University of California-Berkeley Top Questions

The advice I would give myself would be to keep up the good work and to not get discouraged. College is a great place to be--there is so much more opportunity to learn and to focus on what is is you are interested in when you are there. I guess I wouldn't tell myself anything different than I actually had told myself back when I was still in high school. I knew college would be more fun and hold more potential for me. I also knew it would be harder. I guess if anything, I would tell myself that everything I was anticipating for was true! But I would not have wanted to tell myself much more than that, because had I, my experiences may have been different than they were. It is not good to know everything about what it is you are "getting yourself into" so to speak, it takes away all the fun and adventure. And that is what college is to me--an adventure. And at that, it is one that I plan to continue until I get from it what I am going to obtain--music knowledge and degrees.

My biggest piece of advice to any incoming freshman, but especially for myself as a freshman, is don't be afraid of hard work! For many freshmen entering highly-ranked universities, such as myself at the University of California, Berkeley, high school came pretty easily. There is a fairly common mindset among freshman at Berkeley that you are much more intelligent than your classmates, and in my experience, the faster a student frees him- or herself from that mindset, the more successful that student will be. College will be hard, no matter how smart you are. Professors are experts in their fields for a reason, and you should expect to be challenged every time you step into a classroom. Don't let that be disheartening, though. Make an effort to stand out! Work hard and truly understand and love what you're learning, and you will be able to be very successful, even in classes with hundreds of students. But don't expect to cruise by on your natural intelligence. Work for it!

I would tell myself to be more proactive not only at studying and pursuing good grades but also becoming involved in campus activities such as research, academic organizations, volunteer, internships, etc. I also wished that I had done more research before entering my campus, such as how to get more grants/scholarships, which professors are more welcoming to students and which are not; as well as making more graduate student friends in campus. I would also have consulted other ex-students, alumnis and post undergrads at this campus to ask them how campus life is, how competitive school is, academic satisfaction, happiness and social life, etc.

Don't just apply to schools that are in your comfort zone. I know you think you want to apply to schools that are small and student-oriented. I know you think you want to stay in California, close to your family. But that isn't actually what you want. You want to go far away and meet people from different backgrounds and be in a part of the country with a different culture! You want to go to a big school, be a small fish in a big pond, and be continuously inspired and motivated by all the amazing people around you! Bigger schools have more clubs, more new people to meet, more scenes to try. They have cooler concerts and speakers come through. College is the time to challenge you comfort zone. Don't let your fears hold you back. If you do end up attending that small, private liberal arts institution that's an hour away from home, you're going to be miserable for two years and then transfer to a big public school that you'll wish you had had more time to love.

As a first generation college student, applying to college was a very daunting and stressful task. My wheels were constantly turning about how to earn a better ACT score, how to edit my essays, and which colleges to apply to. Even once my applications had been submitted, I questioned my decisions and worried about the results. When letters of acceptance began to arrive in my mailbox, I was surprised to find that I had been accepted to every university that I applied to, with the exception of one. Yet, I decided not to attend any of the universities that were initially at the top of the list. Once I found out that I had been accepted to UC Berkeley, my parents were ecstatic. They insisted we attend “Cal Day,” even though I was not particularly interested. However, the second I stepped foot on the campus I knew that Cal was the place for me. Therefore, I would tell my high school self that at the end of the day you do not choose what college you go to, a college will choose you. Ultimately, keep your eyes open to all possibilities because you never know where life will take you.

Attend office hours even if you’re feeling comfortable with homework. See if there are any seminars reserved for freshmen. Look into clubs that cover stem cells and neuroscience. Explore your artsy side by joining the Cal Literature and Arts Magazine. Indicate that you’re thinking about applying for music camps even if you think your teacher has other plans. Try working out bedtime arrangements with your roommate earlier in the semester rather than suffering in silence for several months. Look up volunteering opportunities over the weekend. Use Sticky Notes to keep track of applications. Create daily to-do lists. Exercise whenever the occasion arises. Select the unlimited access dining plan. Set up a schedule before classes begin with Google Calendar.

Entering college and immersing myself in a distinct social, physical, and academic environment was more difficult than I expected. I yearned for stability, for the comforts of home, for something that did not force me to rediscover myself, or possibly discover myself for the first time. When I first moved to Berkeley, I barraged myself with self-judgment. Early in the year, the young men living down the hall from me in the dorms posted a quiz on their door (marked 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}) with a post-it note that said, “That’s right, we set the curve!” My brain was riddled with doubt. Was a smart enough to be here? Social enough? Driven enough?I would tell the high-school version of myself to celebrate the present moment and celebrate myself. I did not go to Berkeley to compare myself to others, or to pine away for some antiquated, stable version of myself. I went to Berkeley to learn how to adapt to a unique environment, and to become a stronger person. I would encourage my high-school self to embrace herself in the present, accept the things she cannot control, and channel the fearlessness that I now know she possesses.

Dear Past Self, You don't know everything. I know that because you've lived abroad for four years you are open minded and accepting of other cultures and ideas. But you haven't even started to hear about them. When you get to Berkeley, you'll see what I mean. Just wait until you meet your classmates. You won't be the smartest, you won't be the best at everything, you'll make mistakes, and you know what? That's ok - that's good. It's going to give you a new sense of understanding, modesty, and appreciation for others and what you can learn from them. It's going to make you grateful for an involved academic community. You're going to learn things in university that force you to grow up, that force your mind to broaden even more. Let them. You don't know everything now, and you won't know everything four years from now. But you're going to know more, and that's what growing up is about: always learning more. So don't worry about not knowing everything. Just worry about knowing the best you can. Keep learning. Love, Future You

I would tell myself to appreciate my family more. The distance has made me realize how much they mean to me and how much they do for me. I tell myself to spend more time with them and be nicer to them even when my sisters fustrate me. I would also tell myself to save more money because being in the bay area is really important. Last, but not least, I would tell myself to believe in myself because I didn't really believe in myself when I was in high school and that really limited the classes I took and the colleges I applied to. If I could go back I would make myself apply to many schools such as Stanford, Columbia, USC and all those colleges that I probably could have gotten into but didn't apply to because I didn't believe in myself.

I wish I had known how to ask my teachers/instructors for help when I needed it. Because I was always a bit of a workaholic, I always seemed to take on a lot of work, but I was always stubborn when it came to asking for help. Being at a large university where no one is going to hold your hand, I would tell myself to ask teachers and instructors for help and to learn to make it a habit when it came to college. I feel like I have done better in classes where I have attended my professors' office hours and asked questions about class and the material. I would have told myself to be more open to asking questions about things I didn't understand, and to continue this habit into college because I remember being intimidated to go talk to my professors my first year.

At my high school, students of similar academic ability tended to be in similar classes each year. This meant that during the college application process — beginning with the PSATs sophomore year until senior year when college acceptance letters were mailed — the students in my classes constantly talked about their talents, their scores, and their ambitions. “How did you do on your SATs? What colleges are you applying to?” were questions students nosily asked each other. The hoopla made me feel inadequate. I compared myself to my current and future peers when I should have been recognizing where my own intelligence lay. This even influenced my college application process; I remember distinctly deciding not to apply to certain colleges because I did not think I was smart enough compared to others applying to those schools. I would tell my high school self how little the petty comparisons matter when you get to college, and that there are many forms of intelligence. I would tell myself not to worry that I would not be smart enough, because what matters is figuring out where your talents are and pursuing them. College gives you the freedom to do that — without the unnecessary competition.

Dear High School Self:FIrst of all, I know you always wanted to go to California, but heads up, NorCal isn't the sunny California you thought. SF is mostly windy and rainy. You'll never have to pay for A/C, but you won't get the warm beaches and palm trees that you expected.More importantly, don't let the public school status fool you. They cost as much as private schools for out-state's. Yes they told you you can earn your Californian residence, but they will make it as hard as possible for you. You will spend the first two years working 2~3 jobs every semester to establish that "financial independence"; yes you will earn the nearly-impossible residence in the end, but it will have impact on your grade, and you will spend the next two years of college working very hard to pull up that GPA. So please, consider loans, perhaps even consider somewhere else. Because in the future you will always wonder, is the financial benefit really worth those precious years of youth that you'll never get back? Last but not least, that prom date of yours - ask him out!

Dear Carling, This is the improved you from the future. Sorry, it’s not a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts. I am here to bring you a glimpse of college life as I lived it. First of all, it will seem like all of your classmates are smarter than you. All the classes you choose (curse you) will require tremendous amounts of effort and dedication; physics class is especially evil. Your fear of writing and public speaking will torture you more than ever. However, some of your classmates and study buddies become your best friends. You will find that succeeding with others is far more satisfying than doing so alone. The amount of effort you put into learning is proportional to your appreciation of the topic. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. You will also begin to seek opportunities to overcome your fears. Writing and speaking never cease to scare you, but you still enjoy them. In college, seek to emerge with a better knowledge of yourself, a desire to improve the lives of others, and a greater degree of curiosity than before. Lastly, if nothing else, get seven hours of sleep every night and use sunscreen every day. Best, Carling

Explore before starting freshman year. Start thinking about what interests you, and what career options are affiliated with those interests. Start examining things that are important to you more than just a school name and location, such as do you like what the school has to offer, and do you feel like you could really grow there.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior then I would have told myself to cherish going to high school instead of looking forward to getting out of it. I really regret not appreciating my small school enviornment and the simplicity of high school and the people and friends that I was so close to and also being able to come back home after school. Another thing I would have told my senior self was to not worry about my class ranking or gpa or SAT scores as much as I did because in the end nobody in college cares about what gpa or SAT score you had or what rank you were in High school.

College is not just an opportunity for you to escape the clutches of your parents. It is not a place where you can go wild and act irresponsibly. It is nothing like Hollywood's portrayal of college, where students are able to effortlessly balance binge drinking with their academic studies. College is a valuable opportunity that many young people are not able to experience. It is a luxury to be able to attend college. Your parents are making huge sacrifices for you to attend UC Berkeley, so you need to make the most of it. Do not base your college experience on going to huge frat parties, getting drunk, and chasing the sorority girls. Focus on your school work. You are attending a college with some of the most leading experts in their respective academic fields. Take advantage of it! This is a place where so many opportunities are available to you. Don't waste them by following everyone else in a pathetic attempt to live out the stereotypical college fantasy life. You have so much potential, but you must put forth the effort to live up to that potential.

I think the most important thing to remember is to really think about what you want to do on campus. In hindsight, I regret being extremely lazy my first two years. It is very important to get into student organizations (even if it is a fraternity or sorority), and stay in them, so that you can get an internship over the summers, and eventually arrive at a nice job. Berkeley has the resources to get you where you want to be, but the question resides in your dedication to your cause.

Always be open to changes and learn how to interact with different types of people. Start studying earlier and go to office hours as often as you get time. Go to social events because you will meet many people there who could become some of your closest friends. Try to visit home often and set aside time for research and volunteering. Have fun doing what you wouldn't normally do but nothing too dangerous.

To be completely honest, I'm very happy with where I have come in the past year. I would not tell my high school senior self to change much about how I went through the college application process. I finished all of my essays during the summer before senior year, and as soon as the year started, I asked teachers to read over my essays! I took part in various activities as a high school senior while juggling application and scholarship deadlines. I even applied for and received one of Cal's top scholarships, the Cal Alumni Leadership Award. I would tell my high school senior self to never give up, and to believe that the efforts I put in during those few months at the beginning of senior year will eventually pay off in the end. Also, I would tell my senior year self to enjoy senior year while it lasts, and make lots of friends, whether it may be with students from other schools nearby, teachers, younger students through tutoring, or underclassmen in high school; since when you visit your hometown again, it feels really great to catch up with so many familiar faces!

“Lesson 1: Know yourself. In high school, I was too worried about fitting in and not embracing myself as a whole. This affected my ability to learn and grow as an independent woman. This relates to Lesson 2: Know your passions. Once you understand what you value, you’ll be able to focus your energy on what is most important and you’ll have the confidence to voice your opinion. You will have many passions, and you will need to understand their hierarchy so that you do not risk overworking yourself. Hence, Lesson 3: Know your priorities. In college, you will have many opportunities, both academic and social. It is your duty to make sure that you are able to balance both. Learning this early in life will be useful because different stages in your life will always require a good balance. Lastly, Lesson 4: Have fun. While you will always be an overachiever, don’t let your future ambitions keep you from enjoying and fully experiencing the present moment. This is important in order to appreciate the hard work you are doing.” These are some of the things I would tell my high school senior self.