University of California-Davis Top Questions

Now that I am a college student, and I have already made the transition from high school, there are a few pieces of advice I would like to give to my high school self. I feel that if I had payed attention to this advice before hand, I would have had a much smoother transition into college; nevertheless, I feel that I have learned from my mistakes. The first piece of advice that I would give myself is to start preparing for college in high school. That little piece of advice may sound obvious, but I have discovered how important it really is. One of my main regrets when I completed my senior year in high school was that I did not take high school seriously. My second piece of advice would be to believe in myself. I have learned that I can have the support of family, friends, or every single person on this planet for that matter, but if I do not believe in myself, it is nearly impossible to succeed. I found that with the support I received from my family and friends coupled with my positive attitude is what helped me to succeed in college.

Be more outgoing! When you are in class, make friends that can eventually turn into study partners. Talk to your professors and do not be intimidated by the number of students that they encounter each day. Establish study groups. Read the reading assignments before class. Know what questions to ask and spread out your sciences classes!

there would be a couple things i would tell my senior self about i would tell myself dont mess up your first time around and i would also tell myself that being in the medical field is where its at right now . because there is a high demand in the medical feild and it would just be a better outcome and about college life i would teel myself that its no joke there is alot of hard work that comes with the whole college life . but if you stick to it it will pay off big time. and the transition it takes is a big step you woul;d have to go from just plain old goofy and try and act a little more professional because they will not tolerate slackers but that does not mean you have to stop being the normal fun loving guy that you already are and the last piece of advice i would give myself dont pass up on the opportunity when it comes to you so that is what i would tell my senior self to 1 not mess up my first time in senior year 2. the medical field is the best choice

Past Consuela, You’ll never make it to your senior year of high school because you'll have to get a GED. Its your sophomore year, and you spend much of your time in bed with those debilitating migraines, afraid that they will once again cause you temporary blindness. I know the guilt you have each day you aren’t in your seat. And the days you are there, I remember how the other children pick on you because the teachers spend extra time with you. It’s hard now, but hang in there. Don’t believe what those kids say. You are intelligent and can do anything. It took me a long time to realize that. Trust the advise of others. Sorry Hun, but you really don’t know everything. Taking someone else’s advice will save you heartache. When you get to college, focus on your general education courses first, it will take you time to learn what you want to do. Lastly, remember to never give up, never give in and always believe in yourself even when you feel like no one else does. With that, you’re sure to go far. Sincerely, Your Future Self

How you did in high school is no indication of how you will do in college. If you study the subjects you are interested in, you are sure to do well. Once you're in college, nobody cares how you did in high school. The most important thing now is to learn how to best manage your time and workload, stay focused, and have fun. If you do that, you will do well in college.

STOP PANICKING! Life will get better, I promise. There's no need to fret. Just because some of your friends made it into better schools does not mean anything. Davis is also way better than it sounds. The idea of cows being everywhere was only a myth! Also don't let "senioritis" get the better of you. Research the schools that you really want to get into. Remember: this is your future! However, in some way or another, everything will eventuall fall into place. Don't worry about it. Life goes on. The most important piece I can give to you is: study hard, no matter what.

Enjoy this moment. Make as many mistakes as you can, while you can. Don't stress about whether or not you will be successful. Just do what you love, and be the best. Everything else will fall into place. Think in terms of "when" and not "if". You're the best, whether you believe it or not. And soon, the whole world will know just how great you are going to be.

College is fun, but home is always where the heart is. Do not worry about the cost of tution, for it will all work out. Keep your door open and make some friends. Never forget your upbrining and morales, your family and God is always their for you; be their for them. Take pictures, as the old saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words," and I would say memories as well. Be yourself and continue to study and work hard. It will pay of! Enjoy the rest of your high school. Work hard, but take it a little easier. College will not look at every little thing they do. Most importantly never forget who you are and where you are going.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to try to be involed in school activities as much as possible, and be aware of the resources that the school has to offer.

GO TO ALL YOUR CLASSES. Really, they will teach you far more than just reading the book did in high school. Also, don't be so insecure, people are nice so get out there and make some new friends. You only get to go through college once so kick ass!

College isn't anything to be worried about. You're gunna do just fine. Remember that first day in AP Spanish class where you wanted to just give up, but you didn't! That's just what college is like. You're gunna meet a TON of new people and experience some pretty random things but never ever give up. If the professor isn't the best, then get a study group together! You know how to be a leader so don't forget to join clubs and sports. You'll love it. Trust me :)

If I were to go back in time and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would discuss three main things with myself. These three things I have learned from my own experiences. When beginning college, be prepared to face the fact that not everyone will be kind to you and not everyone thinks the same way. Different opinions, beliefs, and values may make finding friends challenging but also an adventure. You should also be prepared to make your own decisions. Parents are good to have to fall back on; but, sometimes, what you need more is to do it yourself. You'll never learn if you don't try on your own. If you still need someone, ask a friend, supervisor, advisor, or counsellor. I'm sure that, if you just ask, they can find the time to help you. Finally, always remember to never give up. The classes will get harder, and it may become difficult to pay your bills; but that doesn't mean it's all over. Try and try again. You are gaining valuable skills that will aid you throughout the rest of your life.

If I could have the oppurtunity to travel back in time to talk to myself as a senior in high school I would tell myself one simple thing. I would stress the importance of continuing my education immediately. It would've be better to stay in school right after high school graduation, rather than "taking a break." If I could have the oppurtunity to stress this to any and every high school senior I would. As I once heard from a very wise person, "An education is the one thing that nobody can ever take away from you."

I have two pieces of valuable advice for my high school senior self. The first one is don't compare yourself to others. When I entered college, I would compare my looks, talents, major and interests to those of my fellow classmates. As a result, I frequently felt inadequate and questioned my abilities. I always felt as though everyone else had their lives together and I obviously did not. I wish I had celebrated my uniqueness, especially being a comparative literature major in the sea of pre-meds. Secondly, I would advice my seventeen year old to take risks and be open to life - to kiss that boy, take that drama class or apply for that internship. College is a time to fully immerse oneself in a newfound sense of freedom. It is a time to take on new responsibilities, but also a time to fully take advantage of each and every life experience. If I had seen that back then, I would have been more adventurous. I would have said yes more. I would have taken chances on life. Now that I am thirty-one, I appreciate these qualities, especially since I love who I've become.

While I have thorougly enjoyed my college experience thus far, life is never lived without a small modicum of regret. One thing that I would advise myself to do as a high school senior is to seek out ways in which to get involved even prior to attending college. One thing I found abundantly difficult in the first year of college was finding venues in which to pursue a network with people my own age with similar goals and interests. As I graduated from high school and began attending UC Davis and most people with whom I was close with moved away to pursue their own academic and collegiate endeavors, my life very quickly went from being extremely socially busy to somewhat uneventful in that arena of my life as I was thrust into the world of college academia. I believe that, had I pursued possible networking opportunities prior to attending college, my first year at UC Davis would have been easier. Learning to balance the time spent between social and academic endeavors is still sometimes difficult, but I am very grateful for the people I have met and the networks that I have been involved in.

Knowing what I know now, I wish that I could give my high school self this advice: “Take a deep breath and calm down. You’re a stressed-out perfectionist, and this has a huge impact on your life and the people you care about. It’s okay to have enough stress to encourage you to do well in school, but in the end, you also need to remember what your academic life is really for. Work hard in school, but do not base your self-worth on the grades you earn. Ten years from now that B- in math will not mean anything to your career. Know what’s important, and focus more on being successful and happy, not successful and overworked.”

If I were to give my High School self one piece of advice, it would be to not be overconfident going into college. I received the full IB diploma from my high school, and took all honors classes. When I got to college, the first few exams were very easy for me because of my background, so I got overconfident and lazy. I started skipping classes and sleeping in more and more, and my GPA suffered because of it (it's recovering now thankfully, but it's still a bit lower than I'd like). In addition, I would tell myself to go out and explore more! I didn't make a large number of friends freshman year because I was still adjusting to life alone for the first time, and I wish I had made more of an effort to get to know a larger number of people earlier.

"Do I look familiar to you? Well I should even if I don't. I see your about to graduate. That 3.65 weighted g.p.a will sure come in handy. But let me tell you, I know you...we both had and have a lot of expectations for college so don't waste it. We only get one shot at this thing, so live it to the fullest. Don't do everything by yourself. It's just unhealthy and not a lot of fun. We need people in life to fill the voids that are not there. If we just come home everyday and do everything we need to do for school, we really aren't living it man. I hope you heed my words so everytime you look back at the past its not just one big regret. The biggest thing she could say is no. What's the worse that could happen? At least try, because knowing is always better than disillusionment. How would you know if you are just guessing? Maybe that wasn't the case at all. Give it your best, success will come eventually. Stick with it. Don't give up."

Dedicate yourself to learning. If you thrive to learn now, college will be a breeze. Learn how to study and take the most from it. It pays off in the end.

If I went back in time, I would advice myself to take college seriously. As a senior, I felt as though college would be nothing more than the "13th grade". However, college is nothing like high school. In college, you are more independent and expected to be self motivated to do well in school. Also, I would advice to take advantage of the resources available on campus, such as tutoring, office hours, and study groups. Although it may seem as though the professors are scary, they are there for nothing more than to help you succeed in school. Another suggestion I would give myself is to become involved in on-campus clubs and activities. Besides getting involved, clubs allow the opportunity to build your resume, network, explore life, and make new friends. In college, there are hundreds of clubs and activities get involved with; try multiple so you can find out your interests and broaden your perspective on life. My final advice would be to enjoy college and try not to stress so much. College is the perfect opportunity to experiment in life and try new things. Take advantage of it!