University of Arizona Top Questions

I would tell myself to not underestimate college courses. Back in high school, I thought college would be easy and I would not have to study alot in order to get good grades. Also, I would have told myself to learn how to approach people and make friends. I can talk to people, but I have trust issues so that holds me back from hanging out with people. Lastly, I would have told my younger self to just have fun and not care what other people think of me. Shyness and insecurities about myself have been holding me back from having the best time in college, so I want to tell myself that no one cares and that I should act however I want to act.

The longer you wait the harder it gets. The longer you wait the more expensive it gets. The longer you wait the less time you will have. Think about how much it will "cost" you, not neccessarily in monetary terms but how much time, money and effort you will put out now versus later in life. School is tough with a family and a full time job. You can definately do it but it is tough. Think about where you are now. I know that you are sick of school and just want a little time off but delayed gratification is a sign of maturity. Put some time into thinking about where you want to be in life and go make the right decision.

If I were able to go back as a high school student I would start getting college credits as soon as possible in high school ,and really hone and define my major early. I would also get more assistance from my teachers about the process of college and steps to take to maximize preparations, in addition to visiting colleges to get a real time assessment and feel of what's to come. I would spend more time reading books on my major, volunteer more to experience the joys of giving more and giving back. I would ask current students of the best ways to cut down on the costs of books, and of the programs on campus that they found most useful and beneficial. I would also inquire about the best professors they have experienced and why. I would get started early on scholarships and use the internet to find the best scholarship for high school students. In so doing, I would hone my essay writing skills and really articulate my goals,committment and ambiition. Getting an internship with a company in the field of my major would be a top priority to experience real time what the parameter are.

Dear Me, You are about to turn a huge corner in your life. You will be on your own making all the decisions. Since I want future-you (namely, me) to be successful, here are Five Commandments to follow for life: 1.Get ahead with a head start. Good things may come to those who wait, but great things come to those who start early. (Patience is a virtue: Procrastination is not. Don’t get those confused.) 2.Finish what you start, even if you don’t like it. It is not being first that is winning; it’s crossing the finish line. 3.Sleep. I don’t care how many awesome activities take place late at night. I can guarantee that there is something equally awesome during the day, and you’ll be more productive. 4.A penny/minute is a penny/minute earned. You aren’t just spending money, but also time and energy. Make it worthwhile. 5.And finally, most importantly: Think! Everything starts with an ACTIVE thought, not a dream or a wish. Choose the thoughts that will make you a better person and act on them. See you when you get here! With love, Myself

Bringing out homemade video's from High School felt like a facepalm. My past self cringed with awkwardness and her hair malfunction resurfaced the horror of frizz. Her face consumed a cheese burger. Family ridicule came my way. I was determined to change their minds. "She was going through a phase—bottling up all those butterflies inside. Eventually she grows up. Those insecurities transform into something beautiful and productive." "She's producing laughs at a high capacity." My family giggles. "You've missed the point. She always had a heart of sunshine. Intelligence and dedication. Well-defined morals. You should be proud." As I spoke, a revelation came. "All that unnaturalness about her...she got through it. Who she was, is what makes me successful. I wouldn't change those embarrassing years. For anything. She helped me find my identity: I'm Tiasha. I owe her a thanks." "What?" My TV self asks the camera. Confused for a second, she said: "Is someone talking to me? I heard my name and something about...owing a thanks? I think." She shrugs it off and gets lost in food again. My relatives drop jaws. I smile. "Be yourself. Thats all you need."

You know everyone says college is the best four years of your life but it’s true. College means more freedom and development of who you are going to be as an adult. Although it is going to be overwhelming at times, and the stress is going to get you, it will be worth it. Right now, focus on being the best student and person you can be. Apply for scholarships, take classes that spark your interest instead of the ones that will get you and easy A, start thinking about what you want to be doing for the rest of your life. Put yourself out of your comfort zone once in a while, it’s good for you. Make solid friendships with people you actually enjoy being around rather than desperately trying to fit in with the cool kids and quit stressing about what you are going to wear to school the next day. Because here’s a little secret…that doesn’t matter. Two years from now, nobody will remember what you wore or who you were with. Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to pay attention. I would tell myself to start doing everything as soon as possible. That includes applying to the schools that I wanted to go to and loans, scholarships and anything else that could help. I would also tell myself to plan ahead and make sure that when going through the process of enolling in a college pay attention.

Dear Zoe, Right now, I know you are busy and stressed and overwhelmed. You are doing a fantasic job as Student Body President, I am so proud of you for working so hard in everything you do. I am you. I am you two years later, about to be a sophomore at the University of Arizona. You did not get into Stanford, I'm sorry to say. But, you want to know something? You would not have been happy there- you love it in Tucson, you have wonderful friends, you have done very well in your classes, and you are growing into a woman. It is scary, but exciting. Listen to me very carefully, now. There is a very important scholarship determined from the state's standardized text that you need to try your hardest for because it will give you full tuition to college. I missed the opportunity by less than one percent and that was terrible because I am now struggling to pay for college, books, food, and rent. But if you are reading this and have yet to take the test, please do this for us because it would make life so much easier. Much love, Zoe

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about college life and making the transition, I would start off by telling myself that college brings on a whole different level of academic requirements. College is not as easy as high school, where teachers are lenient and allow students to retake tests. In college, studying is the key essential to success in every class. You must be ambitious and want to learn new material, otherwise you will gain nothing and will have trouble studying for something that you have little to no interest in. Seek tutors as needed; don’t be embarrassed because the extra help will greatly impact your grades. Along with that, do not be shy to socialize and make friends in your classes. By making friends, you now have people to form study groups with. Study groups are supportive because everyone has different input that is helpful. With this being said, you must be willing to take different approaches to learning. Most importantly, never doubt yourself and your potential. Things may start off rough, but slowly and surely things will fall into place. Furthermore, make sure to control your stress levels in a healthy manner.

I would advice myself to pay attention to all subjects and absorb every learning as possible. Learning about the fundamentals from high school is a key to success in college life. College is a very fast-paced learning environment and professors expect you to know the basics already. It becomes very challenging when you stumble upon a topic, that you should have known , but did not pay attention to back in high school. In other words, I would tell myself to embrace all the knowledge from high school and apply it in college to avoid regrets in the future. Do not waste high school, because it is the key to being successful in college.