San Francisco State University Top Questions

Don't plan on sticking with a major because chances are, you're going to change it so leave your options open and try different things before you decide. If you want to finish your degree quicker, take all the General Education courses in a community college and transfer to this college after. You can knock out all the GE courses this way much more efficiently, because it's very hard to get enrolled in the more popular GE courses because they are very hard to get into. They get filled up very quick. So the best option would be to take these courses in a community college. Network with classmates because chances are, you're going to be taking classes together for a few semesters if they happen to have a similar major with you. This way, you can have a study buddy which would make studying easier and make the time go by faster. Get involved in school activities or else you're not going to fully experience college life.

I would warn my younger self against making quick and rash decisions and remind myself of the weight of the decisions I was making. Rather than rushing through the last stages of the college application process and the choice of which college to go to, I would advise myself to choose a college based on my needs and interests rather than which seems "cooler" to attend. By doing this I would have possibly gone to a college that better suited me and therefore made me happier to attend rather than making myself unhappy for the 4 most important years of my life. I would also advise myself to plan better for the first year of college. I jumped into the deep-end of college without much preparation and was deeply depressed and stressed for most of my first year. If I had prepared myself better and had a plan of how to take on my first year, I would have saved myself a lot of distress and trouble. Instead I expected everything to magically fall into place, which was a major mistake and almost cost me my college career. I would advise myself to prepare and make good, rational decisions.

If I were able to go back in time and tell myself what I know now that I have attended college, I would've told myself that I should balance things. I would tell myself to not look for a boyfriend because that doesn't matter in life. I would tell myself not to get caught up in going to party's all the time and hanging out with friends too much. I should finish my homework before I go and hang out with friends. I have to be sure that I'll be able to concetrate doing homework with friends without getting distracted. I'd tell myself that I'll make friends that will change my life and will always be there for me regardless of anything because they are just a knock away. I'd tell myself that your friends become your family because you're always on campus doing things, that you learn to depend on each other when you can't talk to your parents. I would tell myself that college is better than high school and time heals all wounds.

If I could go back in time and talk to high school senior self I would describe to them all about the college I ended up going to and the colleges I did not get accept into. I would explain to myself that even though I did not get into my first choice, everything turned out fine and that I would end up adoring my school and its people. I would stress about the importance of saving money, and not procrastinating and getting things done on time. I would tell myself that there will be times where things seem bleak and hopeless, but not to give up because they will work out in the end. It is essential to be positive in times of distress and always be sure of yourself. In the end, you will be rewarded and happier than before. In additon, I would tell myself to remember to have fun but also to be responsible and not let your emotions get the best of you, because that could bring you down. Be strong, but don't let your fear control you. Take chances because good things will come with them.

If I had the opportunity to turn back time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would encourage myself to interact with more people who are from different backgrounds. If I had done that then I think I would have been more prepared for what San Francisco had for me. Transitioning from a small town to a big city was a major change and I could have prevented this stressful transition by exploring the city more. I also realized that commuting via public transportation is hectic. I wasn't prepared for the heavy reliance on public transportation. The culture shock was overwhelming for a while but I learned to adapt. I would also tell myself that college isn't going to be all about fun and games. Being a full time student and taking rigorous courses requires you to study for nights, days, and weeks. College wasn't like high school. Professors were strict on assignments and grades. Professors were hard to get a long with. The last thing I would tell myself is that I should not slack no matter how hard the classes are because the grade you get will be will determine your future.

After my fortunate success of making time travel possible and after already traveling to many important dates in history, I finally decided to travel back within my lifetime and talk to myself as a highschool senior. The conversation was weird and peculiar at first, but after a few minutes it was flowing effortlessly. I told myself to listen up carefully. I said, "Erik, it is crucial that you apply for several different scholarships within the next few years. I still want you to go to Sierra College and then transfer afterwards because you'll save money that way, like I did. Being that you are a wannabe film maker, open up a Netflix account right now and begin watching as many good movies as you possibly can. When you are at Sierra, take a few more media oriented and creative writing classes and don't waste time with the random ones. Start your career as soon as possible, if you have the chance, buy a cheap video camera. And Erik, most importantly, stay close with your family members and your good friends and meet as many film-related people as you can!" I then traveled back and simply smiled.

Dear me Knowing what I know now, I have some advice to give to you to make college as simple as possible. The first one being, if you are not a morning person, do not take eight o?clock classes. Especially in subjects like chemistry where you need to be fully alert. Another advice I would give to you is to take classes that you are truly interested in, instead of picking random classes to be with your friends. This next four years are important so do not waste any time. Study as much as you can, because one day you may regret being lazy.

I would give myself the advice to always decide what is best for yourself. Do not compromise who you are for anyone else. This includes your family, friends, professors, lovers, anyone. I would give myself the advice to always choose what you want and do not make choices that, in your eyes, shall please others. If you stand for what you believe in and are confident with your choice, your fellow scholars shall respect you that much more. By getting the experience, opportunity and privilege to go to a university, use these years wisely. Take the opportunity to bulid up your being. Accomplish work that you are proud of. Give your best effort, be mature, be responsible. Do not be pressured by the sterotypes of what a successful carreer is. Do what makes you happy. Do something, anything that give you the ability to express yourself and let others know what you are thinking.

If I could give myself advice as a high school senior, I'd say, "Smile. But not because you feel like you need to to make another person feel good. Smile when you are ready. Laugh. But not just to replace anger, confusion, or frustration. Laugh because you know that it feels good when you do for the sake of laughing. Cry. Don't be afraid to feel pain when it's time to express it, because the fear will melt away with the tears. Believe. Believe in what you want to do and plan how you want to get there, in the way YOU want to do it. Never let anyone else decide for you, because even when they think they're right, they're probably not. Research. View all of your options when it comes to your future. You'll never know whether you're making the best decision unless you've viewed your future from every possible angle. At this point, myself would probably be very overwhelmed, so the last thing I would tell myself is to, " Breathe. Breathe deeply and remember to never let anyone try to take your time away from you. Time is endless."

If I could return to my senior year and talk to who I was, I would give some vague advice. Firstly I would tell myself that college is an experience of a lifetime. Not only are you furthering your education, it is a time to build on who you are and what you will become. As a college student, people meet their lifelong friends, are able to be on their own for the first time, and even further define who they are. Second, I would mention that it is not vital to know exactly what ?you want to be when you grow up.? Part of the adventure is learning what suits you best. There is time when doing your general education to dapple in different fields and figure it out as you go. As a final thought I would say that in researching schools, chose schools in cities that are not only intriguing, but pay attention to the weather! If thinking you would be miserable in the snow, then do not go to school in New York. Sometimes it is the little things that people over look.