The University of Texas at Tyler Top Questions

My advice to myself would be to remain true to the values that were instilled in me and not to succomb to the party life that is so prevalent on college campuses. Freedom from parental control means that you must now be the one to impose rules on yourself. Don't be afraid to be the one who imparts wisdom to your friends regarding drinking and promiscuity. Time management becomes your number one priority; procrastination is your worst enemy. Grades came easy in high school, but they won't be so easy in college. Take all the AP courses you can and study hard for the exams. Any courses you can place out of will save you tons of tuition money. You worked hard in high school to achieve a high GPA; it can also be done in college with alot of hard work and determination. Apply for scholarships to lessen the burden of sky-rocketing tuition costs. If you room with your best friend from high school, you may not be friends after the first semester. Enjoy making new friends, but most of all, remember WHY you are at college- to earn a degree and become a productive citizen.

If I could go back and talk to myself in high school, I would go back and tell myself that my closest friends will be found in college. In high school I did not have many friends and I realize now it did not matter. After one semester in college, I have met some of the most amazing people and will be friends with them for the rest of my life. Your true friends will show random acts of kindness when you least expect it. I would also tell myself I made the right choice by taking dual credit classes in high school. After taking dual credit classes, I am ahead in school and am one step closer to graduation and fulfilling my dream of becoming one of the top physical therapist in the state of Texas.

Although the transition to adulthood is scary there are are certain things that will prevent stress and aggrevation in the future. Money is the one major factor in the decisions that I make now I am a college student. Increasing savings in high school would not only have saved some time and preparation now but in the even distant future after college. Senior year which is also known as the "slack off year" is one that many students, including myself, take for granted. Being and staying motivated throughout the entire year would have also been some advice I would have given to myself.

Going back, I would definitley tell myself that things do not get easier! It's just as much work if not more. There is a lot to do when you have no one telling you what to do and not do, but you have to remember your school is most important and it comes first. If you mess up you can lose a lot, including money. I would also say don't take it for granted. It is your money and your parent's that is paying for it, so make sure you give it your all. Make it a wonderful experience, but make sure you stay focused at the same time. Besides, you still have your entire life waiting in front of you!

I would without a doubt tell myself to prepare now. Know your school work, and know what you love. I would also tell myself to get a job now, while still in school, so you can save enough money to where you do not need to have one in college. Also, a fancy car isn't a necessity, a bike will do you just as good. A college degree will buy you that fancy car later on in life.

At 28 years old, I am happily married and a professional working individual. Regardless if we ever noticed those changes or not as we go through life and time, there is no mistaking that we grow and mature with age. Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, what advice would I give myself? Never choose a major only because you are driven by money/financial security in that field - follow your passion, what your know you are good at. The saying: ?do what you love, love what you do? will forever apply in life. I?ve been told that if you do what you love, you'd never have to work a day in your life. I first chose ?nursing? as a college major for financial security/stability purpose. But 10 years later, I am going back to follow what I wished I had chosen - creative art in graphic designing. I realize that I would rather make $15.00/hr, than $25.00/hr if it is something that I love and do not deem as ?work.? Life is ultimately short, too short to wake up everyday not enjoying what I do for a living.

I would tell myself to stay focused, the hard work is well worth it. Be more social and keep better contact with high school friends. It is important to get out of your comfort zone every now and then to make friends and to socalize. Study hard and everything is within your reach. Never give up on your dreams because anything and everything is possible. You have bright and hopeful future! Don't be afraid to talk to others and make new friends, people will like you even though you think they won't. Care a positive attitude on your shoulders and never let the small things get you down. Overall just remember to believe in yourself and have the courage to pursue the things you want.

Honestly, no amount of infinite advice I could have bestowed upon myself in high school can outweigh the vast amount of advice that I can utilize now as a college junior. My high school experience was very brief; I graduated two years early as valedictorian. As a Junior at UTTyler now, I have come to acknowledge that my determination and initiative for my academic goals and aspirations is significantly less. My determination was my driving frce throughout high school. So in turn I would like to give advice to me in my present state(College Junior) from me as a high school senior. As a high school senior, this is the advise I will give myself in the present: "DO NOT disregard all your strenuous work that got you to the position you are in today. Keep your eyes on your goals, do not lose sight of your aspirations. It may ultimately seem that you have made no progress, but YOU HAVE! Give it your all and go out with a bang."

WARNING! This is a leter sent through time to my yournger high school senior self, from this point on it is out of my control! Dear Catie, Next year you will be off to the Univeristy of Texas at Tyler and you need to know some very important facts about living on your own. The first day that mom and JJ take you to move in make sure that a trip to the store is in mind BEFORE they leave you to go home. Going hungary the first night is so not fun. Next thing you need to know is study hard and when the professor says to read the chapter, do so. Keep on top of your school work and dont even think about partying. Plus Tyler is a dry county so the first couple of weeks you will see alot of people get kicked out of the dorm for stupid stuff. Most of all just enjoy yourself. Make the most out of everything and spend as much time with Laura, JJ, and Manuel as much as you can. Love you Catie (a.k.a your future self!)

If I could go back and talk to myself as a highschool senior with the knowledge I have now about college I would encourage myself to learn and develop several different study techniques, because it is much easier to transition into the college life once you have good study habits. And if you have more than a certain way to study its definately in your favor because you will never find that you are able to study the same way in all of your classes. Also I would take some time to sit down and try to make a plan of what classes I could take the next four years and begin thinking ahead about the possibilites of what I might be intersted in majoring in and what classes could contribute to my interests in those different majors.

Dear Laura, College is very different than high school. Given this opportunity, I want to give you some advice. First, there are a lot of ducks on campus. No duck should be without a name, so be prepared with all the random names you can imagine! Second, teachers don't hand out progress reports, and there isn't much daily work to back up your test grades. You do have to study and prepare for the tests. It'll make life easier if you study as you go. The cafeteria food is horrible. Just so you know! Make friends with someone on campus that can drive. That way, if you're car needs to go to the shop, you can have a ride to and from the shop as needed. Trust me, it will come in handy! Other than that, all I can advise is be prepared for a harder work load, but have some fun along the way. That is what college is all about after all! Love always, Yourself

I would tell myself to work harder in high school to familiarize myself with the more difficult subject i'm encountering in college at this point, I also would emphasize the importance of saving money for later so that I can afford books, food and other important anemities.

I wish I could have the knowledge that I have now about the real world. I needed to have that experience to know that I wanted to go to college and have the drive to concentrate on my studies and succeed.

As curious as this may sound, I love school. Involvement in student's lives, and making decisions dealing with campus issues is incredibly rewarding. I attended Tyler Junior College, and have moved on to the University of Texas. While attending TJC, I was involved in Student Government, Student and Academic Affairs, President-International Organization, President-Bike Club, Treasurer-Hispanic Student Organization, Club Tennis, Student Senate Representative-Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and was chosen Homecoming Queen. It has been my honor to be a leader and valuable influence on various issues dealing with students and involvement. College is a stepping-stone into the real world where thousands of people are sent out into their chosen careers. The first step is not in college though, but rather in high school. Make an effort to be involved in school organizations, the things you do now will follow you forever. Sometimes I know it just so happens that making a difference means being at the right place at the right time, but I also see how a person can potentially have greater impact when they have strategically set themselves up and placed themselves in a position to make a difference for success.

The advice I would give my selfis: " You need to relax a little bit, you are going to make your self very sick and not have a summer time because you are doing everything in school ontop of taking all these hard classes. You are spending to much time worring!" Not that when I was running around all crazy in high school I would have listened to my self. I would of never believed I would of spent most of my summer sick because I stressed myself out so much. I would of told myself "You need to have more fun and enjoy your friends and family."

Going back as a high school senior I realize that I did what I had to do to just get bye. Everything I did as a senior carried on through college. I had to learn the hard way, which sometimes can be good, but it caused me some money because I had to ret-take a class. I didn't listen to my teachers as a senior, and they had nothing but good advice for us as we were on our way to becoming college students. They even told us that most students would let this good advice go one ear and out the other, and thats exactly what it did. I just wish I didn't have to be so hard-headed because if I would've listened then I would've been a few years ahead. Now I'm always trying to give advice to students that they can overcome any obstacle if they want to by putting their mind to it and believing in their capabilities. I also tell them that just getting by will lead you to a pay check by pay check lifestyle, instead of having the opportunity to become educated and successful in wealth.

I would definantely tell myself to listen more to my mom. That I should have applied for more high school scholarships because college is very expensive and my mom is paying for it all by herself. I would tell myself to take more college classes in high school to offset the expense and that grades really do matter in high school in order to get more scholarships at the college you go to, and to study for my ACT and SAT's.

I would say not to be nervous. That while it is more difficult and there are more responsibilites than in high school, it is not impossible. With each semester it gets easier because you learn how to study more efficiently. That it is an exciting time in their life, they will meet a lot of interesting people from all over the country, maybe even the world! I would also say to start what you finish! I went to college twenty years ago and quit because I got married. That was one of my biggest regrets in life. Going back to school is hard to do with children, not to mention awkward at forty years old! You can do it!!!

I would tell myself to relax and just be as involved as possible. Being involved helps you meet people. Don't be afraid to put myself out there. Other students are new and just as afraid as I am. Becoming involved and relaxing is the best advice and two things I should have realized before attending school. Work on both of these things and everything will fall into place.

I would emphasize how important studying is and time management skills are. It's harder than it seems to balance school work with trying to have a social life. A social life is more important than it seems - it's important to have a good support system and find time to relax and just have fun. Life isn't just about having a perfect GPA.