University of Hawaii at Hilo Top Questions

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to not be afraid to take a leap of faith. Don't limit yourself to what you already know, but go out and explore the things you always wondered about. Realize your passions early and go out and fulfil them as soon as you can. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing better than you, just do your best and have fun doing it. Don't restrict yourself from reaching your fullest potential for the benefit of someone else. Make sure that everything you are doing makes you happy. If you hate your job, find a new one. If you hate your classes, take a different one. Don't waste your time being miserable by doing something to make someone else happy. This is your life! Make friends, make enemies, but whatever you decide to do, make sure you're satisfied in doing it. Take advantage of every opportunity you are given, trust your instincts, and make sure you know that you are responsible for every decision you make. "You're young and you're healthy, so the world is your oyster"

I would tell myself to get out of the “senioritis” or lazy phase because college does not pay for itself. I would encourage myself to complete all scholarships that I am eligible for because every little bit helps. I also would recommend staying in shape throughout college and to watch what I eat because “freshmen 15” is real. I would also stress the importance of time management. Making plans for my day would help to use my time wisely.

The advice that I would give to myself is to apply for as many scholarships as possible with the G.P.A that I had at the time in high school. Now that I am older and have a family it is hard to pay for tuition but I continue to thrive to reach my goals of being a nurse. I was recently accepted into a nursing program and now I have to worry about family, finances and school all at the same time. If I knew then what I know now I would have finished college immediately after high school. Regardless of my circumstances, I am still truly blessed to have gotten accepted and I encourage anyone regardless of age with a goal of completing college to NEVER GIVE UP!

If I could go back in time and speak to my high school senior self with what I know now, I would have told myself that I should've focused in math and gone in for more help. I should've also tried ignoring my dad whenever he asked my to cover for him at work. I should've spent more time with school and joined more clubs. School really does matter. I should've applied to another university on another island or a different state. But this school isn't so bad. Just apply for the exchange programs earlier. It's worth it over here at UH Hilo.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school student, I would tell myself to really think about what you want to be in the future. After high school, I spent many semesters switching majors and that lead me to stay in school for even longer than I anticipated and also spent a large amount of money. I would tell myself that if you're unsure about what you want to be, just take liberal courses that will eventually benefit towards a degree. Back then I was undecisive and I wasn't sure if I wanted to become a nurse or a physical therapist. My mind now is set on being a nurse and hopefully I can achieve that goal.

Dear Alexandra, I wish that you would of realized before how important education was. Especially trying your best to make mom proud. Mom has always struggled as a single mother and tried to do everything she could for us to have a better life then her. From now on you will try your best and accomplish anything and everything you dream of. Being the only one that has graduated from highschool and college you should be very proud of yourself. Love, Future You

College is expensive. Now is a good time to jump on any scholarship and grants you can possibly get. I wouldn't recommend taking out loans unless it’s absolutely necessary. Most students take out loans and then graduate with a huge debt. They have a difficult time paying off these loans because there are not many jobs available. I wouldn’t want to be in debt before I have the money to pay it off. I would also recommend having a good support system to get you through college, like friends who have been there and can give you the best advice based on their experiences. Frequently check bulletin boards to find campus clubs, or start your own club, get involved in your student government, utilize student resources, and activities. Extracurricular activities are the best way to meet like-minded people. But don't forget to leave yourself time to do homework. Remember to try and not take on too much at once. People have told me that it’s very difficult to go to school and work part time as well. Also remember to take fun classes and enjoy yourself while you're there. College can be fun.

If you don’t want to drink but you are at a party with your friends you shouldn’t feel pressured to drink. I’ve personally met at least three people who were not drinking at the last five college parties I went to and they never drank one drop of alcohol. The closest they probably ever got to alcohol is when they were getting a beer for someone else. These parties took place at student’s houses and had between twenty to thirty students at the most. Not everyone drinks and you shouldn’t feel pressured too just because some students are. Use the tutoring program offered at the school, because being tutored can improve your grade. Getting help from tutors has increased my GPA from 3.6 to 3.8 my first year. Besides helping me understand the information the tutors were helpful by giving me tips on the class such as how the professor grades papers, what to study prior to exams, and how to prepare for exams. Being tutored will save you a substantial amount of time by helping you understand the information, instead of trying to understand it by yourself.

Some said college life is hard and some said its fun but to the majority it is a very challenging life. I find my college life very difficult and hard obstacle I face in my time of learning, this is my only chance to make a different in life, thats is why im giving it all my best and put my education to be my first priority. I witness adults coming back to school to get a degree because they themselves know how important it is to be educated in the world we are in. College life is hard, but if you complete your studies and gave it your eveything , then theres nothing stoping you from acheiving your goals and success.

I have made a lot of transitions: transfering between universities, graduating from college to graduate school, and now another change in career. Because of this, I would tell my high school self never to be married to a path (I would probably preface this by saying something like 'Making active choices and following through on them is really important, but...). It is incredibly confusing figuring out how to be in the world, and the craziest thing is that once you've made it -- you know, you're thirty years old, you've got an exciting job that pays okay, you travel a lot, and you have a good family life -- you are still not sure if you went the right way. It is important to ask yourself 'what do I really want?' but, the truth is, we want a lot, and desires are fickle. Want things, choose them, and fight for them, but when they've been fulfilled, don't be afraid to make new choices, and take new paths You never know how your own process of self-actualization will manifest changes in your professional or personal life, but you can live knowing that life is not a destination.