University of Washington-Bothell Campus Top Questions

I have discovered talents and gifts I didn't know I possessed. I learned that the subjects I feared the most are the very subjects I excelled in, such as drawing and history. I have developedinterests and have met people I would not have otherwise met who have enriched my life, and have been able to participate in a variety of activities. The experience has been valuable, because I love learning and have developed a love for the academic environment. I have found that college is the home I only now realize I missed. I've come home and I am soaking up all the knowledge I can!

Throughout my undergraduate career I focused many of my studies on a multicultural education. What I have learned from this focus has impacted me more than any other subject. Multicultural education is relevant to individual’s everyday lives, and I find it can be applied wherever my life takes me. I want to continue to live in an environment where I can learn from people of different backgrounds. Hawaii consists of a broad multi-cultural society, and Hawaii Pacific has a large population of international students. I anticipate that past graduation I would remain sometime in Hawaii, due to internships and networking opportunities; therefore the potential for a unique and diverse experience is a large part of my consideration in applying to graduate schools. Becoming involved in the community creates a sense of accountability for my success academically and I hope to contribute my own multi-culturally influenced mindset and academic experiences to this graduate community.

Being a self-motivated person, when I am challenged to actively learn through research, reading, writing, critical thinking, and so on, I am not allowed to become complacent. Instead, my reasoning and communication skills increase; I find I have more an opinion about things and become more defined as a person. In addition I have knowledge and a prospective degree that will allow more options in life for me in the future. This, in turn, will likely be a valuable asset to myself and my family in the years to come. In this way, those will be years to look forward to rather than years of uncertainty.

I went to a tiny school up until college, and by tiny, I mean a graduating class of 24 students. For the first time in my life, I was separated from my friends who had become like family; friends who I had known since preschool. College was a new step in my life, a start at a place where everyone didn’t know me. It was a scary big step, and one filled with self-doubt. What if I don’t do well? What if I can’t make friends? What if I—I think you get the idea. It was a challenge for me from the beginning, but I don’t regret any step, or misstep, I’ve taken over my college career. I started as an insecure freshman, and now I’m a confident junior. While I will always hold dearly onto the fact that my high school friends will always be there for me, I can also rest easy with the fact that I am capable of getting myself through any new situation. College has given me a new perspective of independence, which I know will be a valuable asset I can use throughout my life.

Truly the first thing I got being on campus was that realization how right it felt even more than I imagined. I took a couple classes in past but now I've been in full swing and truly experiencing what college has to offer. I always loved to learn and now I am in a place that is full of so many resources for academic and career development (or just to study for personal interest and development). I have already had so much knowledge presented to me and people that genuinely want help you succeed in life. Just really gives me inspiration and access that means a lot to me. I love to always be learning (genuinely do) and I am so ready to do what it takes to step up from where I'm at. I am finally getting myself somewhere closer to the place I want to be. That to me is what I get from the experience of college and its value to me.

"Just as the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." I haven't become that butterfly yet. I thought I was near it once, but just as I sat down to rest it pulled away from me, and hear I sit. I've realized that these pre-notions we hold as kids to young adults of what we expect things to be like are always worldly different to what we had believed. Every human life and college experience is going to be unique. Thus far, college has taught me that I don't really know anything. Not all people get to joyfully choose where they go to school. When you're stuck in a lower middle class state, you have to do what makes sense. I'm forced to make lemonade out of lemons, and you can bet all you've got that I'll do it. This experience has made me strong because I've had to take on and think more than you stereotypical college student, take chances and put together complicated puzzles of thoughts and opportunities with limited supplies to make myself into something beautiful. The experience has made me honest and strong.

Dear Hillary, Going to college is a great honor. Don't take your experience for granted and make sure you make the most of all of the opportunities that are presented to you. Go for what you want, and be proud of the accomplishmens you have made. Living at home may seem like a drag at first - but think of how much more time you can spend on studying, and making new friends - rather than working full time to pay the bills. Realize how lucky you are, and that although UW Bothell seemed like a scary place, it is the right place for you. Don't be afraid to speak up in class, and make sure you pursue classes that peak your interest. I know you will do great. Love, Hillary

If I could talk to myself as a senior, I'd sit myself down over a nice cup of tea and explain how the thought of college through a highschooler?s eyes may be more horrifying than experiencing it truly for yourself. Back then, I was so frightened by the mere fact of being on my own. I had finally realized that I would no longer have my mom there with me to manage the time in which I completed my homework or studied. I was mostly scared of being a self-starter (a terrible fear to have, really). When talking to myself over that cup of tea, I would recognize that fear within my high school self and tell 17-year old-me, ?You need to start learning how to help yourself. Once you do, you'll find that it's going to make you a better person. College will be a breeze." My high school self would crinkle a smile and have complete trust over my college self's wise words. We'd share past and future memories over the Black Chai and end the evening laughing about that one time Ronnie tripped me near the bathroom.

If I were able to traverse through time I would tell myself one simple statement. You can succeed at anything! For a long time, I have been plagued with indecision regarding my career choice. In conjuction with indecision, I worried about my ability to perform in these types of job and even obtaining said degree. I would continually question my ability not to only hold down a full-time position but the ability to continually succeed and bring a daily sense of innovation and creativity to the work place. At times I would be completely opmistic, and other times I would feel the utmost pessimism. Most of the time I find myself in a pessimistic mood and view a full-time job and associated degree as an unobtainable desire or an unclimable monolith of a mountain. Although now that I have entered a University, these fears, for the most part, have been allayed to a great extent. Through excellent resources and experience excelling at required courses I truly know that I can succeed and live my dream life to the fullest extent.

Having completed the first quarter as a freshman at college, I find myself greatly regretting slacking off in high school. If I could go back in time as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take advantage of every scholarship opportunities, give my best to every assignment given at school, and most importantly, start researching for a suitable major instead of getting too caught up with the high school social life. Some high school students tend to prioritize social life, but what they really should be prioritizing is their academic life as students. Also, I would tell myself to go to tutorial (extra help time after school) at least twice a week and make sure I understand the material instead of assuming that I understand it. As much fun as high school is, students have to learn how to balance their social life with their academic life just the right way. In other words, time management is very important.