University of Kansas Top Questions

If I could go back in time to my senior year in high school and give myself advice, I would tell myself to learn how to study. The classroom experience and educational experience in college is tremendously different from what I experienced in high school. Proper study techniques are an absolute must for success in college. Knowing how to study, how to take notes, how to prepare for exams, how to make use of study guides when given by instructors, and how to study in groups are all essential to succeeding in the college classroom. Study habits need to be developed during the high school years in order to be prepared for the college experience. This would be the best advice I could give myself for the college transition.

I was very busy in high school and thought I knew what it felt like to be overwhelmed and stressed out. If I could go back in time and give myself advice as a high school senior, I would tell myself to prepare better for the streneous academic demands of college courses. Despite the difficulty of college courses, I would also tell myself that I have some of the best times of my life to look forward to in college and will meet some of the best friends I will ever have. Yes, college is difficult, more difficult than high school and more difficult than I had imagined but I have learned so much about myself, my life, and my goals. I would tell myself as a high school senior that the best is yet to come.

I would tell myself to stay focused on school and not to get distracted by people who are not focused on school. I would tell myself to hold on to every ounce of myself and not change so someone will be friends with me. I would tell myself to be happy and not stress so much because stress won't make anything better, only worse. I would tell myself to stay open to people and listen more.

Knowing what I know now, I would tell my high school senior self to find a job on campus as soon as I got to my new school. I know it appears that I should spend the first semester adjusting and focusing on my classes, but I can not stay in school if I have no way of paying for it. Stressing the importance of affording the cost of college I would also encourage myself to spend at least two hours a week my senior year apply for scholarships and working on my college budget. Since I have been in college I have faced many unexpected costs that really seem to drain my bank account. The last and likely the more important piece of advice I could give my senior self is to make time for having fun. Studying has always been my first priority and I think I study much more than I really need to because I have also set high goals for myself, but college is not the life experience it should be if I never go out to enjoy myself sometimes. It is easier to be successful by having fun in addition to studying hard.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would try desperately to explain how long 40 years of work really is. The context of this discussion with myself would center around the importance of choosing a path of study that runs parallel to my hopes and desires as a working adult. I made the mistake of going into college while not placing much emphasis on choosing an appropriate career path. I chose to study business because I thought it made some sense and it would be a versatile degree to have - unfortunately, many, many other people have that same thought process - all the while ignoring my interest in the study of architecture. Well, now, 4 years later, I find myself back in school getting a Master's in Architecture from the same institution. While I enjoyed my time in the working world after my undergraduate study and value it immensely, I wish I would have made my heart's decision before my first entrance into college.

The transition from high school to college life is one that does not go smoothly for many students. If I could go back in time to give some bits of advice to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to save my money, enjoy my friends and family while I can, and to prepare myself for the long hours of hard work before me. Money is an issue with many college students, including myself. Saving money in high school is something i wish i would have done so that I could have afforded any unexpected expenses and not relied on my parents as much as I had to. I am a very family oriented person and my friends and family are the closest people that I have. Leaving them for college was the hardest part of my transition and spending as much time with them as I could was something that I wish I had done before i left for college. And finally, the workload of college is very strenuous and time consuming, and preparing for that work would have helped me in my first semester in college.

I would have told myself not to worry and not regret any decision I did make. That whatever your main focus and interest is at the time being, know that you can change if you want to change. Nothing is really set in stone like people try to convince you of so often. No matter what you study or where you go there will be something benificial from it that you can use in what you do. You will get scared about it, and you will survive and live to tell it, obviously. Take the time to make quality friends because it is hard gathering up a whole new group of people that you haven't been in school with since Kindergarten. Make sure you pick a school based on what you want to do and do not pick a place based on where your high school friends are all going. I am the only one at my campus from my high school and it is refreshing and has already provided me a step or two closer to the life I see in the future.

I did not decide until the week before the housing payment was due which university to attend. All summer, I fretted over what was going to happen, if I would make any friends, if I would struggle academically, and if I was ready to leave home. Now, I know that was all for not. There was no reason for me to worry. The University of Kansas was the perfect fit for me. That awkward senior needs to just relax. Sometimes you will get homesick, sometimes you will feel like you are failing, but always know that more times than not you will be so grateful that you decided to just go.

I have discovered the transition to college life was much smoother than I anticipated. During high school, I worried greatly about the stress of classes and homework, and the fear of making new friends. I remember feeling extremely nervous about beginning a new life by myself, without anyone from my hometown. All the stress and nerves, I realize now, were a waste of energy. If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to enjoy that last year to the fullest, and college is not as scary as I think.

If I could go back and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would have a few important pieces of advice. First, I would tell myself to quit worrying because it all will work out. The stress of moving into the dorms and working with Disability Resources is unnecessary - everyone is trained to work with you and help you adjust to college. I would also tell myself to spend more time with my father, because he would only be around for one more year. I would tell myself to skip the band trips to hang out with my family sometimes. The last thing I would say to myself is to stand up and speak clearly about what I believe in. When I got to speak for my community in the capitol building, all I have to do is tell everyone there what it means to be a Jayhawk with a disability - it means you are a Jayhawk, just like every other. I would end it with a high-five, in my spirited way: "You can do it, you can do it, but you gotta stick right to it."