California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Top Questions

Put more effort into into finding out what the atmosphere of a school is like, and be sure to reach out to people through facebook so that you know people before actually leaving for school.

Dear Me, When you get to college, one of the most important things that you need to remember is that this is your home now, and however much you give to this new home is what you'll get out of it. First and foremost, don't hold on too tightly to the things you left behind, they'll only keep you from moving forward, and the things and people that truly matter will be there when you get back. From there, you need to branch out; meet new people in your dorm and in your classes, and get involved in something whether it be a club, a social organization, or even recreational sports. An active person is a happy person, and the transition will be so much easier. Once classes start, focus up! This is the real reason why you're in college, to get an education. Albeit, while you do want to do well so you can get a job after graduation, don't lose yourself in textbooks 24/7. Cal Poly is a wonderful place to make friends and have fun, so get out and make your own adventure! Good Luck, Robby Cabri

If given the chance to go back and speak to myself I would say to be true to yourself. Don't just say you are liberal because everyone else is and you want to fit in. Stand up for what you believe. I would also say don't get sucked into the party scene just because everyone else is. If you don't think something is a good idea then trust yourself that it isn't. By going to places you know you shouldn't go, or doing things you know you shouldn't do, you just open yourself up to be hurt.

If I could go back, I would inform the younger me about two different part of the college experience; social and academic. For the social part, I would like to tell myself to get more involved in everything that comes your way even if it doesn't sound like something that you are interested in. It is very important to get involved with your school early in the college process in order to make connections for the rest of your life. For the academic side of college, I would like to tell myself to be prepared for how much larger the homework and studying load is compared to high school. For me, it was a very large step which took atleast an entire quarter to adjust to. After I got adjusted to how much studying to do per week it was much easier to keep myself on track. The last point that I want to talk about is being able to balance your social and academic life in a healthy way. This can be a very tough subject for new students but it is very important for their emotional health.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what i know now about college I would advise myself to get all of my college prep classes in order and not fool around. I would tell myself to fight for my rights as a disabled student early and on and not let insructors take advantage of me. To stay focused on class and highering my GPA. To get a head start on general education college courses and not put them off until last minute. To get invloved and focus on gratuating early instead of procrastinating school work and gettting through credits.

I have focused hard on grades, sports and friendship. I am pretty pleased with what I have learned and accomplished today. However, I must admit, I would have asked more questions and not delayed the process. I assumed perhaps arrogantly that I would get a lot of offers or acceptance into Universities, that was not the case. Looking back, I should have prepared better for the SAT written section and I should of worked more with the councilors on each niche of schooling. Furthermore, as bright as my I am from a grade perspective, I perhaps am not that bright at looking for scholarships. I thought I would have been offered some and regretfully I have not. In looking back, perhaps this is the biggest area I would have changed. I would of looked for what it takes to get some relief towards schooling via scholarship.

My only consideration in high school was getting into top schools. I never learned how to plan a budget, manage bills, or communicate effectively to my parents. Finances have been a big struggle, but I believe I could have avoided many woes if I had written up a specific plan and holding myself and others accountable to stick with it. I would tell my high-school self to spend more money on food and less on activities that distract from studying. Academically, I may have helped myself by re-taking the first three quarters of calculus so that they were fresher in my mind. Then, I may have had an easier transition my first year easier with a less rigorous catalog. I would then say to myself to not allow myself to change my path due to the influence of others around me. My younger self had a clear, focused goal and I would tell her to keep that mindset steadfastly. Other than those things, I have to defer to one of my dearest college friends. He urges me all the time to spend an hour a few times a week developing career skills unrelated to coursework.

Thinking back to my senior year of high school, I thought college was going to be daunting and difficult. I felt that I would need to act and dress a certain way in order to fit in, and play the part of a "college kid". I also felt that college classes would be too challenging for me to get good grades. Little did I know, being in college was just the next step in life and every new freshman was in the same position as me. If I could go back in time and give advice to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry about buying new clothes and trying to fit in. I would tell myself not to worry about the classes being too hard. I would tell myself that I am a strong, smart, and capable woman and I would do just fine. Because once I regained my confidence and realized I was fully capable of making new friends and doing well in classes, just the way I am, I stopped struggling and I did just fine.

As a future college junior in Fall 2014, I remember high school senior year like if it was yesterday. It amazes me how fast time goes by— everyone tells the truth that college flies by. If I had a “do-over” I would tell myself two years ago, to take those two extra Advance Placement course I was relentless to enroll in because of “seniorities.” I would go back and teach myself budgeting— drop a grand on a 18 year old freshmen and it is overwhelming. I would have convinced myself the major I planned to go into college for was not the right one for me. I would have convinced myself that college is expensive. I should have been more involved in campus activities to start making changes then rather than now. I should have know better to pick good friends rather than bad influences. Most important of all, I should have picked my school based on a holistic view— looking at demographics, location, social life, etc.

Don't just get caught up in the activities of your major and college, but also get even more involved with the school spirit. Especially when sports teams are doing really well, you will want to go see a game so you can say you were there when they won. In addition, really learn how to take time for yourself and be able to take a step back and relax. LIfe is fast pace, but it is only up to you to slow it down so you can thoroughly enjoy every moment. Don't let two years pass before you finally learn how take in each moment. Lastly, don't let the bad moments run your life, but rather, just move on. Understand that it happened and nothing can be done to change it. Let the moments that most impacted you continue to impact you to do even greater things.