University of Nevada-Las Vegas Top Questions

What might have been? Please avoid asking the former question. How? There is no magical formula, but here are three simple guidelines: First, strive for progress daily. Time, a non-renewable resource, decreases with age. Capitalize on every moment. Second, eat healthy, exercise, and study your ass off every day. You only get what you give. Third, think before you act. Be ready to live with decisions and the ensuing consequences. What does the future entail? Success, happiness, and self-actualization are attainable in the future by hard work right now. Focus on school, do extra homework, study more, and prepare for class every day. Perfection is elusive, but reach for it anyway. Challenge yourself, and hold yourself accountable. The best feeling in college is knowing that you maximized your efforts. What else should you do right now? Teach yourself new things, be yourself, network, listen, volunteer, and stay organized. Create a to-do list of things that YOU want to accomplish or experience. Did you make the list? Go take action. The list will not complete itself. Do not sit around. Do not wait for things to happen. Oh, the places you'll go if you follow your dreams.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself the advice of most definietly paying attention in each and every class, striving to keep a 3.5 or higher GPA, save a lot more money while I worked in high school instead of spending it on items I wanted, and take scholarship opportunities more serious. In college it sucks to have to pay for school without any help and/or not much to lean on due to the lack of good grades and money. As a college student now, I know that having a higher GPA could have reflected on my financial need, by being eligible for more scholarships and opportunities in financial need. Saving money would have been extremely beneficial now, every dollar I spent then, could have been an extra dollar toward the struggle of financial need in college, now. If I would have taken that advice I think the financial need for college would be alot less stressful than it is now.

I would tell myself to take the time to pay more attention in my AP classes, becuase it would have helped me better with my study habits that I have now. I would tell myself to take the anatomy class instead of physics because it would of help me understand the anatomy class I am taking now and I probably would of gotten a better grade in the class. I would also tell myself to be serious about the classes you are about to take because it will be on your transcript forever and it costs a lot of money to have to retake a class.

If I had the chance to go back in time and talk to my high school self I would say to save as much money as I possibly can. No, you do not need to go out every weekend with friends/eat take out every night. You need to save more money to help pay off the student loans you will have. I would say to also remember to make school the priority and not your job. It takes much longer to finish your degree when you lose that focus and mentality, and in the end it will cost you more money. Finally I would tell my past self that even though it seems impossible, it really it is. That even though it seems like it won't be worth the trouble, you will eventually look back and realize it wasn't bad at all.

Dear "High School Amy", College is a whole new world. If theirs any advice or wisdom "College Freshman Amy" can give you it would simply be this, be open to trying new things. This transition in your life is meant to be fun and exciting. Eveyrthing won't go perfectly. They'll be times you'll make the wrong decision but NEVER hold back from an experience just because you're scared of failure.The only things I regret are the chances I didn't take. Everyone in college has the same fears and anxiety you have, so don't be afraid to make mistakes and emarass yourself. That's what life's all about. So go out there, come out of your comfort zone, try new things. You'll never know what could happen if you don't try. Trust me. Sincerely, "College Amy"

Do not let your boyfriend or girlfriend influence your decisions. I am one of those girls who followed my boyfriend to college; a military college. Although I intended on joining ROTC, I did not plan on attending an obsure military school thousands of miles away from my family. I spent an entire year being yelled at and endured deplorable living conditions. The relationship that I thought would make my life better, ended up complicating my life for years to come. As my luck would have it, that school went bankrupt, forcing students to relocate once again in order to finish their degrees. I also signed an eight year military contract despite the fact that I knew deep down it was not what I wanted. However, my hope was that my relationship would help fill the void that existed after my parents divorce, and absence of a support system. Eventually, my boyfriend jumped on the opportunity to leave the Army because of a minor heart issue, leaving me alone to finish my service obligation. I wish that I had the confidence to pursue my own path in life, and not fear being alone. Have no fear.

Don't let the depression get the best of you. It walks like some great spirit in your wake. I know the way is gnaws at your heals and causes cave-ins on the inside, but it is only a temporary burden. A demon sent to fail you, to overwhelm you with the trials and tribulations you will face ahead. Have courage, don't give up and the world will open to you like the vast arms of an ancient wood, where the brooks speak words of wisdom, and the trees are elders that tell stories of their time. You are worth more than you think, and have capeabilities beyond what you could ever imagine. Right now, you seem insignificant, a grain of sand against the solid shore of the bold world. However, you have it in you to grow beyond that. Focus on your soul, and your happiness, and you will surpass the dreary restrictions you once set for yourself. The human mind is an enigma, we are strange, and brilliant among organisms. With that mind you were given, remember, you can conceive of a brighter world. You can find your infinity. Have Faith, have stength, keep moving.

Know your major, don't go in undecided. Also determine whether its cheaper for a meal plan or not. Go for alot of scholarships even ones you think you can't go for, do it because you never know.

Try harder. I know you got all A's senior year and were involved in every club you could but try harder. Start filling out scholarships. All the tiny ones that you don't need to have FASFA done for because even though your parents said they were going to pay for school, they won't and you'll be struggling so much by the time everything you have saved has run out. Don't over look those 100 dollar scholarships, they add up and you'll wish you did them when your only a couple hundred short. Try getting involved in organizations, not only can they help with money, but they can also help your social networking and make these struggling times a little more bareable. Times are going to get bad, but just roll with it and dont panic.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships at I could. Even if you think you don’t qualify for it. It will be worth it in the end. That you should hold off on the loans if you can, because you will need to take more out in grad school. You should enjoy every aspect of college. You should also join a sorority and go to as many school events as possible. To try and make as many friends as you can, but to also keep focused on your schoolwork. You should get a tutor for biology and any other class that you felt you needed extra help in because failing a class can have a huge impact on your GPA. Last you to have fun and cherish these times, because before you know it these four years will fly by.