The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Top Questions

Looking back, I would tell my stressed out self to take a deep breath and that life moves on. What feels like an eternity now will soon fly by faster than the blink of an eye, so enjoy it. I know you're having a difficult time with your group of friends, but you're going to join four different organizations in which you will meet wonderful new people who will become your new best friends and will love you for who YOU are! Your journey academically will be hard and challenging, but you are a strong young women who has been through so much already and can get through so much more. Daniel will love you more than ever and understand that you are the women he needs in his life, so stop worrying about him. Momma gets better with time so listen to her, trust me. You can make it to graduation, and when you do you'll feel yourself take that next step in your life. Believe and have faith in yourself and try to look at things day by day because that is what is going to get you through these next four years.

Be prepared. High school somewhat prepares you yours senior year however, you are still living at home where parents & teachers are reminding you of the things that need to be done. For example did you get your work completed or you have so many days until you have to turn an assignment in. In college you are pretty much on your own. You have to make sure your up to date on your emails from your professors because they are not going to remind you and oh yeah your mom is not there to pick up behind you.

i think that when I was a high school senior I thought that I was preparred and ready for college but being here for almost a year now I realize that nothing can prepare you for this journey. I now realize how much I relied on my parents and the comfort that I had at home. I think I was in denile about leaving my friends and family all behind to start somewhere new where no one knew me. Deep down inside I was afraid I would lose my best friends from home because I had moved away and didn't see them on a regular basis. I now see and know that tis has made us stronger and better friends because when we see each other we appreciate the time we spend together more than ever. I am glad that I will always have the support of them and my family.

Well Lindsay you are about to encounter one of the biggest endevors you will ever come across in your life. College is an amazing experience and to tell you the truth so far you are handling it to the best of your ability. Please though, make sure you get involved with activities early in the year. It helps you to get involved and meet people that have the same intrests as you. Also take advantage of all of the opportunities your University offers you such as tutoring, the writing lab, and the counseling center. It will help you more than what you think it will. The main thing though is keep your priorities straight. You have done really well during your first semester, just have fun and enjoy your time here. Life is too short to live with regrets. Live these years to your fullest and study study study.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to settle on a college just because it was convienent. I would make sure i checked out all of my options and applied for all the finacial aid would advise myself that the cheapest college is not nessicarily the only option. There are amazing colleges with the exact dregee i want. Dont waste your time and money at a college that you are going to hate and untimately wont get you any closer to acoplishing the goals you have set.

If I could go back and talk to myself, I would definitely tell myself to stop worrying about college so much and have fun with my current friends. Being so worried about deadlines and grades stopped me from enjoying the moment, and I definitely missed out. I should have spent more time doing things like working on my art or learning guitar like I've always wanted. I see now that I didn't need to freak out about making friends or the workload. My advice would be to calm down, have fun, and let the chips fall where they may.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I don't think I can say I would totally advise against the path I took. In fact, if I had the chance to go back in time, I might just walk past my senior self. Yes, there are somethings I wish I'd known, however, if I didn't experience it myself, the knowledge would be useless. I've thought of what I'd do differently so many times, but now that I am being asked to write down "what I'd do differently", I can't really say I would do anything different. I don't believe I'd appreciate life the way I do today without the trials I've experienced. If I was forced to sit down with Dylan Sapanza, the high school senior, all I would have to say is, "You live, and learn. "

Dear Me, Stop panicking and breathe. I know that you're in your last year of high school and big, life-changing steps are ahead of you. Remember, college is about you and your future, not anyone else's. Don't let anyone tell you you need to choose a major right now, I still don't even know what I'm doing half the time. Don't let anyone stress you out. After being in college for five straight years now, I know stress and it wasn't until recently that our parents got off our back about choosing some high-classed major that we can't handle. College is supposed to be the best years of your life, but stressing over every detail is going to cause you to miss those good times. Be who you are... not what others want you to be. Breathe and stop worrying about the future. Do what you want to do so you can actually enjoy life. Stressing over school and the future will take away the present. I know it's hard to hear, but what happens will happen. Be who you're meant to be, be the unexpected. -Future You

Nicolette, you really need to make friends and come out of your shell. You need friends to survive that on campus experience. With that being said, get involved! Dont be shy, it may be difficult at first but in the long run you will regret it for years to come. Also, focus on your classes. Make sure you are doing all of your work and asking questions because your grades will become highly affected and you have a tendency to give up once you start struggling. Finally, be nice to everyone. Having friends and making connections in college is crucial to your future. Alot of the people you will meet will impact your life in ways you could never imagine!

Pay attention in high school. Do not listen to all the older kids who said school does not matter until you reach junior year. They were idiots! Your gpa is one of the most important things during school. Once it goes down it is hard to build it back up, so pay attention, do the work, ask questions if you do not understand, and keep your gpa at least above a 2.0. Do not try and party with your friends if you know you have a test next week that you're concerned about. Parties will always be happening but you really only get one shot at passing a test. You do not always get a second chance. Transitioning into college is hard because you are in a new place but you are not alone. There are hundreds of other kids just like you who are scared and confused so you might as well be scared and confused together. It is scary being so far from home and on your own, but know that your family has your back no matter what, and when ever you want to come home and visit the door is always open.