University of California-Davis Top Questions

When I opened my eyes, here stood in front of me a high school senior version of myself. I watched him as he walks lazily, with little purpose, without a care in the world. He bumped into me and I stood there laying my hands upon his shoulders, “do you know where you are going?” He looked at me dangling in confusion as I told him, “I am you.” In a year, your world will change. College is a whole different game. Learn to be a man of value, a man who give values to others. Be a leader. He asked, “Then who am I?” You are your habits, learn to use them. Manage your time well. There are no excuses, don’t put something off what you can do today. With more clarity, he asked, “where should I look?” Look into business and Entrepreneurship, you will find opportunities that fits your personality and skills. There is much to learn. Here, I see myself in you as you are now. I see what you will become is better than what I am now. Farewell, until we meet again. As he disappeared from my sight, I now close my eyes.

As you transition from a high school senior to a college novice, EMBRACE THE CHANGES; this is your chance to discover who you are as an individual, your chance to determine what impact YOU want to make on society. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from exploring. In college, there no mistakes made, just lessons learned. Try everything and anything you could potentially like because this is the one time you have the freedom to do so. Never miss an opportunity to join an intramural inner-tube water polo team or take that photography class you’ve always wanted to take. Challenge your dorm mates to an all-you-can-eat contest in the dining commons. Get to know your professors and fellow classmates, you’ll learn just as much outside of class as you will during lecture. Lastly, live in the moment because these are the moments where you’ll find your passion for life.

Everything will work out as it should

"Do things that scare you and be yourself." Beautiful and cliche. Plain and simple. That's what I'd tell myself. But telling a room full of 17 year-olds to 'be themselves' is like telling a room of Israelis and Palestinians to 'just get along.' Get over your problems and be friends! Adding a tablespoon of 'be yourself' into the equation might as well multiply the impact of my 45 minutes with myself by 0. Heck, a teaspoon, let alone a tablespoon, is enough to switch the 'off button' for the teenage attention span. Street cred revoked, no matter how funny I am. Bye bye time traveler, hello iPhone. I'd need a head fake. Lead my young innocent mind down a direction that's hip while still imparting my important message. If you've ever seen the Last Lecture by Randy Paush, I'd rip a page out of his book. Eureka! Rap our "be yourself" present in the sparkly packaging of pretty prose and give it to myself while dancing. I'll never know what hit me.

If I were to go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would encourage myself to pursue my goals by truly listening to my heart. It would have made my college decision much easier and it would have taken some of the stress off of my mind. I would also tell myself to take a look at what is most important to me. By aligning my values of community, support, adventure, and balance, I would have chosen my school in a heartbeat. Instead, I ended up letting financial problems get in the way of my dreams. As a high school senior, it would have been nice to have some reassurance that money is not the end-all, be-all when it comes to college.

Dear Catherine, Congratulations, you did an awesome job! You lived out your personal motto: to do the best you could and the rest is out of your hands. As you head into graduate school be sure to remember the lessons you learned about life and transition. Do not worry so much about finances, enjoying your friends and life is more important. Take responsibility of your education; know the details of the system so you can take advantage of more opportunities. That was an important one, take great advantage of the opportunities given to you by the university, friends, contacts and your classes. Lastly, remember this, that when the going gets tough and you feel out of place just be yourself and know that time will help ease the difficulty of change and uncomfortable situations. Keep your head up and be excited about what is coming but don't be in a rush even if culture says otherwise. You are only young once and there will be time enough in the future to be older. Gain wisdom and stay young at heart. Sincerley from your future self, Catherine Pearl

I would tell myself to try figuring out my career earlier on. I would tell myself advantage of more of the advising resources available to me, especially the Chemistry tutoring and workshops. I would warn myself to be more aware of my drinking/socializing back then too- old habits die hard.

3 very important pieces of advice for my high-school self: 1) Get off that high horse So, you got accepted at your top choice university? You think you're some sort of Einstein? Just wait until you start at Davis, bub. It's no walk in the park--be prepared to work harder than you've ever worked before. Those A's aren't going to come easily anymore. 2) Stress Less Yes, the workload is going to be more than you are used to. Yes, you're going to be surrounded by smart people who ruin the curve for you. No, there's no reason to panic and freak out. Remember to take time off for yourself, for your mental well-being. You aren't going to be a happy camper if you're constantly stressed. Happy students are good students. 3) Appreciate Mommy and Daddy's Rules You're not going to have mom and dad around to set the rules, to tell you what to eat or when to study. Learn to be responsible--they were telling you those things for a reason! Good time management skills are essential to allocate time for work AND play.

I would have focused on a degree that would have made me more marketable as a professional. I did well in all of my past positions as a Sales Administrator, Executive Administrator, Program/Case Assistant, Triage Assistant, etc., but I did not have skills that another profession, such as an engineer, may have had to ensure that the positions I have had would be able to support me in the Bay Area.

Participate in as many activies as possible during your senior year of high school. Volunteer for events! Join the soccer team! Attend all the games! Cheer as loud as possible! Relish every moment because it's the last time you'll ever be able to. You need to do everything you can because you will soon be moving on to the next phase in life- college. When looking for a college do not worry about where your friends are going or what your parents want. It is ultimately your decision to make. Think about the right fit for you where you can obtain a quality education while allowing yourself to grow as a person. One of the hardest decisions you'll ever have to make in life is what you're going to be. But what you're going to do is much more important. Who you are is defined by your actions. Your passion will be discovered once you find what you truly love to do. Do not limit yourself to what other people think you are capable of. Press harder, try new things, get outside your comfort zone-only then can you live life to the fullest.

As a first generation Latino law student, I have never had someone in my life that has been able to show me what is needed to succeed in college. Things haven’t been easy and having a unique experience to speak with myself as a high school senior, I would deliver two messages. First, would be to visit a counselor to set an educational plan in order to shorten my time at junior college and the second is to be persistent in this unique opportunity. I did not follow the natural path that students take in college. Unfortunately, by not meeting a counselor when I first enrolled in to college, I wasted time registered in classes that did not help me transfer to a university. Meeting a counselor early on would have assisted me in setting a plan to place me on the fast track to attend UC. Davis. As the first in my family to attend a university I had many doubts and felt that I lacked something others seemed to have. I would also communicate to my younger self to be persistent because it will be the only thing that will help me get through future obstacles.

I would advise myself to take more advantage of the opportunities available. There are so many chances to try new things in college, so I would tell myself not to be afraid and just go for it. I would remind myself not to be afraid of failure, because what is the worst that could happen? Maybe I don't actually like it, but that's actually a good thing, then I know to try something else. I would also remind myself to be outgoing and confident; there are so many people at college and everyone is different. Everyone has something different to share. In addition, I would tell myself how important it really is to visit the office hours of TAs and professors. This is how you make connections for the future; these people have already seen what you can do and how hard you can work, they are in the prime position to recommend you for a job, internship, or research position, or even hire you themselves. I would also urge myself to enjoy college as much as possible, college is an amazing part of life, and I should take advantage of everything it has to offer.

As a first generation Latino law student, I have never had someone in my life that has been able to show me what is needed to succeed in college. Things haven’t been easy and having a unique experience to speak with myself as a high school senior, I would deliver two messages. First, would be to visit a counselor to set an educational plan to help shorten my time at junior college and the second is to be persistent in this unique opportunity. I did not follow the natural path that students take in college. Unfortunately, by not meeting a counselor when I first enrolled in to college, I wasted time registered in classes that did not help me transfer to a university. Meeting a counselor early on would have assisted me in setting a plan to place me on the fast track to attend UC. Davis. As the first in my family to attend a university I had many doubts and felt that I lacked something others seemed to have. I would also communicate to my younger self to be persistent because it will be the only thing that will help me get through obstacles in the future.

As a 17-year- old teenager, I always thought the coursework was going to be the hardest part of college due to my parent’s litany of “how hard college will be”, or how “every waking moment will be spent studying”. Looking back at my college career, I realized that learning to resist peer-pressure can sometimes be even harder than learning the college material. Thus, if I can go back in time and give myself advice, I would tell myself that the road to a successful college career is not about staying up all night studying; it’s about knowing when to say “no” to that Thursday night party, or “no” to that dubious red cup that some stranger hands you. In retrospect, college was a time for me to realize that I was responsible for my own actions. It would be unrealistic to tell my past self to stop going to parties, but it is realistic for me to remind myself of my own limits. Having this wisdom at hand would have made my transition to college easier by giving me an idea of how to find balance between my new social life and academics.

The first two years passes by quickly and it's best to enter college knowing what you want to do in the next four years. Keep focus and balance your social life with school work, despite peers influencing you to always go out. There will always be parties, but if you don't keep up with your studies, you will be wasting a lot of extra time and money, meaning more loans! Remember that there are two types of loans that you'll most likely take: one accruals interest 6 months after graduation, and the other evil one accruals interest 6 months after you start taking the first loan. The interest varies, so you better get a job to start paying for it! Use the college years to explore different internships and don't stick with one just because it's safe. The whole point of college is to meet people, develop good relationships (including professional relationships), and expand your interpersonal skills. During your undergraduate years, people are more lienient to "stupid questions," so don't be afraid to ask - it's why you're still learning! So take risks, don't be afraid to speak up, and stand out!

It is utmost important to build professional relationships with your professors, for you will need their support once you graduate and continue onto graduate/law/medical school. Other important things to remember are: always seek a student advisor for help when planning your courses; seek out internships because they will provide you with experience and open up various opportunities for you after graduation; build strong relationships with your peers because you’ll need moral support and encouragement to succeed in your studies; take advantage of campus resources (writing center, tutoring center, gymnasium, etc.) because they are a part of your tuition! Your college education and experience is what you make of it. It is a place for you to realize your potential and thrive on it. Your undergraduate education will be your foundation to enter your career, please take it seriously.

Hello past Melissa! This is a letter from your future-self. One year in the future to be exact. I know you're having trouble picking a college, but don't stress yourself out too much; I promise, choosing UC Davis is going to be one of the best decisions you're ever going to make. And that scholarship you win at the awards ceremony helps a lot during fall quarter, so I highly recommend applying for more of those, because Financial Aid at UC Davis kind of messes you up during winter quarter. But don't worry, you get through it just fine! And definitely sign up for the Band-Uh! early! Because I didn't, and I swear, with only 12 units, you'll have no idea what to do with all the extra time. And order your books early, don't make the same mistake I did. I fell super behind on one of my classes. Join the Taekwondo team! Everyone there is awesome, and you'll compete in Irvine! But just relax, you'll do great. Points are just numbers, just remember to have fun and kick butt! UC Davis is a great place to be!

I would tell myself that I should start life anew and leave my bad past behind, because after my senior year I was really broken for not being able to achieve as much as I wanted and for the problems happening in my family. The death of my friend also broke me, so I would go back and tell myself to be strong. I would also tell myself that I am worth more than just one person in a million. It took me four quarters to realize this and I wish I had understood earlier.

I would tell myself to create better study habits, and take more time taking notes. In college, that's a lot of what we do! I would also make sure to remind myself to manage my time wisely. My senior year was filled with a lot of things not related to school work, and without proper time-management skills, having so many other things going on is impossible in a university setting. In addition, I would advise myself to set a working endpoint. Stressing so much over everything that needs to be done is hard, and not healthy mentally or physically. Knowing your limits is important, and setting a time where you will stop working and make yourself relax and sleep is essential to staying sane. Other than that, I would tell myself to just take life as it comes and enjoy it as it goes.

Don't be intimidated on the first day! First day of moving into the dorms is the start of the most exciting part of your life! Settle in nice and slowly, get to know your new friends around you, explore the campus. Make sure you find out where all your classes are before classes start. You can get lost fast in these wicked buildings especially the very "artistic" ones that were built like a maze. Enjoy the food on and off the campus. Don't be afraid to explore downtown! OH and Farmer's Market comes right on campus so take advantage of that too!