College of Alameda Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Eboni

Experience may be the best teacher but you do not have to experience everything first hand yourself. Those responsible loving and caring adults in your life have walked this journey before. Listen and learn from their bumps and bruises along the way. There are many experiences you will have to endure yourself but the intelligent pathway to education doesn't have to be one of stumbling and confusion. These are the best days of your young adulthood. People are still willing to help you, encourage you, and support you. All for the sake of helping you achieve a good education that will benefit you in the long run. Let them! Listen and take heed. And then remember to do the same for others coming after you. Share with others as older pioneers have shared with you.

Kevin

There are several things that I have gotten out of my college experience. First off, I have grown as a person, mentally and independently. My school has helped me grow socially, in which I am more open in social situations. Academically, I have learned to prepare for tests and manage my time. wisely.

Gabriel

If I went back in time to speak to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would tell myslef is to save, save, save! College is not cheap. But along with the extra money that could've helped, I would've learned to expense myself and become more financially wise. The second word of advice would be buckle down, do that work, study for those tests, and apply for as many scholarships possible. The third word of advice would be to really inquire further into what I want to achieve after I graduate, where I see myself in the future, and what subject or major am I deeply interested in and passionate about enough to pursue. And fourth and finally, I would tell myself to go for that problem in math that everybody stumbles over, raise your hand when you have an opinion about something in history class, be the person that's bold enough to stand in front of your english class to express ideals, push your mind to acquire, attain, and accomplish in all the knowledge and wisdom your teachers have to share with you, and don't be afraid, everything's gonna be alright.

Beverly

I know you?re smart. Everyone?s been telling you how smart you are your entire life. You?ve gone through high school with good grades and have barely studied at all. But college will be a different story. Take advantage of how smart you are and study all the time! Use the gifts that God has given you in order to succeed instead of just wasting them away by having a good time and thinking that you?ll do as well as you always have. It took me a few years to figure that out, and had I known this before going into college I would have had a much more enjoyable experience in the long run. Don?t let the newfound freedom distract you from what you really should be doing. You?re good at being on your own; so there?s no real problem with moving away and living in a dorm, but remember why you?re there in the first place. Use the brain that?s gotten you this far already and STUDY!! Get the grades you know you deserve. Other than that, enjoy every minute.

David

I would tell myself to not be lazy and pay attention in class. I would tell myself that I need to get my education to help make life easier for me. I would tell myself that class is boring because I am getting my GE and that is never exciting or fun, so I need to just hold on and continue to go to class even if it is boring. I would tell myself that I need to make better use of my time; I don't need to be chasing girls or having too much fun rather than hitting the books and preparing myself to do well and pass the class. This is the advice I would give to myself as a high school senior.

Amanda

I would tell my self to stay at home and go to Community College. I think it was a fantastic choice that I made and I'd absolutely do it again. It gave me a chance to mature before moving away from home and it also gave me a chance to focus on school while still being able to work. I was also able to explore different fields and take experimental classes in order to figure out what I wanted to do with my life without having to take out student loans and feel like I wasted thousands of dollars on useless classes. While in college, I did actually figure out what I want to do with my life, and I was then able to start preparing myself for the future. I tried living on my own, I started training to work toward a career, and I was able to spend valuable time with my very supportive family. I'm very glad I made the choice that I did and would make it again in a heartbeat.

RAINE

Do as much as you can. STOP BEING LAZY!

Deanna

I would tell my self college is nothing like high school it's a big transition. I would say that when you get to college you have no one to remind you to go to class, when you have a exam, when assignments need to be turned in, and no one tell you to go to class. When you are a student in college you really have to take it serious because when you keep failing classes and dropping class you are in school longer. I would also say that you are able to puick what you want your carrer to be and what classes you like to take toward your goal. You have alot of choices in college and in high school you really don't have alot of choices because they make the choices for you. Been in college give you a better chance in life and is a step closer to a better life and more job oppertunity.

Frankie

As a high school senior, I was very arrogant and rash. If I could go back and talk to Frankie Hodge at 18, I would tell her to slow down, to think about things, not to make bad choices. As a senior, I had tumbled through high school, earning less than stellar marks, with little concern for what college I wanted to attend and what I wanted to be as an adult. However, seeing my friends walk the stage without me would only be the first in a series of much-needed blows to the head that brought me to reality. It was never that I did not want to attend college-- it had always been my dream. But I failed to plan every move and act when I should have. If I could go back, I would tell this girl who acted so frequently without thinking, "Work your ass off, kid. Make sure it gets better from here. Plan ahead, because every move you make counts." The last piece of advice I would give her would be to listen to the adults around who are trying to help. Reach out, make an effort, and take their advice.

Danuta

Decide on a major earlier.

Garland

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not enlist in the Marine Corps right out of high school but instead apply to college. I'd try to convince myself that there are better things to do than to invest four years of my life in the military. That the military is not as glorious as the brochures look and to invest my time in getting into college. The best advice I could give myself would be to not always go for money as it is not the most important thing. Material goods can only bring short term happiness and that being with friends and family would be the real joy. Lastly, I would reiterate the value of education because it was not until I became a Marine that I realized how crucial it was.