University of Arizona Top Questions

If I could go back to high school, I would definately advise myself to invest in a planner, becuase writing things on different pieces of paper really isn't a good organizational skill. I would instruct myself to have better time management and to not be so scared of the future. To walk straight and tall and to be confident in myself as a female, a student, and a minority. To participate in school more and work a lot less (you'll be working for the rest of your life Janessa!). To be kinder to my family and focus more of my attention on school than friends.

I would tell myself to start early. Never wait until your in a pickle to try to find how to get out of it, talk to advisors and professors early about the smallest problems and what it takes to survive. Same thing with school work. When the syllabus gives you the huge paper prompt, get started on it right away, don't give your self even two weeks to work on it, get that stinker immediatly out of the way so it doesn't hang over your head the whole semester and then get rushed. Never listen to those silly professors who tell you lateness doesn't matter, its a trick. Do all of your work on time, and that means at the very least two days before its due. Notes are taken for a reason. Read them the night you take them then read all of them at the end of the week, because repitition is key for retainment. Don't you dare cram! Even if you think your good at it. Make friends in every class. You are going to need their help at least once.

Given the opportunity to converse with my younger self in reguards to college life, my biggest piece of advice would concern distraction. College life is much more individual than highschool life was. In college, you are expected to do and learn many things on your own outside of the classroom, where as in highschool the battle was just attending. When I graduated highschool, I quickly moved out of my dad's house and into my own. During the first summer I lived independantly, I allowed myself to get into the habit of doing everything I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. During the summertime this behavior was great but it unfortunatley carried over into my freshman year of college. This behavior led to procrastination and oftentimes even neglect of my studies. By no strech was I a poor student, but I would have been a much better one. The best advice I could givce myself would be to be weary of easy distrations, because being on your own opens the door to such things every moment of the day.

My biggest advice would be to prepare and don't procrastinate. Time managment is so important in everything you do in life. A lot of stress can be deviated by using your tme wisely. It is also very important to take advantage of the resources provided for you. So many people are willing to talk and help you with college decisions. Your advisor will be one of your best friends during your college career. I would also tell myself that college is just the beggining. You might think that your high school friends will be with you to the end but so much can change. Everyone seperates and goes their own ways after high school. So don't stress when this happens because you honestly make the life long friendships during college and your bond becomes much stronger than the ones you had in high school. Your life will be exactly what you make it and it's going to be fun.

If I could go back and advise myself as a high school senior I would recommend that I take the time to explore all my options, especially concerning financial aid. I would tell myself not make plans based on something like a boyfriend, the thought that I'm not good enough to go to a certain school, or even how far from home it is. I think another important aspect I would have suggested would have been to try new things! Go out and join a club or organization, or at least loosen up enough to talk to people and not be so shy and reserved. Most importantly, if I continued to make the decision to attend a community college first, I would support myself! I would make sure I understood that it wasn't settling for second best, and that it was a smart decision to ease myself into the college experience. I would explain that I was allowing myself to find out where I want to go with my life and that it would only lead to a better opportunity later in the future. (As it did!)

The advice I would give myself would be to take my time, and trust in God. Being 18, there is no rush. When it looks like things might not work out, trust in God, and expect the unexpected. God knows what is best even when, at first, I do not see it for myself. Find what inspires me and go after it, not allowing others to discourage, but take hold of my dreams, make goals, and do it! Change will happen, the person I was at 18 will not be the same person at 25, but that is a good thing. Learn from every situation, the good and bad. Ask for advice, be honest, be myself, and in the end, I can endure. That is what I would say.

Looking back at my experiences thus far, I would tell myself what to do or what not to do, because the experiences and the journey were the most rewarding. I would simply give myself a short list of things to remember-- 1. Don't make yourself too crazy. 2. Enjoy the work. 3. Revel in the anxiety; it makes you feel alive. 4. Expect success. Your maturity and passion will carry you to great heights. And most importantly, 5. Pray hard, work hard, enjoy the ride.

I would have told myself that transitions are hard and it takes every individual a long time to adjust to any given situation. I am just now getting comfortable at my school after over a year of attendance. I would have advised myself to be more active in the Universities community from the start and join activities on my own without needed the support of a friendly face. Knowing this advise would have made the transition period a lot easier for me, but life is a rollercoaster of learning and that was just another life lesson of mine.

I would tell myself to be ready to expect the unexpected. I tried so hard and did everything I could to prepare, but you will never know it all. But that's part of the fun, right?! To do well in college, you must learn to balance your work and your fun, but you still have to have both! Too much of either will only set you up for failure. Meeting new people and figuring out how your professor grades her exams, it's all part of the experience. Be open-minded and you wouldn't believe how much you can learn.

Since in high school I was not in any way motivated to go to school and since my parents did not go to college I never really cared about going to college. Therefore, if I could go back in time to my senior year of high school, I would take in to consideration how college would be important for my future and why I should attend school. Additionally, I would look into what type of college I want to attend and how much tuition is going to cost. I would spend my senior year debating what school I want to go to have a backup plan just in case I could not attend that school. I would decide whether or not I want to live on campus, transportation methods, the type of job I need to have money for school. Basically, I would do a lot of things different and be prepared for school. Another important thing would be to set up a plan to study and take college prep classes in high school. Worry more about my GPA and do things in any way that would help colleges notice me through my academic skills.