California State University-Monterey Bay Top Questions

I would remind myself to stride for the best and put out everything you got. Life is an adventure and whatever journey you want to face will take dedication and hard work but if it is something you really want, go for it! Life has been an adventure for me just being enrolled at a community college. I have meet so many fascinating people and have learned so much on the way. I am ready to take on a new location, and a location that best describes who I am as a person. Taking the easy way in life will not help you get anywhere but will only hold you back. Learn to meet people, learn to be optimistic, and learn to except who you are as a person.

I am Latina. I grew up in a small town, surrounded by oilrigs and lifted trucks, and where the highlight of the year is high school football. In this town, I grew up as the minority, stuck in the middle of the blue-eyed blond-haired girls I grew up hanging out with and Latina girls who hated me for doing so and said it in Spanish as I walked by because they did not think I understood. I was also scared of what the girls I hung out with would say if they knew I did know what the Latina girls were saying. If I could go back in time and tell myself what I know now, I would tell not to hide the different parts of me. I would tell myself to embrace my heritage, and not hide beneath the layers of life that molded my existence. Making the transition to a university allowed me to do that. It showed me that I do not just have to be one piece of me, but that all pieces of me are important and that I should proudly display them to the world.

If I went back in time at high school, I would advise myself to work harder on my classes and spend a lot of time studying so that I can get better grades than I had before.

Registering for college courses is like battling against another person for a seat in the class. You have a day and a time when you are supposed to enroll for all your classes. It is easier to enroll for your classes if they are in your wish list. If you are not able to enroll in your classes that you wanted you have to find other classes that will satisfy your learning requirements. It is best to choose the right classes for your major because it helps determine when you will graduate. Take as many classes you need to help you stay on track so you know when you are going to graduate and you will be able to graduate as planned. It also helps if you go to an advisor for help with your upcoming semester courses. Your advisor will help you choose out which classes that you should take for the semester and which ones you should hold off of. Having the help of an advisor helps since they have gone through the same process that we are going through now.

First and foremost, be prepared to dedicate most of your day to your studies. It is no lie when teachers warn you of the work load you will face in college. Be proactive and start assignments as soon as you get them, assignments have a due date for a reason. It is nothing like high school where teachers give you extensive durations of time for homework and projects. Lastly, PRIORITIZE there's plenty of time to have fun, college should be the best time of everyone's life, but always remember it's the most crucial as well. Adapt to studying through fatigue, it will only benefit you when finals come around and when it's all done with you will be more than satisfied for those long nights when your grades come in.

I would tell myself to apply for many colleges and for many jobs. Financial aid is also a big thing I would have applied for many scholarships and programs if I knew what I know now. Enjoy life and learn day by day.

I believe I made the right decision about waiting to go to colllege. I took a few years off to think about what I really wanted to do. I then went to the local junior college and discovered psychology was my passion, just as I had thought. I would advise myself to do the same thing. I also advise others to do the same. I see way too many students who are too young and aren't ready yet to be at college, failing their classes and screwing up their futures. I have no regrets.

I would recomended to look into other colleges instead of jumping into a situation that i was blind about.

Thinking back as a high school senior, there are many questions about college that I did not consider nor asked about prospective school. First of all, it is very important to find the right fit! Four years is a long time to live somewhere else for school (especially if it is far away from family). Location is a major factor. High school seniors should consider if the area has positive benefits for their major and if they enjoy that local climate as well as how much they would like to go home and how they are going to travel home for holidays. Secondly, it is important to look campus facilities, future projects, and the statisfaction of current students. Prospective students should not be intimidated to ask college students about what they think about their campus, because students will have the most honest feedback about where they are living. So in summary, high school students should find out all the information that they can. As corny as it sounds, no question is too simple (or stupid) to ask.

Knowing that I cannot go back in time, but having reflected a lot on my transition from high school to college I have come up with several things I would tell myself back then if I had the chance. Probably most importantly, I would remind myself to hold space for my youth. To enjoy senior year to the highest degree and let myself try more things, have more fun. Aside from that, I would urge myself to have kept all of the possibilities open. I would suggest to my senior self to think about the future: what she can actually handle and what will make her feel the most happy. I would have urged my senior self to prepare herself for many of her friends to move away. I would let my senior self know that having a boyfriend isn't everything, that being single comes with a promise of finding herself. Above all, I would encourage my senior self to see the world is before her and that, it's just the beginning. I would tell her not to be afraid, to expect difficulty and keep going even when things are different and unfamiliar.