University of Washington-Bothell Campus Top Questions

I would tell myself the following: Dear Kayla, College is going to be an awesome experience. I know you're worried that you should have picked a college further away to get more independence but I promise you made the correct desicion. You are going to grow so much as a person and truly find your passion. Do not be afraid to get involved in school activities. You are going to see things going on on your campus and I am sure you will wonder, 'should I check that out?' and think, 'hmm..that looks fun' but you wont stop. Stop. Meet people and get involved. If I could do it over again I would get involved on campus so much earlier. By being involved, you get to meet people and make fantastic friends. It is amazingly rewarding. Additionally, trust your gut. If you think something is the right thing to do, then it is and if you have a funny feeling about something, do not do it. Trust yourself, have fun, do not stress (too much) and enjoy! You'll do great!

As a high school senior student I would actively progressed toward fulfilling the requirements of computing and sofware system. Along with that, I need to organized study groups, attended various campus events, socialized with other students and built stable friendships. There are two main reasons why I believe majoring in CSS would be the most suitable and beneficial field of study for me. First, I highly desire to increase level of my computer skills in addition and couple it with my artistic talent in painting in order to meet the demand in the society in the field of computer. Second is my expertise to pay close attention to details, which comes from my artistic perception. My brain and eyes are well trained to capture all the details and interoperate them to useful information. I will gain proficiency in computer problem solving and strengthen my critical thinking skills. I should not faile to achieve a goal that I desired in life no matter how hard it has been. Furthermore, my hard-working and artistic nature allows me to quickly adapt to different situations.“Do what you love and you’ll be successful in it” by my professor.

The one piece of advice I would give my highschool self would be the same words my mentor has given me as a junior in college: "to be successful in this life identify the opportunities presented to you, and be unafraid to pursue them." The day I told myself I would say "No" no more because I was, "too busy" or because I would rather "have a life" was the day I began enjoying my work. When a friend said to me "you should check out the part-time AmeriCorps program" I didn't just brush it off, I went and checked it out. When I got a mass e-mail reminding students of student government elections, I didn't just let the deadline go by, I submitted a proposal and campaigned. Last month I was elected student body president. I one piece of advice to my younger and more inexperienced self would simply be, "you have this one chance to be the best person you can be, every moment is a unique moment to learn and grow that you will never again have to take advantage of. Do not let these moments go by, seize them!"

I know you don’t feel smart enough, but you are. I know you don’t feel you have the ability to attend a good university, but you can – you just need to ask for help. Don’t be afraid of new things and new ideas; bathe in them. When you think you’ve tried harder than you can imagine, try a little harder. Push yourself, and don’t stop. The aneurysm in your brain, that the doctors say will take your life, it doesn’t – and you live, your memory returns - and your actually good in math. So don’t limit yourself to something little, go big. Live away from home when you go to college, spend a year studying abroad, get your ears pierced, and for heavens sake – learn to balance your checkbook!These new things called computers, you will love them – buy a few shares each month in a startup called Microsoft to help pay for your education. Spend more time with your father; you will miss him as he slowly leaves you. Lastly, seize every opportunity and person who crosses your path – a computerized tool to help you do this isn’t a bad idea either.

If I had the opportunity to travel through time and counsel my then 18 year old self about how to succeed in college, I suspect it would go something like this. I would order myself (and I) a tall nonfat hazelnut latte, and assure myself that this will get me through nights of studying for exams. I would tell myself that I will have times when I don’t understand something – and that is the time to reach out for help. I would tell myself it is important to take advantage of all of the free tutoring centers on campus. I would instill in myself that every rough quiz or exam wasn’t the end of the world. I would make sure that I wasn’t afraid to get involved in school activities, because those are the experiences that will broaden my views and understandings. I would leave our conversation making sure I understood that the next few years will be frustrating at first, but rewarding later. I would make sure I embraced every bump in the road, because they are the fruits of success in the future. Embrace the difficulties; because that’s the only way I will grow.

If I could have spoken with my eighteen year old self I would have taken her to the base of a wildflower covered mountain I know of. I would ask that young girl how the view looked from the bottom. I'm sure she be confused by my question. I would encourage her up those steps to the top of that very steep mountain and I would not have let her tell me we needed to turn back or that it was taking too long. I would joke with her and have a good time with her and make her feel good about herself every step of the way. Every time my younger self wanted to give up I would just tell her, "No. You'll see. It's worth every bit of work when we get to the top." When we reached the top I would show her the view and I would ask her how proud of herself she is and how it feels to have reached the top, and then I would take her picture standing at the top and later give her that picture to remind her of her goals and to never give up.

The main bit of advice I would give myself would be to never allow for my own procrastination to get the better of me. In high school, I remember wasting time waiting to apply for scholarships until I couldn't make the deadlines, and then would also take similar stands on how I handled assignments. During my first two quarters in college, this bad habit followed me, and threw me behind in a couple of classes - don't let this happen. My GPA for the most part could have been at the very least a 3.5, but, instead, it's just skimming along the 3.0 line because I couldn't get myself to actively take part in class or turn in assignments directly on time during the beginning of my college career. Basically, do not procrastinate - it will definitely hurt you in the long run!

In college I plan to: Keep a to-do list to write things down as it comes and transfer them the next morning to an hourly calendar schedule Give myself plenty of time for a task to allow for flexibility. Leave room for extra-curricular later in the afternoon or in the evening Cram in study time as early in the day as possible and study in quiet spaces and change spaces often. Take water-breaks often when studying. Check off other small tasks in my to-do list during these breaks Plan major projects or exams well ahead of time usually at the beginning of class to make sure I will be working for them throughout the quarter so that I won't have to cram at the end Get help early as possible Attend class regularly Connect with the professors daily. Network with people of different/interesting backgrounds and professions Carefully choose what I really want to read thoroughly and what I want to skim. Look-out for campus events and activities. Look out for internships, study abroad programs and research opportunities Meet with the advisor regularly at least twice each year to check on my progress.

The transition from high school to college was not very difficult because the community college I went to was not very challenging. I felt understimulated. If I could tell my high school senior self anything, it'd be to challenge myself. Apply to universities, don't accept the concept that you have to go to a community college, that you wouldn't make it at a 4-year college. I was given the idea that I wasn't good enough, that I wouldn't handle the change well. Now I know I would have. Don't second-guess yourself. If you want to get out of your small town, then leave. If you want to experience more, find it. Don't settle for ordinary because everyone around you is. Be extraordinary.

As a high school senior I was more than ready to leave and move on with my life to experience college and everything else that life has to offer. If there was a time machine that allowed me to go back in time and give myself advice, I would tell myself to keep going on the path that I am on. Yes life is going to be difficult, but that is what helps to shape us into the adults we will be for the rest of our lives. I would not want to tell myself anything that was going to happen that first year of college and I would not want to tell myself that it is going to be a challenge because I already knew that. But i would tell myself that it is important to stay true to my heart and values and to not let the difficulites in life get in the way of my own happiness.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that: "College expectations are much difficult than high school. There are hundreds of pages to read by the end of each quarter, and some classes can have 3-5 books and an average homework workload can be at least 4 hours a night instead of 2 hours a night. The responsilbity of a 4 year university expects much more than what a public high school. Honestly, you have nothing to compalin about how difficult high school can be until you go to a 4 year university! On the otherhand, Universities have more oppertunites. Not only there are more clubs, but there are hands on projects. Class projects enable students to work with companies and the community to do hands on work based on their classwork. For example, if you took a class on Social Work (social welfare/justice and change), you get to work with YMCA and do a research project with them on something you care about. In short, a university has more expectaions/workload than high school, but has more opportunities. Do your best and never give up!

If I could go back in time to talk to myself, hoping that the universe is not torn apart by some sort of black hole, I would tell myself at least three things: 1) read more, 2) write more, and 3) academically socialize more. These are the three things you will need no matter what. Obviously, further learning cannot occur without reading. Student life requires proficient reading comprehension and time constraints require a nimble mind. Professors will ask difficult questions in class, and you will be expected to argue a position or ask for meaningful clarification. After reading, you will need to write articulately on a particular subject and incorporate class readings into your paper in order to demonstrate learning. Once you have written something, especially a research paper, you will need to present your findings to the class, or talk amongst your peers in a less formal group. Either way, you will need social skills in order to clearly and competently explain a specific subject. The only way to get better at these things is to do them all the time, and do them in front of people, students, teachers, other adults.

If I could go back to my high school senior self, I would say have confidence in your beliefs and your ability to change the world. College is YOUR key to opening all the doors you want open. Although many consider me a strong young women, I went through a period of serious doubts if I was strong enough or smart enough to be a doctor, a dream I've had since a little girl. What I have learned in my years in college now is that my will power is beyond what I can even imagine (and I truly believe this applies to everyone) but just set your mind to your dreams and don't let anyone tell you different. I would also say that changing the world CAN start with me. Although I am not a doctor yet, I have worked hard in my community to be the change I want to see. I have fundraised over $1,000 for a program I started at school to feed homeless youth, an example of something I would have never thought possible at 17 and 18 years old. Confidence in yourself and your ambition will carry you a long way!!

As a senior in high school I was pre-occupied with matters that seemed important at the time, but in the grand scheme of things were only momentary and wouldn't be part of my life for long. I let many of these things detract from my studies, which caused my grades to suffer. I let myself become further discouraged knowing I wouldn't get in to my choice university. So, if I could go back in time and talk to my high school self I would say "Lisa, it is is never too late to give it your best." I would remind myself of all the times in my young life that I had experienced hardships and how I had bravely overcome them. I would encourage my eighteen year old self to refocus and recommit myself to acheving academic excellence. I would remind myself not to let minor set backs detract me from my utlimate goal, a college degree. I would say, "Lisa, the path you take may be different than you planned, but this does not mean you wont reach the same destination. Give it everything you've got, I know you have it in you."

Fill out more scholarships so you can focus more on learning versus being at work.

The advice that I would give high school senior Teree' Douglas would be: Ask Questions, Get Answers and Make Moves! It wasn't until after I got into community college, I realized how much I missed out on in high school as far as preparing for college was concerned. One of my main issues was that I had the grades to enroll into community college early and start taking college credits ahead of time but instead of spending a majority of my lunch break in my Guidance Counselor's office picking her brain, I went about my day. Almost 2 1/2 years later, I still kick myself for not being more aware of what I was capable of. I do not regret my senior year one bit (especially the part where I become Prom Queen and win Class Clown)! But I do wish I could've spent more time monitoring my progress and shaping myself to become a better college student. So, 2008 Teree', don't be afraid of the dramatic change that is going to overcome your life after graduation. Start being proactive about your college career as of NOW. Your present planning will bring a prosperous future!

This year is your last year at High School, and College is right around the corner. Just keep doing all your work and dont be afraid to ask for help. If you dont understand more then likely someone else might understand and be able to help solve a problem or answer a question. Dont slack off is also an important part of advice i offer you. Just because your finished highschool doesnt mean your a man, its just mean now you have a choice to make the desicions you believe are right or wrong. Good luck man.

If I could travel back in time to my high school days I would tell my younger self how important it is to go to college right away. If you plan to put it off for a year or two you probably wont go back, or, as in my case, not for many years. It really is almost a necessity to have a degree to get into a secure job field right now, and in the fields where it isn't required, you start off in the lowest of the low jobs and have to work your way up the ladder to achieve success. I have been in the retail industry for 15 years, and have only reached low level managerial positions, whereas a college graduate with a business degree would START at the level above me. Fifteen years wasted because I didn't take four years of college courses. It's a shame that I missed this opportunity, but it doesn't have to be that way for my high school self. Take advantage of the education now and be thankful for the opportunity for the rest of your life!

When I was a senior in high school I was oblivious of the complications of living on my own, I also underestimated the difficulties of college. I was ready for the college experience; however I couldn't prepare myself for future complications had yet to overcome them. If I were to go back in time, I'd tell myself to be frugal and to administer my money wisely. When in college money took a big strain on my life and not having enough caused me to frequently worry about my financial circumstance. I’d remind myself that staying strong throughout the difficulties I face will help me become a better student, as well as a more mature adult. I would also tell myself to face my fears and let life take me by surprise because I’d never know what would come from my experiences.

I think that college has changed me a great amount because before I was more open and willing to let myself get hurt by people. However since I have started college I have become a more reserved person who doesn't do the things that lets people hurt them. I would tell myself to not open yourself up as much because after a while people start to take advantage of you and that only hurts you in the end. You can still open yourself up to a select amount of people but choose those people very carefully. I had the best friends in the world and in a year of being away at school we reunite and it feels like nothing has changed. But still there are some people out there that are trying to use you, and/or hurt you. I am trying to say is watch yourself because if you don't no one else will, its a big and scary world out there but when everything is said and done you can always go home, back to your friends and family. They will be there for you through thick and thin!