University of California-Los Angeles Top Questions

The following was found under my bed while packing. Hi! You know me, but to make things short, here's a list of things you must know before transitioning into college: Dorms: 1. When you meet new people during your first week, remember their names! It's awkward to ask them again three weeks later. 2. DO NOT leave your water filter by the window unless you want green scum to grow. 3. When you get stuck in the elevator, don't panic: pull open the door, kick it while it's closing, voila. School: 1. DO NOT think enrolling into chemistry your first quarter is a good idea. Not only are you competing against engineers, but also the unfortunate kids who thought taking chemistry their first quarter was also a good idea. 2. You do not need to raise your hand to go to the restroom. 3. Look at a map and the dining schedule BEFORE picking your classes; you'll resent running across campus twice a day. I know this will help you. Don't stress. Life is more than grades, and I know you will realize that soon. Love, Well let's just say, a dear friend.

The study habits you create now will follow you through college, so work harder. You have always just gotten by with learning in class, but college is different. You have to go above and beyond what you think you need just to reach proficiency; so much more outside studying is necessary. There are a lot of other people as smart or smarter than you and you will be fine just as long as you are not just smart but also hard-working. All the little plans you make in your head about studying before college, about preparing yourself, do it. Make them activities not just plans. Balance yourself out. Study hard, exercise, eat, sleep, have fun, make friends, participate. I promise you that by managing your time, you will have the most fun. This sounds clich?, but I would not be telling you if it really does not help. Adjusting is hard, and I do not want you to find out when it is too late and you have made the wrong decisions. Surround yourself with people that care about school and want to live a wholesome life like you and you will stay grounded and accomplish everything you want.

Hey Cathryne, I'm your future Cathryne who is attending UCLA. I want to advise you on some things I wish I would have known before going to college. I was you a year ago and your study habits are a little off. No cramming. In college, intrustors give cummulative finals which cover everything you've learned. Crammed information usually leaves the second you're done taking a test, then when finals come around, you're stuck struggling to cram. You may have told yourself that you would not party much because it would get in the ways of your studies, but as your future Cathryne, you did it and your future grades can witness it. Party, but prioritize. Just because you're ranked at the top of your class now, it doesn't mean you will be in college. Don't let those who you are competing with intimidate you. Oh, you may have your mind set on Biology now, but keep an open mind because you might feel a change of heart in college. Don't let our family tell you that you need to be a doctor. Oh, Kappa Delta is awesome! Sincerely, Cathryne Chao ( of 2010)

?Go Bruins! Beat the Bears!? We chanted at the Rose Bowl. As an incoming freshman, I did not think school spirit would be as strong on such a large campus. However, I realized becoming a Bruin meant we always stand together, and gain the intrinsic disdain towards the Trojans from across town. The days following my becoming a Bruin were like an adventure, moving on to campus, first day of class, meeting new friends, each day more exciting than the previous one, until reality caught up, the week of November 18th. UC President announced the fee hike, as an out of state, loans were already overwhelming, but with this increment education was becoming unaffordable. Having fully comprehended beforehand about the financial hardship college was, I would have prepared a better financial plan, applied for scholarships and researched other financial resources. Not alone with this unavoidable stress, we all came together protesting against the increase, our former rivals from Berkeley became our allies standing alongside us, together against the system. However, the UC system is not solely responsible for my financial situation; I could have been more prepared. If I could do it again, this time I would definitely plan ahead.

Dear high school self, Captain Jack Sparrow once said (and you once repeated as your yearbook quote), "Bring me that horizon,? as if you stood on the periphery of some grand adventure. I suppose that?s one way of summating your senior year. It's hard to believe that you juggled yearbook, Scouts, piano, AP courses - and all within an 11 p.m. curfew? Now that's impressive. Yet for everything you did, you lived in a bubble constructed within the confines of high school. Coming to UCLA will be bewildering and surreal, but it can be sensational, too. On the cusp of entering college, you merely looked to the horizon, but wishful thinking won't bring it to you. No, you must approach it yourself. Let UCLA deluge you, even overwhelm you with its m?lange of choices. It might be difficult to find a niche, but just relax. Try it all. Do kickboxing instead of tennis, study Greek classics as well as linguistics, attend frisbee tournaments along with football games ? and yes, even venture out past 11 p.m. to indulge a craving for frozen yogurt and therein find fulfillment in your pursuit of that horizon. Cheers, Katherine

I remember being a high school senior and being overwhelmed by the idea of going off to college. Back then, I felt that I had to be on a singular track: graduate high school, go directly to a 4-year college, finish college and get a job. The truth is, it doesn?t have to be that way. Not having any parental financial support, it was a hard concept to grasp that it was possible to pay for my college education by myself. Luckily, with some research into other options, I found that junior college was a cheaper alternative and that I could transfer to a University after two years. After enrolling in junior college, I was able to work full-time while taking classes in the evenings and on weekends and saved up some money. It took me three years total to finish my general education requirements, but I was able to transfer to a top-tier school with money in my pocket. Looking back on it, I wish I would have explored my alternative sooner and saved myself a lot of worry and stress during my senior year of high school.

Don't worry about having a date to dances, because if it makes you happy, then nothing else should matter. Don't be afraid to act crazier with your friends; remember that time you danced in the rain with your friends in the school parking lot? Those are the memories that will make your high school years what they were. Don?t be afraid to wear that crazy pair of red jeans you found at the thrift store to school. Don't forget to thank mom and dad for driving you around to all your track meets, leadership events, and birthday parties. Don't be ashamed of eating in the yearbook classroom during lunch. You were always too busy feeling ashamed about where you sat rather than who you were with that you couldn't fully appreciate the time you spent with your best friends. So most importantly, do love the time you spend with your friends and family, and let them know they are loved.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior I would tell myself how important it is to stay organized with school work and prioratize time. I would advise myself to find people to carpool to school with, which would help save me time and money. I would remind myself not to become discouraged. I am currently in a Nursing Program that takes about 101{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of our time. It is really very easy to becommed overstressed and discouraged. I would remind myself to not get discouraged and perservere with my education, because in the end it will all be worth it.

This is a tough question because I believe that everything happens for a reason and changing the past, despite how small the change may be, will definitely affect the future. Who knows if the advice I would give myself would change who I was; thus, losing that spark UCLA found in me. I know I made many mistakes in my high school years, especially as a senior, but these mistakes contributed to my present; never having made them would have led me to a different path. I would advice myself to read every day so that by the time I reached college I would be use to it because there is A LOT of reading in college. Reading is key here, so if you are not use to it, it becomes a great obstacle you must overcome. But, what would happen if I took this advice and became a "book-worm"? I may have scored higher in the SATs, but would I have participated in so many extracurricular activities? No one will ever know the answer to this question; what matters are not the "what if" questions, but rather the "what did" facts. Honestly, I would not advice myself anything.

I am satisfied with my college career thus far and belive that I have made all the right turns in life to get where I am today. I needed to hit those high speed bumbs, and curvy roads to see the staight path to my success. From my own standpoint, if I could tell myself one thing, it would be to "Listen to your heart. Follow your dreams and don't let anyone or anything stop you. Nobody can create your future better that yourself. Be open to new ideas and challenge everything you can". I would say this to myself because it would have made my educational experience, in the begining, a better learning experience. It is important for the individual to observe, learn, and react. To do all three makes for a great academic career, any one left out can leave one wondering what they got from their college years.