University of California-Irvine Top Questions

Although I have only been graduated for less than a year, I find my take of college so far has left me with a very different, but strong mindset. If I could go back to my senior year I would advise my self to keep my chin up because high school is not for everyone, but college can be. College is truly what you make it, the opportunities you take and relationships you make will follow you for the rest of your life. College is personalized; it is about you, your education, and making something of yourself! The only person who has the power to hold you back from your life's desires is yourself. Do not let that happen! You, only you have that power over your life. In the end, if you are not happy with your life's story, you will only have yourself to blame. So be brave, be empowered, be constantly inspired. Most of all, never let anyone hold you back from all that you want from the world, the only way they will ever get that power is if you personally hand it to them. Cherish that power and hand it to no one.

As a high school senior, I never took the opportunity to refine my test techniques, reading routines or improving my writing. Strengthening these skills in high school would have given me a greater preparation and less of a struggle in college. I did not take advantage of the resources available for me to enhance my study skills in high school that could have helped me better succeed as a college student. Getting more involved with academics would have greatly changed my experience at the beginning of college; for example, going to after school programs, such as workshops, that offered tips, guides, and help on school work. Or asking for advice from my teachers on how to improve. If I could go back as a high school senior, I would advise myself to invest time and effort to gain more effective studying strategies.

Enjoy the time you had at home. You are going to miss your family greatly. Don't take them for granted. Always remember to trust in the Lord. Because he has great plans for you. Just enjoy everything from home because soon you are going to be far away from everything that you know. Also your leadership skills will be put to the test while in college so practice them in high school. And don't forget to have fun.

Be outgoing and be the first to strike up a conversation with someone. People will remember that you were nice and friendly, and will gain a good impression of you. Remember, everyone is just as shy or afraid as you are. Therefore, just be comfortable in your own skin. People can sense confidence, and it's always attractive. At the beginning of the week, write down all of the assignments that are due and break it up into manageable daily chunks. Find a club that is centered around your favorite activity, or something that you've always wanted to try. You'll have fun doing something you love with people who also share your interests. You will also have fun trying something new and gaining meaningful memories out of it. Just because you aren't dorming doesn't mean you can't have fun or be social too. Be sure to take risks and not spend all of your time studying. College is a time of learning and self discovery.

If I could back and give myself some advice it would be most to learn how to manage my time better and to never give up and lose track of where I came from and what I have accomplished. I would start of by saying "Reyes, you had a great experience in High School and will soon begin a new chapter of your life. Do not be discouraged if you are away from your family, and if you ever feel that you are alone you are not." That would be the biggest advice I would give myself. I would say this to myself so I know that no matter how hard school may get, I can accomplish anything with a little bit of perseverance, support, and time management. I would tell myself to use everything I have been through to fuel my passions, and to overcome any obstacle that is thrown my way. You have made it this far and can accomplish so much more. You are never alone, your family is proud of you. NO matter what happens win or lose, pass or fail, you tried and that is what you need to do in order to succeed.

Hey Jane, I'm telling you this all from experience so please listen to me. You have to do better and work harder, way harder, than you did this year. Don't expect that you will get the grade you are getting now. Give yourself a huge goal, but always remember that it's okay to not be successful in the first try. Also make a lot of friends on the first few weeks, because they will help you enjoy college life by relieving your stress. GPA is important, but stress can destroy your GPA also. Always remember that you are not the most stupid girl in the class, so ask a lot of questions. Good luck!

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have so much to say. I would tell myself that nothing is impossible that there is so much change and so much at stake but in the end everything turns out alright as long as you do your best. So I would tell myself to prepare for the physical and mental strain that will come but to never give up and always keep your head up. Things will get tough and life may throw you down but always get back up. I would also tell myself to always remeber that family is always there and that family is very important. When you transition from high school to actually living on your own it can be overwhelming and a bit scary but be open with others and they will open up to you. Also it will be very challenging once you enter a university so do not give up when the going gets tough. I woild also tell myself to try my best and to study as much as I can and to seek help. Do not change your determination that you have always carried.

If I could give my high school senior self advice on what to do to transition smoothly would be to do all the work as quickly as you can. It can be difficult but learn how to time manage and push the things that distract you a bit farther because you will always have time for that later. I would also advise to stay healthy fit because you have way more energy to do things and it builds confidence. To try the craziest things you can because you might like them and it will expand you to different values and beliefs. To not dwell to much on the little things like bad grade or a fight with a friend because those are moments you could have had done so much that would make you smile. However, the most important piece of advice you can get would be to understand that; all people have different thoughts of things and, the best thing you can do is be quiet and listen to what they have to say. It is wise to listen and think to everything people say you always learn the most that way.

I would have told my highschool self to tune out the distractions and focus on studying, getting a high GPA, and doing as well as I could in my classes in addition to doing extracurricular and volunteer work to better prepare myself for college. I would have made sure I reasearched all my options and aquired the information I needed to transition and apply to schools. I would have encouraged myself to reach out to advisors and counselors for advice. Last but not least, I would have planned early, had a clear path in mind, and worked hard to get to it rather than leave myself to figure it all out without help as I have had to do.

If I could go back in time and speak to my high school self, I would have a mountain of advice to give. To begin with, in high school it was a lot easier to get by without trying your hardest, or completing your assignments to the best of your ability. The main transition that I had was associated with studying. In college, studying is the number one aspect behind being successful. During high school I wish I would have studied a lot more often then I did, allowing me to be able to learn about many different techniques and different ways in going about test taking. Aside from that, I would have also advised myself to do a lot more reading, in order to be a little bit more familiar with the work load of reading that is expected from in college, and not feel like it was something that I would not be able to manage. All in all, high school is a lot different then college, and doing as much as you can do to prepare yourself during your high school years will make your college experience a lot more enjoyable.