Utah State University Top Questions

I would encourage myself to enjoy the journey of everything I go through. Whether it be tests, hours studying, church groups, friends, breakups, etc., I will never be able to experience this again. There are a lot of responsibilities and challenges that come with college but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be enjoyed. There is beauty in the final weeks, the freezing temperature weeks, and the work weeks. In anything in life, you'll find what you are looking for. So choose to have a positive outlook and recognize the good things in your experience at college. I would also encourage myself to make a habit of working really hard at school and work during the week so that I can go out and have fun throughout the weekend. This way, I will have a good balance and make a lot of new friends, because life is always better when you fill it with friends you love!

If I went back in time a year and a half ago when I was a senior, I would look at my overwhelmed, confused self and say "hey, it's okay that you got rejected from the university that you wanted to go to the most. Having to go to a community college is not something that you should be disappointed and embarrassed about because to be honest you will get the same opportunites, and if you keep keeping school as your number one priority then you'll be able to apply to that university again and transfer. Also, don't stress out too much about not knowing what to major in; I'm sure you don't want gray hair just yet. Trust me, when you get to college and experience the 'college life,' you're going to discover yourself and after that you will know for sure what you want to do with your life. Just remember to stay positive and don't overwhelm yourself, and most importantly do not procrastinate whatsoever!"

The number one thing I’d have to say to myself is just relax, life has a way of working out and college is no different. Then I’d tell myself to just go to work, college is fun and exciting but it’s mainly work. As long as you work and study hard, and put in real effort good grades will follow. I’d also tell myself not to worry about meeting new people. Everyone at college is around new people and faces and doesn’t know people. Just do for other people what you wish other people would do for you and everything will work out.

I would like to go back and tell myself, you do not know everything. I would tell myself to listen to the advice offered by the adults around you and heed it, they quite amazingly do know what they're talking about and have been there before. The world is bigger than you and if you apply yourself and stick to it, you can accomplish much. Life is not easy, the roads you pave for yourself now determine the texture of your pavement. For a bumpy road with pot holes, and lots of traffic keep going on the path of believing you know everything, and any old job will get you by and that an education is not important; but for a smooth road, get your education, establish yourself in a career before making life altering decisions. Do not be afraid to ask questions when you don't understand, or don't know what to do or how to do something...ask. Counselors are there to help you, utilize them...trust me, this will save you a lot of hard, life-learned lessons. Trust yourself and do not let anyone dictate your will and what you can and cannot do.

The best advice i could give myself as in high school was not shared. You are a senior now and you have a life ahead of you. Your education is the key to your success. It is important that you maintain your grades and attendance because it makes a difference on your performance. If you dont wana help yourself nobody else will. There are many grants and courses offered to right now as a senior. Now is the chance to take advantage in takeing the extra step to pursue your education. The guidance of a helping hand is upon offers and you are the only one who can turn it way. If you are unsure of what you wana to study for its okay. In college you will begin to have more sources to many opportunities that can aquire to your abilites of enjoying what you like. Its not easy but its encouragement within yourself to know you are not waisting your time in pusueing you education. Dont feel you have no way out and nobody cares at home. You are the one who is able in challenging yourself with the knowledge you know to a greater and better life.

To my past self I would have started in the beginning of middle school and I would have told myself to take better advantage of participating in honor classes as well as advancing further than I did in the field of mathematics. It is beneficial to a starting engineer major to be proficient in advanced mathematics and would have sped of the process of graduation by at least two or three semesters. I also would have told my past self, beginning perhaps as a sophomore or junior, to make applying for scholarships a priority. I had the grades and test scores to qualify for many more opportunities than I chose to take advantage of and as a result I qualify for very few grants given my father's economic status. I am also a full time engineering student trying to to keep my grades up high enough in order to qualify for a graduate law program after I finish my engineering major in order to pursue a career in patent law and as such I have very little time to work. So again I would repeat the most important thing I would do over is applying for more scholarships.

Do not be afraid of failure. If you mess up, you can only improve. Be more involved with activities. Get to know your teachers, counselors, and advisors better; they can be great resources. Do not procrastinate anything and learn time management. Embrace your individuality and accept that you can not be the best at everything. Do not compare yourself with others. Tell your parents that you love them and appreciate everything they do for you. Make sure that you are always kind to others; you never know what other people are going through. Practice expressing your feelings and coming up with solutions to any problems you may have. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Be confident. You are a wonderful person and you can do anything if you set your mind to it.

It took me 11 years to come back to school, and it hasn't been an easy process. The transition would have been much easier straight out of highschool. Now I am required to split my time between my my wife and four wonderful kids, work and school. I can only assume that there would be much less on my plate if I had gone directly to college instead of waiting. That would be my advise, "don't wait." Just do it, it doesn't get any easier, and you will come up with a lot more excuses over time on why you can't. I still don't know if I would be here if I wouldn't have been laidoff do to the down turn in the economy.

If I could go back I would tell my high school self to take more college classes in high school. Taking more college classes would have helped push me further ahead in college! Also, don't be afraid to have roommates. They aren't always as bad as you think they could be! I would tell myself that I shouldn't go home every weekend because I missed out on a lot of college experience! I would say, remember to do your homework and go to class every day! I missed important things that would have helped me during finals! Get tutoring for the classes you’re struggling in. There are a lot of free places that offer tutoring and it can never hurt to get help. Don't stress out too much, everyone makes mistakes their first semester in college and you shouldn't beat yourself up over the little things. I would also tell myself, get a job over the holidays! You could have saved so much money!

Having been graduated from college for just a brief time and in my position as a high school guidance counselor, I have been able to reflect quite a bit on my own college experience. One main point I encourage, and wish I had done more of, is taking more college courses in high school. I would encourage every high school student who can to take at least one or two dual enrollment class while in high school. Tests are an inevitable part of a student’s life. Take them seriously! Reflecting back, I realized I breezed through all my tests and wasn’t as prepared as I could have been. My freshman year of college was very busy. I felt like I had to maintain my active involvement, and then some, because I was in college. Being involved in groups, clubs, and organizations is amazing, but don’t overdo it. Higher education is a wonderful opportunity and if we are stretched too thin we start to lose focus of our main goal, a college education. Above anything else, make sure you study and learn what you love. Whatever your dream is never let anyone tell you can’t achieve it.