University of California-Irvine Top Questions

I would tell myself that I should be grateful to everything that has happened to me. Although I did not get accepted to the colleges that I wanted to go, I still got accepted to a good college, UCI. Therefore, I should be thankful and live my life with gratitude. Also, even though my family is poor and my dad was unable to get me a car, and therefore I am stuck with my bicycle, I still should be thankful to that because there are so many people out there who cannot go to college because they have financial trouble. Basically, I would just give myself advice that even though I do not have sufficient money, I still should be thankful to everything because there are so many people out there whose lives are much worse than mine.

You'll regret the things you don't do. Start good habits because they stick. Don't pass up an opportunity to go home and visit family. Call home and keep your mom and dad updated about your life. Buy your parking pass early. Sit up straight. Sleeping before a midterm is better than cramming. Try to eat healthy at least once a week. Go to office hours. Attend school rallys. Participate in class. Take a campus tour. Watch a soccer game. Meet your mascot. Take a class at the recreation center. Talk to that girl. Ask her out to lunch. "No" is just another word in the english language. Learn how to forgive. Be bold. BE bold. BE BOLD. Because at the end of the day, you'll regret the things you don't do.

Should I watch TV or read for English class? It would be at this very moment, I would say, "READ!" Unfortunately, I chose the other. Coming into UCI, I was so eager for a fresh start: new friends, new campus, and a chance to make my own at this university. It was everything I was waiting for during those last few months of senior year and it was finally here. Living in the dorm, partying with my friends, and no parental supervision? It seemed surreal. As a result, my academics paid a price. Flash forward four weeks later and I'm about to take my first midterm for a class that I don't even know what's going on! I was so used to making decisions that seemed fun at the time, but looking back, I wish I chose to forgo that one hour of TV and instead focus on my academics. It would have instilled a better work ethic in me which down the road would have helped me immensely during my freshmen year rather than learning it the hard way. College is what you make out of it,so make it count, make a difference.

The best advice I could have given to myself would have been to enjoy myself during my first year. Enjoy my classes, enjoy my friends, enjoy the changes that occur. Freshman year is the only time really that one has to experiment with no limits, and I would have told myself to take advantage of that. Take classes that have nothing to do with an intended major and see what you like. Make friends with and talk to people that you normally wouldn't have in high school. Put yourself in situations and join clubs that you would have been afraid to otherwise. After first year, normally students start cracking down on themselves to get the grades for graduate school and find a direction in life. Freshman year is a great time to look for and find things that will influence those kinds of big decisions. And at the same time, you create memories that you will have with you for the rest of your life and learn valuable lessons. There is nothing that can replace that.

I would better prepare myself for the work load and have a good understanding of how different a 2-year and 4-year really is.

It is only as hard as you make it out to be, focus, understand and always ask questions, when you get a chance.

If I could give my high school self some advice about college there are several things I would say. First of all, I would tell myself to find a good place to dedicate solely to work. That way, I would get into the habit of going there often and working until I was finished. Next, I would tell myself to do all of the reading and homework assignments, even if they aren’t required. I was too lazy at first to do this optional work. Then I would be unprepared for class discussions and tests about the reading. If I had begun a regimen of homework earlier, I would have been ahead of the game. Finally, take I would tell myself to everything in stride. There’s a lot of work to do, but I shouldn’t let it stress me out. Take things one at a time and find plenty of time for relaxation. In other words, work out a balanced schedule of work and play. I know I’m smart enough to do well in college in the future, even more so now with all this great advice!

Do more research on the colleges that I was intrested in, by become a regular visitor to the school counselor asking a hundred thousand more questions. Start looking for scholarships much earlier. When looking at colleges compare and contrast the tution cost, housing, academics, and other programs that the college may offer. I would decide on maybe a little bit bigger college and also pick one thats a bit farther from home so Im not distracted by prue pressure as much. Find a part time job and a good running car because its not easy being dependable on others to make sure you make it to class every day. Studing and showing up wanting to learn is up to you, if you waste your time its your own falt and your only hurting yourself. Time is what you make of it and studying and many hours of home work out of class is what is need to be sucessfull in prusing your dreams in college. Relying on yourself is what you find yourself doing while attending college, taking your time, patience, listening and learning skills, and most imporatn your depenability!

I would tell my high school self to be prepared for anything. College is the most amazing experience ever but it really depends on how open you are with new experiences. There will be tears, both happy and sad. There will be amazing people and people you wish you had never met but all of them teach you something about yourself. Situations you find yourself in and experiences you allow yourself to have will be the most tortuous, amazing, horrible, wonderful times of your life. Let yourself open up and don't worry so much about what other people think. You know what you stand for and how important things are to you so don't hold yourself back just because you're scared of what other people are going to think about you. You'll still find wonderful friends who will stick with you until the end and longer. Don't give in to others but don't hold yourself back either. Study hard and have fun. You'll enjoy yourself when you figure out how to balance the two.

Never put yourself in box. Open up your mind to new things, and eventually you'll find what you love to do, and people who'll support you along the way. You might not know what your future holds or what you're going to do for the rest of your life, but all you need to do is trust yourself. Don't try too hard because the pieces will fall into place once you follow your heart and your passions. You're going to find many passions you never thought you would have, but you're going to enjoy doing them all. Not only that, learn the importance of confidence for your self and compassion for others. You will make such a big impact on the people around you, so don't ever forget to maintain your values and moral standards. Be true to who you are and you'll never need to change yourself for anybody else. Lastly, love and appreciate all people, friends and foes. You gain so much from both, so don't take anybody for granted. Eventually, you'll find youself exactly where you want to be.