University of Hawaii at Manoa Top Questions

Picking a University to attend is extremely difficult, and the process should be started very early on. If you haven't started yet, I would suggest taking a large chunk of time to consider what will work financially, and to dip your toes in the school's offerings before you get there. This means to consider what types of clubs, extra-curriculars, diversities, and social life you would to see and checking out school websites to figure that out. Starting too late means significantly less time to weigh the options. After choosing a school, start thinking about yourself the way you are now. Are there skills that you don't have that you would like? Use the summer to brush up on those things, and remember that college is a fresh start. It is unlikely that there will be more than 10 people who know who you were in high school, so you are free to start being the person that you want to be. Use the summer before college to figure out who that person is, and don't let anyone tell you that you aren't you. It will get easier with time! Good luck!

I would tell myself to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way, even if it means stepping outside of my comfort zone. This means not clinging to my boyfriend during the first few weeks of college so that it would be possible to meet the people around me and find a group of friends who can support me throughout college. This means attending the meetings for clubs that I am interested in even if I do not know anyone there. This means starting a conversation with the girl sitting by herself in class rather than letting us both sit alone. The only time when a person can grow is when they step outside of their comfort zone, and when they do so, they can accomplish and gain so much.

Cheyenne, Scholarships are nessecary to succeed. I realize that they seem like the far off future, but it's important that you start applying now! There are so many that are only available to you now. They will end up being the reason why you are able to attend school at all. Scholarships and letters of reccomendations. When it comes down to it, being a student at a university isn't enough to get you places, you must be able to have accredited academic letters of reccomendation. This might mean being an always exemplary student, or attending office hours to ask questions, or attending volunteering events. The more people know who you are and how hard you work the more likely you are to succeed. It's been hard work until this point, keep working hard. You can do it, you know you can. Lastly, don't forget to take care of yourself. It's important to remember that despite grades or jobs your health and relative happiness is most important. Eat regularly, eat healthy (or try, I know that'll be a struggle with caf food), exercise, and get enough sleep. You can do it, Love, Cheyenne

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that I can do anything. Just believe in yourself and have confidence. Some people will tell you that you can't do a lot of things because of your learning challenges. Don't believe them! Believe that you can do everything! You will be able to accomplish much and touch many lives. I have already experienced this. People told me that I couldn't go on a mission, but my parents and those that believed in me helped me get ready for my mission. I was able to serve a mission because I was able to know that I could do it.

Dive in! You have all this ambition and potential about going to Hawaii and going to college there, so just do it. Don't let anyone get in the way of your dream. Don't walk in on broken glass, sprint in like you're Usain Bolt. Get involved, join clubs and groups that look interesting, don't be afraid to make friends. You've got a good head on your shoulders, the brains to do it, and people to help guide you through the rough spots just go for it. Too many people in life wait around for the "most opportune time" don't wait, rush in now. Jump into the deep end and learn to swim. Be a leader. Remember what makes a great leader, refuse to be average. Rise above the masses and the peer pressure and show people you love them. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. So, love and lead people to something better, to a brighter more successful place. Raise people up to be leaders as well, so someday they can lead in their lives and in their work. Just be completely and utterly amazing!

Focus on the big picture. Take all the changes and new experiences that you are about to encounter in stride, do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by them. Four years down the road, you will look back at yourself and laugh at the little things you stressed out about, scold yourself for the big things you should have stressed out about, and be glad to know that it is all in the past. Remember that, although you may feel somewhat lost and confused right now, perhaps unsure about the future, you do indeed have a future to look forward to- if you focus on the big picture. Expect to feel like you are not really making any progress with your studies; expect to feel like you will not achieve your goal; expect to feel like giving up. However, if you focus on the big picture, you will see what a great success you already are, you will see your goal at a mere arms length away, and, soon enough, finally hold in your hands that which you have worked so hard for and be able to sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy the view.

I would advise myself to maximize every opportunity to expand my knowledge and make connections with other students within the University. Attending college is a great privilege and as such, it is also important to find ways to reciprocate for all the knowledge gained and give back to the local community through a volunteer service that can help others. It is through serving others in our local communities that we will all rise as a community and ultimately as a nation. As a life long learner, I would also encourage myself to take time to digest what I am learning and share it with others in my family. Collaborative learning helps us to grow and enrich our awareness of concepts and ideas that can support the well-being of all of us. It is imperative to take time to enjoy the college experience and have fun while absorbing the valuable knowledge provided by the intructional faculty within the University of Hawaii. Finally, create space to integrate what is taught into my personal and professional life. While it is challenging to juggle all of the actions I have just mentioned, but doing so has great potential to benefit myself and others.

If I could go back in time and coach myself as a high school senior, I would tell my old self to sit down and write down the following notes which would be crucial to succeed in college. First, I would certainly have told myself to focus on my academics more than my social relationships, and understand that transitioning into college requires one to be more diligent and devoted to one's courses. In the same manner, I would encourage my old self to get in the habit of reading academic journals that cover topics in Psychology, PTSD, and other subjects regarding research in trauma, and get used to the nature and language of these challenging articles. Furthermore, I would share how important it is to become invovled in the campus community and join student-led organizations in order to gain and exercise my leadership skills, in addition to enhancing my communication skills. Lastly, I would tell myself how important it is to time manage effectively, create a detailed calendar, and get in the habit of planning out my "study times" and "course work times" every week to minimize the course work overload for my college courses each semester.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior... I would tell myself to try new things, to put myself out there and participate in everything that interests you. I would also tell myself to study hard because it pays off, don't goof off because it'll cost you money and time. I would also tell myself that you need to stay on top of the course work because no one will remind you are give you a second chance.

The academic path is made whily you are walking. Be prepared and willing to change your plan and take new directions. Yu might get new academic interests as you learn more within each subject. Also, be critical towards what you read and lern as different sources may have different angles. Total objectivity is almost impossible to achieve. At the same time, recognize that you are there to learn, so be humble towards those who have more experience then you.