University of the Pacific Top Questions

"Everything is alright." That's what I would say to high school senior me. I was seventeen years old at the time, and I felt as if my world was falling apart. My family was going through some hard times, and my depression and celiac disease (I didn't know I had that yet) was getting worse. To top it all off, student loans turned me into a nervous wreak. I felt like it was all going to fall to peices; everything I worked for, everything I wanted, everything I had. The four associate of arts degrees I obtained in high school meant nothing to me. I was burying myself in my own mind. I guess I just needed to know things were going to be okay. Once I found that out, things seemed to get a little easier.

Make yourself more aware of the repercussions of being a minority and a female in today's society. Also realize that awareness is not enough: actions must follow thoughts. There is a standard on how females are supposed to look; pay less mind to your outfit and instead articulate the contents of your cognitions. There are so many kids like you who are struggling with two cultural backgrounds- help them focus on the similarities rather than the disparities and embrace themselves. Embrace yourself. Rejection is necessary, but if the thing that is rejected is never created it will never have the chance to be accepted either. Always be prepared to give because you have been given so much. The best teachers can lower themselves to the students' level of understanding and lift them up with them. Respect your time: reserve time to educate yourself on current cultural affairs, read, practice and exercise. Being uncomfortable is good, so long as you're being challenged don't be apprehensive. Tell your mom that you love her. The esoteric is mostly unnecessary; being concise is more difficult and elegant. You are just as responsible for the future as the rest of your generation.

Dear high school me, Do not procrastinate on ANY deadline. Work hard and fill out as many scholarships as possible, do not assume you will not win, you won't if you do not apply. Enjoy your free time, and especially your sleep, you are going to need to stock up on that. College is different, you are going to be alone a lot, and have to be self-motivating, do not expect professors to tell you what they want. Open your mind to critical thinking, it is a difficult thing to learn, but it is a crucial skill in college courses. Break out of your shell, professors love when students participate, and have no hesitation calling you out. Also, be prepared to work in groups, it is hard to put your grade in another students hands, but you will learn to keep the group on task. One of the hardest things you are going to have to do is speak in front of theclass, practice this and get over that fear, it is another crucial part of college courses. And finally, breathe, it is not as scary as you are thinking right now. I promise you will do great

I would tell myself to care. School matters even on those days that you think every thing else in the world matters more. I'd say get your financial stuff done early becauses it sucks to call those people last minute, they're grumpy and have been on the phone all day. Stay focused on your school work because it is pretty easy to fail. Make sure you talk to your teachers, try to come to class early, and NEVER sleep in class because gauranteed you'll need recommendations and you don't want to pick the teacher with the class you slept in... AWKWARD. But really just make friends and have fun because focus is great but it's also lonely if you have no one around. Good Luck!

Dear Amy: Your life is just beginning. I know it seems like finishing high school is the biggest thing to happen to you, but you have no idea of the wonders your life has in store. Your college experience will be the most meaningful of your life. You will meet amazing people with whom you will form long-lasting friendships. Most of all, your horizons will expand beyond anything you can imagine. Right now, you have an idea of what you think your future will hold. But you will come to realize that everything you know about life is only a small percentage of what's out there. You think you know what you will be learning and how you will grow up, but college will open your eyes to a whole different world. Embrace every moment. Work hard and dedicate yourself to your classes. Follow your passions and stop at nothing to reach them. Make friends who share your passions and can help you along the way. Seek guidance from your professors. Learn from your mistakes. But most of all, believe in yourself. You are capable of greatness - don't ever forget that. All the best, Your Future Self

Ask questions! Do not be afraid! And for goodness sake, drop a class if you are taking more periods than there are in the day. Take what you can and do well in all that you do. Do your best this year, and apply--apply early. The simple act of doing something before you have to says a lot of good things about you to the schools. If you desire to do an honors program, or even just get scholarships the deadlines are often sooner. Apply to whichever schools feel right and/or are within your means. Be open to a variety of schools, like community colleges. Don't let other's prejudice fix your own mindset--I almost did. I would have missed out on tremendous opportunities, in scholarships, involvement, financial savings, and jobs. But to find these things people need to put themselves out there no matter the school. It starts by getting involved, join a club, go to office hours, ask teachers questions, establish relationships for possible recomendation letters, as well as to deepen one's understanding of the subject. There's a whole world of opportunities out there, don't let it pass by--apply early!

Jennifer, Your college experience will shape you for the rest of your life so GET INVOLVED! Play intramural sports, join clubs, get an on-campus job and volunteer your time. Do as much as you can! You will develop leadership skills and make tons of friends from all different backgrounds and cultures. These experiences and friends will help you feel comfortable in your new home and can help you through the hard times. Seek out the Student Services programs. They can ease any anxiety you have by helping you choose the best major for you and by offering guidance throughout the year via academic advising, tutoring, job shadowing and emotional support if you feel lonely or stressed. They are kind and patient people, so if you visit them frequently or change your major a few times, they will continue to offer you the support you need. Finally, have FUN! Try new things and meet new people! Be completely yourself! You will make great friends that accept you for who you are and who celebrate your uniqueness. Heed to your father's advice: work hard to play hard and you will develop into a strong female figure!

They should know just because it helps having a heads up. I had no heads up whatsoever and I wouldn't want a Freshman making the same mistakes I have made in my past. (PLENTY OF MISTAKES)

If I could go back and tell myself about college life, it would be to enjoy it more and take more risks to meet more people because some of these bonds forged will be with me forever. Another thing I would tell myself is to not prejudge joining a professional fraternity to help build your networking and social interacting skills.

Hey Abraham this is Abraham Lopez now a sophomore in college. Just wanting to let you know how college life is like and what you should be prepared for. First thing is first college is expensive so you should start preparing by looking into some more scholarships and asking the teachers if they know of any and by any I mean anything that will give you free money. College is not cheap and if you don’t find some more you will be relying on your mom a lot and your family will suffer because of it since they will have to be paying for you college out of their pockets. This will not help and it will put a lot of stress on you which will lower your grades. The next thing you should know is to pick up better study habits because you will need those for classes you will be taking. I would recommend taking more college level classes like AP classes. These will help you improve on your skills for and put your mind in closer state of what to expect in college level classes. Follow these steps and you will be ok so good luck.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have to tell myself to look harder for more scholarships. I would also tell myself to work harder on getting jobs as well as remind myself to never give in when things get tough. Some more advice would be not to be afraid to ask for help. A final word of advice that I would give to my high school self would be to jump on every opportunity out there, right away, even if I think I might not qualify or be able to make it; if I try and put my mind to it I may surprise myself.

I would tell myself to not stress over the little things and do what makes me proud of myself

Don't panic too much. Everything will be okay because every other freshman is just like you. You are not as incompentnat as you think you are, you are learning like everyone else.

I am still a senior, i am a PSEO student and i will never regreat going to college for my senior year. It wasnt hard to transition into college, but the biggest thing i would tell mysel after looking back over this last year would be to no matter what always try your best!! Its not as scarey as it looks and you will love it! Also get information about what is all required for the degree your going into.

Assure clear priorities.

Go out and do more. Make the most of it. Party it up, but study hard. Try new things, do things that make you uncomfortable, go crazy. Live it up, because college goes by fast. Go out and meet everyone you can the first few weeks of school. Don't be afraid of what you think about yourself, because no one knows who you are at the beginning.

Even though this school is expensive, I find that it's pretty much worth going here. The campus itself is absolutely beautiful, filled with nature and there are so many different choices to make for classes. I've been given many opportunities to explore different fields of study and I've been able to try many new things. I found a subject to minor in that I wouldn't have considered if I wasn't encouraged to explore. I was also able to make new friends and become more accepting since I didn't know many people who also attended the same school. I was able to get out of my comfort zone to try something new such as a kung fu class. I've been able to discover more about myself through my classes and experiences which really surprised me. Aside from those, I've also attained new skills and knowledge to help in my major. Because of all this, I'm more confident and a little more sure of how to pursue things in life such as a job or interview. Before, I never had courage or knowledge for this, but now I do.

I've only just finished my first semester at UOP but I feel like I've gotten a taste of how the courses are going to be like. They're much different that in high school; in a way, college is more laidback but it can be even more challenging at the same time. I don't live on campus so I can't say I have the full college experience but attending classes with other people who are serious about learning keeps me motivated to do the same.

The best things I have gotten out of my college experience is making good relationships with my professors and even the Dean of Education. I've met very different people from myself and made friends with students from different countries. I have never been left without someone to guide me when I need help. It has been very valuable to attend the University of the Pacific, because I definitely have been out of my comfort zone, and have found many new interests. Pacific has a variety of classes to spice up a student's schedule. I also believe I am getting the best education I can right now at Pacific. Pacific is truly amazing and I cannot imagine myself anywhere else.

College is a great reality check. This is the time and place where one evaluates their intellectual, social and overall maturity. Thus,I would say that the most I've earned from my college experience is my diploma for this is the outmost representation of my college experience. The most I got, would be: a sense of direction, an affirmation from myself, that I know what and how I want to live the rest of my life. I believe that nothing is much more frustrating than constantly asking yourself, " Is this what I want to do with my life? "