University of California-Santa Cruz Top Questions

If i could go back to 2004 when I was a high school senior, I would tell myself to smile more and enjoy life. At 18 everyone should be enjoying their time being young and not stressing about how to pay for school or your family problems. If I was more relaxed, calm and happy I believe I would be much farther along with my college education then I currently am today. I am 25 years old now and I realize that life wasn't hard or complicated then. Getting a college education is the most important thing any young adult or adult can do. Smile, be happy and enjoy your life and that will make college and the transition much easier.

Take things one step at a time. Do not rush yourself or think too far ahead in the future. Stay present and focus on what is important right here, right now, not 5 years from now. Take your time deciding what to do. Always be open and try new things. Study as many different things and learn as much as possible.

I would've told myself to not be so uptight and rigid about my life. I remember being so wrapped up in making sure that I got into college that most of the time, I forgot how to be a teen. I forgot to have fun with my friends, that taking breaks was ok, and and that it was ok to be stupid from time to time. When I did let loose, I was so rigid that I felt so far away from everyone else in the room. But that's then and now that college is at my front door, I realize that after this summer, I really will be a adult with school and real adult responsibilities. I realize now that its those loose, fun moments with people and friends in between work that makes life more fulfilling. And God knows, I've missed a lot of those moments. So high-school me, never forget how to have fun. You don't wanna be the grouchy old lady that holds your grandkids on a leash all the time. Let loose. Be free.

Everything you've ever heard about college is how great it is. The parties, the freedom, the maturity of being around older students have always sounded so perfect and enticing. But what you don't realize is that going to college is a huge change, regardless of how ready you think you might be. Moving away from home will be a frightening experience. You'll have to meet all new friends, a new room, new food, new classes, a whole new system. It will take a good bit of time to adjust to your new setting. But don't be discouraged. Once you get past the fear, college is a fantastic environment for personal growth. It offers a chance to take a wide variety of unique classes, insight into new cultures and new social groups as well as the creation of a new family within your school. Once you find your niche, you'll understand why you've only ever heard good things. Just keep your chin up and enjoy the rest of your senior year. Oh, and this summer when you're contemplating what to pack for school, keep in mind you'll only have one closet.

If I could go back to my senior year in high school, I would tell myself to take college more seriously throughout the journey rather that mess around the first year and think I was big man on campus. I would tell myself to take advantage of the college and career center at my high school and fill out as many scholarship applications that I could, that way when I did reach college, I wasn't worring about how to pay for classes, books, and other materials needed. I would also tell myself to pick one major and stick with it till I am finished, unlike my 3 majors and 1 minor I decided to persue. I would remind myself that I can always persue another major in the future if I get tired of the field I majored in at first. Last but no least, I would tell myself to STUDY!!!! Listening to my high school teachers advice about studying. It always pays off in the end.

I would tell my high shool senior self to take things more seriously. Like I did but I wish I applied for more scholorships. After my first year I already have over $8000 in loans. College life and transitional wise, I would of had more fun with my friends during the summer because I didn't realize how much I missed them (I spent over 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my summer with my family). Basically, spent as much time as with people life doesn't give you a chance to hang out with. And taking a summer class would take a class off the requirements, it eases the stress of trying to figure out which classes to take.

I have just been in college about 6 months and it has been a lot of work. In high school teacherts scare you about the amount of workload there is going to be and the amount of stress one will go through. Although not the workload i expected, college work is difficult. Looking back now i would have paid more attention in my AP classes. I would not have slacked off in high school, because now everything is harder. I would also tell myself that being homesick was just a phase. That was my fear coming to college. Being 6 hours away and i was afraid i would go back home. I would just tell myself that it was a phase i would get past because now i am fine. I was also afraid of coming to college. Afraid of failure. Now that i am here i know that i have made it this far so no need to quit. I am glad im in college and would not quit.

I would say stay in school. College is not a choice, it's a right of passage. All the jobs and careers that you would want to do in life, you will have to go to college. So get in over with.

I would start off by telling myself to not assume that the college workload is just a little bit harder than the amount of work administered to in high school. Although college offers a lot more free time and fewer classes each quarter/semester, falling behind is a lot easier and catching up is nearly impossible. I would tell myself that time management is probably the most important aspect in college. As long as you manage your time, your college life will run smoother with much less stress involved. Another important piece of advice I would give myself is not give in to peer pressure. Yes we were taught to not give into peer pressure in middle school and high school, but there is even more peer pressure in college. Especially since you will be living on your own for the first time and will be making your own choices with no guidance except your own friends, which leads to my next piece of advice. Choose your friends wisely! They are an essential part of your life in college and without them, you might lose your sense of what is wrong or right.

If I were to go back in time when I was a senior in high school, I would tell myself that my abilities all comes from my own will. I would have done more in college and have achieved more if someone had told me that college is gateway for your own success and the only way to succeed is to try hard. I would have started to join more club and get myself more associated with the extra free help that is available for students to help prepare themselves for the future. I would have done more internships to get myselve prepared for the real world and perhaps work at the same company that I have interned for to secure myself with a career, instead of being in a limbo. If I was the apply myself at the start of college, I could have been one of the many people who succeed after college or even progressed without college like Mark Zuckerberg.