University of Washington-Seattle Campus Top Questions

For me the hardest transition from high school to college was handling the distance between myself and my family. I'm really close with my mom and my little brother, and a couple months after I left I found out my little brother had began abusing drugs. The confusion and grief I felt were overwhelming, but they were only so overwhelming because there was nothing I could do to help either my mom or my brother from so far away. Though I got to see them during Thanksgiving and winter break, the few days I had with them didn't feel long enough to really fix anything. My first week or so at university, I called my mom almost daily but didn't speak once with my little brother. It hurts knowing I could've talked to him before his drug issues really blew up; if I had, he might not be going through what he's going through now.

As a high school senior I had many ideas about what to expect in college, some of these were true while others were totally off base. If I could go back in time and have a discussion with myself I?d have this advice: Keep it simple stupid. There are countless sources dedicated to providing information about this transition, but the sheer volume can be so overwhelming that they?re ineffective, confusing, and sometimes conflicting. I?ve found that there are three basic rules to remember. First, know who you are and what values you have so you won?t be swayed by peer pressure and the freedom that comes with being away from home. Second, have specific goals so you know what you need work towards, which keeps you focused on what is required so you won?t waste precious time. Third, create balance. It's imperative that mind, body and spiritual life have this. Although life sometimes requires we emphasize one area over the other for short periods of time, there must be a place for all three. By following this advice, you will be happy, healthy and successful, because you will be the best you can be.

Apply to more colleges so you have more options, and don't pick the first one you get accepted to and apply to schools that you would never dream of getting into, because you never know. Seek out social networking opportunities and consider living in a sorority or a residence hall, rather than off campus; it's hard to make friends when you don't make an effort. Consider going to a community college before attending a 4 year university to save on cost and to get some general education requirements out of the way. Prepare yourself to study like crazy because the workload is going to increase significantly, and the professors wont care if you're tired or need a break. With all this said, don't stress out too much. Try to enjoy this experience as much as you can and find a healthy balance between work and play.

I truly wish I could go back and time and lecture myself about what I did in high school knowing the difficulties of college life. The major advice that I would give my high school self would be to actually learn in high school. I mean I learned in high school, but I could have worked a lot harder and done a lot better. I did well enough to get me into college, but getting into college is just the first part of my journey. I was arrogant, thinking I could breeze through college like high school. I was wrong. If I could just go back and tell my past self to learn the material and understand it, do not do it just for the grade. I would also tell myself to do as many college and AP courses as I could. Those definitely would have helped a lot. I see 18 year-olds here that are juniors just because of those extra courses that they did in high school. Lastly I would tell myself to get much more involved so I could have had more experience.

Things I would advise my high school self: Social status means nothing in college. You are who you are and you can either fight it or embrace it; I've learned well and have embraced myself, improving along the way. Perfection through life and schoolwork isn't everything. Mistakes are made for a reason: so you don't make them again when you're confronted with similar situations. Utilize what you've learned from your mistakes instead of moping around in pathetic self-pity. Know what you want to do with your life. Living one day at a time may seem like the life, but is it the life you want to live now through adulthood? A little future-planning never hurts and gets you further toward your hopes and dreams. And finally, don't expect your parents to always be there for you when you fall. You're an adult now, so act your age. They had a life before you came along, so help them out a little and find a way to buy food for yourself and learn how to manage your time and money, too. You are your own person now, so live your life responsibly.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to calm down. The looming threat of college had me so scared, that I overwhelmed myself with Advanced Placement Courses, work, and way too many extra-curriculars. I wish I would have known how little of a jump from high school to college was for me. I took tough courses in high school, so the courses here at UW are only slightly harder. With all of the work I put into high school, I think I partially missed out on the enjoyable side of the high school experience. After meeting all of my new classmates this feeling that I had missed something becomes more and more apparent as I listen to their stories of public school. Unlike most other students my age, I was too focused on the future during high school, when I could have been enjoying myself a lot more.

If I could go back, I would give myself a pep talk. I would tell myself that wherever I go I will work hard and be succesful, and that where I am isn't important. I would tell myself to decide where I am going earlier, and to apply for housing earlier. Then I would tell myself to get a summer job, to pay for college. Then I would say: "Gail, you are going to enjoy college. Make the most of it. Do what you like, and like what you do. Don't push people away, but don't depend on them either. Also, set boundaries with your roommate(s) early on; make agreements with them that you can hold them accountable to later. Be specific, be thoughtful, be laid-back."

If I could give myself any advice as a high school senior, I would definitely tell me to not be so scared about being so sure of what I want to major in before I even came into the University. I have always wanted to pursue a career in the Medical field, but not because its what I enjoyed doing the most, but because it's what seemed like the most ideal of careers. I spent, or I should say "wasted" two years of my University life forcing myself to enjoy the Pre-Med courses I was taking when my real passion layed within the Business field. I decided to take a couple courses in my Business field and thats what I decided to pursue in the end. Therefore, I wasted two years living a false dream. Be open minded when you're coming in.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have stressed the importance of meeting people - whether through Facebook, during Welcome Week, in classes or simply out of the blue - and of looking long and hard for scholarships. With the state of Washington basically running out of money, the scholarship I did receive was suspended - something my high school senior self did not believe was possible. I would have told myself to keep writing those essays, keep entering for those little grants and those big scholarships alike, because every dollar is one less dollar I have to spend out of my pocket. I would have also told myself to look harder for work; my on-campus job I have now is great, but a few more hours on the weekends would really help fill up the ol' bank account - just in time to empty it back out into the UW coffers.

If I could go back in time, I'd probably tell myself to work harder than I was working then. I did just fine but I could have pushed my self a little more. This could have prepared me for future disasters my first quarter in college. So developing excellent work ethic, and trying to discover yourself before your freshmen year on campus would be helpful.