University of Florida Top Questions

Dear High School Senior Laura, I know your childhood was extremely rough. I know you were bullied to no end by some of the people you thought you could trust. Do not be afraid to let people into your life. Love and friendship are two of the greatest experiences in life. You may not have self esteem now but try to love yourself and it will come naturally. Don't listen to those who hurt you, these people are in fact jealous of you and know you will go far. I know you have let yourself believe that you are not smart from what others have said. Believe in yourself and you will be amazed at what you will accomplish in the next few years. There is nothing wrong with going to a Community College. I guarantee you will have some of the best experiences in your life by taking this path. Take every opportunity you can in school. I know you won't but never give up on your dreams. Remember with everything you do to relax, enjoy life, and be thankful for everything you have. I am proud of everything you have ever done. Love, Your older self

I would ssay to never give up even when times get rough.

The advise I would give myself would have to be to apply for scholarships earlier. The University of Florida is a great school,but it is very expensive, and somewhat hard to find a job.

I would tell myself that its either now or never. I really would not wait to get as old as I am today to really think about returning to College. As, a high school senior, I had many dream of becoming a Nursing. I have a passion for helping people. I think one thing in life should be for us to give back to others whehter it be helping, sharing what ever it is. So, as I look at life in a different way, I see now that I have the potential to become whatever I want to be in life. Thank You.

If given the opportunity to go back in time, there are two pieces of advice that I would give myself. The first piece of advice may not be the most original, but I believe its importance cannot be underestimated: do not be afraid to take risks. Taking risks can include stepping out of your comfort zone to do something you never thought possible. For me, that something was competing in business case competitions on campus, which eventually allowed me to travel to two international case competitions in Montreal and Maastricht in the Netherlands. Here, I had the privilege to meet motivated individuals like myself from all over the world who shared a passion for tackling the issues businesses face today. The second piece of advice is the following: find a mentor in your first year of college. I have recently been exposed to the benefits of mentorship, and looking back, I wish I would have taken the initiative to pursue a mentor earlier. Mentors are invaluable because they have been in your shoes before, and they have the knowledge to take you where you want to go. With someone on your side, college will never be a lonely place.

I would advise myself to attend a community college first before going to a 4-year institution. The community college atmosphere allows students to become the independent learners that they need to be, while at the same time continuing at least some monitoring of their progress. At the 4-year college level, students are instantly on their own and often find it difficult to maintain a strong learning attitude with so much stimuli around them that does not promote education. As a result, those students who have not developed the ability to become independent learners often find themselves returning home to attend a community college within the first year of university.

I would give myself more advice on how to choose the correct courses and exactly what to expect when entering college. Of course, through time, students learn and become more aquanted with the college lifestyle. However, it is always nice and very helpful to receive reliable information on how to do things before being stuck in a sticky situation. Allowing myself to feel confortable and confident with the decisions I make.

Put forth effort into your studies of health sciences while you still can in high school AND your own physical well-being! Cherish your buddies and peers! Both organic chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology were available in high school- it might have done yourself good to get some steady background on these two areas before taking the prerequisites for dental hygiene in college. I think physical education and other recreational sports such as cheerleading and soccer would have given you a fit body, mind, and confidence level to get you a healthy head start in college. When you get into college, there will be less time to socialize and spend time with loved ones. Put in effort to make the best of youth, stay carefree, and you'll have memories of good friends and family during the stressful situations college will bring forth. Remember- you're kind, you're loved, and you're smart. Best wishes!

Throughout my time in college, I've learned that the potential to succeed and learn is propelled by the presence of confidence. As a high school student, I often faced circumstances of timidness and uncertainty in myself. During many discussions in class or amongst friends, I would have relevant and intelligent opinions, but often found myself to be afraid in expressing them. When I came to college, I promised a change in lifestyle. Since then, I have led student government campaigns, funraised tens of thousands of dollars for numerous charities, and served on the executive council of the oldest fraternity in the world, Chi Phi. If I could speak to my former self, I would tell him, "Never be afraid in anything you say or do. Forget about what others think. At the end of the day, all one has is themself. The moment you learn to let go of everything, will you be able to achieve anything."

I would tell her that marrying at this early age is a mistake. I would push her to join the military, get her education, get into a career, and then set up housekeeping. Talk to "Momma" about how u feel; she will understand and she WILL support whatever helps u succeed in life and get closer to GOD!