University of Alabama at Birmingham Top Questions

Please actually pay attention in class and study. Find out your study habits, good and bad, and build on the good and beat away the bad. It will not be as simple as high school so don't kid yourself. Get prepared! Classes will be different so learn to take better notes and then learn to use them to help memorize the material. When you get there, don't be afraid to ask for help. If you need it ask, you will be there to learn not already know it but they do expect you to learn quickly. It will be kind of scary at first but if you work out a schedule and try your best, you should be alright.

If i could go back and talk to myself as a senior in highschool. I would tell myself to enjoy

Dear Khari, I know you're freaking out right now about all the excitement that is senior year, and I can totally understand why, I've been there. But take some time to relax and appreciate how amazing this moment is. Senior year is one of the most exciting times of your life and I hope that you're making the best of it. I know you feel pretty bummed out about not getting any of the scholarships you applied for, or not getting the highest ACT score out of all your friends, but remember, none of that measures your worth as a person. When you get to UAB you'll meet plenty of other kids just like you, and not getting the scholarships you wanted then just serves as motivation to keep trying for the future. You'll get a scholarship some day. You're still a smart, beautiful, and amazing young girl, and I'm just as proud of you then, as I am of us now. You learn that UAB was a great choice for you, and you don't regret your choice at all. Keep up the good work girl. Love you. - Khari

Going into college, I was leaving all my friends behind. My greatest fear was that I was not going to be accepted by others the way that I was accepted by my old friends. I was afraid because I do not drink or go to parties, and college was known for its parties. I didn't want to become someone I wasn't. I wanted to be loved and accepted no matter what my actions were. If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself to trust in God more and to not worry because I am not by myself. When I got to college I realized that many other students prefer not to drink. I was blessed with an abundance of friends who stayed home and studied with me on a friday night. I wish I could go back and make myself less stressed as a high school senior because now I know that college is going to be the best years of my life.

If I could go back in time and offer advice to my former self, I would definitely tell my high school self to be prepared and focused for college. I believe that many people initially think of college as the chance to be free and therefore, do not have limits. The person I am now, older and a bit wiser, would tell my younger self that the main objective for attending college is to obtain a degree to have a greater chance of securing the success of my future. I would put much emphasis on this when speaking to my high school self.

Don't take everything so seriously. Be ready to laugh at yourself. Don't spill your life story to everyone you talk to. Be cautious until you really get to know someone. Don't overreact when someone hurts you. At best, you'll have to apologize to someone. At worst, you'll lose a friend. Don't worry about how many friends you have. Not everyone can be a social butterfly. It is best not to get loaded at parties. Alcohol makes people stupid. Be kind to yourself even if other people aren't. Remember why you are there (at college): to learn. Homework and studying ALWAYS come first.

Dear High School Maegan, College is coming. It's coming fast and it will be here before you know it. Although it is scary at first, it will be the best time of your life. It may not be one of your top priorities right now, but I think you should visit as many college campuses as possible. I really love my school, but sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice. Also, apply for as many scholarships as possible! They may not seem very important right now, but when tuition is due, scholarships help more than you could imagine. Most importantly, do not lose your values. College is full of temptation, frustration, and new experiences. Above all, do not lose who you are and what you believe in. Sometimes it is the best choice to not fall into peer pressure and to create your own path. Always keep your final goal in mind, stay optimistic, and put all of your faith in God.

Always put your work first and pray!

If I could back in time, and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to apply for more scholarships. I am an out-of-state student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and tuition is very pricey. As a high school senior, I applied for numerous scholarships but most, I was not awarded. Paying for college has become very hard for my family and I. Paying for tuition, as well as, daily necessities, such as food or school supplies, has even become a problem. Therefore, I now know that I should have applied earlier for certain scholarships and I should have applied for those of larger amounts.

Dear high school senior me, College is a place to finally embrace yourself. You no longer have to pretend to be something you're not because your "friends" don't accept the real you. By the way, you probably won't hear from anybody you went to high school with after the first month of college. Remember when you were going to apply for all these ivy league schools? You should've because you were smart enough and just as determined as anybody else. Don't put yourself down, you weren't just smart but you studied, neglected your social life and it paid off because you are going to make the honor graduate selection. By the way, I wish you would've used those scholarship lists and applied. Just because a person is smart doesn't mean that money falls in their lap. You have to apply against a thousand other qualified students. Even though there won't be a next time, have a plan A, B, and Z school choice; plan Z as in the plan when everything that could posibly go wrong will!!! Lastly, college is so full of freedom, enjoy it! With love, College You