University of Georgia Top Questions

When make transition from high school to college life, I would say to the students make sure they are ready and focus for the challenge ahead.

Make sure you continue to work your hardest throughout high school, even when you get that acceptance letter. The more you sccomplish in high school, the better off you will be in college, because you will be prepared for the college world. Take the time to learn to study well and continusously have the desire to learn because it doesn't stop in high school. Don't lose sight of your dreams and keep pushing forward no matter what someone else tells you. You are your own worst enemy, so don't let yourself down. Have fun in college because you deserve to, but remember you're there for a reason- you have dreams to aspire to, and you can do it. Stay strong, study hard when you need to, and enjoy every minute of it.

Don't be shy! There are so many organizations on campus waiting to reach out to people that it is necessary to break out of that shell to make friends! Don't be afraid. If you are afraid to do something, do it. Don't want to dance? Dance. Hate football? Go to a game. Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and you will surprise yourself with how much you are able to do! Go all the way!

Continue to never give up on trying to discover who you are.

Don't be afraid to make new friends, even if you're living with friends from high school. New friends open up new opportunites and new interests that you may never discover otherwise. While school is very important, don't allow yourself to get too stressed out about your workload. It is necessary to give yourself time to relax and enjoy college (but know how to balance your study time and your free time). Don't be afraid to ask for help, and don't allow professors to intimidate you. If you feel you can't go to the professor directly, try getting in touch with a TA or finding a study group or tutor- someone on campus can help you. Courses in college will be very demanding, so if you've gotten comfortable with making straight A's in high school, be prepared to step up your game to keep those A's. I would say that, in college, grades in the B range would be equivalent to straight A's earned in high school.

As a high school senior, I remember looking on my high school experience and thinking "It was so great! Nothing can top it!" I was afraid of college: afraid of losing my friends, of starting over, of taking that first step into real life. I tried to prepare; I read all the books, researched my chosen school, bought the cutest dorm stuff I could find. But I still was stressed out. If I could go back in time to my high school, scared-stiff self, I would tell her not to worry-- college is going to better than you could possibly imagine. In reality, I had nothing really to fear. My roommate wasn't insane, my classes were actually interesting, and I didn't miss home that much. All of my worries and fears, while valid at the time, were mostly pointless. College isn't something to be feared: it is something to be embraced. There is no other time in life like college; it is a unique experience and opportunity that allows you to ask the questions "What will I be? What will I do? And how?" in a place that can provide the answer.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself, I would tell myself to be strong. Throughout college you will go through mental challenges, thinking that this is not worth it, and the work is to strenuious. Do not let the friends who are making money and not going to school bring you down, because what you are getting is more valuable. A solid education will help you through your entire life, and you will not be dissapointed to make the descision to go to college.

As a sixteen year-old highschool senior, I already had my mind set on going to college right away. I had always been ambitious about what I wanted to do with my life. The best advice I could give to myself at that point in time would be to stay focused and that all of my hard work would pay off once I get to a major university. I would tell myself that being a sixteen year-old college student is nothing to hide or be ashamed of. But most importantly, I would tell myself that one day I would be able to look back into my past and say, "That little girl--the first in her family to go to college and the girl who's family didn't have the money to send her to college and sacrificed everything for her education--that girl will be great one day and the whole world will know who Cyndyl Lynette McCutcheon is."

No matter how rough it gets, keep working hard. It'll be tough, but if you focus and work your hardest, try your best, you can get through it. There are those that think you're doing great things - even if you don't get all the best things. Take what they say and run with it.

College is very different from anything you have experienced so far. At times you may feel alone, like no one understands what you are up against--but don't worry, if you ask for help there are a lot of people out there to support you and answer your questions. Be sure to play close attention to important dates and deadlines, procrastination can have devastating consequences (like having to miss a WHOLE YEAR of school...)! Most of all have fun and take every opportunity to learn and discover new things...like grandma always said, you don't know you won't like it unless you try it. Oh and by the way...you want to major in engineering, even if that sounds weird now...just do it.