The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Top Questions

Be more aware of scholarships.

Don't be afraid to follow what you feel. Life is not about making as much money as possible, it's about being happy with yourself and what you do!

If I could go back in time I would advise myself to go to college right graduation. It is harder to earn your degree with children and a full time job. Don't be in a hurry to get out on your own, let it happen when the time is right. I really wish that I could get a do over and graduate from college first and then start my family. I would be further advanced in my career and not just be an entry level employee at the age of 41.

I would tell myself to study harder in high school. I would also advised myself to take different subjects than what I had taken to achieve the goals that I am working toward. I also would have listened more to the advice that I had received from teachers, parents and friends that had graduated before me and were attending college. I did not realize how important additional education was in high school and did not listen to friends that were in dead in jobs telling me to study and do well and go on to college. My college life would have been so different if I had known what I know now. I was totally unprepared for college and have to work harder than most to achieve what I want out of life.

If I could go back and talk to myself in high school I would tell myself not to worry about rushing into college. I would tell myself to try and get on board with a volunteer group and travel the world for a few years to gain some sufficient life experience before trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life. Most kids going straight into college from high school do not know exactly what they want to do and end up wasting a lot of time and money switching majors several times. However, if college is something that you absolutely want to get started on straight out of high school then I would suggest getting the general requirements out of the way before trying to choose a major. Overall, college is a really great experience and I think everyone should get the opportunity to study if they so choose, but it should definitely not be something that anyone rushes into because it's a lot harder to get as much out of the experience when you can't focus on your personal needs as a person. You have to live a little to figure that out.

Be prepared to spend most of your time studying because there is no time for slacking.

If I could travel back in time to deliver the sum of my collegiate experience to the frazzled, overworked high school senior I once was, I would have but one message to convey: Above all else, take pride in what you have accomplished and will accomplish, and settle for no less. The world I found myself in upon entering the University of Tennessee was overwhelming, to say the least. The new and interesting people I was to meet and their ways of life were beyond all I could have imagined, and the blur of it all was more than enough to throw me for a loop. At times, the excitement distracted me and even made me feel inferior--like just another face in the crowd of orange and white. It was far easier to find my place and excel when I thought about just what I had accomplished to get where I was and realized that I was more than capable of making my mark in a huge way. Though my first semester was a little rough, all it took was buckling down and refusing to settle for less than my absolute best to transform me into a confident student.

Pick something to major in and stick with it till you achieve it, make sure you understand all the grade requirements to achieve this, and do not buy a car the day befor school starts... overall have fun with every moment.

I would tell myself that college is very different from high school. The people there are more open to new things and the classes are a lot harder than what you expect them to be. Learn your study habits, don't worry about finding friends, and just be prepared to have a good time. Don't stress! Everything will work out in the end.

You were born a psychologist. All your life, you observed others, attempting to understand everything about them, so you wouldn't have to try to understand yourself. Now it is time to learn. Form your own opinions, explore, experiment (safely), and don't take the easy way out. Stop cowering in the corner, afraid that someone will disagree with you. Instead, embrace disagreement, allowing for your beliefs to be questioned and your mind to be opened. This way, you'll differentiate the beliefs you actually hold from the ones you just hopped on the bandwagon. Don't be so stubborn that no amount of good evidence will change your mind, but also don't be afraid to defend your beliefs with good evidence yourself. By now, you have formed your tight group of friends that you hold dearer than life itself, and you're terrified of losing them. You won't. They were there through all your hardships so far, and they will continue being there, just a phone call away. However, don't allow your loyalty get in the way of equally wonderful new friendships. Just as important, you will always have your family, with love, advice, and support.