University of Arizona Top Questions

My biggest advice to myself would be-BE OPEN MINDED. As a high school senior, I had expectations on how college life was going to be. I thought I would instantly find a group of friends, go out every weekend, and have my nose in the books during the week. Well I am a semester in and these expectations had gotten me no where. When I first started college I wish I would have been more open minded about joining clubs and getting envolved, instead of letting other peoples opinions and experiences affect my own.

If I were to meet the 17-year old me, I would tell myself to, "Cool it!" As a young adult, I desperately wanted to be self-sufficient. Going into college all the way acoss the country, I assumed all the responsibilities at once and as a result, it made my college experience stifled and lonely. My father offered to help me pay for my tuition, but I chose the independent route to work and try to take full time classes. As you can guess, I burned out within two years, failed out of two whole semesters, then realized the mistake I had made. For an incomming freshman (like or unlike my former self), I would advise to take the generosity of your family with all enthusiams. Take advantage of your new school's social and academic programs and make THAT into your new priority. Make sure to combine your academics with your social life, and get to know others within your program well, for they will come to be a dual asset in both aspects of your life. And lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help. It is humbling, but it will save you in the end.

follow your dreams and never limit yourself. Always ask for help if need to and dont be shy. The the reseach on anything you plan to do and make sure you review all your options before making a decision. Focus more in school and not so much on what others plan to do that might push you off road.And most of all, Think your your future and plan a head. If you stay back and think of what others are doing you might not succeed on the way you wanted.

Well, if I know what I know about college and making the transition, I would tell myself to stay focus, have a strong and positive attitude towards a better education. Also I would tell myself that I will need a college degree instead of relying on just a high school dipolma. I think my advice would have made me a much better student and it would have driven me to push myself a little harder. I really think if I have use my advice back in high school; I really would be still in school, but almost finish with my degree. My advice would have taken me very far, not only to benefit myself and my family, but I want my career to help others.

I would tell myself to learn to study and not procrastinate! I think that's the biggest problem I have, is that I flew by high school with no problems, hardly studying, all my teachers bugging me about getting things done and wanting to know who I am. In college, you have to make the effort to know your teachers and make them notice you, or you'll just slide through. Then, you have to motivate yourself to get work done since you don't have parents or teachers encouraging it. You also have to worry about deadlines because college is less forgiving; if you forget then there's generally not late work accepted or extra credit opportunities. In highschool, the teachers know eachother and know when eachother's tests/homework are so they can plan around eachother and you're not as stressed out. In college, you could have a 2 midterms and a ten page paper due all in one week, and you have to plan ahead and not procrastinate studying or doing homework. I'm learning how to adapt to college still as a sophomore, so motivate yourself and don't get in the habit of procrastinating!

Why did you not clean your room and do your own laundry when mom told you to do so? Why did you avoid the dishes at all causes and not help with dinner? The transition to college life encompasses white shirts that are now pink, mounds of clothes that get mixed in with your roommates, ice cream for dinner, and piles of dirty dishes that are endless. The hardest thing about the transition to college life is learning to do everything myself. Mom is not there anymore to pack my lunch, do my laundry, or tell me to clean my room. In college it is all about self motivation. Without motivation the piles of dirty dishes only stack up and your diet only keeps adding pounds. Without motivation you sleep through your classes or choose to watch the new season of Glee rather than go to math class. College is all about wanting to be here and learning to take on the responsibilities of everyday life. If I listened to my mom when she told me to do my own laundry or do the dishes I may not have to face discolored shirts or dirty dishes in my room.

College is full of opportunities, both good and bad. It is very important to have self-descipline because unlike high school, it is full of a lot more peer pressure. Without self-descipline you won't be able to avoid distractions and you'll have a lot of regrets making bad descisions. Be ready as well to be assigned homework and having to motivate yourself to do it with the knowledge that homework counts for nothing; not directly at least. If you don't do your homework, prepare to fail. No matter how far away from home you go, as long as you are in the dorms or staying away from your house, a lot more responsibility is thrown on your shoulders than you expect. Mom and dad aren't there anymore to make your appointments and take care of you when you are sick (especially when you get kidney stones). The best advice I can give though is to plan on having fun in college and not to stress about going somewhere different than all your friends. It all works out great.

I really wish I could go back in time, I have had an awesome time at the University but I have committed various mistakes and during my undecided times I was not guided the way I would have liked to have been guided by my advisors. This caused me a great deal of pain and eventually depression to which I have fought over the past 2 years; because of that If I had the chance to go back in time, I would have followed my heart and had started school pursuing the degree I am currently working on, Graphic Design. Instead I stubbornly tried to become an Aerospace Engineer and as I was discovering, the hard way, that I was not cut out for it my grades were affected and together with some misfortunate life events I slowly plumed into depression. Now in my new Major I’m doing fantastic, my GPA and grades have drastically improved and I have the desire to eventually graduate and create a career for myself. In summary, like I mentioned, my best advice would be to follow my heart because doing what you love really pays off.

I thought my transition would be easy since I've lived in Tucson my whole life, but I was wrong once I stepped foot on campus. I felt like a complete stranger. I would tell my high school self to get involved from the beginning. There is no better way to feel like a part of the campus community as belonging to clubs, sports, or organizations. Since I lived off campus, I let a long time pass before I took the initiative to join clubs and regret not doing it sooner. I would also tell myself to not be afraid of getitng help. I wish I would have used the extensive amount of tutoring hours, professors’ office time, and study groups instead of being stubborn and trying to figure it out myself. Nonetheless, the most important thing is to be more independent, self sufficient, and not expect things to be handed easily. If you need help, look for it. If you want friends, make an effort. If you want an A, put in the time for it. High school and college are two different worlds, but what you put into it is what you’ll get out of it.

Knowing what I know now I would tell myself to taking more community college classes to see what I enjoy. I was accepted into my university as an English major, then changed to Pre-Vet, Latin American Studies and the list goes on and on. I didn't have a focus and I loved to many majors to choose. As a result I have delayed my graduation a semester or more. Organization and seeking out opportunities that interest you should have been a priority when I was in high school, and not just having a haunch. Also, I starte working at 16 years old to help my single mother out, but if I could have saved some extra money that would have helped, or possibly searching for more scholarships to apply for. Additionally, in regards to community college, I would have told myself to take as many general education classes at the community college level and transer them, that way I could focus on my major more and start studying what I adore.