University of Delaware Top Questions

Sitting with friends senior year. These are girls who know exactly what they want to do, who know exactly where they are heading, and who know that they will achieve success because unlike me, they have a plan. My plan? Well, it was "under construction", until I was accepted into UDel. I've spent my entire life being different. I'm independent, a trait that has been hard to acquire but a blessing to hold, whereas most people I've encountered have had a wealth of parental financial support to keep their plans afloat. This independence was the deciding factor in my pursuit of college, because I knew I'd be on my own in financing it. I've been working since I was 14, and if I could give myself advice about the college transition, it would be this: Save money. Not exactly philosophical, but the best advice I can conjure. I face financial hardship every semester, and I know that if I had saved more and spent less, I might not face such difficulties. Most people will respond to this question with something profound, but in the face of reality, my advice would be to save, save, save.

Honestly, I am not a very social person and although I can be very fun, it takes me a while to open up. I chose a college in which I knew almost no one attending. If I could tell myself what to do, I would have recommended that I attend a college in which I have friends who could keep me motivated to make even more. I would also consider rooming with someone I knew. Although rooming with your best friend sometimes causes problems, I would feel much more comfortable with someone closer in likeness to myself. I would also tell myself to go in-state, because I am already up to my ears in loans and I have not even finished my first year. College can be scary, but one just has to be confident and put effort into making his or her experience genuinely special.

Looking back, there are several pieces of advice that I would provide to myself as a high school senior. First and foremost, I would have told myself to stay calm, composed, collected, and not to worry as much as I did about the college experience. While college is a difficult endeavor and as a senior in high school, or even a freshman in college, the experience seems quite daunting, it is not impossible and it is quite feasible to thrive and succeed in this type of environment. Secondly, I would tell myself to never doubt my capabilities. At orientation for college, I began to feel as though I was unprepared for the college experience, which only heightened my sense of anxiety. I think that if I had told myself as a senior in high school that I was perfectly capable and as ready as ever for college, it would have calmed me down a little bit more. Next, I would tell myself to be more outgoing than I was in high school and to make as much of the experience as possible. Having good friends really makes the college experience much better. Finally, I would tell myself to work hard.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would, first, tell myself to relax. I was always stressed as a senior because I was afraid of the changes that college would bring, but I am proud to say that college has brought me nothing but happiness and prosperity. I thought the changes would ruin my life, but I was wrong. These changes help me grow both internally and externally every day. I would also tell myself to not be afraid of leaving home. Living two hours away from my family and friends has made my relationships with them so much stronger and meaningful. I, now, appreciate everyone so much more, and I value each relationship I have genuinely. I would tell myself that although I would lose some friends in the near future, I would also be making new ones. I would tell myself to never take anyone or anything for granted. Lastly, I would myself to take advantage of every second and opportunity I am offered in life because tomorrow is not promised, and I do not want to miss out on anything.

Time: it passes quickly and cannot be recaptured. Senior year is an unforgettable time. It is so hectic and yet so wonderful all at once. Yet, your entire future hinges on the choices that you make in those short ten months and how you manage your time. Even though you are seventeen or eighteen, you have to make very adult decisions. How effectively do you work at the SAT books and online questions? How many times do you take the SAT? How much time do you devote to school work? How much time for parties and sports? I learned that managing your time is the most important path to success. I had to learn it the hard way. While I was a good student that maintained a 3.4 GPA, I know now that working just a little harder, would have opened opportunities to me that I did not get because I did not achieve a 3.8 or 4.0. Sure, parties and sports are important to a well rounded personality, but so is classwork and preparing for college. It is your future.

Travel the world and experience new cultures because you will not regret it. Go out the night before an exam because the best way to learn is from personal experience. Spend a full twenty-four hours with your roommate because she will probably be one of your bridesmaids. Don't skip class and stay in on a Friday night to study more because you will be satisfied with your grades. Kiss the cute fraternity boy because he might be your first love. Be super involved throughout college and try different clubs because you might find a new hobby or calling. Stay busy all the time because you have plenty of time after college to lounge around. Get on a personal level with your professors because they are extremely wise and are there to help you. Part if college is preparing yourself to be constantly stressed, emotional, and broke. An education is an extraordinary opportunity, but it is certainly not cheap. Do everything and anything. Use your time at college to find out who you are and what you want from life. Make the absolute, one hundred percent most of your college years because they won't last forever.

I would let myself know that college classes unlike the ones i took in high school are actually a challenge meaning that i need to actually do all the work, show up to class, pay attention, take notes, and study. I would also remind myself that in college my parent would not be there to set my alarm in the morning, clean my room or do my laundry. Most importantly i would tell myself not to waste all food points in the first month and end up with only single meal per day.

When I graduated high school there were many things that I took for granted. I expected to be done fast, party hard all the time and that since high school was a breeze then college couldn't be that much harder. Knowing what I know now I need to let myself know how much harder things can actually be. The most important thing that I would need to tell myself is that to get what you want out of the experience you need to focus and dedicate the proper time necessary. Really think about what you enjoy doing and take time to pick your future. Just because you're good at something doesn't always make it the best thing to do. Think about what I actually enjoy doing that wont make everyday a nightmare for myself. I made choices for a girl and in the end i have taken longer to get where i need to be while she made the choices for herself and she is further along than I am. So in a nutshell I think I would tell myself to not worry about what everyone else wants and to do what is right for me.

I know a lot of people would go back and tell themselves to pay attention in school and stop partying, but for me I would tell myself the opposite. I lived at home with my parents to save money, and so missed out on a lot of opportunities such as making new friends and joining clubs and things like that. I would go back and tell myself to go ahead and live on campus, but warn myself to study just as hard as I did when I lived with my parents. I think having a balanced college life of studying and fun is important, and I simply missed out on that the first time around. Now that I am a little bit older and getting a second degree, I understand that.

The most important advice I would give myself would be to have faith in yourself. When the school workload hits you that first semester, when you get your first bad grade, when you need to sacrifice your social life; it all can combine into one giant stress ball that makes you loose confidence and loose track of what is really important in life. If you believe in yourself, work hard, and keep your priorities straight (for example, one bad grade does not mean you should give up), you'll go far. Breathe, and don't panic. It'll all work out in the long run.