University of California-Santa Cruz Top Questions

Take a good look at all your options. Don't choose to go to a school just because it's free. College is an investment. I messed up by choosing to accept a basketball scholarship at a community college, and it hurts daily, because I know basketball isn't something I enjoy doing. Now I am stuck at a small community college doing something I do'nt enjoy doing, when I know I had the grades to go wherever I wanted. Because I didn't think I had the finances to go where I wanted, I chose the school where I wouldn't have to worry about paying. Now, I have decided to let go of basketball, and do it the way I should have from the beginning. I am going to do whatever it takes to get into my dream school. At the end of the day, you are only going to be happy doing what you enjoy. Go where you know you will feel comfortable, even if you don’t think you have the financial support. There are many people out there who care, and will help you get where you want!

"Ryan, home will be 300 miles away. You are well aware of the distance, with blind enthusiasm, but can you comprehend it? Can you imagine a life outside of that warm bubble that is Whittier? I'll answer that for you: you can't. A year and a half in, and you willl still be clawing for some sign of stability, a buoy to mediate the ceasless gasps for breath. You are about to be emmersed in a new bubble, a bubble that you will be as unfamiliar with as yourself. So prepare for it while you're warm. Now you of all people will notice the urgency of my language. 'That's not how I talk'. But the urgency is warranted twofold: I am a changed person, and you need to prepare yourself to be a changed person. Prepare youself for the chance visit home, upon which you gaze into a mirror of change: seeing all that has changed since leaving, while it simultaneously stares back. You are beginning the most flux time of your life, in which not even spacial location can chain you down. Prepare to embrace it, for that is all you can do."

If I could go back in time and visit myself, I would emphasize to not stress as much. For those four years I maintained straight As, with the exception of two Bs in a couple math classes, however those grades came at a cost. I was extremely hard on myself to have perfect grades because I wanted a great college education to make money and support my mother (who has no retirement and works extremely hard). This attitude often lead to mental breakdowns and crying during exams due to test anxiety. If I could go back, I would just give my old self a big hug, look myself in the eye, and demand that I relax. Looking back I carried around a lot of unnecessary stress because, academically, things usually ended up working out. Many problems came up outside of school too, like my parents constant custody struggle and my position of being the middleman between two parents who hated each other. I would tell my old self it is okay to cry and feel overwhelmed with my situation, but I would urge that these things just happen in life and sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to my self in high school, I would want to tell myself all the good and bad stuff about college. However, the most vital pieces of information that would have benefitted me if I had known are the following. First, asking questions is the number one way to be able to succeed. We won't always know the answers to everything and we need help at times; thus the only way we can get help is through questions. Getting over the fear of embarassment of asking questions to professors and peers is difficult but is very beneficial to your college career. Secondly, I would tell myself that although I grew up in a prodominently Latino town, there are really amazing people of different cultures and traditions that bring new perspectives into your view. Yes, making friends is always a little mind racking but many other students have similar experiences to yours. So push your self, and set out of your comfort zone because the world is out there for you to see and experience only through asking questions and being open minded.

As a senior, I felt elated to have come so far both physically and mentally. I wanted to make my last year of high school count, so I joined choir, the Drama Club and performed on stage. Looking back, however, with certain college classes held against me, I would have told myself that being on top of the world wasn't everything. I would have told myself to study harder and math and actually do my homework, as that's such an important aspect in college. I would have formed a better sleeping schedule so as to stay healthy. And most importantly, I would have told myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible. College certainly isn't cheap, and being paid minimum wage will only sustain me for so long.

Take it slow. Don't jump on college-life bandwagons. It's a good idea to try new activities, sports, scenes, etc., ( in fact, there's probably no better time to do so) but remember that college life one day transitions into real life. During this transitionary time period, cultivate self-reflection and introspection. Take the time to take a class about something that has always interested you but that you've never had the opportunity to learn about. Accept the challenge to think critically about the world. Be good and go to class. Don't remain anonymous: professors and TAs have office hours for a reason. Go to them. Find a good coffee shop where you can do your schoolwork, because it's not always easy to do it in the dorms. Stay up-to-date on campus news. Join your college's student government. Do at least one semester of an internship in something that interests you. Keep in contact with your family and friends from home, but don't stay attached at the hip. Go out and discover yourself! Make college the best time of your life!

I would tell myself not to stress so much. In the end, any question I had was answered at freshman orientation and I've made some life-long friends at an incredible campus. More importantly though, I would remember to make use of lab sections and professors' office hours as being in a math intensive major ensures many confused hours in the library. TAs and professors are always happy to help demystify the homework--they were all there before!

The only real usefull advice I think I could give myself, knowing how well I take advice, would be to work harder. I'm a stubborn kid that likes to learn for myself, but I'm also a work -a-holic. So the only usefull advice I would have listend to would to just work harder, because the harder you work now, the easier it can get later.

If I could go back in time, I would tell my highschool version of myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible, to think things through before making a big desicion. Sometimes we feel as though we know everything but the real thing is that we know nothing unless we actually do our homework on it. Some opportunities were missed due to lack of not knowing. Always take in play the advice that elders give you. Although you may think they know nothing, they actually know more that you think. Be very hard working, and don't let anyone tell you that you can't. You must succeed regardless of what anyone says to you.

Never give up. People in life will tell you that you can't achieve your dreams. You can achieve anything you set your mind to, and to actually achieve greatness you have to believe you can do it. It may hurt, you may be tired, or even miss a day out with friends, but in order to be the best at whatever your dream is, you have got to give it everything you got. It's easy to be strong when everything is going well, but your true strength shows when you fall down and get back up. Don't hesitate make it a habit that you are there to stay and you will not give up until you reach your dreams, whether it is to graduate college with a 4.0 GPA, compete at the olympics, or become the parent of a family that you love. Don't start tomorrow, start today. There is only one person that can stop you from fulfilling your dreams and that is yourself. How bad do you want it?