Yale University Top Questions

College goes so much faster than you will ever imagine possible. When you get there, don't waste a second second-guessing yourself. Take a ton of extra-curriculars and load up on activities - you can always drop the ones you don't enjoy, and you will probably find a new passion or two along the way. Take classes that have nothing to do with your major - you're in college to learn about life and everything that interests you, because you'll never have this opportunity again. Go to extra lectures, talks, panels, and focus groups - use every hour in the day to the fullest of your ability, because a college campus is one of the few places in the world where an incredible number of fascinating, influential people come together within a small area. Try everything - use the energy you'll have (you're young, after all!) to pack your days full, stopping before it's affecting your grades, health, or happiness adversely, of course. It's fabulous, and even if you get homesick sometimes, you will love it. Trust me.

?This is a year of transition,? said my college Dean in his opening remarks to the college freshmen. Those words comprised the greatest advice I received upon arriving at Yale. In the span of the Dean?s speech, I found an entirely different perspective on freshman year. Rather than making it a year to simply work ahead as a prospective Music and International Studies major, freshman year became a time to explore fields and experiences I had never encountered--both within and without the classroom. How else would I have discovered the fascinating philosophical debate about film versus digital recordings? Or that New Haven perfect for hawk watching? A transition is careful exploration; it is testing the waters. Today I understand that one semester is just the beginning of lifelong learning beyond the fields most familiar to me. So, high school self, my advice is that you be willing to ?take it slow? and seek education beyond your usual interests, because the college transition is not only one of settling in, but branching out. Be adventurous and don?t restrict yourself. You are here to learn, and you will find that learning happens in the most unexpected places.

I would tell myself to do more work. I would say stop floating on your intellect alone and invest time in research and studying. Read more! Experience what you love outside of the classroom. I'd tell myself not to shy away from excellence.

In all honesty, college life at Yale is easier and more fun than high school! I spent all of my time in high school dividing myself between schoolwork to keep that 4.0 and rehearsals/extracurriculars. At Yale, I've had the chance to travel to South America (for free!) with a 150 year-old choir, listen to Tony Blair speak, design hair and make-up for undergraduate shows, perform in a professional opera, and live in an ivy-covered dorm. High school is a stepping stone, but it's not the end all. Neither is college. Just enjoy what you have when you have it and look at the future objectively and work toward your goals with small baby-steps. it's really worth it!

In some ways, I was more of a stereotypical Yale student when I was a high school senior. I was career-oriented, academically competitive, ambitious in every aspect of life, and, of course, perpetually stressed out. Maybe (and maybe not) it was coming to Yale and seeing the poverty of those who pack their schedules with resume-ready activities that they do not enjoy, as well as the richness of those who work their passions and enjoy the moment that made me come to terms with who I am. On the surface, I am still a typical Yalie with my 7 classes, 2 jobs, and 3 volunteer spots; inside, however, I have learned that life is so much more about being content with B+'s and knowing that I am not defined by my APs. If I could talk to my old self, I would tell her: "CHILL OUT. You are in Yale. Now drop those 7 extra APs."

To achieve success at any level, one must have a goal. Without a final destination, or a desired idea, one lacks the drive to acquire that treasure, and without an obstacle one cannot realize what's important. Sure, a banal existence suffices for some; however, creativity arises from facing challenges, and happiness comes from suffering. Life is all about setting goals -- it is necessary for living. Why do we live? To achieve something. Why do we study? To enlighten ourselves. Why do we discuss? To discover the innovations. We cannot stumble upon invention purely through intricate calculations, or with a ready-made formula. There are different processes to coming about the end result; what you'll realize is that you need to know that you must come with some kind of answer in the end, but you must most venture the different ways to get there. From your experiences, you branch out to new opportunities.

Dear James, Stop stressing out about which colleges you'll get into. Though you may not believe it right now, everything that happens happens for a reason. In particular, don't worry about "making a difference" with your life, whatever that means. Just be disciplined and put your heart into what you love and enjoy--the rest will necessarily follow. Don't be afraid to drop personal aspirations if you feel a higher calling, but make sure you're not just making excuses. Finally, respect and love your friends and family with all you've got. You may take them for granted now, but give yourself a couple months in college, in a new environment and around new people, and you'll realize that they've made you who you are today. Sincerely, Yourself P.S. Yale is flippin sweet. Just saying.

When I was a high school senior, I was studying in Beijing, China through a program called School Year Abroad. Given the chance to go back, I would reassure myself that it had been the right choice and show how adapting to a new culture, family, and educational environment prepared me to make the transition to college. At the same time, I would encourage myself to throw myself more fully into every unique opportunity that came up, both in China and in college. Since attending college, some of my most amazing experiences have come from the moments where I ignored my doubts about a situation or myself and decided just to try something new, unusual, or challenging.

Remember this: loneliness ends. And you will be lonely, leaving behind everything you knew for something that turns out not to be what you imagined. You will be lonely when you discover how strange it is on the other side of the country, with strange weather and strange fashions and stranger people. You will be lonely because there is no place like college, where buildings are crowded with people supposed to be just like you, to find out how alone you really are. But it ends. When you sit alone in the dining hall, staring at your mystery meat, remember that soon you will have friends to join you. When you tiptoe nervously into the back of your first classes, remember that by the end of the semester they will be your classmates, not simply a sea of colored swatches, eyeglasses glinting. Remember that it ends, and remember this: you can make it end. Pick up your tray, and sit down with someone else who is also eating alone. Start a study group. Everyone else is or has been as bewildered as you are, and everyone else has also been lonely. So go ahead ? end loneliness.

Be sure to try new things early on, and make as many friends as possible. Finding your footing socially is much more important the first semester than finding your footing academically. Also, take EmergenC everyday.