University of California-Santa Cruz Top Questions

I was a nerd in high school - plain and simple. Going to college got me out of my shell and showed me I could be a nerd, and still be cool. I could have my own passions and interests without being made fun of. People were interested in everything, and that made it really easy to make friends. I know I should focus on the academic portion of it regarding why it's been valuable to me, but honestly, I could have spent 4 years in a library and learned as much as I did by going to college. What I truly learned - self-confidence, what friendship and love is, and the beauty of the world around me - that is invaluable to me, and something I will always be grateful for.

I gained the experience of making it on my own. Of being able to make my own decisions and be responsible. Living in my college also made me learn to adapt to the surroundings and the prople. I've also met alot of great people in college who make my stay here ten times better. I also get a great deal of help with my studies and i take every opportunty that comes to me.

Living in the safest city in the nation my whole life, a city that offers its residence everything they need, it was more than necessary for me to leave and see what else was out there. My world had been limited to the perfect utopia I grew up in. Going to Santa Cruz was the best decision I ever made, it was perfect for what I had been looking for: self growth. I've not only learned about Maslow's hiearchy of needs and Freud, I've learned genuine friendships based on similarities rather than coincidence, I've learned how to take responsibility for every acheivement and mistake made, I've learned to be independent and take on opportunities without the comfort of friends, I've learned to approach everything with unbiased hope and not blind faith nor assumptions, and I'm starting to learn more about myself each day. Slowly but surely, UCSC provides me with an environment that helps me acheive self-actualization. Best decision I ever made.

It is valuable to attend because it prepares me for my future, my career, and for the rest of my life. College is valuable because it helps you guide your way through life towards your future and your career. Going to college may determine your future career and your life. Not only is college very expensive to not be looked as, as valuable, but it is also important to guide and prepare you for your future.

As of the school year 2009-2010, I have learned the value of meeting new classmates that has turned into acquaintances, if not long-term friends. Meeting new people in my college, especially in my classes, is very important because it is very helpful to know people so we can form study groups and have people we can turn to if we need help with any schoolwork. I learned that networking with as many people throughout my college experience may help in the future.

My experience here at UCSC could not have a price tag put upon it. There is no way to buy the things I have learned here. A new passion for learning has been installed within me by the teachers and students I'm surrounded by daily. The more I learn, the less I know and the more I strive to gain new ideas and come to new conclusions. I have made many unexpected friends who have shared their experiences with me and let me see things in their perspective and have gained a much more global outlook. Being in Santa Cruz has given me a great opportunity to settle into a close community and each day I'm here I feel a greater responsibility to be the change I wish to see in our world.

So far during my two years of college I have learned many things. I learned about the functions of a eukaryotic cell, the absurd sexual theories of Sigmund Freud, different religions and their various gods, I learned to play beer pong and I learned to pull all-nighters. However the most valuable thing I have gotten out of college thus far has been the value of an education. Not just the monetary value of an education but the social, economic and personal growth that a good education allows. In college you meet many different people from many different backgrounds, and from those experiences I learned that education is a privilage that not everyone gets to experience. I realized that if I was given only one more year to live I would want to spend that year in college, because education is a precious thing. I am excited for my next two years of college and anticipate learning and experiencing many new things which will hopefully help me grow as an individual.

Out of my college experience at UCSC thus far I have learned a lot about how college is way harder than high school. It's a lot more independent study. "how much you put into it, is how much you get out". Make sure you go to class because the quarter system is fast and you can't afford to get behind. Go to office hours and make your professors know your name. If they do in the end they'll give you some more lee-way. If you fall behind, talk to your professor!!! Find someone to be your mentor who's older than you and in your major they always have great advice. I've learned that family and good friends and so important! Cherish them. I've learned you have to be proactive if you want anything, a job, to be in a sorority, an internship, research, help, advice. You have to make it happen.

I have learned the importance of research and theoretical frameworks. But i have also learned research with applicable work will result the best result. I felt very accepted here. Goin to UCSC have make me more confident of myself and now i can be myself, dress my way, act my way, and speak my thoughts without being afraid of other people's opinions. I learned to oappreciate the environment and the life of our earth and our own healthy. I had a chance to study abroad which was an eye opening experience for me, and it has taught me alot . My ambitions and aspirations are motivated from this experience.

In my college experience at Coffeyville Community College I was a tutor in the campus library. I had to learn not to judge people by their physical appearance and I had to be patient with everyone I tutored. I met some of the most diligent learners and some of the most detached learners. I found typical stereotypes were not as accurate as I expected. I helped football players who came in everyday for my assistance and worked hard. I also found out that not all nerdy people are into books and homework, but would rather watch cartoons online. The people I met in college came from all walks of life. Therefore, it is not just a matter of broadening one's knowledge of facts and terms, in the end, there is a sense of broadening one's beliefs and aspects of everyday life. At a community college the campus is small, but the opportunities to broaden views on life are truly endless due to the close relationships with the faculty and student body. As a tutor I have learned that everyone has a chance at a better future. Attending college is the first step.

I was able to graduate with a degree in Business Management Economics and Legal Studies. I had the support of two of my professors, who also wrote my recommendation letters for law school. The key to college is to get in there and meet people and professors that have your best interest at heart. If you feel like you are struggling, it is ok to ask for help and the administrators will help you. The one thing I wish I would have known about was scholarships, I wish that there was an adviser to help students apply for scholarships so that they would not have to take out so many loans. Also, the counseling services were not that great, the services need to adjust to the students needs and particular situation.

My college experience has made me realize the importance of balance in life and crossing new lines day by day. With all the friends 2-3 minutes away and the amount of work from three classes, balance was an issue when I first started college. But as the year progressed, I learned how to draw a fine line between a social life and an intense working life, which is something I'll have to do with my future career as well. College has also made me see how every day of the next few years will have a serious impact on who I'll be and what I'll become, which has me going above and beyond my best day by day. This experience has opened up new doors and introduced me into a new world that I never knew I'd be a part of after high school. Seeing how hard adults work and maintain a social was one thing, but being able to experience a similar situation was another; and its changed how I go about life and my future.

I enrolled in college right after high school. It was too hard to juggle two jobs, bills, and college so I joined the military. It's been almost four years since I've been in college. I've seen people get out of the military, without a college education, and try to make ends meet. I wouldn't take back any of my experiences in the military, but I would love to be a civilian studying at a college someday. College makes me feel good. Every time I get a good grade I feel like I'm accomplishing something. I know that going to college is essential for me for the lifestyle that I want to live. College will provide me with an education. With that, I'll be able to provide better for my family. College offers me a sense of stability because I know that I'm going to graduate with a lot more opportunities and benefits than I would without the education it provides.

Before I came to college, I expected to get a solid education and a degree that would help set me on a great career. I am already on this path, and have learned so much in my courses already. However, this is not the part of my college experience that I have come to value the most. I have gotten so much out of my college experience that has made me a better and much happier person. I have met very amazing and diverse people, and have experienced new things that I never imagined myself doing. Some of my courses have required me to study religion and philosophy, and through these, and the new world that I am living in here, I have completely changed my views on life. I now know how important it is to me to learn and love and continue to grow, to push myself to attempt new challenges, learn new skills, and continue to try things that I haven't yet experienced. I am much more open minded because I attended this school, and I know that this will enable me to live a more interesting and fulfilling life.

To me, college is an invaluable experience in both the practical and emotional sense. Even though I did not work in the field I majored in after graduation, I know that having a degree made me more comptetitive in the workplace. Having some kind of degree looks better than nothing, which is an important thing to consider in this economy. Indeed, I decided to use the current economic depression as an opportunity for further development and growth by returning to school to get my Masters in Counseling Psychology. I notice my appreciation for college much more now that I am returning to grad school after a 15 year hiatus. I am mindful of the unique camaraderie one enjoys while being in school, the ripe opportunities for change and the blossoming of self determination. If I could give one bit of advise to all new college students it would be this: enjoy each day of leisurely walking across campus, of meaningful debate with instructors, and all night pizza parties with friends.

I came to college with my heart on my sleeve, beating quickly. I was anxious to meet new friends and take my somewhat basic education to the next level, and I haven't been disappointed; the incredible people I met even on my first day made me feel at home instantly, and my classes sparked a new heightened interest in all my coursework. Though it's easy to get lost in the beauty of the redwood forest and the liberal ease of the seaside town that surround campus, UCSC students remain constantly focused on the woes and injustice outside our college bubble. Together we create a community which sticks together and stands strong on issues of health care, environmental conservation, and of course the ever-euphemistic "homeland security" policies. I know that when I graduate I will take with me a strong conviction to fight for what is right, as well as the knowledge and the close friends to support me in creating a better future for myself and this world.

As an undergraduate chemistry major, and more generally, a college student, I have gained a wealth of knowledge about people, ethics, and science, and with each new thing I learn, I find that I am coming to understand myself on a deeper and more significant level. Balancing my academic and social life, sometimes studying in my friends? dorms until late at night, and sometimes playing games and enjoying life until early in the morning, is something that gives me a sense of satisfaction. I find that my relationship with my family has gotten better since I?ve been able to embrace individuality in school and secure a confidence in myself that I could never have achieved before college. Now that attending class is no longer an obligation, but a luxury for which I pay tuition every year, I find myself looking forward to lectures, and looking forward to what I hope I will take out of each one. College life has a flavor that can?t possibly be matched by any other experience. Even as I look out the window into the upper quad, I can?t wait for what I will be introduced to next.

Not only have these past few months at UC Santa Cruz been an amazing time, but being a student here has also opened my eyes to how many other people share the same interests and work ethic as I do. During high school, I felt as if I was one of the only people that had a will to learn and gain knowledge. But here, I feel like people take their school work more seriously while also being able to balance out having a social life. I think it is great that I can be surrounded by people who are on the same level as me, figuratively speaking. The second quarter of college is not even done, but I feel I have already learned more being a college student for a mere few months than I have all four years of high school. Being able to come together and meet people from all over the country has opened my eyes to the various cultures that are in existence as well as the opportunities that lay ahead of me after college.

What advice wouldn't one give their younger self? The confidence to engage in activities and experiences outside of one's established comfort zone is vital to becoming a more well-rounded individual. Although most students are considered adults when they begin their college career at eighteen, the vast majority are not confident enough in their own skin to try new things and possibly risk either their reputation or pride. If I could advise my eighteen year-old self at the brink of starting her Freshman year at the University of California, Santa Cruz, I ask her to loosen up and challenge her insecurities and fears by attempting things outside her comfort zone. I would plead with her to consider studying abroad - her high school boyfriend will still be around when she returns and even end up marrying her. I would encourage her to participate in multicultural theater and to audition for plays before her junior year - she ends up being cast as the principals in two plays later anyway. More importantly, however, I would push her to do things that she might never have the opportunity of doing again. College is, in fact, the time of her life.

The Advice that I would give myself would be not to take my senior as relaxing as I did. I would push myself and still take those hard classes such as AP's and Honors courses which were offered at my school. Another word of advice that I would give myself would be to look for more opportunities such as economic and academic. I would tell myself to push harder and look for those scholarships and financial opportunities that will help me in my future and also so I won't have to worry about money as much. Another word of advice I would give myself would be how to manage my time efficiently. One of the things I have learned so far is that time management is very essential for success. During my first year I have learned how to manage my time but I know I could also do a batter job.