University of California-Santa Barbara Top Questions

As a high school senior I was anxious to get to college. I wanted a change of pace from what i thought was a dull school experience in high school. But even though I knew college would be different I I looked at college as just more school, and not as "higher" education. And so transitioning in to my first quarter in college I treated it like high school and got straight B's, instead of my usual A's in high school. But after seeing the B's on the school website it changed my whole view of college. If I could go back to my senior self I would advise myself not to underestimate college. It comes fast, the workload gets much heavier, and its not high school at all. I would make sure i knew that keeping up with work and reading is one of the most important aspects because it is easy to fall behind, and i would warn myself that although it's fun to be on my own and structure my own life, I also have to be mature about every decision I make, for it will affect me the rest of my life.

Primarily I would tell myself to have visited more colleges so I could have weighed my options. Furthermore, to be more open and outgoing. It took a little bit longer than I would have liked it to meet all the students in my dorm hall. I mean to say that I didn't seize enough opportunities to meet new people, among other things. Really I wish I had known that I can do things on my own, because I spent much of the first quarter relying on a few friends to try new things. I wish I would have just tried some of those things, like a certain club, or event alone, and I could have made even more new friends. Another thing I advise is to devise an exercise calender. Organizing a calender for everything is critical. Don?t worry about sacrificing a few hours with your new friends, they will still be there. Go take care of your own business, get your homework done, and be adventurous without them. Take advantage of the time you have at home to spend with your family before you leave, because you're going to become really busy.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have a lot of advice to give myself. I was always a bright kid, but very laid back and with not much motivation. I would not study a lot and still ace classes. I would tell myself that college is a big difference and is not a joke. Buy your books early, make sure to do the reading and study in advance. If you wait til the last minute like you do now in high school, you will be in trouble. I would tell myself to try to figure out what I want to do, as it took me a while to choose my major. You are great at math now, do not forget everything you know when you read college. Get some sleep and do not miss class too much or you will suffer gradewise. Get a job and keep it to make money instead of doing nothing productive. Make sure you try to do some internships to help out with your future as well. Do not forget any of this.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior with all the knowledge I know today, I would tell myself to take as many diverse classes as I possibly can. When I was in High School I took many science classes because they were requirements, but I was very intimidated by them because of my professors. Now, that I am a senior in college I have been putting off my upper division science classes, because I had such bad experience with them in the past. But now I found out that I love science, and I probably would have been better at it then business economics, my major now. I would tell myself to explore as many options and not limit myself because of financial and time limitations. I would encourage myself to take challenging opportunities, because they will make me a stronger person instead of taking an easy way out.

As I finished up high school, I was so relieved to be starting the next chapter of my life: college. I could not wait to move out and live on my own, under my own rules. But now that I have completed a year and a half of college, I feel I have truly grown and learned my own life lessons my parents were never able to teach me. If I was able to go back, I would remind myself that college is not high school: it is hard and requires much extra work and effort. Balancing school and a social life is much more difficult with so many social functions distracting me at college. I would tell my high school self that my mother and father would no longer be around to hold my hand through life; enormous amounts of responsibility are required to pay for rent, bills and groceries while staying on top of my studying. My part time job salary would not go towards a new outfit like in high school, but instead for life essentials to keep me on my feet during college. However, I somehow make it work while having the time of my life.

DONT STRESS OUT! You are an amazing person. Don't put off scholarship applications and letters of recommendations until the last minute. Enjoy the time you have with your friends. Yes, you do make lots of new friends in college but it is a different type of friendship. Spend time with your family because even though it might not happen at first you will get homesick eventually. Dont worry if you were the nerd in high school, everyone at the college had to be near your intelligence if they also got accepted. Plus no one will know about your image in high school unless you tell them. You can create a whole new person and start fresh. Just stay true to yourself because you will always be with you. Have fun and don't get caught on the tiny things. Be the change you want to see in the world!

Do not be afraid. Any apprehensiveness you may have about college life, new pressures, time management, or making friends will go completely out the window as soon as you arrive on the campus that you spent months working to get to. Out of hundreds of schools, you chose this one and this one chose you. Now is the time to change who you are. Try new things, interact with new kinds of people, and most importantly, listen to the cliches! They're cliche for a reason; over and over again freshmen have experienced the same feelings of overwhelming newness and freedom. Embrace it!

Everyone enters college with expectations. When I arrived last fall I was mainly worried about how to enjoy the extraordinary ?college experience? that so many people promised I would have. I was outwardly confident but inside I felt confused and awkward and a little bit lost. In an early journal entry I wrote, ?Part of the problem is that I don?t know how I?m ?supposed? to feel or what I?m ?supposed? to do. Am I ?supposed? to be hyperactive and meet 100 people a day or am I ?supposed? to love living in a half of a room with a communal shower?? I wish I had known that I wasn?t ?supposed? to do or think anything. I wish I had known the most important part of a ?college experience? is finding your own way and having confidence in your ability to make good decisions. I wish I had known the first few weeks of college are probably rough for everyone, not at all like a carefree scene out of Legally Blonde or Animal House. Ultimately, moving out of the house and into a tiny dorm room is a huge transition. It?s all about realistic expectations.

There are many things I would want to advise a younger, past self about before going to college. The first part of the transition into college that I would advise myself on would be the transition to meeting new people. "Melani, not everyone is as open as you are," I would warn myself. IT's easy to forget while living in a new place with close quarters that many people don't understand the habits and characteristics of others. I struggled finding a solid relationship with my roommates both my first year, and this year as well. It would've been helpful to have understood that by sharing a living space with other people, I must sacrifice some of my habits and ways, just as the people around me do the same. This would have aided in serious conflict management. The second part of the transition that is absolutely necessary to focus on is academics and the educational part of my college experience. "READ, READ, READ!" Those words would be key to follow in the future, as developing good reading habits early would have saved me so much effort and time. Efficient studying habits are completely necessary in college!

Right now at this moment you feel overwelmed at the idea of moving away, leaving the world you know, and taking a risk at being independent. You simpy need to stop prematurely missing your comfort zone and get out to see the world instead of seeing it through your textbooks. You are a naturally brilliant student filled with life and should stop studying unnecessarily and do what you've always wanted to do, be happy by having fun with your friends. For years, your main priority has been to shut the world out and act as though what your peers experienced was part of the mundane, that you lacked the capacity and ability to be around people, and that the future was what you had to live for. In reality, you have been missing out on important rites of passages, so before you leave high school you need to catch up. And don't be ridiculous, you may be socially awkward now but everyone feels that way deep down inside despite what they show on the outside, people who shun you for who you are don't matter. Most importantly, the future is built around the present you.

When I was in high school I was used to my teachers, parents, and counselors guiding me throughout my educational goals, constantly telling me what to do. I was used to having someone there telling me what was good for me and what was not. Teachers constantly reminding us to do our homework and how important it was to do our work. Now as I know more about college life I would tell myself to get ready for college because once you start you are on your own. There is noone telling you what to do and if you need help you ask for it. College is about time management; time is very important because we cannot stay behind in reading assignments and big papers to write. The decisions we make in college will effect your future, choose your major when you know for sure that it is something you would love to study. Lastly I would tell myself to be confident and have fun because the college life will be over before you know it!

I would tell myself to experience everything and not rule anything out. As a freshman I was scared to death of going outside of my comfort zone, so I missed out on almost a whole year of meeting people, experiencing cultural activities, and on improving my G.P.A. Looking back now, I regret not being more involved. This year (my second year) I almost felt like I was starting over, because there was nothing substantial that I could look back on. So basically - embrace the transition to college. Yes, it's scary, but so many other people are going through the same journey that you are, that you can embark upon it together. Try out many new things, but stay true to yourself, and don't let anyone else tell you who you are. Stay on top of your grades, go to professors' office hours, and have fun! Oh, and forget about boys!

Plan ahead and stay focused.

I wish I had known the effort it takes to excel in college. Classwork and homework had always come naturally to me in high school, so once I got to college, I did not realize the effort it takes to still do well. Often times, I find myself wishing I could turn back time and start college again, getting the grades I know I am capable of. It is also extremely difficult to attend a school that has a reputation for being a party school. When I tell people which school I go to, they automatically assume that I have become a party zombie who goes to an easy school and just parties on the weekends, which is untrue, because my college is extremely difficult and I do not party regularly. So I wish I had known this so that I could mentally prepare for constantly being reminded that I attend a school with this kind of reputation. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love UCSB, but sometimes I wish it was just a little bit easier. But then that wouldn't really be life, would it?

The best advice I could give my high school self is not to stress out as much about college. After all the effort I put into college applications my senior year, all to have it fall apart at the last minute due to a family emergency, I can honestly say that after graduation that GPA ceases to be important. Even for those who went off straightaway to a four year university struggled with the transition, and many changed their future plans within their first year there. I took my time, stuck it out at community college, and it was a really amazing experience for me. I would tell my senior self just to calm down, because the truth is I would have succeeding no matter where I went, but now that I've made it to UCSB I feel really prepared for whatever comes at me. It's only been my first quarter, and there were some challenges, but I overcame them and feel great about how this year is shaping up!

I would tell myself that college is part of the polishing process that matures and prepares you for the world outside; so much of what you learn is how you learn, and what you want to learn. I would encourage myself to try out new interests and make new friends; I would remind myself that I can grow and change as a person without giving up all of my personal values. Most importantly, I would tell myself that failing is just as much of the learning experience as succeeding is if not more so.

Have more confidence in yourself because you really are as prepared as you are going to be to enter college. It truly is a learning experience and you will not know what you will face until you get there. Everything you think you know about yourself is not true. College is going to break everything down for you so that you can rebuild it back up again.

I would give myself the advice to embrace everything that college has to offer.

Try your hardest in every single class and make sure you get all A's and B's, and don't slack off in college. Go to every lecture and every section, do all the readings and hw and take good notes.

In college you are given many opportunities which you can explore. Going to a college far away from home is an excellent idea. .Living on campus is a great experience. You get to develop a close friendship with your roommate/s. You get to meet book authors, activists, you get to travel, and study abroad. I would advice myself to accept challenges, go to college and experience a new life. Work effectively and make the best of it. Take chances and explore. Specially get to know people. When professors offer extra credits, take it even if its 1 credit. It'll be extremely helpful. Dont worry about the difficulty of classes. You'll be fine. Always attend classes. Don't make the same mistake most college students do of not attending class until midterm and final thinking the class is easy. many professors tend to give exams based on lectures. This could lower your grade. Just don't stress, work hard, make time for everything, and always ask for help. Don't wait til last minute when it's too late. It is going to be a little bit more difficult than high school but everything has a recompensa (reward).