University of Georgia Top Questions

Dear High School Me, Do not worry about your makeup. Do not worry about your clothes. Let's be honest. No one cares. There are two hundred other people in your class, no one is paying attention. Worry about your course work because that is how your going to do what you were sent to college to do: graduate.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to persevere when applying for scholarships. Even if you get rejected by all the scholarships you applied for, you have to fight through the depression and keep applying. There were many scholarships for high school seniors that I did not know of until now. The thought that I could have received one of those scholarships has given me insomnia for the past five days, so apply to those scholarships so that you do not have to bear the thought of letting opportunities slip away because you were depressed about the rejections. College is very expensive; you need all the help that you can get. Another advice is to step out of your comfort zone when applying to colleges. It is scary leaving your parents, nonetheless your state, but never let that force you to only apply to colleges near your home. You never know if a college thousands of miles away wants you to attend their institution on a full ride scholarship. So once again, continually apply for scholarships and to any colleges that you feel could be your new home because you will never know unless you try.

Stop taking the iron pills! You will be chronically ill for a year and a half because your body is rejecting the iron. Do not be afraid to seize all your opportunities. You should go to tennis camp. More than likely you will get a tennis scholarship. You might find the most pleasure in: dancing for Pamoja, mentoring at the Boys and Girls Club and singing. Life would be difficult without a car. Keep the car you get freshman year and do not give it away. Do not take any accounting classes! You will regret wasting you time with these classes. Do not date for fun. You will not find love and experience a lot of heartbreak if you do date for fun. Do not let Sarah move in with you. Sometimes friendships blossom better in different living spaces. Lisa Bedgood and Randy Groomes will be great mentors. Never stop networking. You will always need people from your past. Be tolerate. If you do the aforemention things college will be a breeze. Have fun!

Looking back I can remember a timid boy journeying into a vast and confusing land that he wasn't sure he'd fit into. If I was able to travel back in time I would tell myself to relax and explore. I need to tell him that the entirety of college is not centered within the pages of a textbook, and that the friends I make now can make the journey to graduation easier and perhaps my life happier when we've all grown up.

I would go back in time and tell my high school self that I could do it. I would be sure to stress confidence in my ability to complete my school work and be successful. I would remind myself not to listen to those that say I can't do it and remember that I am strong and that I CAN do it.

I would start of by telling myself to relish every moment left of high school because once it's gone there's no going back. I say that because college was one of the hardest transitions that I've ever made in my life. I would highly encourage myself to adopt positive study habits because a high school curriculum doesn't always properly prepare you for the next level. Of course, I would tell myself that college parties are fun, but I would strongly advise myself to stay focused on getting an education first above all else. Next, I would remind myself of what's important in life which includes: cherishing family while they're still around because I rarely get the chance to see them anymore, and to never forget where I came from, but to continue to push forward in life. I also would tell myself to apply for more scholarships too because I know now how hard it is for my mom to support me in college and take care of my brother and sister by herslef. Mosty importantly, I would tell myself to strengthen my relationship with GOD because he will always be there for you.

Advice given from a future self is, in earnest, the thing we all wish for when making major transitions in our life. As a high school student who is being baptized in the waters of the river of “College” it is an experience that can sometimes be as invigorating and exciting, as it is frustrating and confusing. If I were to return through time to confront my 18 year old self, I can imagine my first thoughts would be to tell him to slow down. I would do my best to explain that he should enjoy the time with his friends and really listen to what they have to say. I’d advise he attend a few more lectures and to drink less on Saturday so he can study more on Sunday. Truly though, if I had the opportunity to speak to myself I may not give away anything at all. I would simply pat myself on the back and say, “Have fun. Be safe. Everyone fails. Never give up. And everything happens for a reason.”

If I could go back in time and speak to myself, I would have many things I would like to say. I would first say that I need to choose a college and go all four years there. I would tell myself that living on campus is a great opportunity to network with people and make friendships that will benefit me through my entire college life. I would also tell myself to get involved with more volunteer organizations and club groups on campus. The biggest piece of advice I would probably give myself is to stop procrastinating because I will never be as successful in college as I want to be. I would say, learn and enjoy all experiences and don’t take life for granted because it is too short to let opportunities pass by. Lastly, I would say don’t move in with guys named Charlie and Clint because they are nasty party animals who care nothing about their future and make studying extremely hard.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to get involved with groups, programs, and activities on campus right away. It is the best way to meet people and being involved helps keep you focused and happy. Being involved early helps you meet people that you probably wouldn't get to know otherwise. You make so many more friends and learn so many more things when you are involved with different groups and activites. You'll be so much happier with school once you're involved so don't wait to do it. Don't be nervous about joining groups either. People are really accepting and welcoming. Start right away! It's worth it.

If I had a chance to go back to high school knowing one thing that I do now, I would not worry as much. Too much time in high school is spent worrying about college. I've finally learned that I will never "arrive". My whole life has been spent preparing for the next stage of life, consumed with anxiety of all the possible ways my future could get messed up. I have now learned that I do not have as much control over my life as I once thought I did. I have learned to live in the moment and not consistently think about what I need to do in the future. Not to say that I do not plan for things and work hard to achieve my dreams, but I am more focused on making an impact on the people around me right now rather than only working towards a degree that will eventually impact people in my future. Life is too short to waste time worrying about possibilities.