DePaul University Top Questions

Although I had good grades I could have done better. I would advise myself to getter better grades and take the ACT earlier. I would also have started looking for scholarships in the beginning of my junior year.l

High School is a structured and controlled way of life. It is kind of like working for a large scale business which has been around for years and the entire original entrepreneurial spirit on which the company was built on is gone. The school has an established hierarchy. Those who conform to it are rewarded while those who try to be original are met with opposition. College has a lot more of an entrepreneurial spirit. If I could go back and give advice to my high school self, I would let myself know that from the day I get on campus I must start to develop proper lifelong habits. I would tell myself to pick one good habit and practice doing it for one month. The next month I would add another new habit to work on. This slow and gradual change would allow myself to not be overwhelmed with the drastic change in life style that happens when going from high school to college. Over my college career I would have then develop 48 new life long habits which would help me in living a more meaningful and holistic lifestyle.

While not thinking of college yet, you might find yourself staring at your life soon, asking: “This is my life? How did I let this happen to me?” Don’t panic. Life rarely gives us anything that can’t be outlived. Even the worst, in most cases, can be fixed. The trick is not giving up. First, don’t ever let the crying lead to depression. Analyze everything thoroughly: why did this happen? If the reason is determined – learn this lesson for future. Although, not all happens because of our acts, still, accept it and find a way to move on. One of the possible direction for you is going for a higher education. That's your flag-post, toward which you’ll be moving through all the difficulties that you’ll face. Resist looking back at those easy relaxing days when all seemed perfect in your life. Keep the vision of your new flag. A lot will be unknown, and therefore, intimidating. Don’t be scared. Fear causes procrastination and in your position, you don’t have a luxury to lose opportunities. Take each chance and remember: it will be difficult, but everything will work out for the best.

I would go back to when I was just entering high school so I could tell myself that it doesn’t matter which high school I graduate from. I would tell myself to go to HAIS instead of DeBakey, but no matter what, study. I would tell myself to get the class list that is required to graduate with a Debakey diploma and ask to take those classes at HAIS. It would be so much less stress for the same material and most likely my GPA would be higher. I would beg myself to go to HAIS and take as many community college classes as possible so that I can graduate with my associates in Science and have 2-3 years of college out of the way at graduation. I would tell myself that, even though DeBakey is an amazing and rigorous school, HAIS has more opportunities for me and I should take what I can for free because after that it’s all gone. Everything costs money and education is priceless. I would also want to tell myself that it’s my education, therefore it’s my major and that means I get to choose what it is.

If I could go back in time to my freshmen year in high school I would tell her, the shy Jasmine, that I love her. I love her for being so dedicated and open minded, but I also would tell her “No dejes para mañana lo que puedes hacer oye” (dont leave things for tomorrow when you can do it today). This is a saying that my grandmother would always tell me and I never completely understood the importance until I entered college. In high school everything is easy to just wait for the next day to do because I did not have anything else to do but once I entered college I realized that everymin is important and I could use that time wisely. Moreover, I would tell myself that joining a club at Deapul can help greatly in getting to know the school, working hard will bewarded, get to know everyone because you never know who can help, and when I get stressed about anything working out and painting to music can go along way, dorm at Depaul will help so much with transportation, be interesting, nothing is impossible, and most important be independent.

Since gaining knowledge about college life, I would tell my old high school senior self to take everything with a grain of salt. Yes the transition is going to be difficult and maybe even scary, but in the end everything works out. You may not fit in right away and stick out like a sore thumb, or you might gain a great new circle of friends. Whatever happens, I would like to remind my old self that its not that serious. School should be your main focus and priority, not what other peers think of you or what they say about you. Remember when you thought high school was real life and that all these popular groups would still rule your school, well same thing can be said for college. After high school and even college, a blank slate is open for you to achieve all your dreams and goals.

I feel like my advice to my younger self is the complete opposite of what most people would say. I would tell my younger self to cut back and not take life so seriously. I spent a good amount of time in high school building up my resume, only to realize that what I did in high school does not matter beyond the first month of college. I would tell myself that getting a B in class is by no means the end of the world and it's perfectly acceptable to only have one job as a 17 year old.

If I were to talk to my high school self, I would tell me to choose a less expensive university. Although I wanted more than anything in the world to move to the big city, I coul d have chosen a school with a smaller bill. The amount of student debt I will have once I leave DePaul University is daunting. I would tell myself that I would be just as happy at UW Milwaukee where many of my high school friends attend. The cost of attending a private university is too high and I wish I would have known how stressful paying for it would be. I would also tell myself to focus on school over my social life. Having great friends and an exciting life outside of school is important but to make sure I keep them in check while away from home.

Don't go to school just for mom, do it for yourself. Graduation in nearing and you failed to apply to any colleges. I know you're telling yourself that you're going to community college as a way to keep mom happy but stop thinking that. I'm 24 years old and I keep telling myself I wasted the last 4 years of my life but I'm going to sum of the last 6 years up for you. I did a lot of self-exploring and the biggest lesson I learned was that not having a college degree and the financial benefits that come with it closes a lot of door for you. You will wish you had finished your bachelor’s degree and got that good paying job that would have allowed you to go to Mexico to say bye to a special someone. Ask for help, talk to any advisor available. Information technology is the major we will go with. Believe it or not you will go to DePaul University and everyone will tell you how proud they are of you. Do this for yourself now and you'll make mom happy not even trying.

I would tell my high school self to not worry about anyone else and to do what works best for me. Instead of feeling in a competition all the time, embrace the fact that everyone is different. I felt I was so caught up with what everyone else was doing in high school, I forgot to focus solely on myself. Now in college, I realize how important it is to find yourself so you will be able to pick a major that you truly are passionate about and be able to succeed. I loved my high school experience but I would definitely tell myself to focus strictly on myself and prepare myself for the future.