University of Central Florida Top Questions

I would tell myself to get involved. I would also tell myself to talk to professors even if I don't have much to say to them at first. They are very knowledgeable in their field and can help me find opportunities that I would otherwise know about.

The one advice I would give myself is to be outgoing. The most difficult thing to do in college is to allow people to see you as a person in your raw state. When people can see you for who you are they will gravitate toward you. Having friends on campus makes the transition much easier and much more fun. I would also say that you have to go out of your way to make friends, because they are not going to magically appear because you want them too. Joining clubs and Greek Life will provide an awasome outlet for meeting new people and adjusting to college life.

Be prepared to become an academic. This means to be prepared to hit the books and focus on learning new things and boosting the GPA. Learning is the most important part of the college experience. With that comes excellent grades, followed by experiences that include hands-on projects, internships, and finally the social experience. All element of college are important, but the most important is learning. Do what you want to do, don't get distracted once you've chosen your path! Visit academic advisors often to ensure that you're on track. Get involved with clubs, fraternities, sororities, sports and/or whatever interests you just as long as these activities don't affect your academic progress whatsoever. Always remember that you're in college to develop yourself into a better and bigger person. You're on your way to success, keep up the good work!

If i could go back in time and talk to myself i would tell myself to get my shit together and learn how to manage my time better. I would tell myself not to party every weekend but to take time out of the day to study and do homework

As a senior, only one thing mattered to me, my report card. It didn't matter if I learned anything, as long as I got that "A" stamped on my report card. Would I study? Of course, even if it was in the class before my test. Now that I am in college things have changed quite a bit. I tried the whole studying before my class routine, but things didn't work out as it did in high school. If I could have given myself some advice in high school it would be to actually learn the material. Don't cram it the hour before the test. Yes, grades do matter, but in college learning matters more.

1) Don't bother majoring in Biology and minoring in Finance. Legal Studies with a Music minor is the right one for you. 2) Go ahead and make that four-year schedule plan - it will take quite some time to create, but the end results are worth it. It really helps in organizing and deciding classes for each semester. 3) DON'T BE STUPID AND DO WELL IN YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR!!! Some GenEd courses are a pain in the behind, but it will be good to get them out of the way. (If possible, take AP Calculus AB and AP Psychology. Perhaps AP Statistics too. It'll take hard work and effort, but it's definitely better than taking it in college...) 4) Oh yeah. Taking the "Law and the Legal System" course with Dr. Koblasz is a definite MUST! She's awesome and doesn't take crap from anyone (which is cool), but it is partly in thanks to her that I found legal studies to be enjoyable. And finally, 5) Find out for yourself. You're in for quite a few surprises... *hehehe* >:]

Work harder. Work harder, work faster and do more; immerse yourself amongst people and ideas you never knew existed. I do not come from a big city, a rural town either. In my little Rhode Island suburb I was not rich, but certainly not poor; always complacently right in the middle. But I needed a change, and although the depth of that change was beyond my understanding at the time, I knew that Cumberland was not the town for me to accomplish my dreams. Up and moving to one of the largest cities in the country, I have found that Orlando is full of so many different people, places, and ideas, it is impossible not to grow. If I was standing in front of my former self, if I could say but one thing to her for the rest of my life, I would shout "Look at how far you've come!" Embrace whatever comes your way I would say, and know that if you really want to go somehwere with your life, if you really want to start with nothing and end with everything as you so claim, you need to work beyond your capabilities. So go, do it.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior. I would talk to myself and discuss how colege life is different from high school.I would try to interview other college students to learn how college life is different from high sool life and how to cope in the first few years. I would like to gain the wisdom about the responsibilities of living alone and how to manage money and time while living away from home. This would make the transition easier to college life. I would also advise myself to have abalanced life with work and social life to have the best mixture and be a complete person

I will advice the upcoming high school seniors to be more focused on their students and avoid any bad friends and gang activities,because college is fun and they have a whole world ahead of them to explore.

Definitely I would advice myself to keep on going to undergrad school, grad school and beyond not allowing any interference with my schoolwork and career because at the end of the day the pain of regret is greater than the pain of discipline...

My senior year when I started applying to colleges, paying application costs and picking out my dorm I realized that while I wanted to fly away from the nest there was a lot of work that went into it. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would first off tell myself to enjoy being with my family and friends, to enjoy spending time at school and learning as well as to enjoy having little responsibility. To most, family and friends are critical to a persons happiness. People surround themselves with positive people that they are familiar with and love. When going away to school, it is sometimes difficult to transition into making a whole new group of friends and leaving family members behind. Telling myself to enjoy high school would be next. While in high school, there are many clubs and organaizations that a person can be involved in, so stay in those clubs. Lastly, to enjoy having little responsibility. While at home, there is often no need to pay rent, electric, and utilities. Being on your own is different so enjoy the time that you have. Enjoy going to college!

College life is all about defining who YOU are. In high school, being associated with a certain group or being apart of the in-crowd was top priority. But here, you're treated like an adult, you are held accountable for your success or lack of success. You learn to organize, plan, set schedules, and to pick and choose when its time to play and when its time to work. You begin to see yourself for who you really are with so many opportunities to leap out and expand your knowledge. Don't worry about making friends, as long as you get involved on campus with different organizations and career opportunities, trust me, friends will come with the territory. And most importantly, have fun, enjoy your four years of learning because they only come once!

I would tell myself to remain focused on my work and not so much on social events. I would also tell myself to spend more time studying and less time talking on the phone, driving around, and going out with friends. I would let myself know that I ended up at a great place in life, but it could have been better had I not slacked off at the end of each semester in high school. Most importantly, I would have told myself to keep being me and being the focused individual I am. Most of the friends I knew then, I don't know now, so it's more worth my time to just focus solely on school. Finally, I would tell myself not to let anyone bring me down and that I should ALWAYS shoot for the stars and never settle for second best!

Don' t be afraid to pick the school that is far away from home or really big, take this opportunity to grow up and get out there!

I would tell myself to get a job and apply for scholarships. In highschool, I did not apply for a single scholarship and I also did not have a job, and it is really hurting me now. I am so poor right now that I can barely afford to pay attention. If I would of had a job or obtained a few scholarships, I would have of been able to save up for necessities like food (the only food I have in my refrigerator right now are apples and one yogurt), housing (even with the Stafford Loan, I did not have enough money to cover housing this semester), and books (I only have two books for the four courses that I am taking right now).

Entering college I was thrilled for the new experiences I was about to encounter. However, something in the back of my head was holding me back- lack of confidence in myself that I could perform academically at the college level. Therefore, if I were back in senior year, I would make myself believe that I was intelligent enough to pass college courses. But not only that, that I could pass the intimidating high level science courses I would need to take in order to fulfill my dream of becoming a Physical Therapist. In high school, nothing came easy academically to me. However, I worked hard to achieve my goals which led me to build character and strength in my study habits when tasks became difficult. Through my efforts, I became a member of National Honor Society. In spite of all this, I still had this assumption that even though i did well in high school- the same might not be true for college. Forunatly, I've found quite the opposite in my experience. I've discovered slowly but surely my confidence is rising and that with every step I take towards believing that, I am one step closer to victory.

I would definately tell myself to hang in their and to try to enjoy high school a little bit. I spent all my time with dual enrollment college courses in high school, that I didn't leave much room for fun. Now that I am in college, I wish that I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to leave high school. I might have more friends and be more involved in college activities. I also would tell myself to apply for more scholarships. There are very few scholarships out there that aren't for minorities. I wish I would have tried harder to find scholarships that I was able to apply for. College is very expensive. There are so many expenses that arise that I never dreamed I would pay for in order to complete my classes.

Having been a college student for a few semesters, if I was able to talk to myself as a senior in high school I would tell myself to apply for a random roommate. When I was in high school I was scared to have a random roommate because what if I got stuck with a crazy girl or someone who was mean. So when I was applying I talked to one of my girl friends who also got into U.C.F and we convinced eachother to room together! I was so excited to know my roommate. The first month or two all we did was hang out with each other. I never got the chance to meet new people. We were content just having each other and never cared to go out and make friends. So a word of advice to myself as a senior in high school, get out there and meet people. Get a random roommate, who knows they could end up being your best friend. You come to college with a fresh start and to meet new people, so give yourself all of the opportunities you can get.

If I was able to go back, I would sit myself down to talk about upcoming events. I would think the conversation goes something like this, Even though it feels like High School is your life, it ends shortly after you walk across the stage with dimploma in hand. One night you will realize, It's just me vs. the world. So now what are you going to do? Being raised by a single parent, a hard working mother trying to make ends meet, hardly sets any kind of stable financal future. As you know collage is definatly not free by any means so I wish you would start saving now. Along with saving, I wish you would start apply for every kind of scholarship you can. Planning is the key element in your future. Plan to set aside a little bit of money each month you won't be in a sticky financial situation in the future. You will be able to start a life out of debt and able to give back to the community. Please heed my advice. If not you will not fail in life, you will just to work a lot harder for your dreams.

As I sit on the grassy hills in front of the UCF reflection pond, I do a little reflecting of my own. It feels like just yesterday I was an eager, bright-eyed high school senior battling anxiety about leaving home yet ready to tackle the opportunities of college. I peer into the water and study my reflection, chewing on the notion that time flies. "What if I could go back?" I ask myself. "What advice would I give my younger self?" I bite into my apple with a loud 'crunch,' thinking about my question. I look my younger self in the eyes and tell her to remember to take care of herself when she leaves for college. I tell her to eat properly, to get enough sleep, to create a positive routine in her new life. I tell her to make good friends but not to get too caught up in the rush of things. I say, "Remember why you're in college: to learn!" The opportunity is a blessing. I tell her to be true to herself, and most of all: have fun making new memories but never forget the people that love and miss you back home.