Brigham Young University-Hawaii Top Questions

Self, you need to work to earn money my friend Im very very sure you're gonna need it because right now there are lots of bills you have to pay, tuition, books, school supplies, housing, meal plans and everything else, and I know that you wouldn't have money for yourself, I know, I'm actually having that problem right now... Start reading about words in English, there are lots of words that you won't be able to understand it is better safe than sorry, you don't want people telling you things that you don't have a clue about, so, work on your vocabulary!!! Finally, learn to freakin cook it will really help you, I'm telling you. You may think that having a meal in the cafeteria for the rest of your college life would be awesome because you don't have to cook? well, that's a big mistake. Make sure that you can cook really good food, start saving some of your mom's specialties and recipes so that you won't have to get tired of eating whatever, because if you can cook anything you are definately golden!!!

When I graduated High School I was not prepared mentaly for the rigors of University education. I had always done well in High School without working too hard, and had graduated with a 4.2 GPA thanks to AP courses. In my first years of Community College and Univesity I did similarly well, but toward the end of my program I had some serious helth problems that lead to a bout with depression that severly impacted my studies. At the time I felt hopeless and insecure. I felt that I was just going through the motions but still not progressing. If I could go back now and help my younger self I would tell myself to go back to the basics and figure out what is truly important to me. I would take some time to reflect on the bigger picture and how I can accomplish my goals. Even with all of the trials that I went through, I would not trade my troubles for someone else's, because they are what made me who I am today. I only feel ready now to go back to school because I know that I can overcome any obsticles I may face.

First, I would tell myself to relax but stay focused on my studies. In college I've learned that it is possible to get good grades and be social at the same time, and that having fun really should be a part of life. I would encourage students to venture out of their homestate; the rest of the world is so different and so much bigger than you could ever imagine. I'd also tell myself that hard work pays off, and it was good to keep a job during high school, even if it seemed difficult. I would encourage other students to also work through high school; college isn't cheap, but the experiences you'll create on your own is far worth any monetary value.

I would tell myself to do my best in classes and to join a sport and to practice as much as I can in order to become good, so that I can get scholorships and grants that will help me financially so that I wouldn't have to rely on the help of my parents for rent or food and I wouldn't have to stress about money and I would be able to concentrate better on my studies. I would tell myself to just focus on school. I would let myself know that there are so many opportunities out there and that I should take advantage of it. I would give myself a list of the classes I need to take in order to graduate and a list of books, so that I can be a head in my class and deduct stress in my life. I would tell myself to relax and enjoy school and to live in the moment. I would tell myself to not date until I am at the University of Brigham Young in Hawaii because that is where I will meet my husband and eternal companion.

In high school I had a bad attitude about thinking that high school was a waste of time. The advice I would give myself is do not think like that. Focus on the positive. Honestly speaking I am appreaciative of high school. Now that I look back, I got a really good education. I learned so much. Everything I did prepared me for what I do now. High school and college are basically the same thing. The only difference is in college they hold you to a higher standard. If I could go back I'd tell myself to have more positive attitude.

Keep on going! You were the one that wanted to graduate early, so just don't give up. I know it's hard to keep up with academics and social activities, but it'll pay off. Think of what we're doing--think of why we're doing it! You can do it. I believe in us.

Don't be afraid to be who you are! Yes college life can be scary, and the world can be scary, but take a leap of faith and hit it straight on! Have fun in college, definately work hard too, but make the work fun. Don't procrastinate anything! Make tons of friends! They will last a life time. Learn to be yourself, don't judge yourself to others, because you aren't them! And they aren't you! Study hard, it will make life a lot easier. Remember your family, religion and friends. They will be there for you no matter what. Listen in those boring college meetings, they don't come here for nothing. Talk to your councler, tell them what your dreams are, they will help you reach them. And last but not least, never let yourself get lower than you deserve. Work hard to reach your full potential!!

"Hey self! You're pretty pathetic sitting there waiting for your college acceptance and rejectance letters. We know you hate your high school classes, classmates, teachers, etc. so start mentally preparing yourself to be mindblown with the happiest most satisfying life you can't even imagine. You're going to be accepted to the school you've dreamed of since the first grade and you're going to thrive there! You'll even get a 4.0 your first semester! The losers in your 'circle of friends' all end up broken-up and unhappy because of the stupid decisions they made in high school. So self, keep your head up because you're doing everything you need to get yourself out of this crap town and you'll be reaping the rewards in paradise soon. And be sure to request room 121 in Hale 2 because that's where your best friend lives. You're welcome."

As a high school senior I thought I had my life plan completely figured out. I knew which university I wanted to attend, I knew what I wanted to study, and I thought I knew how to get there. What I didn’t know is that life is unpredictable, and things don’t always play out the way that you imagined they would. I got into the university that I had always wanted to, only to change my mind a year later and attend a different school completely that I had never imagined I’d want to go to. I wish I could tell my high school self that it is okay to have your plans change, and to expect that they almost always inevitably will. I would tell myself to create backup plans because in life we don’t always have control over our circumstances. Creating backup plans gives peace of mind and the ability to grow to our full potential. The final piece of advice I’d give myself is to apply for more scholarships. Receiving further education is expensive, and taking the time to apply to as many scholarships as you can is completely worth it.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to have a job all throughout highschool. I worked odd jobs throughout the school year and I always had a summer job, but if I had a steady job I could have saved a lot more money. There are so many things you can do when you have availabilty of money. I also would have told myself to focus on what I was passionate about and to learn as much as possbible about things that put me in a flow and give me inspiration. I wish I had taken the time to get to know more people's stories and to learn everything I could about the world around me. I want to be aware of cultural diversity and different perspectives. I wish I had used all of my resources to understand the world around me and absorb more information. I hope that my knowledge can one day benefit myself, my future family, and my community surrounding me.

Rachel, I know you are nervous about going to college but it is honestly not as scary as you think. Don't stress out about making friends here becasue there is always someone who you can talk to and is willing to be your friend. Also, all the drama going on in high school and all the snooty people will not matter after high school. You are entering an entirely new environment full of people who know nothing about you. Yes, you are going to miss your friends and family, but honestly the time flies by and in no time you will be back home. Rachel, the classes you take in college will also be more interesting because these are the classes that will help you do what you want to do. Yes they will require a ton of time, but it will be worth it. Lastly, do not go into a biology major, you're just going to waste your time becasue you will eventually change it and want to be a teacher. Be excited! Don't be sad you are leaving, be happy you have such a great opportunity! Do not take any day for granted.

I would tell my high school senior self to APPLY FOR MORE SCHOLARSHIPS. There are a lot of opportunities out there to receive help with your college education and the loan road is a rough road. I would also tell myself to stop worrying so much about what you want to be. Life will unfold itself whether you like it or not and you will discover what you want to be through your experiences. Just trust yourself, hold on, and remember who you are and what you stand for. Life is all about learning and enjoying the life you've been given!

Do not be so dependent on other people. I wish I had learned how to make decisions on my own before college. My parents are no longer here to help me with everything, or to buy things for me. I wish I had made and followed a budget with my money while in high school. Money had probably quickly become my biggest stress and I think I might have been able to lessen it some what if I had learned to be better with money before. I would also tell myself to mentally prepare for the amount of responsibility that comes with moving out, that is something I think I didn't fully realize as a senior in high school. College is so fun! But it comes with a lot of growing up and reality checks as well. The last thing I would say is to savor every last moment you have with your family, your high school friends, and every silly little thing you can only do in high school. You miss those things more than you think when you're gone.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to enjoy what I have. Things really change once you move away from home. I would make sure that I knew to appreciate what I had around me and available to me. Being so close to loved ones is such a blessing. When ever you need something, friends and family are right there to help you. Living on your own both physically and finacially so far away from home can be continually stressful. College is tough and costs more money than I prepared for. If I could, I would also tell myself to work harder. If I had just taken that extra AP class or worked those extra hours at work, the time spent back then would have saved me money and stress now. I just wish that I had been more prepared after graduation for the amount of responsibility you are expected to handle in college.

If I were to tell my high school self-advice about college is that it will be an amazing time where you will learn about all different cultures and ways of life. Another thing I would tell myself is to change my French classes to Spanish. Being in Hawaii at one of the top schools for international students you get to meet people from all over the world. There are over 72 countries where students at Byu-Hawaii come from. I have learned to embrace your background and not be afraid to learn about other backgrounds as well. It is amazing how much you are alike and even though there is thousands of miles between the countries you are from we all have something that unites us together. Secondly, I would say change your French classes to Spanish. When I came to college I married someone with Mexican heritage. This opened my eyes to a whole world of experiences. It changed the way I looked at my Elementary Education major and helped and guided me into a minor in Spanish. Today I am working towards learning a new language and embracing this newly found culture and I am loving it.

Continue to be focused on finishing your degree. It is too easy to stop working for your degree or change you cores of study over and over again. It is easier to pick something then stick with it to the end, later you can go back and get another degree. Friends will come and go, but these friends can be some of the best you will ever know. Make a pattern of studing and all other things you must do each week and keep to the schedule as best as you can, only deviate when you have a real emergencies or life changing event. Get to know your professors well. Talk to them after class., offer to buy them lunch. Ask them everything you can. You can learn alot in the classroom but you can learn even more outside of the classroom if you stay on purpose.

If I could go back to when I was a high school senior and give myself one piece of advice it would be the simple quote, "Remember who you are." Of course there is the common things to say like study hard or take more AP classes however that only is half of the college experience. "Remember who you are", to me, means to persevere throughout all obstacles and to not let the trials of life change the true person inside. College is a time where you can be whoever you want to be, a social game that can cause you to alter your personality in order to fit in. It plays with your emotions and makes you question if you are good enough. My response to this epidemic is to just be you and everything will fall into place. You will make the college experience everything it was made to be because you can be happy with who you are. In reaction to this, you will feel more motivated and be more focused on your classes. We have a choice, to sway and mold yourself to the social "norms" or to stand tall and remember what makes you, you.

Many people jump into college expecting it to be a walk in the park towards your career path. The truth is, it opens up many doors and possibilities in life, but you yourself have to take action in seeking and achieving those great opportunities. Work hard now so that life could be easy later. You have to be willing to work from the ground up. It takes a lot of humility, diligence, consistancy and most important accountability to be successful in achieving your desires. Churchill said, "Success is when goes from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm". Don't let failure set you back when you do meet such trials. Allow yourself to benefit from such experiences in order to better your future. Planning and Time management will be vital towards your success in your career path. The better organized you are, the better prepared you will be for what lies ahead. It is important to enjoy your experience in college but remember to keep your priorities straight and values high. Always be happy and never content. However much you put into building your future, that you will receive, for you reap what you sow.

The advice I would give my self would be to take my studies more serious. To pay better attention in class and apply my self. I would study more in the evenings. I would have read more books!

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self and tell her what I know now about college, I would tell her that its going to be hard but you can get through it. Spend alittle extra time on your studies and less at the beach. Teachers will understand that you have a learning disability so don't be affraid to let them know. Yes its going to be hard to juggle basketball and school but you can do it. There is a lot of help out there so don't be affaid to ask. Living on an island is hard. Espically when it takes hours just to get to target. But once you find the right friend group they will make all of that fun. Dont be affraid to branch out.