San Diego State University Top Questions

I would sit my past self down, look him in the eyes, and tell him that college is possible and that he is well on his way to get to the starting line. I would tell him that he needs to better prepare for the costs of tuition by applying to every scholarship that he finds, whether through the internet or through an announcement that comes through the intercom at Nile C. Kinnick High. He also needs to do more research into what needs to be done to attend San Diego State. I would tell him to look through the student manual, as troublesome as that sounds, and look for the missing pieces and to never stop. He would avoid a good amount of hassle and save himself from a few very close calls in the future. Though I am not completely out of the woods at present, letting my high school senior self know these facts would have made me further out of trouble, debt really, than I am now.

I was so shy in high school, and so terrified of new things. I was sure I was going to be stuck in my hometown forever. I wish I could go back and tell myself to just relax. I lacked all confidence like most teenagers do, and fortunately most of us gain it with age. Somehow I grew and became a confident, strong woman. I have gained so much knowledge over the years, and I have experienced some truly amazing things since I have been out of high school. If only high school me could see where we are now, what a shock that would be. Although I wish I could share what wonderful things were to come I don’t think I would actually go back in time. Why? Well, if I do that then I would never have the ability to experience the growth that has brought me here today. I would be cheating myself of something so priceless and beautiful.

Apply for more scholarships!! Also plan your time very wisely

The advice I would give to my high school senior self is to start thinking about what makes me happy, and what can I see myself doing long term after I graduated. I feel as if I had no idea what I wanted to do and ended up following the path of my parents. Now going into my third year of college I am starting to realize that sitting at a desk for hours at a time and not having the chance to truly interact with others, is something that is not appealing to me at all. As a high school senior, I would actually do research on the different majors, and reach out to the college counselors on what each major has to offer, instead of just picking something that was familiar in my family. College is a great experience that teaches you a lot about yourself, and sometimes it is nice to have known sooner, but if given the chance I would actually pick what speaks to me, and not just what speaks to my family. I would definately be more proactive in deciding my future rather than just allowing Accounting to be what I THINK I want.

Don’t be afraid of change and challenge. Be prepared to have the ultimate tool at your disposal, knowledge. Be inspired, look up in the face of difference and be a stronger person for understanding your goals, morals, and beliefs. Do not let those on the opposite side of the fence scare you, let them inspire you. Do not give up when things become challenging and it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day to complete the things needed, take a breath, play an inspiring song, dance around your living room, then get back to business. The stress you feel tomorrow with be the stress that helps you accomplish the goals of your life. Imagine waking up every day to a career that inspires you more and more instead of the retail job you hate today. Just stay passionate, do not let anyone tell you that you cannot accomplish every dream you have. Most of all do not give up when times are low, keep your eyes on the golden prize.

Dear High School Senior Carlie, Transfer to Poway High School so that you don't just sit around doing nothing with your final year when you could be out there exploring your options and utilizing a project to help your later career. Rancho Bernardo High has been a good high school but no one appreciates the hard work and effort you put in. Go to Poway to do something meaningful for your senior year. Go to Poway and work hard on your senior project so that you can leave a final footstep for others that will follow. College is going to be a big step and you're going to have to rely on yourself more than you already have. College IS hard, but it's so worth it. It's worth all the work you've put in already. And even though it's only going to get tougher, you'll never be given more than you can handle. You are strong. Nothing is easy because if it were, as cliche as it is, it wouldn't be worth it. YOU CAN DO IT. Love, Third-Year of College Carlie

I won’t lie, your first week of college will be strange and confusing. Classrooms suddenly grow to 10 times the size of what you’re currently used to, making friends somehow becomes even more frightening and difficult, and now you’re left with several hours between classes wondering how the hell you should be spending your time. I know the prospect of all this and more is giving you serious heart palpitations, but I’m here to tell you to take a deep breath and relax. I know by your very nature that you love to dwell and worry over every little thing so let me ease your anxiety by also telling you that things do and can get better, but that depends entirely on what you put into it. Take more risks, take more naps, study, talk to everyone (even the professors), get help, be helpful, laugh and cry if you need to. Just don’t be in the background of your own story for any longer. This is college-- you make the decisions. Also, don’t fall too hard for your awkward-but-cute Calculus TA, it will only end in heartbreak.

I would tell myself to approach every situation that you ever encounter objectively so as to be able to understand the viewpoint of the opposing side. In doing so, you better understand the wants, desires and needs of those whom you interact. Whenever you are able to understand such intimicies of a person's situation, you are then better able to devise a strategy that will provide both of you with the most optimal outcome. While opportunity costs may be incurred, a good comprimise leaves both sides unhappy, because they cannot both attain exactly the amount of extent of what they desire. However, by evaluating your opponent's case objectively, you have provided not only the most feasible solution to whatever problem may have arisen but have also grown in your understanding of the person in question. You can apply this across the board to business, to interpersonal relationships as well as to whatever may arise in your life. By understanding a thing from all viewpoints, we become a stronger collective working towards a unified, non-biased solution. In short, try and be objective so as to facilitate caring and love in the world.

Keep up the hard work, and you will achieve your goal of getting into graduate school the first time you apply. Ultimately your gut feeling leads you to the right path, and you will get to experience so much during your time at SDSU from being involved in clubs, volunteering in your community, and being a member of the SDSU Dance Team. You should absolutely continue to apply for scholarships throughout your college career. Trust me, we are in a lot of debt, and that is the one thing that I would have done differently. Being financially independent is hard, but try not to let it upset you. Also, when you find out that you are moving all the way to Massachusetts for grad school, make sure to apply for scholarships at that time as well. You will need a lot of money for when you have to travel to hospitals all over New England during rotations. College Self, you will learn and grow so much in these next few years. You will achieve great success, and even graduate Cum Laude, so I do not have a lot of advice for you, other than please try to decrease our debt.

Kim, You are nervous, and being nervous is completely understandable. However, also unnecessary. You are about to embark on a life altering journey. You will gain rich experiences, a wealth of knowledge, and relationships that will last you forever. The unknown is intimidating, but you are going to love it. You have recently joked that you are going to learn forever and be a college student for life! It's worth the fear of the future, the anxieties about making the wrong decisions, the unease of transitioning and soon, the late study nights! You will undergo change so drastic, it would be hard to grasp now. You will mature into a confident, passionate, and driven woman. Still, the most exciting development will be the realization and formation of your goals. Right now, you are unsure of the direction to take. That will soon change. You are about to fall into your passion and realize your dreams. I won’t give it away, but the best part of it, is that your life will be about improving the lives of others. That should be all the reassurance you need. Kim, get ready for some of the best years of your life!