University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

Should by some miracle I get the opportunity to go back in time, to see the invincible high school student i was, i would tell myself some very valuable information. I would be sure to cover the hardships, rewarding, fun, and exhausing parts of transitioning to college from high school. My only concern would be giving too much information. Should someone have come from the future and told me all of the obsticles and excitement I would encounter in my life I would not be the person I am today or learned the lessons that have shaped me. I would keep my advice broad yet helpful. I'd say" Tia be patient. Be aware. Be sure. And most importantly DO NOT PROCRASTINATE." Knowing myself I'd want to know everything! In which situations will which piece of advice apply? When will they occur? But sometimes the simplest of words are the most effective. "Never give up"-Future Me

Dear Farzana, It is important to academically succeed because end of the day that is your main goal but also allow yourself to not always be so anxious. You have also been so focused to be on track and to help that you have not always taken risks. Also as social as you are you can sometimes be a lonely soul and therefore seek out people early on that complement your philanthropic and academic goals. Do not be afraid to plan your future but also do not be so anxious when things fall out of plan because you have a great school and great resources that will help you get back on track. Allow yourself time to have fun as well as scheduling your school work on a daily basis so that you are not overwhelmed. You have been successful in being at the top in high school and if you follow these advice you will accomplish the same in college.

I have always wanted to be a lawyer, but was not sure about how to get there. Because of this, it took me a little longer to get into my major than I had hoped. I would tell myself to find what I like and stick with it. Don't let the fun stuff get in the way of your grades, because it is always hard to get back on task once you have started to stray. Keep your eye on the prize, because you don't want to have to worry about your GPA at the end of your senior year. I was hit by a car at the beginning of my sophomore year and got pretty depressed and had a bad year as a result. So most importantly, I would say no matter what happens, keep your head up. Life happens and it's not always going to be easy, but you'll grow and you'll be okay. I would tell myself that no matter what, going to college was the best and most important decision of my life, and don't slack on it because someone else made a bad decision that effected me.

If I knew then, what I know now, I would tell myself not to worry. I think the best thing a high school senior can do for him/herself is take everyone's opinion into consideration, but follow his/her gut. Chances are, you'll like a school simply because you picked it. If I had followed my own advice, I would have gone to a different, more expensive, school, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I would have felt like it was wroth it. All of that aside, once you've picked a school, go out with your roommates on the first night--regardless of whether or not they're doing something you don't like. You're in college to expand your horizons. Plus, you have plenty of time to dislike your roommates later. Best to bond with them in the beginning.

One of my biggest regrets is not taking enough AP courses in high school. The credit that you recieve from the exams can be extremely useful and you will want to have as much college credit as you can going into school. I think freshman year I was so nervous about everything that I didn't take the time to learn how to balance social life and academics. I should have reminded myself more that everything will be okay! It is completely normal to be nervous and anxious the first few months of college. It is important though, to be involved with as much as possible in order to make friends. Joining clubs, especially greek life, can really help the process. Lastly, I would tell myself to take advantage of office hours. Professors and graduate student instructors can be a big help with papers and questions before exams. It wasn't until my junior year of college that I utitlized the staff and faculty. Once I did, I saw a big improvement in my work.

Apply for scholarships early and often! Seriously, money becomes a huge issue in college for anyone and any school. Don't fall into the senioritis that seemed to plague the second half of my senior year of high school. Be sure to enjoy the summer between your senior year and college, as it is your only true obligation-free summer. Be sure you have gotten all the friend and family time in that you can, and save up some money by working if you can. Also, do not feel pressured to do anything - someone in college will always want (or at least be able to) go out and do something, stick to your studies and prioritize - school first, fun second. College is an investment in your future, and you're paying copious amounts for tution - go to class!

Don't be afraid of what college will be like. Embrace the future and what you will be doing, as you become the person you really are during those four years. You will develop more into the person you love, and surround yourself with those who enjoy the same activities and subjects as you do. Live freely, with no regrets, take some nights and go out instead of staying in and studying all the time. Make a bunch of new friends, and enjoy the time you have in college. Don't be scared, but be happy and excited, because after those 4 years, you go out into the real world. Take the time you have in college to learn and grow, through not only education but community service and through discussion with your peers. Embrace the opinons of others, without judgement. Allow yourself to surpass your previous barriers when it comes to ethnicity or style of others. Just be you.

If I could give myself advice back when I was a high school senior about the transitioning into college and about college life, I would tell myself a few things. First and foremost I would mention the importance of the pursuit and exploration of my desires. There was so much different input and pressure at the time of graduation and no one seemed to encourage pursuit of my own goals. Everyone was giving me advice on what to do but all I needed was someone to ask me what I wanted to do. Second, I would advise myself on how to balance not to forget who I am while still encouraging personal growth. I would advise myself to pursue extracurricular activities of where I am comfortable being myself. There are a vast variety of student groups on campus to accommodate everyone. Finally, I would advise myself to reassess the college standard of academics. Even though the classes are not particularly difficult, the entire college experience is hard to balance. It takes a lot of time, effort, and skill to balance a schedule of academics, extracurricular, and social life. It?s truly the first time I was on my own.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would advise myself to follow my instincts and be more open with my mother. I originally majored in biology in hopes of doing cancer research. Classes related to the natural sciences were difficult while ones in the humanities and social sciences were not. The obvious thing for me to do was switch my major, but I didn't because I was afraid my mother would think I was a failure. I suffered academically, emotionally, and mentally which resulted in my suspension due to poor academic performance and my present major depression. I didn't tell my mother about the depression because I felt ashamed of it. However, when I finally told her, she admitted she could've done more to reach out to me when she suspected I was having academic trouble and told me I shouldn't be worried about disappointing her and be more open with her. I have since gotten my life slowly back together and am back in UofM, majoring in anthropology. I lost four years of my life to this mess and I would do almost anything to fix that.

Knowing what I know now I would tell myself to be confident with who I am, where I'm from and what I stand for. I would remind myself of how fun high school has been and how great college can be if I choose to embrace it. The most important thing I would tell myself is, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Hence, I would make sure I headed to college with optimism and confidence.