University of South Florida-Main Campus Top Questions

120 credits is not impossible. Mom and Dad making it into the U.S. was impossible. Dad getting his first job as a bus boy at that El Salvadoran restaurant without papers or a social was impossible. Finding medical coverage for you to get your shots after you were born was impossible. Getting a decent elementary education living in a government-subsidized neighborhood in Alexandria was impossible. Remember you were diagnosed with ADD in the 6th grade? Maintaining over a 2.0 GPA with ADD just doesn't happen. But then again grandma did somehow come up with the $1800 soles for Mom and Dad to make it. And Dad somehow talked the manager at La Granja into giving him a chance even though he didn't speak a lick of English. And Mom found a lady at the government office who spoke just enough Spanish to help her with the emergency Medicaid forms. And by the time you were 4 Mom and Dad were making just enough to send you to ACCA so you could learn English. And you did pull off a 3.0 in high school and get into college, which you always thought was...

Seriously, stop worrying so much about not fitting in. High school is like daycare compared to college. Those people you knew in high school? They were kids, and acted like it. College life presents you to young adults, with a more sophisticated childish manner. They are fun, but not in the immature ways of high school students; they do not find joy in hurting others, including you. Yes, there is alcohol, so you will have to learn how to act around that scene, but it is far from what it is cracked up to be. Also, sex? Yea, it is not going to kill you if you find someone worth waiting for once you get to college. Be safe, be smart. But really, don't worry so much about finding friends that will accept you. The people you are going to meet are the forever friends you’ve been wanting so badly for so long. No more drama queens that want to make your life a living nightmare. Get ready to enjoy life to its fullest!

If I could travel back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior, I would emphasize the importance of working hard. Being in college is definitely a large shift from high school, but taking Advanced Placement and Honors classes helped ease the transition. I would tell myself to study hard and to not waste any time. Challenging myself in high school and making the most of my time was an important step to make me into the student I am now. I would also tell myself to enjoy high school before the next exciting period in life.

Dear high school me, You cannot neglect any of the classes you are taking. Even though in high school, some of those classes weren't your choice, you still have to put full effort in being present for every class and truly understand the material. Memorizing information or going by unoriginal work is useless. In college, every class requires some pre-requisite or basic knowledge from high school. That is why it's important to pay attention to every class you've taken, especially in high school. College classes require a lot of writing and reading comprehension, and furthermore, conceptual understandings. You cannot depend on memory, as you did in high school. Every teacher is different and some will omit information on how to do research projects or report papers, so you basically have to write professionally based on how you were taught in high school. High school is where you were taught how to write, and where you exercised that writing skill. It all plays a big part in college. Writing and the manifestations of your understanding play a big part in determining your intelligence, and ability to gain knowledge. Plagiarism and memory will do nothing for you.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I would tell myself to major in something you like and stick to it. In the past two years I've spent at USF, I've changed majors over 5 times because I was choosing to "settle" on a major instead of pursuing the major I really wanted -- Industrial Design-- that isn't offered at USF. So I would tell myself to pump the brakes on the dual enrollment and take a long introspective assessment at what you want out of life. "Work smart, not hard." I'd say.

Senior year is one of the best years of high school. You're at the top of the food chain, graduation is right around the corner, and all you want to do is get through the year so you can walk across that stage to receive your diploma. Though the transformation from high school to college is a tremendous one, what you don;t think about is: what do I do now? Where do I go from here? If i could go back, I would emphasize to myself how important it is to stay focused on future goals. I'd also explain that the first year of college is exciting and new, but also brings many challenges. Staying on top of your grades, being self-motivated, eating healthy and exercise, just to name a few. Join a club, make new friends and learn about the campus history are all essential to beginning your college career. Get involved in the community as often as possible. If you have not yet declared a major, there's plenty of time to discover what your school has to offer. Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.

Being a fine arts student, I would tell myself to explore more media types and really build my portfolio. I would tell myself to fearlessly ask questions and really investigate with my guidance counselors what scholarship and grant opportunities were out there for an underpriveledged student like myself; I could go to school debt free instead of owing thousands upon thousands to the government.

If I could crawl back in time and talk to myself about what I've learned from my time at college, the first thing I would tell myself would be to learn how to pick up a book and begin to love the art of reading. I would encourage him to take 30 minutes each morning to read anything that interests me from class and try to start up conversations with fellow classmates about it. I would tell myself to treasure the friendships that you have and be the best friend possible because that helps shape your character as you grow which becomes very important when making professional connections. I would then touch on the importance of responsibility and the effects of procrastination. I would stress a few collegiate experiences as evidence as to how waiting until the last minute to do a project can not only ruin your grade but can also reduce your academic confidence in the long-run. Lastly, I would tell myself that being responsible is important because having it means that not only do you feel you are more mature and dependable, but other people see it as well, and will respect you for that.

As a high school senior, I was extremely driven and my goal was to perform well enough in school to be in the top ten students in my graduating class. I was taking several advanced placement classes and dual enrollment classes as well as being very involved with my senior class and our choir. As the year dragged on, my stress level was becoming unbearable and I eventually became sick and had a breakdown. As all of this was going on, I had already been accepted to USF and recieved several scholarships, so I really should have had no need to worry. But I was too focused on exceeding my expectations that I didn't pay attention to what really mattered and ignored the meaning behind my academic goals. If I could go back give myself advice I would say slow down, breathe, and take one task at a time. Sometimes it is not about being the best; what is more important is doing your best.

I would tell myself to choose my major based on what I truly want to be instead of listening to others; I wouldn't have switched my major if I had done that in the first place. Also, I'd tell myself to pick another school out of Tampa both to gain a sense of independence and to actually have the "college experience". Being involved on campus and making new friends instead of trying to hold on to my old ones would be a helpful tidbit. Moreover, I'd tell myself to take German in my freshman year now that I plan on studying abroad; I would have been more fluent by now. Most importantly, I'd tell myself to never give up on my artwork and to uphold the spirit of optimism.