University of California-Irvine Top Questions

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to worry so much. I would say that, although I would be at a new place without knowing that many people there, so would many of the other freshmen there. It wouldn't be too difficult to meet new people, and I'd make some great friends there too. Also, I would tell myself to sign up for one of the summer sessions. UCI had a program called Summer Bridge. I visited a friend of mine there, and the program seemed to be absolutely wonderful. You earned a few units, made friends, and got to know some of the staff. Getting early registration for the next quarter (which is very good) was just icing on the cake.

Take more time to get help for college.

You should spend more time to study English to get a high score in SAT. You also need to practice pronouciation.

Don't try to plan everything out! Be willing to be put in new situations and try everything, even the things you weren't sure you'd like. Those are the things that turn out to be the most interesting and enjoyable. Have fun, don't stress about making friends -- They come with time! Study hard and play hard, but don't let them interfere with each other.

don't be bitter about other schools not accepting you, be outgoing

I would tell myself to start planning early. For so many years, my counselors and my friends always told me I had plenty of time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Although that advice was extremely comforting, I internalized it and used it as an excuse to slack off or be lazy. I always thought I had so much time and I never bothered to plan everything out or try different things. Four years may seem like a long time however, it really isn’t. Everything moves by so quickly and I would have definitely benefited if I developed a plan or a specific goal before I entered. I would have told myself to ask current UCI students about the clubs they were involved in and the courses they were taking and/or took so that I could have a better idea of what classes to apply for in the future. For a majority of my time in high school, I felt afraid to talk to counselors and teachers. Knowing what I know now, I would’ve told myself to face my fears early on so that it won’t debilitate me in the future.

Be prepared for the change.

I would tell myself to work harder and take the time to complete my homework. Apply to local universities instead of all out of state schools. Try to go into a 4 year school straight out of high school instead of a community college. The transition for people who transition from high school to a 4-year have a true college experience and make lasting friendships much faster than transfer students. Get involved in student life and take all research opportunities. Keep a high GPA.

Hey Henry, you've done a great job in high school and regardless of all the regrets you have about not doing as well as you should have or how much more you could have matured, you did well, and you shouldn't be so hard on yourself about it too much. College will be a new beginning, and only you can choose whether you want to bring along the high school "baggage" or not is up to you. The opportunities are really more than you can fathom in just 4 years; there is too much to explore to hold yourself back with things of old. Go out, try new things, meet new people, regardless of how cliche that sounds. It WILL benefit you, and it will be a new experience. Heck, it might even change the path of life you were planning to go down. You'll never know and that's what makes college that much more amazing of an experience.

To go to college which also means getting old means that I have a heavy sense of responsibility. Do anything what you can do and want to. Time just goes by. It never come back.

When you get to college everyone's in the same position as you. You'll feel really alone at first and miss your family and think that this was probably the worst decision you've ever made, but it passes. You'll learn that everyone wants the same thing as you, which is to enjoy college and discover the person they're supposed to be. Put yourself out there, don't be scared that people won't like you or that you'll embarass yourself because you're great and people want to get to know you, just give them the opportunity. Don't assume that people don't like you just because they're not talking to you, everyone is scared and nervous and you never know which person is going to turn into your very best friend.

If I could talk to myself last year as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be more self sufficient and less reliable on my academic counselors. Transitioning from a small, private, Catholic high school to a large, public university made me realize how much everything was basically given to me instead of me working for it. What I realized when coming to UC Irvine was that a lot of the things I did as a senior were because I was guided in that path or was told it was the correct or best thing for me to do. Now, being able to experience learning in a larger community, I had to learn that there are many opportunities available that I will not be notified of, but I must find out information about them, by myself. It was hard for me to adjust to not being told where I should go or what I should do, but I quickly found that if I needed or wanted something, I had to put in the effort and figure it out on my own. The advice I would give myself is to be more independent and don't settle for less!

Being a first generation immigrant, I did not have a lot of choices back in High School. I could not apply to a good university with my little knowledge of the language; however, I would advise myself to have a clear vision of what I want in life. I was not quite sure what to major in which resulted in changing my major twice in community college. Fortunately, I got into a good school with a major a love and appreciate.

I was a transfer from community college. I would have definitely started taking college classes throughout my high school summers. I would have taken more AP courses. However, I believe I have always kept myself aware of updates around campus. I immediately joined a sorority my first quarter at UCI and believe I am taking every opportunity I can here. It has been the best decision I have made.

Never to procrastinate, it is deadly in college life. Time is always against you, so manage it. Start making friends, or you will be left behind. College students have enough experiences, problems, and values in common that they are capable of becoming friends. Participate in most activites, go to meetings related to your major, read all sorts of soronities and decide which is best for you. Start planning to study abroad, and learn at least 1 another language. You won't get far in life without being able to communicate with different kinds of people. Respect people despite of what they're thinking about you. Acceptance and adaptation is key to success; never let down yourself, and work everything out smoothly.

College life is very different with high school life. Students are treated like adults in college. If I could go back in time as a high school senior, I would push myself to go to every single class, go to the teachers' office hours, and prepare myself better to overcome what awaits me in college. Taking four classes in college is harder than taking seven classes in high school. If I had known this, I would warn myself to study harder and to learn English more. Lastly, I would push myself to ask the teachers if I do not understand certain materials because in college, we, the students have to choose our decisions to go to the professors' office hours, which is really crucial to succeed in college.

I would tell myself to explore new classes during high school, so that I can have a better sense of what I want to major in during college. It would help to take a few classes at a local community college to explore my interests before going to a university. Also, take AP classes, but don't over do it. The extra college credits are very beneficial and prepare you for college classes, but over extending yourself is not worth it. Enjoy college life and get involved right away during your first year. The people you meet during your first year will be your lifelong friends.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a highschool senior I would sit him down and have a very meaningful talk about life . I would tell him about my first quarter of college. My acheivements, my mistakes, and my experiences will all be told over a cup of jasmine milk tea. I would tell myself to uninstall all the games from my computer because playing games hindered my academics. I would then tell myself to start working out because, yes, freshman fifteen does exist and it WILL happen to me. The most important thing I would tell myself is to get active! Don't stay in the dorm all day. Rush for campus clubs or fraternities. Have the guts to go out and show UCI who Johnny Lei is! I would smile after telling myself all this, stand up, give myself a pat on the head and walk out into the future.

The most important piece of advice I could give myself would be two simple words: do something. I am in my senior year and am coming to terms with what life will be like outside of college. I won't see my friends as regularly, I won't have a common bond with the people I meet, and I will have to make an effort to keep in touch with some friends. My college life was filled with absolutely unforgettable moments that I only wish I had more of, so I can say that I had an amazing time at school. I thought somewhat recently, and concluded that some of my time was spent going online or playing video games, but those are not the experiences I will remember. UCI helped me mature as a person in a way I couldn't comprehend as a high school student, and I know now that the best years of my life can be spent studying aggressively, playing games, or being with friends and doing something. It is only that last option that cements memories for decades to come, and will make me smile in my later years.

I would tell myself to take the remaining classes more seriously and actually think about college more. I would also tell myself to work on more scholarships and to be more outgoing. The last thing I would tell myself would be to be sure to be more active in college when I got there.