University of California-Davis Top Questions

I would first tell myself not to worry and stay focused. You were accepted into this school for a reason. You belong there to develop your knowledge and graduate and become the doctor that you know you will be. The hype of college being the best time of your life is true, but first and foremost, you are at the school to study. Secondly, I would reassure myself that, yes, college is intimidating but it can be broken down into one aspect of life: time management. Whether it be studying and preparing for exams, going out and exploring your new surroundings, making new friends, sleeping, eating, etc. Everything and anything must be prioritized and time managed to be a successful student. Without priotitizing, you will fall behind and remain behind because quarter systems do not allow you any time to catch up. So I would tell myself, be the person you know you are; the determined, self-driven individual who knows where you are going in life and never let yourself stray from that path. You will save lives one day, let that be the constant reminder that all the hard work is more than worth your effort.

When you are in high school thinking of college is a little scary and very stressing. Senior year is when you realize, " Oh snap, I'm out of time!" People start asking you, "So where are you going after you graduate? What college are you thinking about?" as if you had everything figured out already; but you should not worry. Find someone to guide you through all the applications and the paper work that comes after being accepted into a school. Also, it helps to go visit campuses before choosing where you want to apply. Make sure you beging looking for scholarships and fill out a fafsa. Also, if you have chosen a major already make sure you meet with your major advisor. He or she will let you know what classes are required for your major, and what you can do with that major. Do not worry you are not alone there are a lot of people willing to help, you just have to ask for help. Good luck and I know you'll do great where ever you go.

Like many of my fellow student-peers in college, I had drifted through highschool with little effort. Studying was not required, nor effort, nor time. All that I needed to earn the A's and B's I had was enough intelligence to sit and listen. Tests and homework was more about repeating than anything. I was simply a sophisticated parrot. At U.C. Davis, I found things to be quite different. No longer, could I drift along. Now, I am fighting for those grades and though I often find my learning experience difficult and time consuming, I can finally say that I have some right to the knowledge that I posses. I no longer recieve my education I own it and that is best thing about going to a college or university. Going back in time, the first thing I would tell myself is to own my education by challengine myself to not just listen but to process and understand the information I was given.

Earning your Bachelor's Degree is not the end of the road for you! You will understand that a graduate level education will open so many more doors emotionally, professionally and financially. Please do your best in your courses and be open-minded with opportunities that come your way. Take advantage of the many clubs and resources available at the university. Challenge yourself to experience things outside of your comfort zone. Through this process you will learn more about yourself and the world around you. Enjoy your independence and try not to get too distracted with the social aspects.

Going back in time is a tricky and scary thought. But if i were to see myself as a high school senior, i would have told myself to never quit, when something got in my way push it out, when someone was stopping me, tell them they couldn't be in my life anymore. I would tell myself to take advantage of all resources outside of campus that could have helped me socially and mentally. I would go back and tell myself that life and death are things to worry about at certain times, just because someone did not have the strength to move on does not mean that was my fate as well. I would let myself know that school is going to be tough and to prepare more than I thought I had to. Strive to be the best not the first. I would tell myself that it means more to do what makes me happy then what makes my family happy. Because at the end of the day I am the one stuck doing what I learned for the next four years, not them. I would tell myself to love and believe.

This first advice that I would give myself would be "Do NOT take your first years' scholarship for granted." I have not been giving enough of an effort in getting college paid for as I should be. I have spent a lot of my time relaxing and doing nothing instead of focusing on getting my school paid for so I am not in debt for the years after I graduate. I would also tell myself "You need to give an effort these next years. I know you didn't in high school, but this is a lot different." I came into college assuming that I was entering Grade 13, but I was mistaken. My 3.3 GPA did not live up to the expectations that I set for myself. The next three and a half years, I am going to put in a much stronger effort than I did in the first quarter of school.

Figuratively speaking, college is a journey to be traveled, not a journey to be won. We all have different roads. Find out your goals and ambitions and take the path that best fits you. Let your morals and priorities be the underlying force which guides you. There is an uncertainty about the future, but take life as it comes day by day. Put your best foot forward each day and while you plan for the future ahead, cross bridges as they come. There will be rain and sunshine along your journey but all this will help you grow as a person. Endure and open up your mind, body and soul to what college has to offer. Explore your horizons, and embrace change. Keep focus and find a healthy outlet to alleviate your stress. Try your best and in doing so, despite the outcome, you will find success. Time management is of the essence, so hit the ground running, don?t procrastinate, but do take the time to slow down once in a while and appreciate the beautiful experiences along your road. Hold not fear, but the tenacity to explore the journey which awaits you and you?ll make it through.

The first advice is to seize every single opportunity offered to me such as joining a professional business fraternity or a club in order to gain professional and leadership skills. I would also tell myself to take advantage of different resources offered by the university such as learning skill center, the gym, experimental college. College life will be even more fun if you go study abroad to expand your horizon and your perspective of different countries. Do not drink or party too much because you want to make sure that you focus on your education. It is very important to keep up your GPA. Life is full of unexpected event so you have to think out of the box many times. You should have back up plans for every decision you make. Choose your friends because they are a big influence in your life. Go look for an internship because it will help you a lot on deciding your career. Do community service . Apply for scholarships because you will need money for school and not everyone gets financial aid. Take advantage of professors' office hour because they are very helpful if you take the initiative to come to them.

When I take time to reflect on my life and where I have gone with it, it is often hard to believe some of the things that I was doing as a High School Senior. At that point in my life, I was failing out of school, and I barely graduated High School. The levels of immaturity that I had at that time also were unacceptable and if I had the opportunity to go back in time to fix the things that I did wrong, I would do it in a heartbeat. I would go back in time to fix my poor academic concentration, to get myself into a good college/university, instead of having to attend a community college for two years. To fix that situation, I would tell myself to stop working 40 hours a week to support myself and just live with my mother for a couple of years; so, I could focus more on school and my education. I would also fix the immature me, and tell him that the thoughts I had and the things I did were not beneficial to my later life, so far.

I would encourage my high school self to stick to the same path. I would tell myself never to get discouraged or give up on my dreams. I would give myself the winning lottery numbers, and warn that certain future fee hikes would make it necessary to apply for many more scholarships. I would stress the importance of never letting go of my dreams, and never letting anyone talk me out of them. I would let myself know not to worry, but I would also tell the importance of hanging out with all my old high school friends before everyone moves away to complete their own dreams. I've made many friends in college that I will keep for years to come, but the friends I had in high school should never be forgotten. I would tell myself not to stress, that whatever happens happens, and I should just let it go and keep to my path. College is a gateway to finishing goals, you just can't give up or let things get in your way. Most importantly, I would tell myself to have fun and enjoy high school and college while it lasts.

If I could go back in time and talk to my senior self I would say so much. I would tell myself to be as outgoing as I could first quarter, and not to worry too much about grades. I'd tell myself to try to study for chemistry more though, because it's much more difficult than I thought it would be. But, most importantly, I would tell myself to enjoy the experience completely. To not focus too much on grades or study too hard and to take some time for myself everyday to relax. I'd also tell myself to spend as much time with my family as possible before I left, because as hard as it is to believe I miss them much more than I ever thought was possible. I would probably tell myself to not room with my friend from high school as well, that way I could make new friends easier instead of always having them to hang out with.

College is not easy, but it is not difficult, too. But it all depends on what was your attitude to education. If you hate it,k it means nothing to you even if you get all A's. But if there is a purpose in life, then everything you do will be a light to the world. Know this my dear past, what you do is to glorify God. And therefore, when you are discouraged, turn your eyes to the cross. For God knows your suffering and pain, He will guide you through. Trust in Him always, for it shall be sweet to your heart. Life is like an adventure., but you need to choose wisely. A small off-course can be detrimental. Treasure your family for they are always there for you. Know that your family will always love you even if you fail. Take heed to your father's instruction, for he will not live long around you to see you graduate from college. Give up the lust of this world, for things of the world will distract your focus from God and from school. Entertainment is not bad, but self-control is the core to success.

Valerie, you have done an amazing job the past 11 years in school. You are almost there so remember how important it is to continue to push yourself and reach your goals. You have maintained a 4.67 GPA the last three years and your hard work is clearly reflected. College expenses are huge so apply, apply, apply for scholarships starting now and continue applying until you begin college. I know it is very time consuming but having the financial stress removed when you are awarded scholarships will help greatly allowing you to focus and concentrate fully on your studies.

If I could talk to my high school senior self, I would insist that she take all the basic science and math courses. These courses are important for any major she might one day want to pursue. I would also tell my high school senior self to job shadow and apply for interships so that she might have a general idea of what to pursue once she was in college. I would also tell her to brace herself for the quarter system. The quarter system is a lot faster than the semester system and so she has to adopt a flexible time management system for herself so that she will not become overwhelmed.

As a high school senior, I wish I had known just how hard and different college life is. During senior year, all I worried about was getting in a good college; I didn't think much about what would happen after I got in. I wish I knew what I wanted to major in at that time so that I could have selected a college based on what I wanted to do in the future. Everyone always says not to worry about your major and that it's normal to change your major several times in college. However, they don't really tell you the consequences of changing your major so many times. College goes by a lot faster than high school, so it really doesn't feel like you have a lot of time to decide your major. If you want to graduate in four years, it's best to decide your major as soon as possible and not waste money and time. As a college sophomore, I stressed and went through several breakdowns about deciding on a major which all could have been avoided had I defined my path earlier in high school.

There are those lucky few that know from very early on what they want to do in their lives, what careers and what they want to study. I was not one of those lucky people. Looking back now ,the major advice I would have given myself would be to take the time to explore who you are what you're really passionate about. Not that college isn't a good time to explore that, but having a passion makes it's easier. I love studying psychology and communications and I look forward to either teaching preschool or being a forensic psychologist. But my true passion was something I didn't discovered till my sophmore year of college: the culinary arts. If I had taken the time to explore my passion maybe I would have applied to culinary schools. Still overall, I don't regret the decision to come to UC Davis. I love and am passionate about what I'm studying and I want to make a difference with it. Being passionate about something is crucial for a fulfilling life and every student should take their time to explore their options; it's an important step in growing up.

"Do not freak out about your major!" As a high school senior, I would have loved to have faith in that phrase. I constantly worried about what major I would soon have to declare after high school in order to get a degree, graduate, and move on to the intimidating and unknown future. It was all happening too fast; I could not make up my mind with all the anxiety and pressure of college. I ended up entering UC Davis as an undeclared freshmen and the inevitable decision of my major became even more present in all of my thoughts and decisions. But now, almost half-way through the school year, I finally have reason to believe that a declared major is not necessary right away. Academic counselors and the general catalog of degree information became my best friends. I learned that I have time to explore my possibilities and by also seeing some of my fellow classmates change their majors for the nth time assured me that a major is not necessarily set in stone. I am slowly but confidently narrowing down my major choices but right now, general education credits are what matter.

My advice to myself as a high school senior would include: Always start on assignement the day the are assigned and work on them until the due date. Use cell phone to make a calendar with classes for each day and other events with alarm reminders. Make a schedule on what needs to done and learn to prioritize activities. Always study for a test at least five days before. Always be the one to take the initiativae when in need of something whether it is academic help or othr type of support.

Get excited! College will be such a great and rewarding experience for you. Even if you are not sure what direction you want to take, persevere in everything you do; it will be worth it. Getting involved never hurt anyone and its a good way to make new friends. Just because there are no parents around to tell you to do your homework and chores doesn't mean you should get carried away. Managing time will be the hardest part for you but eventually you'll get the hang of it. Remember the primary reason why you're here, for school! Take random classes that may not interest you at first, you never know what you're going to like. Once you find that one thing that inspires you.. go for it, 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. One of my favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt is "No one can ever make you feel inferior without your consent" (which you already knew, since you ARE me). But don't let anything or anyone get in the way of your goals, it makes the journey that much better!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there would be many things I would tell myself. I would tell myself to be as friendly as possible and try to make friends with all the people on your dorm floor, even if it feels like you are back in kindergarten making friends for the first time. Also to get involved in something such as sports, clubs, etc to network and meet new people. I would tell myself that though the transition to living in a dorm and not living at home may seem scary, you will be alright and will actually mature as a person. Another thing I would advise would be that to stay caught up with reading and schoolwork because it is easy to fall behind. The university is not even close to your high school experience and it?s a whole new level of learning. Lastly I would tell myself that you are going to be happy with your choice of school and there are many opportunities for you to take advantage of in the next chapter of your life.