The University of Alabama Top Questions

I would tell myself to be who you want to be and not let anything or anyone hold you back.

I know you’re excited to begin college. It’s okay to be scared. The transition will not be easy, but you will adapt and grow. The summer program will give you the foundation to excel academically. You will spend four weeks with stress and sleep deprivation, but it will prepare you. You will study better and manage your time properly. You will need a planner! Schedule time to talk to family and friends from home. After a few months you will get home sick. Don’t worry though, the clubs you join will ease the homesickness and you will feel at home. Remember to put yourself first. It will seem unfair to choose between ones you love and your future, but if someone really loves you then they will understand your future comes first. Forget about the boyfriend, he’s only a distraction and selfish. Be positive, go to office hours and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you feel life getting out of control. College life will be quite the experience, so enjoy every moment. Don’t worry about it all changing because the moment you graduate high school nothing will stay the same.

Diandra, you are extremely smart, and definitely friendly; this advice, coming from yourself, needs to be indoctrined and used as soon as taken in. Your social life needs to be minimized. Focus on you first. Having fun and wanting people to be your friends is what you do, but you put others first, when you've completely overlooked your own situation until after ta situation evolves! Take the monkey off your back and put you before everyone. That isn't selfish, it will mold you into a magnet attracting people like you, not reaching out to people that aren't like-minded, and most especially, not focused on school and success. Finishing work isn't a problem, but mostlt your social life that hinders the 4.0 scholar that you know you can be, and that you are! Besides that, dont burden yourself with the stressors of money. It will come when it can! When you stress over it, you will lose yourself and do anything to get it. You will sacrafice time for studies, for a way to live comfortably. Don't sacrafice school, which you work hard at, for something that will come with that same glory!

If I could back in time a talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition I would definately advise myself to further my eductaion. In high school I was not serious about my education at all. I done what I had to in order to graduate. I have been out of school now for 18 years . I have worked many jobs, sometimes two or three just to make ends meet. I would love to have the oppertunity to go back and do it all agan. I would definatley go to college and further my education as soon as I graduated from high school. My life would have been so different and I would not have to struggle to raise my two childern. I recently attended my first semester of colege at Somerset Community College and it was not easy at first, but I have had many new experiences and it has been wonderful. I am very proud to say that I have completed the first semester with a 4.0 Grade piont average. I look back now and think, I could have done so much better then.

I would sit myself down and tell her.. Do Not take time off after graduation, go directly into a college setting. You do not need time to find yourself, there will be plenty of time for that later. You do not need to rest or relax there is plenty of time for that when you are dead. Get an education, learn a trade. Not only will you become a stellar member of socitey but you will make a difference in the world. You don't want to be a 40 year old server do you??? Because if you follow the current path that you are on that is exactly what will happen. If you want to have things and do things in your future you MUST have a degree. I am tellin you tis because I love you. Love the future Me.

I had it made, a senior in high school with nothing to worry about. I studied when I felt like it. Couldn't wait for graduation. I applied to go to a university, I got accepted. My mom was constantly reminding me of the day when I would leave home and go off to college. She would tell me how different life was going to be. I always thought of her as old fashion. Graduation came, I was so excited. I marched acrossed the stage and got my diploma, finished in the top 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my class. The summer passed quickly. I was packed and ready to go. My mom drove me to the university. As I was getting settled into my room, for the first time I realized that this was reality. Nobody to wake me up for class, not even to tell me to eat. I began to get depressed. Knowing what I know today about college life, If I could do it all over again, I would attend a junior college first, to have that experience of college life. I would spend more time reading and studying. Lastly, I would listen more to my Mom's advice.

To my younger self: Karissa, stop worrying about how people portray you to be physically. As you age and mature, you will find true friends to be attracted to you because of your mental and spiritual self. Physical beauty is only important in high school. In college, you will find friends based on common interests, intelligence, and personality. Do not look at parties as a way to further your popularity and appearance. In college, popularity does not exist. The college campus is filled with thousands of students that could not care less about how "popular" you were in high school. Instead of focusing on the petty things in life, move forward in your education. The things you learn are with you life long. The physical traits you work so hard for only exist for a matter of time. P.s. the things you learn in class that you swore you would never use again-- you do. Sincerely, Your older self

Please slow down and take a breath. You do not have to do everything and involve yourself in every extracurricular activity. It will not matter. Quality over quantity is something you should remember. Focus on preparing for the ACT and getting that score up to a range so that your parents do not have to pay for your tuition fully. Explore different career options now, you do not have to make a decision but you will benefit by narrowing down what you like and don't like.

I would tell myself to have push myself harder when it came to my grades and getting involved in organizations. Even just applying to schools, I realized how much highschool involvement mattered. While I had good grades, I don't think I pushed myself to my fullest potential and I regret that more than anything. My parents would always tell me this but I think learning that on my own is really what opened my eyes. I have gotten myself involved in college and I will never make that mistake again. I also would tell myself to be completely open minded in college, which I think I did a pretty good job of. Be open to new ideas and don't autmoatically judge something because it could be the perfect thing for me. Becoming involved is a good way to meet new people and find your place in college and I think this has greatly helped me with the transition.

I think every freshman should realize what they are here for, an education. The downfall of many students is that they come here and party their grades away. Yes, the social scene and night life is fun every once in a while, but academics should always come first. If you come here with this mindset, you will do just fine.