University of Portland Top Questions

Dear past self. I know what you're thinking: how on Earth can I be talking to my future self? But just listen for a moment, because this is important. First semester of college is going to be tough, but don't give up. Remember that you're doing this for you, not your parents. They love you very much but they aren't always right and they don't always know what's best for you. Just focus on doing your best- and it doesn't matter if they think your best has to be an A, because it won't always be. It's okay to get B's, as long as you do your best. And only you know what your best is. As long as you're learning, mistakes aren't failures. And, most importantly, do what YOU want to do. This is about your life, your future. So don't let anyone else hold you back. Follow your dreams. You'll stumble a bit, but as long as you keep going, it's a win. So enjoy your time in college- it'll go by fast. But remember that the best is yet to come.

I would give myself a few pieces of advice. The first regarding the college process as I was incredibly hesitant to attend a university that was affiliated with a religion as I did not want a religion forced on me. I have discovered that religious affiliations do not matter and are rather a bonus that put an influence on the university to do all that it can to bring their students success, just as mine has. Secondly, I would tell my high school self that making solid friendships is a lot more difficult to do, especially after maintaining only a few for years. I went to a school where I did not know anyone going in and I’m still trying to find a couple of solid, lets-spend-time-together friends. Lastly, I would tell myself to take as many duel credit and AP classes as possible because they are a thousand times cheaper than paying for them during college.

You have absolutely no idea what’s ahead of you. Yes, it’s amazing, but there are also hardships. For instance, even though you think you won’t get homesick, you will. You will also be dealing with all-nighters, last minute cramming before a test, and yes, the inevitable final exams. But do you know what? It’s worth it because you are going to make a difference. So ignore every single person who has told you you’re not good enough, that you’re not going anywhere, and that you need to change because you don’t! You are going to be the change you want to see, not the change others want you to be! College is a place for new adventures; this is the time in your life to truly dream. Anything you set your mind to you can do as long as you don’t let anything else hinder your longing for a better tomorrow.

At first, you are going to hate it. You are going to miss your parents, your family, and your home. But as the days go on, you'll realize you are now an adult. You are entirely responsible for your actions. You are going to realize there is a bigger purpose for all of this. The transition gets easier and by the time you know it, you have adjusted. There are times when you want to go home and quit, but remember the reasons and the sacrifices made for you. Make friends and surround yourself with people who will make you forget about being sad. Don't be afraid to ask your professors or upperclassmen for help. Try new experiences, join some clubs, and don't overwork yourself. The workload may seem like a lot, but trust me, it is not impossible. College is a time for new changes, so do not be afraid to make them. Yes, it will be horrible at first. But with time, friends, and a few Facetime calls home, you will be able to get through it.

I would tell myself not to be so timd and get out there to do something that you usually would never do. I would explain that college is very different from high school and it won't be a drag everyday. If you take step outside your box you will end meeting people who will change your life and learn to enjoy life again. I would also explain that if you are given an opportunity take it, these are the time you will never get back so you might as well as make to the most out of it. I also make it clear that this is the chance you have been wanting, that you are finally away from everything so just do your best and at the end of the day you will be happy.

Well well, look at you. You eat three square meals a day, you go to bed no later than 10:30 on weekdays, and you get in class homework time. Love it. Eat it up (literally if it's homemade food, because you'll miss that one for sure), soak it all in and bask in a world where you're topping off a solid foundation, taking enjoyable classes and living the good life at the top of the high school food chain. Embrace the freedom to slack off on that one homework assignment a little, and don't stress out so much about tests that make up less than twenty five percent of your grade. Enjoy the last year, but don't worry so much about which school you like, don't worry so much about leaving home. Yeah, it won't be that easy, but at the end of the day when you're choming down on the same salad you've had three days in a row while working on physics homework, you'll come to an important realization - you will be okay.

I would tell myself that college is much better and harder than highschool. You get to choose when you have class and for the most part what classes you can take. You buy your own food and are able to get a job on campus. I would advise myself to be more social with other students and be able to ask questions in class. Or at least use office hours if needed. I would also have advised myself not to spend so much time in my room watching tv and listening to music. I would advise myself that college is much more time consuming than high school ever was and therfore I would focus more on studying. I would have also advised myself to take breaks in between tasks rather than trying to crame 40 pages of reading into an hour. The most important piece of advice I would give my highschool self is to be more confident in my ability to succeed and never let anyone put me down.

To the young and naive Catie, I know you went through a lot your senior year of high school. You were focused on so many other things, go into some trouble, had a lot of fun and you knew you were going to go to college no matter what. You were already accepted into UP in December! And trust me, it'll be awful for the first few months. You're moving from gorgeous sunny Southern California to well, to the Pacific Northwest. The two things you need to know the most is that you are going to do just fine in Portland. You'll make some amazing friends and truly find a good path to follow. However, study hard, focus on those studies and fight for financial aid. Those are your biggest worries, do not brush them aside. Work hard for scholarships, study hard and remember you'll love it.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, i would tell myself to stop being overconfident. As a high school senior, I graduated at the top of my class, I was an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate and I also earned a high school diploma in music. As a result, I believed that I was overly prepared for college and that the first year of college would be a piece of cake. However, by the middle of the first semester of college, I realized that because of my cockiness, I had slacked off in my studies and was not doing as well as I could be doing. This led me scrambling to pick up my grades and my stress-level drastically increased. Although I still managed to finish the semester with a decent GPA (3.73), it would have been much less stressful and my GPA would have been much higher if I was not overconfident about my academic abilities.

For me, I was always a very determined student when it came to academics but I would advise my high school self to plan ahead better. I would say to think more about the future and what college was right for me rather than leaving the decision until the last minute. I would say to apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible because money can make all the difference in your education past high school. Since I didn't focus as much on scholarships as I should have, I now have taken out the maximum amount of loans that I can and may not be able to afford the school of my choice after my freshman year. Also, I would say to be open to new experiences and know that it is okay to be away from home because there will be many new people there to support you and you can always visit home. Going away for college is the best decision you could make and trying more new things wouldn't hurt. Join clubs and go to school events to meet new people and you'll never be alone.