University of Florida Top Questions

The first thing I would tell myself as a highschool senior would be to appreciate my parents more. Once I left my house and moved five and a half hours away, I got a little homesick. Also, I would tell myself to thank my father more often for the food he would cook every night because cooking by yourself is significantly harder. It woud also have been nice to watch him cook dinner so I could eat things besides chicken breast every night and peanut butter sandwiches every morning. Furthermore I would tell myself to go out with my friends more often since going to college would severely limit how often I would be able to see them. Finallly, I would warn myself of all the things that go on in college that could distract me from my studies and to really focus on being the best student I can be.

Perhaps the most important piece of advice I could give myself as a senior about to enter into college is to plan ahead and take my first semster seriously. It is the semester that defines the difficulty of your college experience, and I wish I would have spent less time trying to diversify my activities and more time focusing directly on them.

Don't worry so much about what other people think. Just focus on my own dreams and not what others think I should or shouldn't do.

Dear Rachel, Life after high school is not as easy a transition as you first thought. There are two things that I would advise you to do. The first is to continue through to your Bachelor's degree without taking any time off. You will see if you make the same mistakes, that by not doing this, it delays your completing your graduate degree. The second piece of advice I have to give is to not delay your education for a relationship. Boyfriends will come and go. When you complete your first level of education, then and only then (think Geometry), will be mature enough and have the ability to be more insightful to be in a serious relationship. You most likely will meet someone with goals and that will enjoy motivating you to meet your goals. Best of luck, Rachel

Do not worry about the numbers, do not worry about what everyone else is doing, and do not be complacent. These three things are so important to remember while transitioning to college. It will not be necessarily be that different as far as being independent, but don't let all the numbers scare you. In college, there is a lot to do. There are so many opportunities, but don't compare yourself to everyone else because everyone has different interests and we all come from different places. The opportunities will come and you will get what you earn eventually. Although it may seem like some people get everything they want, your time will come and the friends will come. But, don't get complacent. You have to be proactive and go out there and chase your dreams and work hard. Nothing will be given to you. Have fun, but be intentional with your time. It goes by fast.

Listen to me. Stop procrastinating. College is nothing like high school. The teachers don't remind you of the deadlines, the exams are excruciatingly difficult, and the homework is often tedious and you actually need to put a lot of time into it. Worse yet, Mom is not going to be there to nag at you to do your homework. No one's going to wake you up in the morning. You'll have to use communal bathrooms and occasionally deal with hairballs in the shower and clogged toilets. But that's not it. You'll have to share a bedroom also. You might not get along with your roommate, but that's A-okay. A roommate is just like a pregnancy. 9 months, and they'll be out of your hair. College sounds fun, right? Enjoy your last year of high school. Bask in that senioritis. It's going to be okay. You'll graduate and your parents will be so proud of you when you walk across that stage. Just wait for the amazing moment when you get to toss the cap into the cair and think to yourself, "I did it." But that's just the beginning.

Find something you enjoy, something that makes you feel like you. Find something that brings you back to the person you are, because it's so easy to lose yourself in college. There will be days when you realize you have no idea what you want out of life and there will be days when you are incredibly homesick for a home you didn't even appreciate while you were there. There will be days of doubt, of comparison, of questions. There will also come a day when your eyes finally open and you learn that your entire life, and this whole world, is sitting right in front of you. On this day, and those following, you will ponder what you want out of all of it. It will scare you and at the same time excite your heart. Before this happens, focus on yourself. Know yourself. Know what you love and what you enjoy and the core of your being and never left the light in your soul dimmer. Know so that you can build yourself, explore yourself, love yourself- because in college, at the end of the day all you have is yourself.

It really bothers me how expensive college is. I wish I wasn’t so naïve before making the decision of being a college student. I did the math, and found out that I’m $59,000 in debt already. If I found a job that pays $9 a day for a year, that will be $25,000. $25,000 a year! If I’m $100,000 in debt, it will take me 4 years to pay it off! I wish I delved into the thought of receiving a full ride scholarship to a college or university. I don’t want to be an employee, I want to be an employer. But it seems I need to search for a job real soon in order to pay these loans off. I read somewhere that it takes 30 years to pay off student loans! I wish I was more aware back then. I wish I knew what I know now when it comes to receiving an education from a college or university. Back then I didn’t care how much it would cost me to receive a degree, as long as it was a prestigious university like the University of Florida…

Love yourself before you love anyone else. I know that sounds impossible, but the concept of faking it until you make it really works. Just act like you love yourself and soon will come to actually love everything about yourself. Drop Daena. She will break your heart and leave you emotionally unstable. What you are experiencing is not love. It's unhealthy; up until this point you have only experienced unhealthy love. You will find out what love is really like later, and although what will have gone through will almost break you, it will be worth it once you discover it. Don't be afraid to express your gender. You will be very afraid at first, but you will make friends that you can depend on for the rest of your years in college. Architecture will be very hard for you to switch into. Take care of yourself. Listen to good music. Broaden your horizons. If you get a gut feeling that makes you feel bad, DON'T DO IT. And lastly, you are loved, you are cared for, and you are worth so much more than you think you are. I love you.

It is okay to not continue at college, that it is possible to return when timing, finances, and motivation are improved. I would ignore the often simplistic advice of family and friends, "if you drop out, you'll never go back". This advice leads to students in 4-year programs taking 10-years to complete a degree and often with horrible GPA's. Don't register for a semester "just because that's what you're supposed to do" and you're not a failure if you stop for a semester or two. Be realistic and don't be afraid of the institution or the administrators, you're an adult now. It's okay to have fun and lots of it, you're in college! However, manage the situation by being realistic about work and school committments. Lastly, you don't need to find what you like right away, but it helps. Most course material will seem irrelevant, but it isn't to a non-traditional student after 20+ years of work and life experience. Just learn it and it will eventually impact your life.