University of California-Riverside Top Questions

I would tell myself not to fall too easily into peer pressure and the "norm". Having strict parents, I was never allowed to go out and have the experiences other kids did. The only time I was allowed out was for ASBevents and volunteering. I built a strong passion for helping others, but I knew that this was not what the other students all did nor was this the "cool thing" to do. I then promised myself that when I went off to college, I would change myself and for once in my life have fun and let loose. This promise to myself was one I wish I hadn't made or kept for that matter. All the skills I learned during ASB and volunteering made it quite easy for me to make new friends when I came here, but my promise to myself led me to the wrong people Winter quarter. Regrettably, I followed the crowd and partied the night away ruining my GPA. I would tell myself that the life I had was perfectly fine and that I would be going somewhere in life and did not need to be reassured by people who were wasting their's.

Stay ahead of the game.

I wish I did not stress so much about college acceptance letters during senior year. Coming from an Asian family, there has been much pressure to get into the top schools. However, what most Asian parents don't realize is that top schools are not just schools their friends talk about such as UCLA, Berkeley, Stanford, etc. but any University that can provide the necessary degree and education the student is striving for his/her future. Honestly, people end up going somewhere for a reason and it depends on the person of how they make of it. If I can go back, I think I would have wanted to make more memories by not worrying so much and just having fun with my friends.

I would tell myself to get involved right away and I would apply to like a million scholarships.

If I could go back in time, and talk to myself as a high schol senior I would do it in a hearbeat. I would tell myself to not consume so much of my time in friendships and the goal of being "popular." I would tell myself to foucs on school, and not sell myself short by planning on simply attending a 2-year community college. I would tell myself to not give up everytime I hit a cross roads because once you cross it the grass truely is greener on the other side. I would tell myself to study harder for the SATS because its not just another test. To take those AP classes seriously and actually strive for a 3 not a 2 on the exam. I would tell myself to be more socially involve, to join ASB and AVID, to run for president or tresure and to do voulnter work on a saturday instead of party. I would defineitly tell myelf that high school is not the prime time of your life, and that if you prepare correctly heading into the real world will seem that much less scary and more exciting.

The main thing i will give advice to all High School student is College is way better than High School also it is way harder than High School. Also i will tell them please ask three question themself. 1)question is " am i ready for college?". 2)" how much am i prepare for college?". The last question is that "Can i handle the stress that college can give me?" . If you can do all this i think you be fine in college.

High school does not prepare you for college. Classwork is much more intense than you could ever imagine. Essays, you'd best get used to writing 5-10 page papers in one weeks time. Read! Footnotes can only get you so far, and you must stand out above your classmates if you want to succeed. Everything is competitive: who gets the classes, who uses office hours, and where you will park. Get a planner! There are way too many deadlines to try to remember them all. Get involved! Even if it is just going to the social Thursdays at the campus resturant. You're going to need friends, peers, and lots of mentors to get you through this. Also, even though high school does not 'prepare' you, it can hinder you. Pay attention in your classes now so that when you get her, new on your feet, the 1st quarter/year will be more of a review rather than a mudslide of new new new! Time management is still so important! You need to find your balance between school and life. Lastly, SCHOLARSHIPS! I know you're discouraged from getting denied, but keep trying beacuse working through school is stressfull.

I think the first think I would tell myself is to think about what you will want in the long run. Do not consider what your family and friends think , consider your own desires before theirs . I would also advise myself to leave the TV at home and consentrate on books.

Knowing what I know now about college, I would have two very important pieces of incite for myself. The first being this: the gym is your friend. There is no reason to be intimidated by it; the people who workout there are no more interested in you doing your regiment than you are in there?s. Go more often, at least once or twice during the week and every single weekend. It?s for your health firstly, but looking better is a major plus too. My second piece of advice to my eighteen-year-old self would be to stick to what you are good at. Throughout high school, excelling in classes like journalism, sociology, social justice, government, economics, and being a teacher?s assistant should have been enough for you to realize that could never be an engineer. You were never good at biology; sure you did well in chemistry, but only because Mr. Drage was a junior high teacher before then; and you knew taking physics was a big joke. You were not meant to work in a waste water treatment plant, but to help those in need directly. You're a social scientist. PS I Love You.

As a high school senior, I was in a constant state of worry about the future. I always knew exactly which career path I wanted to take, which was to become a doctor, but I was confused about how I would go about doing it. Now that I have successfully made the transition into an experienced college student, I would go back and tell myself that there is no need to worry or stress about the uncertain future. As long as I have a goal and the determination and motivation to achieve it, I will find a way to succeed no matter what adversities come across my path. Furthermore, I would advise myself to seek mentors and ask questions to see how they made the transition successfully. Thus, my main advice would be to take things as they come, one at a time. No matter how intimidating the future seems, joining one organization at a time, getting one "A" at a time, and making friends one at a time will lead to a successful and confident transition into college life and adulthood.