University of Phoenix-Southern California Campus Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to "smarten up". I didn't really care about grades back then. I didn't like homework. Now I would have loved to have cared more about my grades. I would stress to myself how important it is to put in your best effort. I would tell myself to work on my time management skills and my sleeping schedule. "Go to bed earlier and plan your time better" is something I would say. "Listen to your mother" cause believe it or not she's right about needing to work hard and get good grades. I would probably tell myself to get a good job and start working to help pay the loans that pay for school. I would also remind myself that I need to work on my college applications early so that I am not scrambling last minute and only applying to one school. These are all things I would tell myself if I could go back in time. I wouldn't want to though. Not knowing made me learn the hard way. It made me who I am.

If I could go back in time and advise myself of the future, I would tell myself to stop being so arrogant and selfish and be more productive in finding a good college to go to. I would also let myself know that our father has Veteran's Affairs benefits and I could go to school for free on count of his service. By doing this, I would be saving my highschool self from having to join the Marines like I did, potentially getting sick and becoming disabled because of that illness that was obtained from service over seas. Even though I now have two young children that I love and adore to no end, I would at least like to give myself a chance to work smarter, not harder. His life could be much better than what I am living now.

I would tell myself to stop procrastinating. The reason that I am not living on campus in a four year university is because in my senior year, I slacked off and didn't even apply to a university simply because I doubted myself. I didn't think that I had what it takes to be accepted into a university, so my plan was to wait a year and then start college. I waited a half of a year and was accepted into a two year university, then transferred to the University of Phoenix. Looking back, I did have what it took, and I wish I could go back and influence myself to try harder my senior year and to apply to as many universities as I possibly could. If I did encourage myself, I would be a sophomore living on campus at a four year university like the rest of my graduating class, and a whole year closer to getting my degree in Journalism.

I would tell the high school senior version of myself: "Life is not going to happen all at once. You are not entitled to the best version of higher learning just because you want it. You have to put in the work. Commit to volunteering at The Children's Clinic not just because it's mandatory. But because it will help you in the long run. Be realistic about what you can afford. What will work for you is making a plan--not depending on a hope. I believe in you. Believe in yourself, too. I love you."

The advice I would have given myself would have been to push forward in researching and applying for scholarships and financial aid. Because I was first generation to apply to college, my parents did not understand much about the financing process and options. I was able to secure a $1000 scholarship to the college I was accepted (UC Riverside) as a high school senior, but because my parents were so wary about how the balance of my education would be funded, I had to decline the offer. Eventually it took me seven years to return to college, where I applied for financial aid on my own as an independant student and enroll at UC Riverside. The other bit of advice I would have given myself as a high school senior was to participate in more student organizations in college, to provide better networking connections for future opportunities.

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would say that you will go through allot in the future but that you will not regrete anything at all. I did not start college when I graduated high school immediatly because I was not sure about what I wanted to study. I did not and do not have the funds to mess around. I worked in many fields and now I know for sure what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am not perfect but all of my mistakes helped me to grow and become the woman and mother that I am today. So relax and enjoy life.

Live! This is the one word I share with my high school self. Do not be afraid to live and enjoy every opportunity that comes your way. You may not want to go to college, but the college experience is something you will remember forever. Join clubs, meet people, but most of all live as if there is no tomorrow. Do not be afraid to do the work needed to be successful. Being a 27 year old single mother, I will share these words with my child. Time waits for no man, take advantage.

First of all, I would tell myself to take study time seriously. Once I began at the University of Phoenix I tried to continue my school life the way I had been spending it in high school, only to realize that it's not that simple. At the University of Phoenix I have learned from experience that it is necessary to take good notes and study, whether it be indivually or with a group. Actually taking the time to do the required reading for each week will not only help with the assignments that are given that week, but I've also learned from the reading a lot of knowledge that I know I will put to use once I am working in the social work field, So in a few words again, my advice to high school me is to take notes and study!!! It will help you in the long run!!

There is so much I would want to teach myself if I could go back in time. However, I firmly believe that life is only experienced forwards, not backwards. If I could, I wish I could have told myself to be more prepared for college. I thought going into college would be all fun and games. I learned that was not the case at all when it came to college. I know college is a new place to be, to discover ourselves outside of what we have grown up in; but we must remember that life does not work that way. Every choice/action we make has its pros and cons. But like I said before, life is about living in the present moment and planning for the future. So If I could go back, I would still tell myself to live in the moment, to make mistakes and ultimately learn from them. Because we aren't supposed to have all the answers the minute we graduate. That is how we learn to spread our wings and fly.

Go to college and get your education, do it while you are young and do not have all of the family obligations of children. Do not waste your time at a job when you could gave a career.