University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

Let's imagine a world where quantum mechanics as we know them today no longer applied. Let's imagine time travel is possible, and that I can indeed go back in the past and give advice to my highschool self. What would I say to her? First and foremost, I would tell her not to worry so much. Life needn't be half as stressful as she makes it out to be. Take some time off, go out for a jog, do some yoga, and above all, relax once in a while. Don't spend so much time worrying about the small mistakes you made because life goes on, and no one will even remember in a week or so. Try new things. Always try new things. You'll probably end up not enjoying all of them, and that's ok. You're going to find that one thing that you really love to do someday. But you won't find it sitting alone in your room in your comfort zone. Start looking for jobs fast, and get to know the professors. They're indimidating, but it'll pay off in the end. And above all, never give up!

I would give myself a few key pieces of advice about what is ahead. I would recommend that I, and all other high schoolers, do not give into the tempting fate of the senior slide. It may be easy to allow for yone's grades to slip or to not try as hard at the end of s senior year. Although my grades had no substancial drop my last semester of high school compared to all of the others, my advice to myself and others would still be to keep up on the schoolwork. This is the most important because it will help better prepare every student for the rigour and the amount of work that is required in order to succeed in college. Moreover, if every student keeps up his or her level of focus up in throughout high school, it will help him or her during their freshman year in college immensely. One other piece of advice I would offer is that when students are looking at schools, trust the gut feeling you get. Once you on the right campus, it will be obvious. There will be a certain "right" feeling.

College is a huge step. Before you step into it, take the time to really think about what you want to do. It is important that the decision you make is yours and no one else's. This is the only way you would be able to make it through the 4 years.

The advice I would give myself is life is set for challenges. Challenges where you have to push yurself beyond your comfort zone. I believe that anyone has the potenital to do great things. Reach and touch people's heart. I know I'm leader because of the people who believe in me. I know will achieve and will continue to achieve great things. Having the ability to achieve everything you have set your mind to takes more than pushing yourself beyond your limits. As I raised the bars for myself and stepped forward, I have beome a person ready for any challenges that crosses my path. I have set personal goals that I believe will get me somewhere in this life. Anyone is capable in accomplishing their dreams.

"We are always getting ready to live but never living." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The hands you shake are more important that anything. Connections are what get you scholarships, jobs, recommendations, internships, and other opportunities. And where you will get these valuable connections is more important than anything. So if you're going to a cheap school in the middle of nowhere, chances are your post-education opportunities will be limited, and your finances will suffer. Whereas going with a more expensive school at the center of opportunity may just pay off in the end. Be wise, choose opportunity, not money.

I will tell myself to study hard, do not slack off and that everything will work out alright. There will be hard times coming up but you will get through it and will climb those walls that you keep seeing.

I would tell myself to start learning how to study. My high school was really easy to slack and get A's and B's so focusing on just sports made it really hard to do well my first year of college. However, now that I have learned to study classes are a lot more fun! Things are going to change so don't rest on what you have now, look to what you want in the future and adjust accordingly. I know that I could never have known that I would be diagnosed with OCD and that is part of my anxiety, but I would tell myself to learn to breathe and just relax, you cannot control everything and regardless, everything is going to end up okay. Finally, I would tell myself to just keep on trucking because eventually you are going to find what you want to do with your life and after about 8 long years you are going to be paid to do something you love, helping people.

I would tell myself to learn how to study before college. I was one of those kids who never had to study for anything and after completing a semester at college, I wish I would have learned how to study ahead of time. Additionally, I would have advised myself to start applying for scholarships earlier as the reality of college debt along with being financially independent has begun to sink in.

I would tell myself not to rush and to take time off before going to college, or to go to a community college if I didn't know what I wanted to major in. It would save a lot of money, stress, and time. Traveling long term and internationally was the best decision I ever made and that is what prepared me for college and gave me direction in what to major in, NOT my high school school education. Community college is not for people who aren't going to a 4 year college, it's a smart choice for people to save money and to inform themselves about life choices, jobs, and what they really want. You change so much every single year for the next 10-15 years after high school, and having to make a choice about where to study just bcause everyone says you should, even if you're not ready, is not something you should have to do. It's your life, your time and your money, not theirs, so do what is best for you. Doing what is best for you ends up being better for your friends and family, too.