University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Top Questions

I would tell myself that asking for help is not failure. I became very sick my freshman year of college. While there were resources available to me I was too proud to take advantage of most of them. I remained a full-time student even when reducing my course load or withdrawing would have been the better option. I did not fail any classes, however I did not perform as well as I could have and spent the rest of college recovering from this. I think the greatest lesson I learned in college is that it is important to ask for help when you need to. You are surrounded by a wonderful network of peers, family, friends, advisors, instructors, etc. It is important to rely on this network in your time of need. You are not helping anyone by being to prideful to ask for assitance.

Dear high school self,Where most people would begin this letter acknowledging how little they know about what you are going through, I will begin by saying I know EXACTLY what you are feeling in this moment. The movies and television shows you watched as a kid prepared you to believe that growing up would consist of rudimentary steps that mother nature or perhaps simple human intuition would prepare you for. But truthfully, there is no easy way out. Right now you must feel defeated because of how unimpressive you look on paper. You are wishing universities would give you the opportunity of a simple conversation to explain why you belong in an academic environment you can thrive in. Just know that once you discover the power you possess to break out of your own shell and succeed out of the fog that is high school, anything is possible. Be ready to work harder than you have ever worked, and to challenge yourself to be better than you ever thought you could be. The real world is so difficult, it will finally force you to realize just how capable you are when thrown into the shark tank. Love, college you

I would not change anything about how I thought about college, If anything college was easier than high school was for me. My gpa was higher in college. 3.56 I plan on going back this fall for a 4 year degree, because I already have a 2 year degree. So if I could go back in time at talk to myself about college, I wouldn't change a thing.

Dear self, I know you don’t like being told what to do, but listen up. There are some things you need to know before you head off to school. So here it goes (in list form, because you sure do love your lists). In your classes: -Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion, even to professors. -You will learn more if you are an active learner in the classroom. -Ask questions. -Find a field of study that fits your life goals and ambitions, not someone else's. -Don’t choose a career for the money. In your personal life: -Be confident and sure of who you are and what you stand for. -Let go of past worries. -Don’t let big egos and selfish boys get you off your game. -Don’t take yourself too seriously. -Smile at everyone. -Be the voice of positivity within a group. Finally, you really just need to give it your all in everything you do. There is no time to waste doing something half way. You will only ever know if you half like it or not. Oh, and brush up on your Tarheel basketball players' names. That will come in handy.

I would advise myself to take Biology my first year in college and to apply for a job as a peer tutor after my first semester. I would advise myself to take Physics my second year after taking Biology my first year. I should have waited to take my second history class until I could have it face-to-face instead of online. I should have taken more classes my first two semesters so that I could have more credits now. I should have tried harder to find a car pool so that I could save on gas. I should have been more active in brain bowl than I was. I might shouldn't have bought the book for English II when I already had it. I would tell myself not to procrastinate on papers so that I could get better grades and have a higher GPA now.

My first word of advice would be to relax! Everyone is just as nervous as you are, and just as nervous to make friends. No one is going to hold you hard and walk you into different activities, you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and be active around campus, that's how you make friends! Don't go home every weekend you get the chance to; campus on the weekends is when all the socializing happens, and staying on campus will help you make this your home for the next four years. Study, and study hard! GPA's are much easier to maintain if they start out higher than they are to raise if they start out lower. Always put your school work first, even if the class is at 8 a.m. or a subject you aren't as interested in. Go to office hours and get to know your professors. They care about you and want you to succeed! Get involved in organizations, especially service ones, earlier! There are so many opportunities to help out the community that is now your home and so many great experiences to be had outside of the classroom.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, I would advise myself to not fully rely on the advice and suggestions of advisors and counselors. Yes, their job is to help you and guide you on the right path to achieve your academic and career goals, but you need to do some research yourself and take some initiative. They don’t always give the best advice or know the proper information. You have to put in the time and effort to help yourself as well. I would also tell my high school self that it’s important to learn how to budget your money and your expenses, especially if you live off campus, which I did my sophomore year. I worked full-time and planned my money well in terms of paying my bills. However, I squandered a great portion and didn’t save for when I graduated college and moved on. The money spent would have come in handy to comfortably start up after graduation.

I would tell myself to enjoy every opportunity that high school allows including clubs, sports, activities, etc because high school offers a great place during your development to learn about yourself and try new things. In addition, I would say to enjoy the time with family and friends because although you will see them, the amount will be less and the visits less frequent. In terms of preparing academically for college life, I would definitely learn in high school how to properly study and how individually it works for me. I think that is one of the most important skills in coming to college, not the amount of time working or studying, but the quality and understanding of learning the material. Finally, determining what you want is very important in deciding your college and making the transition. By participating in many opportunities in high school, it allows you to know yourself better and make a decision on what kind of university you want to attend. Overall, I think just using the time in high school is important to grow as an individual and learn how to succeed in the rest of your life.

I would tell my high school self to try new things. There were things in high school that I wish I had done, but I was too afraid. I wanted to try out for the dance team (even though I probably wouldn't have made it, HA) and play golf. I was too afraid to start something new when I was so far along in my high school career. There are always intramurals and things in college, but I don't think it is the same. Regardless, I am going to use this as motivation for future opportunities. When I see something I want to try, I will do it for fear of regret later.

I would tell myself that I need to make sure I really study and work hard. I will always have time to meet new people, but I have to remember what I truly came to college for: to be successful, and get a good education.