University of California-Berkeley Top Questions

Don't be afraid to take chances and try new things (which won't hurt you). You only go to college once.

When I think of my first semester attending Cal, I remember feeling stupid for the first time in my life. My whole academic career until college consisted of me having the reputation of "the smart one". And I felt that crashing down around me the more people I met at Cal. In high school, I was at the top of my class. Suddenly everyone I was meeting was at the top of their classes too. I almost felt like I had lost my identity. I found myself having to define myself by something other than my grades. It wasn't until my second semester that I began to get involved with other activities and really began to find my place at Cal. The feeling of being a tiny fish in a huge pond slowly began to diminish as I discovered other interests and skills. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to get involved with extracurricular activities earlier in my college career. After all, college is not just about doing well academically but also being given the opportunity to discover other interests and pursue new passions.

It's very important to remember that apply to college shouldn't be just about what the most prestigious university is or about the SAT scores you get. It's about choosing what is most convenient, affordable, and also most suitable to you as an individual. Try not to focus too much on the brand name and choose a school that you think suits you best, whether because it has the major you're interested in or even if it's just because it's close to home. Once you let go of all those expectations, you will be much happier and the pressure will be off. It is very likely you will end up where you need to be, just work hard and make sure to relax every once in a while. College is an amazing time and it should not be terrifying and anxiety inducing applying to one. You will make the most of where ever you end up and you will have a great time.

Stop listening to what other people say. Not for one second am I suggesting that you become an self-righteous know-it-all; I am, however, pleading that you imbibe a large, large dose of self-reliance. Too Emerson for you? Deal with it. You've spent the last three years grappling for every bit of advice from any person willing to dispense an opinion (read: everyone), and the time to stop basing action on everony's opinoin but your own has all but arrived. You joined sports and clubs because ?it?ll look good on your college application.? Take tap ?dancing! Spend time with your younger brother who?ll also be going away to college before you know it! Volunteer at the horse rehabilitation center! Restart ice-skating! Do what you love and keep the fear of uncertainty from paralyzing you from volitionally going through each day. In college there will be plenty of people waiting to tear you down. Learn to be your own person and purposefully make your own choices or others will happily decide for you. Trust me, do this one thing and college will be the time of YOUR life.

College is like an endless summer camp. Pack lightly: the tiny dorm rooms are not a myth! Choose classes wisely: they will become your life. You have all the time in the world to study, and you should use that time wisely. But this will be true no matter where you go. The most important thing you need to do as a senior is choose your school wisely. Visit and tour all the school you apply to, and apply to many. You don't want to be limited in choices come spring. Choose the school right for you, not the school your family or friends like most. Look at what school has a strong program for the major you'd like, is in a pleasant location, and not too far or too close to home. When you make your decision, stick to it and do not regret your decision. It is best to love your University because it becomes your home and your life and that means it should be enjoyable. You are building your future, and it will be the time of your life.

You may seem to know the world, its workings and its limitations, but remember to be humble, because you do not know everything. All you know and have learned (no matter how progressive and forward-thinking it may be) will (and should) be challenged. Do not limit yourself to your expectations of what you should be doing, because it is our belief in who we can be, rather than who we should be, that will guide us. Keeping an open mind, learn from all the people you will encounter, whether they support you or oppose you, because truly, every single person has something to teach you. Be patient and kind and remind yourself of why you do what you do. I know that is a hard question to answer, and it is one that I cannot completely address, but I think it has to do with bettering yourself, empowering and uplifiting people around you, and knowing that changing the world starts with yourself, at home, with your friends, your community, and then expands. You have already changed the world, so keep working, fighting, and most importantly, loving.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would tell myself to be comfortable with my own self-doubt. Everyone is in the process of finding themselves at college, and rushing this process is fruitless. Looking back, the path of self-realization was far more important than the end result. The path itself created who I am today, and it drives everything from the career that I have chosen to the values I hold. College opened me up to countless perspectives and experiences that are vastly different from my own, but all the while remain with me today. The most important aspect of my education was the diversity of my college. The transition from an isolated town to a large, liberal city was not an easy one, but it was essential in enabling me to work with people of many different backgrounds and to have a larger understanding of the world around me. Attending UC Berkeley humbled me with the reminder that I am only one of billions of people in this world, and at the same time empowered me with the knowledge of the potential impact that I can have on others.

I would give myself the following advice: do your very best in your classwork or in whether you put your mind to, do not listen to the naysayers saying that you can't do the college thing, respect others and yourself, and most importantly, never give up, no matter what.

Choose good friends and hold on to them. Care for others and be generous with your time, efforts, money, and thought. All else is subordinate and life will have pleasant surprises if you follow through with this.

Making the choice of going to college was an easy one for me since i had planned to continue my educational career since my sophmore year at high school. However, i always assumed that college was going to be just like high scholl except with a higheer degree of dificulty. Although this was true, there were other things about college life that i still wished i would have known. This is why if could go back in time and tsalk to myself about completing this transition there would be many tips and advice given. For one, dorm life is not as fun as it sounds. One must be prepared to encounter different types of people and also be aware that you cant react the way you would in highs chool. You have to be mature and responsible. Another factor would be finances. Save up money for yourself this way you dont feel as if you are in need or desperate for extra cash. Lastly, be prepared for a culture shock. The demographics in college are not the same as the demographics at high school. You will feel out of place, but all you have to do is find your niche.