Marlene
I would say to myself to "hold on tight for what is about to be the ride of your life kid!!!" Although college life is fun and there will be a lot of distractions, you cannot loose focus. Use all the resources that are available to you and always ask questions so that you are knowledgable of all that you need to do for success. Never loose hope, because there will be times where you want to give up but no one said life is easy! Take avantage of the fact that your professors, counselors, and peers have experiences and can share knowledge and provide you with insight. Above all, keep strong and study hard. Your future is begining and the world is a beautiful place; keep your mind open.
Carlos
I would tell myself to research colleges more before applying, and truly thinking about what I want during my college life. Thinking about my priorities and what I care about are necessities. I need to put more time into one of the biggest decisions of my life.
Alexis
If I could speak to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to stay focused, dedicated, and above all else, calm. College scared me at first, and while I was able to face the challenges and even surprise myself with my learning and grades, the difference between high school and college and the transition between them slowed me down a little bit at first. I, in college, would tell my high school self that no matter how rough it is to go to a new school with no friends, much more demanding classes, a large campus, and a harder field of study, I can only be intimidated if I let myself. I would remind myself that I can achieve it as long as I remember my goal and remember that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.
Brandon
If I were able to turn back time. I would talk to myself and explain three things to me. The first being; saving is a huge part of being a responsible student, and every penny helps. Next I would talk about the "College hype", it is nonsense to go out and party all the time. The third and last thing that I would explain to myself is being yourself is one of the most crucial parts of going through college. If you go on to be yourself, then you will realize your true desires , and once you decide something you desire you wount stop till you are able to achieve what you desire. In my case it is a BS in healthcare management, and nothing will stop me from achieving what I desire.
Ashley
Apply to as many universities that you can and be careful with your decision. Do not turn down a college just because its a rivial of your favorite team and your education is more important than anything else. Study Hard and Play Harder.
Lauren
As a senior in high school I really didn't know much about applying to college and what exactly I needed to do as far as making sure that I could make it as affordable as possible. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself about scholarships and how they can rmake all the difference when it comes to being able to afford college. When I was applying for college as a high school senior I had absolutely no knowledge of all the different types of scholarships there are out there. I felt that I was just an average student and there was absolutely no way I could ever get any sort of scholarship to help me pay for college. I know now that there are scholarships out there for everyone, and this is something I really wish I would've known when I was a high school senior.
Albert
Freshman year was great. You have a lot of lifelong friends. However, you spent way too long wallowing in a major that did you no good. Making computer games is hard, mostly because of the fact you are really bad at computer science/programming. Design is completely different from actual implementation. Also, when you moved out of the dorms, that should not have given you free range to play wow all day because you didn't have easy access to hang out with friends. You should have joined some clubs, and made MORE friends. You should have pursued your passion of writing earlier, and participated in multiple internships to give you real working experience. The biggest thing to understand is just to not be afraid to fail. It would have been lovely if the school held your hand to that realization, but ultimately, you have to find it within yourself to just take things on, because the more you do, the faster you can fail, and the faster you can get over it and move on.
Sydney
Jump into college with both feet. Start off going to a community college, make the transition easy for yourself . This is a great place to start, especially if you do not know what you intend to major in. Do not wait until the last minute to start looing for scholarship money. Every bit of money helps so look any and everywhere to find any financial help. Take advantage of the resources that the school provides to you and the help that the counselors can give you. know that there are people to help you and you are not alone in your college experience.
Jenny
Learn how to study consistently without procrastinating.
Focusing during the lectures is more important than studying by yourself.
Get involved in school activities and take advantage of the school benefits as much as you can.
Learn how to balance yourself between academics and extracurricular activities.
Overall, enjoy the college life since it will just be one time of your life.
Brianna
I would tell my past self to apply to California State University Long Beach because it is far more affordable and that I will end up switching to a business administration major instead of biological sciences.
Matthew
If I could go back in time 2 years and speak to myself as a high school senior there are a few things I would say. I remember being very nervous and stressed thinking about college back then, so the first thing I would tell myself to do is relax. Now that I am two years into college I know that everything is turning out fine, so there is no need to panic. The next thing I would tell myself is to keep my job and participate in college athletics. These are two things I did while at junior college that I was thankful that I did. My job allowed me to pay for college as I attended without having to take out any loans and playing college sports was something I wasn’t sure about doing but it ended up being one of the most fun things I have ever done. The last thing I would tell myself to do is decide what you want to study sooner. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study in high school but if I knew I wanted to study business my academic journey would have been much simpler.
Arianna
Study hard. Take the summer classes you are going to take seriously because it gets so much harder when the school year starts. Make as many friends during the summer session as you can because they are the people who will be there for you when the real challenges begin. During your last year of high school, don't slack off because good study habits are hard to build once school starts and things start piling up. Most of all enjoy your last year and the summer leading up to college. Irvine is a wonderful place with so many people to meet, so take chances and go out and make friends, take advantage of all the opportunities you are given this year and in college.
Sienna
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would give the advice to step outside of my comfort zone and be more assertive. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is helpful to allow self progression, growth, and builds character. In college you will be faced by various challenges and situations. It is good to be confident and assertive in taking the initiative to go outside of your comfort zone. It may be uncomfortable, nerve wracking, and scary but the experience can lead to big time opportunity and learning. It always good to try something new and it is a skill that can be applied to the real world. Somewhere at somtime individuals need to explore and be challenged. Stepping outside of your comfort zone will be beneficial to you socially and will be helpful academically. If you try its better than nothing at all. The same for being assertive. College is about you as an indivdual. Your choices and voice will account for your success.
Lee
Look, hurry up and get out of highschool. Don't mess around. Highschool life is just a first step to something greater you will come to see. Don't lollygag around and let the days pass you by. Prepair yourself for the future. When you get out of here she will be there. If you don't get out of high school and do what you are suppose to do you will lose her and any type of idea of what you want to do with yourself. You will wonder around trying to find a new path that you lost when you first thought of college. Trust me your life will be more fast pace and up beat when you hit college. College isn't how you think it is. It's much different from high school. You will feel more alive and more involved with yourself and your peers. Don't worry about what's going on now and what your friends are doing they won't be next to you all the time so make your own path and stick with it and your true self and your love will be by your side in the end.
Jing
Go to more clubs.
Study more widely and deeply.
Keep weight.
Know more people and become friends.
Take good care of parents and communicate with them more.
Travel as many place as I can.
Tori
Some advice I would give to my high school self is to take the opportunities as they come and to take advantage of anything that seems remotely interesting. I think the biggest thing for me was having trouble finding people I could fit in with, and I would encourage myself to get involved in ALL dorm activities and to be outgoing because you'll find people with similiar interests quicker that way. Also, I would tell my high school self to remember all the advice my high school teachers had taught me about study skills and time management. These two skills are essential to making the transition from high school to college easier because, even though the amount of hours spent in class is cut in half, there is about double the workload of homework which could easily be forgotten with all the different activities to do on campus at any hour of the day. Maintaining a consistent study schedule, as well as attending class everyday, is the key to success for not failing all of your classes during the first quarter. To sum this all up, I would say to find a balance between school work and outside activities.
Anna
I would tell myself to get through community college and transfer in a more timely manner. After seeing how much debt all my classmates are in I don't feel negatively about missing out on the freshman experience, but I definitely should have gotten through community college faster so I would be closer in age to most of my classmates. I would have told myself to put off working so hard at various jobs and focus on my future more. I would have had less expectations as well. Additionally, I would have tried my hardest to find housing closer to campus.
Kelsey
If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell my self to stop goofing off and to get better grades. I would have told my self to take alittle bit of time out of my busy schedule and to fill out some scholarships because I need help paying for college. I would stress to myself to study for all of my tests and quizes. I would pay attention more in class and I would have done better on the SAT's. I regret not going to a four year school because I thought I didnt have the grades to get in. I would tell myself I can get in and i have the ability to get straight A's and make the top 10 percent of my class!
Gi
First of all, don't be pressured into thinking that you have to declare a major as soon as you enter college. You can have an undeclared major and while you're taking your general education classes, get a feel for what you're passionate about. Even if you do select a major, you can always change it. Most students change their majors at least once. Secondly, before choosing a school, ask yourself what kind of setting would motivate you to perform academically well and love life. Do you want an urban setting or a school tucked somewhere in the forest? Where your school is located will affect you, your studies, and the relationships you make there. You should definitely visit the school and get a feel for it before you enroll to make sure it is exactly what you want. And lastly, college is going to be emotionally tough. When you first arrive, you might feel left out or different but remember everybody else is feeling anxious and homesick. Remember to keep an open mind and try to make friends with people you never thought you'd be friends with, it may surprise you how much you can change.
Corina
I would tell myself to really try to immerse myself into the college atmosphere. Because I commute, it's difficult to attend the college events that happen later in the evening, because I would get caught up in traffic. I would also tell myself to try getting involved in the school's student run government. That would be the best way to get involved in the school and really show my school spirit! Most importantly, I would tell myself to take things slowly and not try to over work myself. It's often easy to get stressed and burnt out with school. By telling myself to take all the time I needed, there is more of a possiblility that the stress and fatigue would be severely lessened.