University of Portland Top Questions

As a high school senior I would tell myself not to stress so much about moving and going off to college. Essentially, what is meant to be will be as cliche as that sounds. In high school, I was always stressed about having the perfect GPA and never making a mistake but the truth of the matter is mistakes are a key part of life. Yes, I made mistakes my freshman year, I didn't have a perfect GPA, and I skipped a couple classes when I shouldn't have. But that's what is so great about college. People here understand that each student is transitioning in their lives and trying to discover who he or she is. I would tell my high school self to realize that the person I knew then will not be the end result of who I am to become because high school is just the beginning and when it really comes down to it, high school is a very small stage in the rest of your life. The sooner you can be true to yourself, the sooner you will be well of and actually enjoying your life. Just be happy.

Now having finished my freshman year of college, the advice I would give my high school senior self would be: Be confident. Confidence is such a key assest in growing up and becoming your best self. I have gained so much confidence this past year during freshman year of college and I have never been so happy with myself and life. Confidence is what pushes you to go beyond your comfort level. It allows you to be social and therefore meet some of the most amazing people in your life thus far. It allows you to become a part of so many amazing experiences. Confidence has given me the ability to start this new amazing journey in life, something my old self in high school never would have dreamed of. Going into a whole new place and being the "little freshman" again was not the easiest thing, but confidence made the transition so much easier and worth while. To my high school senior self: We all have our insecurities. Rise above and show the world what you can do. Be confident.

Limit yourself to only becoming involved in two or three extra curricular activities. No matter what anyone else tells you, you can reach your dreams and goals. Just work hard, stay focused, and continue to self-motivate yourself. You will get there with the help of friends, employers, and faculty members. As you prepare for this transition, be open to new ideas and ways of life. You have been living in a confined bubble for so long, that it may be difficult to adjust, but persevere past the first couple of months and I guarantee it is worth it. You will make life-long friends as long as you put yourself out there and do the things you enjoy doing. Keep going and stay strong- you have got this!

DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELF! Stop focusing on everyone else, stop thinking about it. Have a little faith, things have a funny way of working out when you least expect it. Just because you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel does not mean you won't get there. I know things look dark and scary from where you're standing, but you're a fighter, a believer and that's what makes you special. Believe in yourself, believe in your family, believe that whatever you set your mind to you can and will accomplish. Put into practice every single advice you've gotten and for the love of everything...don't stop believing.

During high school, academic success was what gave me self-worth. I based my personal value upon the grades I received. If I could go back in time and give myself advice, I would tell myself to have an open mind, to from closer relationships, and to involve myself in more school activities. I would tell myself to enjoy any experience, because the time between freshman and senior year moves quickly, and before you realize it, you'll be heading off to college. High school is the place for forming one's own personal identity, and discovering who you are. Unfortunutely my determination for academic success blinded me from discovering what I wanted from life. I entered college not knowing what I wanted to do as an adult; I had not yet discovered my passion for history or language. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to get involved in more outside activities, and to place more value in relationships and experiences than in a classroom grade. A grade is only a letter, but an experience is a memory that will affect someone's life and beliefs, which today matter the most to me.

Reflecting on my first year of college and all the ups and downs in between, I can proudly say that I have gained a good grip on the lady which I am today. If I was given the opportunity to go back in time and see myself as a high school senior, there would be so many thoughts, ideas, and words of advice running through my mind. Senior year was such a stressful time due to college applications and staying on top of school work, making sure that I would graduate, so I think the biggest piece of advice I could give myself wouldn't really be advice, but reassurance that I can do it. Throughout my first year of college, I remained clear headed and positive about my learning abilities, and I feel that that greatly contributed to my success. If I had done that in high school, I feel like the stressors of senior year (college applications, SAT/ACT, gradaution) would of been greatly suppressed, and I would of had a better grip on the end of my senior year.

I have changed greatly during my time in college and I have learned so much about myself. From this, the most important advice I could give my high school self is to focus on herself. The hardest thing I had to learn was to stop caring about other people’s opinions of me. It is something that people, especially impressionable young women, give so much attention to that they forget to be true to themselves. Trying to fit in will dictate how you act and behave in life. College is a time where you have the freedom to form and develop your own opinions, thoughts, friends, and all other facets of yourself. Do not let it be tainted by the wish to appeal to your peers, most of which you will never interact with again after college. How they feel about you now will not change your future or your happiness if you do not let it. You are the only one who can make yourself happy and to do that you need to be your own person. Enjoy all that college has to offer so that one day you can look back and know you chose your happiness.

I would try to emphasis to myself that life is full of moments in which it feels impossible to overcome your circumstances, but despite that, it is always possible to keep moving forward and to change your life if you are willing to make decisions that you might not be comfortable with. As a college sophomore, I have now lived in two different countries and also made friends that really appreciate me for who I am, but as a high school student, I always felt so alone even when I was with my friends. I would tell myself not to give up on finding people who truly love you for who you are. The most important thing I would stress to myself would be to think about the political, religious and artistic aspects of my schooling. I was unaware of how much of an impact those three things would have on my satisfaction with a school. I chose UP, because of the location, class sizes and professors; however, I wish I had been more invested in asking about other aspects as well as looking at other schools.

Say yes to everything. Coming into college, you are greeted with a multitude of opportunities to join clubs and teams, you are encouraged to take classes a bit out of the norm, and to do things out of your social comfort zone. Say yes, get involved, and be safe. Oftentimes, people can feel trapped in a school as small as University of Portland. You see the same people in the same part of the library, you take the same classes with the same people, and you eat the same lunch with the same people. Getting involved in a variety of activities can help you expand your horizons socially and academically at the same time. I have learned over the past three years that some of your greatest ideas can come from conversation with just the right person. In fact, you can do your greatest learning through interaction, which not only strengthens your relationship, but it also reinforces your ideas and your growth as a person. You will never know when these key people are going to pop up, so you might as well engage everyone you can merely by saying “yes.”

I would tell myself to be more active in trying to meet people in the beginning of school. In the beginning of college you are surrounded by thousands of people who don't know anyone either. This makes it much easier to get to know people at the beggining of the year because they have not yet formed their friend groups. Unfortunatly I spent much of my time in the beginning of the year in my dorm skyping with friends back home, and as a result when I finally did form a friend group at the school it was mostly restricted to just people who lived in my dorm. Eqquiped with this information I will be more open towards the incoming freshmen to help expand my friend group.

As a sophomore in college, I would tell my high school self to enjoy every moment of college; to be emotionally and physically present everyday. I would say to embrace your experiences because the next four years are going to change you whether you're ready or not. She has to know that at this point, she’d have to be more independent, completely mindful of herself, and understand her own physical and mental health. Furthermore, I would say to her that academics are important, but they’re not everything. My high school self has to know that failing is a crucial part of life. Lastly, everyone has their own experiences and she doesn't have to follow anyone else’s path. She doesn’t have to be who some else tells her to be, but be able to embrace that fact that she is a unique person who has something to offer the world if she just puts her mind to it. Ultimately, the only person that gets in the way of her dreams is herself: she is her own true enemy. She can get to where she wants to be if she only lets herself experience things.

As I said already, I would tell my self to be more organized.The only other thing that I would tell myself is to use the resources that were made available to me more efficiently. This would allow me to achieve higher marks in my classes, and I would have an even better understanding of the subject material that I had studied.

Honestly, it would probably start as a pretty light-hearted conversation. The first thing I would say would be, "Kerrie, now I know everyone tells you that it rains a lot in Portland, and you think you've accepted that fact. However, you must know that that rain will also be very cold, and at some point it will snow." I would follow up with more important aspects though. I would tell myself that making friends will be the least of my worries, and it'll be even harder to say goodbye at the end of the year than it was to meet them in the first place. I would say that the teachers are not nearly as scary as I think they are, not in the slightest, and it's imperative that I work with them during office hours so that I don't fall behind. It's important to call mom and dad because I will miss them. Homework is also important, but studying and knowing the material is even more so. Remember to have fun, but remember that whatever you accumulate throughout the year will have to, somehow, be packed up at the end of it all.

If I could give my high school self some college advice, I would start off by saying that this is the time to realize that the small things in high school that were important may not be so important anymore. Going into college will allow you to gain a first hand experience at what is most important for the rest of one's life as an adult and a student at a higher level of education. With the obvious increase in scholarly expectations aside, making the transition into college life will allow you to truly see who you are as a person at large. You must allow yourself to adapt with changes and transform as the surroundings transform, find your passions, and strive to learn what kind of person you are. Don't try to change in order to fit in, but allow the positive natural changes to happen then observe where it will take you, because most likely, there are others that are similar in character, personality, and spirituality. You must also realize that you cannot please everybody, but an honest effort goes a long way. And finally, maintain a healthy support group with your peers and mentors.

The biggest peice of advice I needed to hear about making the transition to college life was that even if you aren't ready to leave home, once you get to college you will fell ready! I was honestly really scared and anxious about going to college but it has been the best two years of my life. Every day I find myself excited to go to class and learn about science from my even more enthusastic proffessors. I also would give the advice to take grasp every opportunity the University offers. Currently I am studying abroad in Fremantle Australia for the semester with two weeks of pre- traveling through New Zealand. I feel like I have been on vacation for 4 months! Through this expierence I have made friends and memories that I will cherish through my whole life. Though at time college can be incredibily challenging I would not change any moment of it. As I high schooler I needed to know that I was about to have the biggest adventure of my life. I would tell myselft to take a deep breath, smile and be excited for what the future holds!

If I could go back in time, I would strongly advice myself to always remember why I have worked so hard throughout my educational career. Once you're in college it is surprisingly easy to mix up your priorities and lose motivation. School is going to be difficult and sometimes it is going to seem like you don't belong at Univeristy of Portland but YOU DO, just as much as anyone. Don't be afraid to try new things and let yourself change-don't be scared- it's all part of the process. Just ask yourself why you are changing in order to double check that you are doing it for yourself. I don't need to advice you to try your hardest because you will no matter what. However, it is okay to not get an A. As long as you know you tried your best. You will go through a roller coaster of emotions, embrace them and keep going. Many of the people you meet will be the best people you have ever met and this will be your UP family. There are amazing and beautiful people here. You are never alone, I love you.

I would tell myself to not be stressed about not understanding tomorrow and the future. The crazy thing about college and transitions in life is that between high school to college is that transitions are constant and the road is never really clear. And yet, things make sense in their own time if you're active and true to your self. It's been researched that people become ultimatly more successful in their career once they've identified who they think they are. Their career choices change with their perceptions of who they are. I struggle with this concept daily because all I want to do is plan, plan, plan. My high school self was no different. I would advise myself to take each day with hope and peace. With a clear mind self-reflection is made easier and then the path to take will reveal itself through life's natural way. I would remind myself that hard work pays off, but working towards the idea of "work" will never prove more beneficial. Working towards the idea of "who you are and who you want to be," is so much more a rewarding experience now and for the future.

Hey, you! So you're starting college, huh? I know it's intimidating--you've a bit socially awkward, and it's all very new--but you don't need to be nervous! College is wonderful: you gain independence, knowledge, experience, and freinds. It's all about finding balance. You'll be fine, but here are some pointers: Make friends early--like orientation weekend early. Everyone wants to make friends, so get out of your shell and say hello! That super cute dress that's $56... it's not necessary. Save your money for going out with those friends you just made. Speaking of going out: find balance between studies and socializing. You're there to learn, but it's important to have fun too! Supplement that learning by getting involved in all kinds of campus activities. It's a great way to get experience and connections. Experience is important for after college, so seize any opportunity that moves you toward your goal. College is a tricky transition, trust me I know. But by finding balance, you'll get education, friendship, and happiness all on one campus. When you get there, remember: it's about the journey and the destination!

In a way, going to college is like going back to elementary school. Yes, college is a large transition, and it's scary. But there are so many people out there who want to help you, all you have to do is ask. Don't be afraid to ask for help, and to reach out to others. College turns us into our kindergarden selves again because there is so much free time, a constant state of recess and snack time. Learn how to balance that time and try and limit the Netflix time. When it comes to your major, it's ok to explore different interests, but don't stray too far from your strengths. While GPA isn't as important as it was in high school, you want to take classes that you are inclined to work hard in, and therefore recieve a higher grade. The most important bit of advice I would give is just don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to try new things. Don't be afraid to relax and enjoy your time. And don't be afraind to build new friendships and relationships with the teaching staff! Don't be afraid.

Where you go is overrated. All too often, I think that the emphasis of the college admission process is too heavily burdened on the act of choosing the one single ‘correct’ college, rather than what you do once you’re there. For me, the decision was strenuous because I was split between too many universities. Realistically, it shouldn’t have been as difficult because I was able to quickly narrow my initial list of schools to about five and then two based on characteristics that turned me off throughout my visits. However, once I was down to the final two choices, decision paralysis petrified me. I look back and realize that the schools were not so different from each other. One had a slightly more urban location, while the other had a better system of extracurriculars. Would I be an entirely different person had I not chosen University of Portland? I would have different friends, different address, and different scenery everyday, but I know that I would still be striving for the same grades, for the same quality of friends, and for the same career. Where you go isn’t as important as what you do once you’re there.