University of Louisville Top Questions

As a senior in high school I recall feeling a sense of urgency to get my life going in the direction I desired. I would tell my high school self various facts. Such as, always put family first; before any boyfriend that you think you may love, any fickle friend, or anything else because it is time you can never regain. Always get your studying done before you commit to plans; there is always another party, game, or whatever. Always take time to enjoy the good, and do not always look for the bad in things. There is no need to ever hold a grudge, it is just wasted time that you could have spent happy. Try to enrich the lives of others any chance you get, you never know what your kind words could do to someone's day. Never be afraid to ask a question with the fear of looking dumb, it will only make you wiser. Certainly never let someone change who you really are or one day you won't know your true identity. Although there are many other things I would love to tell myself, I feel these are words enough to live by.

Hey me from the past! Yea, I know I look older but that's not what I'm hear to talk to you about. I wanted to prepare you on what to look out for in college. First off, and most important, you have to learn to study. Holding things off will make you suffer, trust me. Secondly, try to get to the parking lot fifteen minutes early or you may have to park in the lot across the street, ew. And, the last peice of advise I got for you, get to know your teachers and class mates. Friends are so important, and if you become friends with your professors it can help you when your ready to find that job you've always wanted. The people and choices you make while in college will most likely stick with you for life so be smart! Well, I guess you'll be seeing me in the mirror in about three years. Later!

There are so many things I wish I could tell myself. For one, I would have told myself how important it was at the time to go to school and follow through. That it is important to take school seriously and you will be able to enjoy the experience more when you are young and fresh out of school than waiting until you are older. I am 34 now and am lucky to be able to finish but I can't enjoy the college experience the way I would have been able to had I not dropped out after my first year when I first got out of high school. I would tell myself that it could change my life forever by finishing school and getting a degree. I think it's more about finishing what you start in life that is so important. I can't look back just forward and I hope to finish soon. I may even go to grad school now. The sky is the limit. Age is just a number and I would rather finish now than waiting any longer.

College life is much harder compared to high school. A really good advice would be to develop good study habbits that will greatly improve studying in college. Also, working hard in your senior high school classes, especially Advanced Placement classes, can greatly help you improve your understanding of college material.

Everyone always told me that college is to be the time of your life. I don't think the time of your life should be bottled up into 4 years. Experience, experiment and learn, but don't try to do everything in 4 years. Instead, give yourself time to grow and understand who you are. The time of your life is all of your life. The more exitement you put around being in college the more likely you will do bad. I would tell my self, the time of your life has already been going on, this is just 4 more years to add to it. Spread it out and dont try to conquer all of your bucket list in that time. Oh and of course, study!! Study with a group!

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior about the college life and making transitions, the advice I would give myself would be to open myself up to new people and new ideas. Going from a small all-girl Catholic high school to a large, coed college was a big adjustment for me. Allowing myself to open up to many new people, new environments, new ideas would have helped me adjust to my first year of college more. Instead, I was so afraid of being rejected that collapsed into seclusion and did not open myself up to these things. Another piece of advice that I would give to myself would be to use my college experience as a learning experience and chance to grow. I have become so obsessed with getting perfect grades that I have lots sight of this. College is not only about making the grades but also coming into your own and learning who you are. Stressing what has already happened, such as a bad grade, won't change things; I should just strive to do my best and accept what comes of it.

If I had the opportunity to go back, I would tell myself to learn a better technique for taking notes. In lectures, you have to pay close attention to what the professors are saying and if I had a new way to organize my notes, it would help me when I am studying for exams. I would also tell myself to digest more the knowledge my high school teachers give me, so I will remember that information when it shows up in one of the college courses I have to take. I believe that I knew studying and reading would be the main things I needed to focus on in college, and doing all of my homework in high school helped me keep track of completing my homework now. Homework in some college courses can be easy points and in the end can help when you need them the most. You need to stay dedicated to your goal of graduating and your responsibility will only grow as you become older. The more you prepare yourself in high school, the better you will feel about your performance in the college courses you must take in order to pursue your future career.

I would tell myself exactly what I told myself when I was a teenager. I asked a lot of people what the college experience was like and they gave me all of these stories about parties and drinking, but I wanted to know more about academics. I told myself to never miss class even if I felt like it was unnecessisary to go because participation counts and I also told myself to get up and ask questions, even if I feel like it's a stupid one. I always want to be able to have an open line of communication with all of my professers so I feel as if I can always ask them if I need anything or any help in the class. Also, I would tell myself as a senior to really appreciate everything my parents have done for me, especially in this economic crisis. I would also tell myself that it's okay to be homesick, (I'm from Chicago, Illinois and I'm going to school in Louisville, KY) because it happens to the best of us, family is always one of the most important things in the world!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself about college I would tell myself to start looking for colleges when you?re a sophomore in high school and don?t be afraid of leaving home. Keep your grades up so you can get good scholarships. Trying to make it in the world by yourself while going to college, with no other little mouths to feed, is a lot easier than waiting. Don?t go with the military route they will say that you can go to school too, but we tried it and it did not work. Don?t be afraid of making a name for yourself and accepting responsibility it will come whether you like it or not. Get loans if you have to it is worth it in the long run.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to relax and enjoy college from the very beginning. Get involved in more activities and don't be so shy towards your fellow classmates. Study and read more than you did in high school but also balance it with excitment, both in the classes you take and how you spend your weekends. Be more independent, don't wait until the end of junior year, enjoy things now. Most importantly, enjoy your experiences and try your best at everything you do, no matter what life throws at you!!