University of Virginia-Main Campus Top Questions

My high school senior self thought that college was going to be a new beginning. I had child-like fantasies about how I would wear preppy clothes, walk through the historic "grounds," take notes from lectures given by brilliant professors, and read every page assigned to me, while making new friends, going to parties, joining new clubs--the "full college experience". If I were to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to have expectations about what college is "supposed" to be like. The truth is that college is like a birthday. You're another year older, but nothing feels different or magical about it. It's just another step in life. You learn and grow and have new experiences, but you are the same person you were in high school. Having too many expectations sets you up to be disappointed, so you should just enjoy each moment as it occurs. Take lots of opportunities, but don't stretch yourself too far because it's what you are "supposed" to do. Don't beat yourself up because college wasn't what it was "supposed" to be. You are where you are supposed to be.

Israel, when you apply for college, consider your own wants and desires. Do not do what Dad or Mom wants, do what you want. If that means you do not go to UVa, so be it. Follow your heart. When you get to school, ask questions.You will never obtain information unless you ask. People cannot read your mind. Learn to express what you feel eloquently. Words are a powerful thing, learn to use them. Learn to discipline yourself early! Stick to your plan, you will love yourself later. It will prevent many mistakes and prevent many pointless late nights. Lastly, you are not weak if you ever need to go to a counselor or get consultation for any sort of problem you have. Catch problems early on to prevent them from escalating. Continue to enjoy life like you always do. Your love for life will get you through the worst situations.

I would tell myself not to worry. After high school I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. So, instead of going away to a four-year school, I went to a community college. This is where I found my love for all things marketing. I realized that through marketing I would be able express myself academically but also creatively. Through my hard work and dedication, I ended up at one of the best schools in the nation, and I could not be happier with my decision to attend community college. However, it was not always easy. There were days where I could not figure out what to do at all. I thought I wanted to be a nurse, or a teacher, or a psychiatrist. It was a hard place to be; constantly worried and stressed out over not going anywhere in life because I did not know what I loved. Through the hard times, though, all I needed to do was look inside me to see what I really enjoyed, and I am happier than ever. I would tell my high school self not to worry. I end up exactly where I should be.

I would definitely advise high school seniors to look ahead to the programs they may be interested in and take the AP courses that could get them out of some unnecessarily difficult college courses. For example, I did not take AP Stat in high school, and college the course was not really well taught and was a hassle. I wish I took the course back in high school. I would advise high school seniors to get involved in a lot of extra curricular activities because that is a great way to meet people and make friends. The adjustment to a new environment can be really difficult, especially if it is far from home or without familiar faces. Getting out there and meeting people is so important. I also want to advise high school seniors to not limit themselves to the schools they apply to, you never know what could change financially or within yourself from what you wanted at the beginning of senior year to what you want in May. The most important thing to remember is that you will be okay no matter where you end up if you work hard, are positive, and kind to those around you.

Flexibility. Embracing flexibility is key in college. You never know how your schedule will turn out or what kinds of friends you'll meet. With your meal plan, you won't know what you'll eat for dinner most nights because even the dining halls can be unpredictable. Now, I know that being flexible is difficult for you because of your anxiety issues, but it is crucial that you practice it now because it will help you, not only in college, but in life. Life is a roller coaster of experiences, some more unexpected than others. You can either utilize them to learn more about yourself and the world around you, or you can allow them to break you and make you resent the world that continues spinning around you. If I were you (which I am), I would go with the first option. Even though grasping the concept of that option is not the only thing that'll help you succeed in college, or in life for that matter, you'll grow as a well-rounded individual if you: 1) take on life's challenges with a flexible, realistic, and postiive mentality, and 2) learn from them. Trust me.

Mariah: college is a time in your life where you are afforded rare opportunities unlike any other. When you first learn of the wide variety of unique and amazing groups you can join, events you can attend, and projects you can take part in, you'll ambitiously aim to pursue an absurd number of them. But as the semester proceeds, because you are bombarded with ads for all these activities seemingly everywhere you go every single day in the form of flyers, handouts, fairs, announcements, emails, free tee shirts, word of mouth, flash mobs, and more, they very quickly seem common place. As you become comfortable with your schedule, your friends, and what you already know to be your main interests, you always assume that these activities and opportunities will be waiting for you to join 'next semester', completely forgetting these opportunities are rare outside of the college experience, especially with such freedom to truly dive into and absorb yourself in them, and with such extraordinary resources available! So seriously! ALL those clubs, concerts, events, fundraisers, lectures, organizations, sports etc. you see/hear about that 'might be fun' or 'interesting'? TRY THEM NOW! There's no chance like college!

Everyone is telling you to take your time- to take some classes in community college and then you can decide on a more specific educational path. They are wrong. When it comes to figuring out your future, you're almost always behind where you should be. Do your research, reach out to people, and most importantly, push yourself to learn as much as possible about what interests you. While planning is a very important thing to begin, you must also work on learning about yourself. The older you get, the harder it will become to remember how you were before starting college. You'll forget what it felt like to hear the final bell of the school day, rush out of the building, and come home to a nice bedroom and a stock of delicious food. The passion that once burned so fiercely for medical school may begin to shrink and flicker. Remember these feelings. Remember how it felt to be fresh out of high school and ready to begin your life. Learn to appreciate the old and the new, and it will make the journey of life that much sweeter.

Come with an open mind! You don't have to have a plan. Take easy classes and have fun. It's your first year. It is the easiest this place will get.

I would tell myself to learn as many foreign languages as possible. Although it may be impossible to become conversationally fluent in a language during my senior year, I realized during my first year at University of Virginia that it is beneficial to have a basic grasp of another language. Although my school is a state university, University of Virginia is known for its diverse population; its reputation is well-received overseas in Europe and Asia, especially in China. As a result, there are many international students and foreign exchange students at University of Virginia. I want to befriend them because I want to learn different cultures and languages; however, I do not speak their native languages and they tend to speak English in fragmented sentences that are hard to comprehend. As a result, I was not able to get close to many of these students. Therefore, not only would learning other languages would educate me and benefit me academically, but I would also be able to socially interact with more people and help develop a social life in college.

Everything will work out fine. You have to put in effort, both in high school and college, but no matter where you go, the resources can be found. Whether it be professors with innumerable connections to help you network, the perfect courses to inspire your creativity and spur you into a new path, facilities and technology to enable your passions, or just friends to push you along the way and show you what you can achieve; it's all there. Be passionate about something, but don't worry if it changes over time; college is for growing. It'd be great to leave school with a guaranteed job, but if you learn things (both technical knowledge and practical skills) and have a record of what you've accomplished, you'll be able to succeed. Networking. The biggest thing you can do, and one of the easiest. Just make positive impressions and you'll continue to impress and meet new people. You never know if that guy you met once for an interview will recommend you somewhere - you might not be perfect for his job, but he can put you in contact with the right people. Good luck!

Do you remember when Ms. Milne made you read A Thousand Splendid Suns earlier this year? I know you’re probably too busy to recall vague details about some silly little book, but hear me out. There’s a line you really should remember, and not just because it’ll be on the final: “You see, some things I can teach you. Some you learn from books. But there are things that, well, you have to see and feel.” Got it? Good. Now read it again, and never forget it. You know, I could easily tell you the secret to making friends in a school of more than 20,000 students or how to stop missing your family, but what good would that do? I know you’re not the adventurous type, but you can’t just sit around waiting for someone to tell you what to do next to make it through life’s problems. So take a deep breath, go into the dark, and find your own way. Sure, you’ll stumble now and then. Wait, who am I kidding? You’ll stumble a hundred times a day, maybe more, but you’ll survive and you’ll learn.

One of the biggest things I would tell myself would definitely be to not worry as much. Up until the point of applying for colleges and through completing my senior year of high school I had worked and studied to the best of my abilities. There was nothing else I could do at that point and I should have been more content with the effort I had put in. After completing my first year of college I know now that all the worries I had were kind of silly. Of course I was going to make friends, and of course I was going to meet people who already have their lives planned out. Even if I didn't make friends and if I wasn't able to decide on a major, why would it matter to me as a high school senior who wasn't even in college yet? Throughout my first year in college I really concentrated on staying in the present. Of course I still have concerns, but now I can look back and evaluate that my high school worries, while valid, were not as threatening as I had previously thought.

I would suggest: spending more time in crowds and becoming more comfortable with being independent. Applying to more scholarships. Doing more in high school to get my research career going. Reaching out to professors in different fields to get a better understanding of what their field consists of. Spending more time researching and mapping out the Grounds. Making friends before the first day of class. Taking harder high school courses.

Don't stress too much about college. You'll figure it out after a week or two. Homesickness does go away, and you will make new friends. It feels like a huge step, and it is, but you'll get used to it. Relax, meet new people, and learn.

Live. It doesn't matter that you got straight A's, perfect attendance, and a perfect SAT score if you didn't grow as a person. College is about experiencing things, and transitioning to life as a contributing member of society. You don’t get that by keeping your nose in a book, you get that by meeting people, and doing things. Be in the moment, and do what you love, because that’s how you grow into the person you want to be.

My biggest piece of advice for myself would be don't stress going into college with the perfect major for yourself already discovered. I was dead set on majoring in Environmental Thought & Practice upon entering UVA and was resistant to anyone changing my mind. I attempted to sign up for classes soley based on my major requirements, thinking that I would get ahead. I, however, quickly discovered that environmental science was not for me, and instead made the great change to business, or commerce as we call it at UVA. I wish I had allowed myself to explore different options as a first year, instead of diving straight into a major. Another piece of advice that I would give myself would be that time management and personal responsibility are key for success in college. I was used to having teachers or parents as a fall back in case I made a mistake, but in college I'm completely on my own. I would tell myself to start learning how to take care of yourself and be responsible for all aspects of your life. I would also make sure that I would have learned how to do laundry much sooner.

There is truth in brevity.

College is a dream. You have expectations, desires, and hopes rather than certainties. Many of these expectations, desires, and hopes will not come to fruition. Instead, you will experience hardship as well as some expectations mixed with surprises. Do not listen to those that say that your first year will be the best year of your life because now, you have the expectation that the following years of your life will be miserable. Rather, open your eyes for not only the certainty of difficulties but the possibilities of joy beyond what you could imagine. Take the difficulties as places to grow and treasure the surprises-the developing friendships, midnight study parties, conversations with professors, etc. Lastly, allow yourself to fall in love with your environment. If you expect to be disappointed, you will be disappointed, but if you allow yourself to acknowledge the disappointments then revel in heart of your university, you will fall in love. No how matter cliché it is, I truly believe that where you end up is where you are supposed to be, meaning that you have the opportunity to have a wonderful four years wherever you go.

Dear Heather, I know you're stressing out about college, about leaving Hong Kong, about choosing your major. Trust me: I've been there! Don't box yourself in: don't categorize yourself by your race or your interests. Take a step of faith and try new things. Audit an African drumming class; join the Classics Club and read Ancient poetry; go on a Sunrise hike. Be brave. If you have a question, ask. If you want to know professors better, go to office hours. They don't bite! Chances are that they want to know you just as much as you want to know them. If you miss your parents, tell them. Don't let pride get in the way of life! Most importantly, don’t compromise your beliefs for anything, not even for your grades. Be kind and think of others' needs. Generosity isn't a sacrifice; it's a kind of power. Lastly, hold onto the fact that your family loves you very much. No matter what they say or do, don't forget this. College is four years that will change the way you live so make the most of it! Love,Future Heather

As a freshman, I realized that the decisions I would make throughout college would shape the rest of my life. This realization overwhelmed me because every decision felt like the most important decision of my life. After all, choosing to study Political Science meant I wouldn’t be a doctor, but studying pre-med meant I wouldn’t be a diplomat. Every decision seemed to close a door that I might want to go through someday. I graduated from college six years ago, and in that time I have learned that there is a path for everyone who studies what they love. Despite a lifelong interest in medicine, I decided to attend the Naval Academy and study International Relations because I wanted to serve my country after 9/11. I traveled the world in the Navy for five years, but this fall I will once again follow my childhood dream of attending medical school. This is certainly not a traditional path, but I have loved every detour along the way. Because of these experiences, I would tell myself to relax. Every decision might be important, but the journey can be much more exciting when we make a few unexpected turns.