gone before you know it.? Now that I have taken the time to get involved, my grades have improved dramatically and I am enjoying the college experience. It truly blows me away that it has been so long since I first walked up the steps to my dormitory, anticipating meeting the person I was going to share the next 10 months with. That person and the others I met in college have made me the success I am now.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to, "Dream big and enjoy every second to the fullest. The next four years, or possibly more, are going to be some of the most memorable of your lifetime. But beware; the time flies by like a shooting star amidst the darkened sky. Though there is no telling what your future may hold, one thing is for certain. It is all in your hands. So be active, and get involved in school activities. If pressures burden you, seek help. When opportunities present themselves to you, seize them. Remember to always have pride in what you do, and most importantly, be yourself. "

At the outset of college I was still trapped in my reserved high school self. I eventually became who I wanted to be, but fIrst, I would tell myself, "Be exactly who you want to be, and find friends who are like you, who you like, who like the way you are. Don't be afraid to have tons of friends or a small group of friends. Do what suits you. Ask out girls, don't be afraid of what might not happen. Do things on impulse." These things come from things I took chances on in college which ended up benefitting me tremendously. Some of my best friends, greatest loves, and favorite moments came from taking chances, responsiblyISH of course. Secondly I would tell myself to be open minded. Don't assume anything. You don't have to try anything, but don't make uneducate judgements about any person/drug/sport/race/religion/anything. Last, in the spirit of graduating college, I would say to myself, "You NEED to study. However little work you did in high school is irrelevant. The most important things to do are :go to class, do your homework, and keep on top of studying.

LISTEN, LOVE and LEARN! You are going to be meeting a lot of people in these first weeks of college. The fall-back questions are: Name? Major? Hometown? But the small talk is going to get old real quick. My advice is that you genuinely get to know the people around you. Open up to the people you meet and they will feel comfortable enough to do the same. Once you get them talking, LISTEN to what your new friends share. A big part of college is LEARNing from people that may have views and passions that differ from your own. Not only should you surround yourself with people whom you respect and are inspired by, but you should also involve yourself in activities and clubs that you LOVE. A great deal of my education has been accomplished outside of the classroom so I want to encourage you to get started on extracurricular programs from the start. Finally, you are in college to go to class and LEARN. Take advantage of all the opportunities available to you. Get to know your professors. Do all of the reading. Take LEARNing the material into your own hands. LISTEN, LOVE and LEARN!

Stay focused on what's ahead. Don't waste time lingering on past mistakes or regrets. If you mess up don't beat yourself up for it. Every mistake is a lesson. Prioritize now. Seriously, USE YOUR TIME WISELY! Every week, every day, every hour counts and will be dearly missed if wasted. Procrastination=Failure. Whether or not the all-nighter you pulled was successful, you are beat the next day and lose out on any classes you attend if you attend them. So even if you get an A on that paper, you've just failed. You failed to take advantage of the knowledge imparted to you in every single class of the next day. Dance sing and laughter everyday. Share these joys, especially laughter, with others-make opportunities for laughter if need be. Remember, everyone is just like you - imperfect and can't read minds. Always remember what you have been given and what you have earned. Show appreciation to those whom it's owed. Hint: People appreciate the small gestures just as much. P.S. Be Happy. It takes very little effort and the alternative is too tiring and hard to do.

First off, I would tell myself to apply to more out of state and private universities. This is a wise decision because it opens up more opportunities. I would also tell myself to get ready for the quarter system because it goes by a lot faster than high school which means you have less of a chance to recover if you fall in academic performance. Prepare yourself for night classes, as they can be stressfull, and also be an outgoing person when you meet new people. Take the initiative to ask more questions and listen to get to know more people. I would also let myself know that knowing the class schedule system is wise, because most universities make you sign up for your own classes so be prepared with multiple schedules, and know which classes you need to take. One final thing is don't be scared to be a freshman again! The people in college operate on a whole new level of maturedness and most take the time to welcome you kindly.

The list of things that I should have done is endless. The top three pieces of advice that I would have given myself include the following. One, I should have taken more AP classes in high school so I could get credit for more classes and have open space to take electives at my college such as bee keeping or welding. Since I didn't take as many AP classes as I should have in high school, I don't have much space in my schedule for elective classes. Second, when I first came to my college I should have got involved in more clubs such as the lumberjack club or the scuba club. Lastly, I wish I was more prepared to have classes without busy work to buffer my grade, it takes some time getting used to classes with only two midterms, one paper, and a final to make up your final grade. Most importantly I would give myself the advice to be open to everything and try as many new things as I can since these are the best years of my life and I need to make the best of it and create forever memories.

I would tell myself to fill out as many grants and scholarships as i can because rite now i owe so much money to the school im at now. Also i would tell myself to pay attention to the teachers because its the same work here but in greater details.

First, apply to as many scholarship opportunities, there are more scholarships available to incoming students, that is students who are still in high school. Secondly, take it easy try not to take too much on your plate, you have plenty of time to try new things and do whatever you like, slow down and enjoy yourself a bit more. Third, keep on track and plan your college years, as it helps keep you focus on why you went to college in the first place. Fourth, make connections with your professors because they will be a great source of help on campus, especially those within your major. Fifth, do NOT procrastinate on your studies it is the worst possible thing you could do because the work will pile on especially on the quarter system as it progresses quite fast. Sixth, relating to keeping yourself focused, plan ahead and make yourself some study hours, it helps to keep up with the work. Seventh, don't fall into peer pressure, if fraternities and sororities aren't for you don't join because others do, there are certain things you may not want to do when you are pledging so think it twice.