University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

Within the first month of college I learnt to do laundry, spent hours on a single homework problem, and sat in lecture halls bigger than my high school auditorium. Yet, if I had known this my senior year, nothing would have changed, besides maybe avoiding shrinking a few shirts. Instead, I would tell myself to learn and absorb as much culture and knowledge from my parents as possible. My parents have spent extended periods of time in four different continents which has given them the ability to analysis situations with unique perspectives. This summer, I have been fortunate to spend a month at home and am using the time to learn Gujarati, an Indian dialect, more about my family’s history, and Indian culture. This information has been passed down from generation to generation in my family and will continue to do so as long as I learn it. By being blessed with such knowledgeable parents; it is as I have an encyclopedia full of this knowledge waiting to be learnt. However, unlike my textbooks which I will have access to forever, I only have this encyclopedia for a limited time and must continue to learn from it.

If I could go back in time to when I was a high school senior, I would encourage myself to be braver. I was so afraid of the Admissions process for college. I would say, they are there to help, not to hinder. I would encourage myself to have more fun, to relax more. When it comes down to it, I am a good student with excellent study habits. Getting stressed and worried over that essay I rewrote three times was a waste of my time and energy. Energy that would have been spent better on scholarship and job applications. I would tell myself to stop being silly, and worry less over things outside of my control. If I have learned nothing else, which I have learned numerous new things, since beginning college, it is to just let things go. Sometimes, I do not have any control. I have learned to deal with it, I would offer my younger self the advice and wisdom in these areas that I gained on my own or was bestowed on my during college. Then, maybe, I would have experienced a smoother transition to college and adult life.

Don't be afraid to get involved. There are a ton of great people on this campus - Go join a club and meet them!

Before you get freaked out that you're seeing your future self, just listen to me. I know you're not so excited about going to U of I. Get University of Chicago out of your head. They refuse awesome people all the time, and you don't have the money anyway. What I want to say, is that you are going to truly love U of I. The people are great: you're going to meet so many amazing people. The classes and professors are awesome. You're going to love the campus, the restaurants, the buildings, the grass, your dorm, your floor, your room, and your roommate. So get over yourself and get ready to love it. But I need to warn you - Be smarter with your money, and don't spend so much time thinking about boys. Make a budget, and keep it! Also, you're at school to study, not to get hitched. Leave the boys alone. You know you come on strongly. You would really have more time for homework if you spent an ounce less of time with your friends, and more in your textbooks. God'll be with you!

The most important bit of advice I would give myself is to not sweat it. I went to a college where none of my best friends went. This really bothered me since I always considered each of my closest friends really important and wanted them to be there physically by me as I made this important transition. Fortunately, the moment I got to college I started making plenty of new friends. Sure, it took me a bit to settle in and find my niche, but by the end of the first semester, I had a good number of close friends. Of course, I also still had my old friends back home, with whom I could communicate easily through the internet and on the phone. I never considered how close it is possible to be to someone, even when you're hundreds of miles away. College has already taught me many very important lessons, the two most important being that friendship knows no boundaries and that there is no need to fear the future, since there is always something bright on the horizon.

Considering I was well prepared for college from an academic standpoint, I would devote the majority of my advice to my younger seld to the importance of building a social network while at school. Lacking a strong network of friends and acquaintances can be damaging to a student's entire college career as the majority of relationships one builds in his/her first year will last all through school. Unfortunately, I made many mistakes in attempting to build a social network for myself at the University of Illinois. Being naturally shy and having just entered a relationship with a girl still in the state of Florida, I dedicated the majority of my beginning months away at school to time spent on the phone or skype. This was a mistake; but four months into the school year I was single, lonely, and lacking friends. This made for a difficult end to the first semester, but, a happier second semster than anticipated. Free from relationship, I dove into student activism, becoming one of the most active student senators in student government, joining several student-groups and coalitions, attending student rallies, pledging to a professional fraternity, and building friends all along the way.

I'm going to be brief, clear, and to the point. If i had to give myself one piece of advice I would tell myself to open up. Dont be so closed minded that if someone is different from you, you write them off completely. College is about making new friends and experiencing new situations. That wont happen if you refuse to move out of your comfort zone. Either way you'll make new friends, I did, but it will always leave you wondering, "What if?" What if I went to that football game? What if I joined a sorority? What if I tried to get to know the people on my floor? What if, What if, What if. You dont want to ask yourself questions like these while looking back at college. It can haunt you. Take advantage of the opportunity to go to such a prestigious university and make the most of it. After all, isn't "remember when" better than "what if"?

I would tell myself to never give up on your dreams. Always put your self first do things that work best for you. Dont let others influence a negative side to you continue to do you and make your parents happy and most importantly yourself. Coming from a single parent household growing up on the low in decide to make a differance in your life. Don't be like your friends and family better yourself because you know you can do it. Don't play around in school get in and show them what you are made of. Dont be a people pleaser please yourself because in college no one will look out for you like you would for yourself. HAve a potitive attitude and make it your best experience cause onces you graduate its a different ball park.

Hey. Some day soon a collection of your friends are going to ask you to come to a movie with them. A movie that starts at 2am. Go. Don't worry that it is late, or that you won't get any sleep. Sleep can be made up. What can't be made up is the time with those dorky, nerdy, ridiculously tall guys who take up most of your time now. Spend some final hours with them before they change, before they like to drink and smoke and talk about how much sex they're getting and failing classes and binge drinking and skipping class and dropping out of college. Before you have to watch them tear their own lives apart, reminding yourself that there's nothing you can do, that everyone (or almost everyone) is an idiot in college. Hug your mom. She'll help you through a lot this next year: crazy friends, difficult classes, bad roommates. Give her that last hug before all you hear is her distant voice through a three-year old cell phone. Oh, and try to enjoy these last few months of high school. You don't want to miss them.

I would tell myself that everything will be okay. You will not flunk anything, you will get through all your classes, and the stress will not take control of you. I would say you are a great student, you have worked hard, and all that hard work will transfer over even if you think it will not. Do not be pressured by the bad habits of others and keep to yourself. Ask teachers and professors for help because in the end, it makes such a big difference. Go ahead and make friends and try new things, as long as you keep your head about you. Make sure to leave in plenty of time for class so that you do not get lost and have place to park. Make sure not to overload yourself and plan accordingly. I know you can be a procrastinator, so make sure you think about that when it comes to taking on big assignments and tasks. Pack good lunches - food is expensive on campus and is not always that great. Whatever happens, just know your dedication to your education will pay off, and everything will most definitely be okay!