University of Florida Top Questions

Don't be scared, or at least don't show it. That's it. It is understandable to go into such a drastically new experience with a certain degree of fear, but to a point where it consumes your life, you'll do nothing but resent everything and everyone around you. College is when you will find yourself. You'll learn of your passion for animals, your fear of the cubicle, and your passion for thinking and learning. College teaches much, much more than the facts and information found in textbooks. College also teaches about who you are as a person, what you want out of life, and how you want to achieve that. You'll learn that the jaded and detached nature of your high school experience was a function of the mundane and reduntant nature of the process, but in college, you are the master and commander of your own ship, you hold in your hands the roadmap to our destiny. My last piece of advice is this: when you pick a major, don't pick it for the attractive paychecks, the stability, or the dental plan, do what you love and do it well.

Oh goodness, there are many things I would like to tell my high school self. The first thing I would say, is not to skate by in the easy courses. Take a risk, you and I both know you would do well in AP courses. Stop being lazy and put in the work required, you'll be kicking yourself when it comes time to apply for colleges. Instead of doing nothing, get on it as soon as you can. Watching all your friends start college while you keep working at Marshalls will make you feel like a failure. Don't let that happen. Do the work, put in that extra effort, you will be glad you did.

If I could go back in time, I would urge myself to go out and meet more people! I went to college with my best friends and through the duration of my first year of undergrad, I barely made any new friends. When you are embarking on this new journey, it is so important to put yourself out there and embrace new people and new cultures. College is the time to discover who you are and who you want to be. I was so afraid of being seen as "weird" by trying something new or I was too afraid of failing at these new things-- That is not the mentality any college freshman should have! Take this time to try something out of the ordinary and take every opportunity that is thrown your way, because you really do only live once! Go to every random club meeting and enjoy every minute of it. Don't spend all your time with your nose in the books either. You only have 4 years in college, take advantage of every aspect college has to offer-- clubs, sports, strange classes, you name it!

If I could talk to myself when I was in high school, I`d tell myself to have fun every now and then and blow off much needed steam. Studying is important but releaving stress is also important. Short term stress is good,and long term stress is bad. Even if the stress is getting to you and is practically eating you alive ,always rememebr the importance of what your doing and how good it will feel once all that hard work has paid off. Also a tip on studying is to rememebr each part of the study guide or notes correctly atleast 5 times in a row before moving on to the next section or taking a break, otherwise keep keep trying until you can do it 5 times in a row without any mistakes or stalling.

After explaining the logistics of time travel and calming down my high school self, I would tell him (me?) how I learned to survive my freshman year. College was a kick in the stomach; coming in I had illusions of college created by the ridiculous movies that National Lampoon makes. I thought classes were a joke, I could sleep until noon every day, and that I would never have to study. I would administer a swift slap and explain to myself that none of this is true. You need to buckle down and get ready for classes that will cram more into a day than your previous classes had in a week. Chemistry will be no joke; in fact, you’ll fail your first exam (something that has never happened before) and you’ll have to work your butt off to scrape out an A. Don’t put yourself in that situation, past me. Yeah friends are great, and volunteering is rewarding, but at a certain point you will need to lock yourself in your room and stick your nose in a textbook. Just before leaving, I’d say “it’ll be hard, but I guarantee you can do it”

Learn study skills now, before you get into a class where they are desperately needed. Be vocal in your education, if you have a question do not be afraid to ask it. Make as many friends as possible while you are in college. The more friends you have the better your experience will. Last, but not least, do not be afraid to try new things BUT do not lose yourself in the crowd.

Dear Jose, don't even think about going out during school nights! Stay in and study, study hard! It may seem your alone at first but there are resources in school that can help you! Form study groups and apply for as many scholarships as you can! Do not worry about getting a job or going to the gym twice a day! What counts is your education and it will pay off in the long run! Don't get distracted by all of the parties and girls that'll come later with life. Now you have all the time to focus on yourself development and school will make you a better person in the long run! Build a connection with the professors, make sure they know who you are. And another good tip that I know is as much as you study you can still enjoy youself. What has helped me with exams are study all you can and the night before go out and watch a movie or hangout with friends. Trust me it seems crazy but it helps a lot with the stress. Good luck, you have a lot of potiential! Love you!

The main advice I would tell myself as a high school senior would be to enjoy the people around me and take every opportunity presented to make new friends. UF is a huge school, and it can often be very lonely. My freshman year I met new people and made good friends, but I was still dependent on my friends from home. Sophomore year brought a complete change that I am eternally grateful for. I moved into a dorm with three random girls, who I would now consider my best friends. I also met their friends and formed close relationships. The main thing I realized through this experience is that people here are open and excited to meet others. Being so introverted can become a negative thing when there are thousands of opportunities to not feel like a small fish in a big pond. Had I known this before, I would have taken a bigger initiative to meet people last year, rather than settle for the familiar. The friendships made in college are life changing, and it would be a mistake to not take advantage of the possibilities to meet people. Live every moment. Laugh every day. Love beyond words.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in high school I would tell myself two things. One would be to look for more scholarships. When I was applying to colleges I didn’t look for scholarships outside of what the colleges had awarded me and when I got a scholarship to my dream college I thought I was set. I had a great first semester and loved the atmosphere, the challenge and the teachers, but when it came time to look for loans for my second semester I couldn’t find anyone that would help me. On top of the scholarships I had already received I needed an extra $8,000. I was devastated when I wasn’t able to go back, but then I just took a breath and made a new plan. Breathe is another piece of advice I would have given my high school self. Make the best of what you’re given. Once I learned to do this everything came more easily to me. I made a new plan. I would go to the community college and get the classes I needed and then transfer to a school and pursue my future.

The advice I would give myself is to have learned better studying habits and techniques. As I have progressed through college I have come to the realization that the studying techniques that were ok for high school won't cut it in college. I would also tell my self to apply for more scholarships even though they weren't needed for the school where my AA was attained.

You can do this. Don't listen to your friends and other people who say that you aren't good enough for UF. You have the skills, discipline, and smarts to succeed at UF. Just make sure you do what you've done in high school: study, complete assignments, read, go to tutoring sessions, get help, and make friends. These things will help you succeed. You can do it. Listen to your instincts and do what you think is right. Don't shy away from your opinions, but don't force them onto others either. Keep your head up, think positively, and don't give up. UF is an amazing school and you will learn so much. You won't just learn new subjects and material, but you will learn a lot about yourself. Most importantly, you will learn that you can do anything you set your mind to. You will gain so much confidence in yourself that you'll be a changed person. Don't be afraid of change. Just go with it and you'll find out that change is usually for the best. You can do this, I promise.

Life is like a moving--sometimes fast, sometimes treading--train. It can compete with the wind for a while. Even better, it can bullet-speed through space, atop its tracks, and leave not a single trace behind of its amighty endeavor. Nonetheless, once in a while, when its engine falls ill to fever-disease, it begins to stumble and tumble over its high-raised walls of pride. The train shatters its reason for living. It asks,"If it is not for pride that the living lives for, then for what does it live?" Now, it was destiny for the super-duper train to see the highs and the lows, the sweet and the bitter flavors that life has to offer. This may answer the question raised earlier: pride is only worth living when a human gets a taste of all the emotions that breathe into what is called the "idea of life." This idea is what we humans will have to come to understand. I was just like the train in high school: doing great, and then burning out in the end. "College will breathe a new sense of responsibility that you will have to make your pride and commitment."

I would go even further back then senior year. I would now choose a high school that has a duel enrollment where i could have earned some college credit. By doing this I could have saved myself alot of money. I would have taken the engeering coarses that were offered at my school to help me with the classes I am now taking. I would have visted my family in their different cities for a week or two so i could get used to being away from parents. I would have saved more money so I could enjoy myself more in my free time.

Try things, take chances, make mistakes, and travel at every chance you get. Be proactive, explore program options - discover dual degree programs, double major requirements, and post-baccalaureate opportunities. Do not become fixated on doing "what your parents want" or "what will pay well". If you want to be an archaeologist, go be one! Your friends will be your friends no matter what. Do your best to not become bogged down in messy relationships or greek life drama; it may seem important at the time, but your academics should come first because they are your future. Do what feels right to you - if you dont feel prepared to take an upper level course, dont take it, take the pre-requisite first. Do not let the advisors or registar bully you into taking more classes or credits than you feel capable of. Most importantly, build connections with professors you like, who teach courses you find engaging and become involved in their research. Go to football games, go on roadtrips, maximize the availability of cultural and enviromental interactions available to you. Finally, try the $3 Krishna lunch BEFORE your senior year and most importantly, go on the study abroad to Ethiopia.

If I was able to go back and talk to myself when I was in high school. I would advise myself to take more GER classes at the local Kenai Peninsula College through the Jump Start program because it would have saved me a lot of money and time in the long run (cheaper to take college classes while in high school). Also, I would have gotten my C.N.A. license sooner because working as a C.N.A. is a great “survival” job to help work your way through college (Life is easier when you have a part-time job of $14 an hour instead of $8 an hr of minimum wage). And I would advise to apply for lots and lots of scholarships! I have found there are a lot of scholarships/free money out there waiting for a student to apply for and not very many people do. Last of all, try to find a balance between school, studying, friends and fun. Its not good to study all the time, and its not good to goof-off all the time either. Try to find a balance between everything to keep your sanity.

First of all, I would tell my 'senior self' to not rush to graduate. I absolutely LOVE college so far, but senior year flew and it would have been better if I would have saviored it a little bit more. This also ties into the part where I would tell myself to really appreciate everything from back home, like spending time with my family, friends, and horses. I definitely appreciated what I had, but I would tell myself to let them know how much I truly did. Lastly, I would advise myself to not stress as much! As crazy as it may sounds, senior year of high school was much more stressful that my first semester here at UF. I was so stressed about getting into college and being involved in so many clubs and activites, that I would encourage my self to slow down and enjoy my last year in high school. "Don't sweat the small stuff" is something I would have definitely included to the person of past. Most importantly however, I would tell myself to get ready for the best years of my life here at the University of Florida!

College life is a big transition. You are completely on your own for the first time in eighteen years and you need to take responsibility. Balancing your new found social freedom while maintaining an acceptable GPA is extremely challenging. Not only that, but you have to worry about becoming involved and getting internships to boost your resume for your future. College is not just a time to have fun and "find yourself"; you also need to realize that you are preparing yourself for the real world. Taking this expensive endeavour lightly is not an option. Buckle down for an academic ride far more intense than any high school experience could have prepared you for. There are a lot of temptations now that you are fully in charge of your social life. Your parents are no longer there to tell you when you are not allowed to go out for a night on the town when you have a test coming up. You need to be your parents and realize when going out for one night of fun is not worth doing poorly in class the next day or not studying enough for the test you have coming up.

The truth is, there is a lot I regret about how I handled college life. Not knowing what to expect, I went in thinking I could handle anything and everything, taking on 18 credit semesters along with clubs and organizations and sports. I also allowed myself to be swept in, at the time, into the social life at UF. If I could go back in time and give my high school senior self some tips, I would relay the pitfalls and dangers awaiting myself at UF (in the form of distractions), and I would advise myself to truly think about what makes me happiest in life, and what gives me the most motivation, so that I could properly determine my path in life (and major) ahead of time, and minimize the unnecessary classes. Lastly, I would tell myself to be more active in the medical clubs and the Catholic youth at UF, since these helped shape my college life in a positive way, as opposed to dance clubs and social groups based on ethnicity. Of course, I would never forget to smack myself in the head and tell myself to study harder as well!

I would definitely make sure I told myself not to slack off. My GPA was a 3.44 but it could have been higher. I feel like I missed out on a couple of scholarships because lots of kids I know qualified for funding over me that had over 4.0 GPA's. Putting my self on a more strict schedule would have been easier to adapt to early mornings. Our school started reasonably late and I always slept until the last minute. I know now it's better to get an early start and give myself plenty of time to get dressed, eat breakfast and sit and plan out my schedule.

If I could give myself advice as a high school senior, there are two things I would definitely tell myself. First of all, I would tell myself to plan ahead financially. College is expensive! All of the extra money that I made in high school could have been saved in order to pay for my college education. During this time when I had no bills or responsibilities, I could have been saving my paychecks instead of spending it on clothes and shoes and all of the other girly stuff I wasted it on. And secondly, since I already knew that I wanted to make a career that dealt with teeth but wasn't exactly sure which avenue to take, I would tell myself to go straight into a dental assisting program. I would have liked to start getting dental experience as soon as possible and also have a means of making more than minimum wage. That way, while I am working as a dental assistant I could be completing all the classes that I need to be transfer ready. Then when its time for the university, I'm ready and I have money saved up to pay for it.