Pacific University Top Questions

The greatest thing that I have gotten out of my college experience so far is a desire to continue my education even beyond my college graduation. I've realized the importance of becoming a life-long learner, and in my chosen career of teaching, I think that is especially important. I also believe that is the reason that attending college has been valuable. I'm realizing that it's in my best interest to not just do my school work to do it, but to do my school work (and more) because it will help me grow into the person that I want to become.

More than anything I have gained a sense of knowledge that no answer is the right answer. College has broadened my perspective to the point that I can entertain many ideas in my head without accepting them.

I would tell myself to take the first step to meeting people and to be who I am and be friends with people who respect who I am. As well as that, I would have prepared myself to manage a full schedule, to take pride in everything I do, and to learn how to live with only the things I'd need (ex: without a car, very little cash, no tv).

As a senior, I believed that I had my future completely mapped out. If I were to go back and give myself advice, I would stress the fact that I was still building on myself as a person, and that I actually had no idea what I would even want in the future. I would let myself know that college is not just a step in the process to earning a degree, but rather a time to learn about yourself and the world, both in and out of the classroom. I would tell myself not to get bogged down with stress and responsibilities, and whenever life became overwhelming, to take a step back and remember why I was actually in college; to find my niche and to progress as an individual. Because by working on myself, I simultaneously work at bettering society and the people around me. My future self would want my past self to enjoy every step of the process, and to live in the present, absorbing every single experience along the way: Life starts now.

I think the most important advice I could give myself would be to expect a big change in yourself and those around you. There is no doubt that college changes people. I've seen a huge change in myself and my friends in the transition. Everybody says that high school is to help you find yourself, but I don't think that's true. My first semester of college has helped me find myself more than the past four years I spent in high school. I have allowed myself to make friends that I never thought I would and step out of my comfort zone both academically and socially. There are a lot of things you can do to prepare for college, but there is nothing to prepare you for all the memories and experiences you will have. You have to allow changes in order to have the true college experience. High school is fun and you should enjoy it while it lasts, but college is like a whole different and more exciting adventure. It's more stressful and you have to do a lot more work, no doubt, but it's an experience that you will not regret.

Don't take life as a one way street, there are always different avenues that you can take. When I came to college, I was dead-set on focusing my studies on the science field but now that I am here I realize I have an interest in so much more than just the sciences such as that in political science, ethics, and philosophy, and it just goes to prove that I have options. I would tell myself that just because something doesn't go the right way for me, it doesn't mean that the world must be over; just as before it goes to show that there must be other options. When I came to school I didn't make the baseball team, I felt a complete lack of purpose in my time being here at Pacific but then I found that there were intramurals, clubs, and numbers of other things that I could recommit myself to. Pacific is full of opportunities, there is no reason to limit yourself to just one.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would have quite a bit of advice for myself. I would tell myself to really try and apply for all the scholarships I can so I could get all the financial help available to me. Also I would tell myself that it takes time to get used to a place and that even though its hard at the beginning and you will have times when you want to go home you need to stick with it because in time you will fall in love with the school and you will make amazing friends and connections. My main advice would be not to expect a high school cirriculum, this is college and the work is harder and longer, so buckle down and get ready for it because the professors are there for you but they don't baby sit you. My last peice of advice would be to have fun, yes its college and you need to get your work done but do have fun, its a new part of your life and you can only do this once so live your life.

At the end of high school I could have never guessed how different my life would be. After one semester of college my world has completely changed. I?m having the time of my life, making new friends, and experiencing new things. As much fun as I'm having there are several things I wish I had known before making the transition to college life. One of the most important thing to do at college is keep in contact with your friends and family from home. It is really easy to lose contact with people you have known your whole life. Make an effort to call often. Something else that is important is to budget your money. You will have money at the beginning of the year and it?s important to save some of it for the rest of the year. The most important when you?re at college is to meet people. Join clubs, meet your neighbors in the dorm, and other students in you classes, this will make the transitions easier to have people to rely on. College is one of the best times of your life. Take every opportunity and enjoy every minute of it.

College, in my experience, is a world in itself. No one can really tell you how the experience is going to be for you, because it is unique to each person. As a high school student everything is done for you. You are given limited options for which classes to take, and everything is planned out for you. Going from that atmosphere to the college planning process is a confussing one for most. If I could go back in time and be my own adviser, I would first inform myself on being responsible. You become responsible for knowing all of your options, making decisions, and the general processes of most things. THe thing is, there is always someone out there who is willing to help you. I would tell myself to not be affraid to find a counselor, a mentor, or an advisor. They are there to help you get where you need to be. I would tell myself to involve my parents because they are a great source of information and an important part of my life. After being accepted, make sure to get involved. Being involved helps you make friends and become comfortable in the new environment.

My senior year I really felt like I wanted to get away from home and my family. I did not even consider schools in the same state that I lived in. However, after only one year of being away, I desperately wanted to come home. Transferring schools was a lot of extra work and it was difficult to transfer all the classes and units that I had worked so hard for! If I could go back and do it again, I would take more time to really examine myself. I would try to think beyond the present circumstances and feelings and take more time to think about my future. If I could do it over again, I would take the time to consider weather, distance from home, and size of the college. I would also spend more than one night visiting the college and find a way to talk to students that currently attend the school to get a feel for the real culture and atmosphere of the school.