The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stay focused and not let friends and boyfriend girlfriend relationships distract me from my goals. I would surround myself with positive, encouraging, determined individuals. I would tell myself to wait before becoming sexually active or be more cautious regarding sexual activity. I would tell myself that the twenties is the time you discover who you are, what you want, and how you want to go about getting it. Seeking advice from someone who I see is accomplishing the same goals I want to accomplish is the road model I should follow. I would also, tell myself to apply myself more, develope better study habits and work hard for the best GPA I can muster. When I don't excel in any area, don't beat myself up about it, but learn from it and keep it moving. I would tell myself to take advantage of every oppourtunity that comes my way to get me where I want to be because oppourtunity leads to possibities. Everything happens in due season, just get ready and be ready your change will come.

If and when time travel is invented, I would share so much with my former self. The college application process was crazy for me, changing my college possibilities from west coast to east coast a month before applications were due threw a huge wrench in all of my college plans. I was devestated, but I found and ended up at the University of Tennessee. While the transition was rough...it made me realize how much I love my friends. As a high school senior, there's more to life than college applications. Yes, they should be important, and you should try your best, but the truth is...it will work out. You ended up where you are meant to be and you'll find your place. I ended up at UT and have grown to love it more and more every day. The beginning was hard and I hated it, I wanted my old friends and my old town, but time goes on and you adjust, you find your place. I guess what I'm trying to say is relax senior year, just breath and know it will be ok, and just let life and your heart guide you.

I would tell myself to realize that true friends will take some time to find, so you shouldn't be discouraged. That's a big thing that is important to remember because it's easy to get lost in big universities. You also need to find those friends because they will be the people who stick by you when hard times come. I would also encourage myself to do well academically and to study hard and strive for excellence, but also have fun and know that all that is expected of you is to do you best, whatever the outcome may be. A lot of pressure is put on students, especially in my major and I think it's so important to remember that your personal best is all that you should strive for. Classes are hard and being in college is hard, so added pressure is not helpful. I was pretty well prepared for college, but not necessarily for the twists that life brings. I think keeping your head on straight and your eye on whatever goal you have is important during this time.

I would tell myself to learn to be an independent learner. High school was easy for me, so I didn't have to study as much. But now in college, 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time, you have to do a lot of reading and learning on your own. There is more responsibility to being a student. Also, I would have tried to take more college credit classes. Although my high school did not offer a lot of AP courses, I only took a few, and was only enrolled in a couple of dual credit courses. I would have taken more so that it would have prepared me better for college. Also, I would have probably tried to be a little more closer to my friends instead of being in every club or sport possible, just so that I could be closer to them now and have an easier transition into making new friends around campus.

Take your ACT before your senior year begins. Use your last year to pad your GPA as much as possible; it may get you some scholarships. Pay attention to every bit of university mail that comes in.

"You must learn that despite your strongest attempts to make plans and follow them, life will get in the way. When you get to school it will be easy to make plans, but it will be impossible to follow every one. College is about being flexible, and it?s about taking the opportunity to learn in the meantime. Furthermore, do not ever get down on yourself when things do not go your way, because sometimes they won?t. Instead, always hold your head high and learn from your mistakes. In the next year you will be put through more trials and tribulations than you have every faced in your life. Simply remember to be true to yourself and your morals, and most importantly, never let anyone belittle you or make you feel small. You are the only person who can feel self conscious about yourself, and only you can take pride in yourself and your accomplishments. Be the strong person your family has raised you to be and be the great Christian your faith has led you to be. Most of all, use your head when making decisions, but follow your heart because it is there that your passion lies. "

keep reaching for your goals and keep your head up at all times. dont let any one tell you cant make it because you will be always be able to make it if you keep your head up and keep telling yourself you can do it.

I would explain to "past" me that it is very important to finish school, to apply to any school I had interest in because who knows you could get accepted, and try any opportunity that arises in school activities, jobs, classes, what ever seemed interesting. It is also not important to have everything planned out and have fun with school. I would go into the fact I am going back to school with responsibilities in a full time job, two kids, and a husband which I realize will make it harder to attend school but will make the effort to try my best. I would also say it's alright if you are a little unsure of the future, everything will work out as long as you are completely honest with yourself and follow what you believe is right and I have no regrets but hope this advice will make it easier for "past" me.

I would go back and tell the young me not to give up on his college plans. I would tell him to look araound and talk to his guidance counselor about ways to pay for school and scholarships. Finally I would tell him that though the Marines seem like a good choice, full of excitement and adventure that in the end he should go to school instead and work on a career and a life. I would further explain that though the Marines will turn him into a man that after eight years of adventure all he will have to show is a pack of good stories and fond memories but little else that translates into a workable career field as a civilian.

Overbooked and under-planned, my first semester of college was miserable at best. Three honors classes juxtaposed with a 300-level course and a premedical requirement served as both culprit to my anguish and backbone to my nineteen hours-per-week schedule. Somehow, this truly liberal arts amalgamation of Spanish, math, science, and theatre was not at all daunting to my proud and audacious eighteen-year-old self. If I could reach into the past, grab myself by the neck, and show that overconfident high schooler the distress in my eyes, I would tell her this: you don't have to prove anything. At that age, I was the class valedictorian with dreams of the Ivy League. After being thrown a post-graduation curve ball by financial aid offices, I found myself joining the public school system, adapting an "I'll show them!" attitude, building an impossible schedule, and hoping to prove my ability to peers and medical schools. As expected, I struggled with time management, watched my GPA sink, spent no time cultivating a social life, and sank into depression. So, to that valedictorian with a vendetta: know your limits and consider life's letdowns as possibility for limelight.