The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Top Questions

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

Megan

There is not one particular school that you are designed to go to, though many high school students are brought up to think so. I attended the school I thought I was "supposed to go to" originally and left after 1 semester. I currently attend the school that I grew up saying I would never attend and know for a fact I would not be happier had I stayed at my previous institution, nor would I have likely found my major and future profession. Be brave enough to leave home, even if your group of friends is staying at home and together. In the end, you'll be glad you branched out and you'll be more mature, experienced, and traveled. It's only four years. Don't be afraid to fly away from home! You have to do it eventually.

lazaro

I would tell myself to work harder in class and get better grades, be more confindent in my self as a person and my ability to do well in school. I really wish i had done better in high school because i got through highschool with c's and that meant that i didn't get admitted into the college of engineering at my university. I have been given permission to take engineering classes in the hopes that I will be admitted to the college as an internal transfer student. thats really good for me because it means that i will be able to graduate with a major in aerospace engineering as I had originally planned. I had no friends in highschool becuase i was quiet and didn't talk to anyone to try to be friends. I had little confidence in my self because my grades were so low. If I had known how much fun college classes were going to be and that highschool classes would be very fundamental to my education in college I would have taken highschool more seriously which I think would have led to higher self esteem.

Janet

Stop caring about what other people think of you. No one cares in college; everyone just acts like themself and doesn't think twice about it! Stop being so scared and nervous. Let the anxiety go! Just make sure to study and do your work, and you will do just fine. Don't let anyone get in your way or stop you from achieving your goals and dreams. You only live once, so make sure you make this life count.

Mason

Dear high school senior self, College life is going to be very different than life in high school and no matter what school you end up at, you will have to adjust. Therefore, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and apply to your dream school. It's worth taking that chance. But also, don't be afraid to accept that sometimes the best option, especially financially, may not necesarily be your dream school, and that's okay! Once you get to college, don't expect to adjust immediately and know that everyone takes different amounts of time to transition to college life. Don't expect your first semester of college to be easy nor should you expect to get perfect grades in the first semester. No matter how simple a class may seem, it's still a very different structure than any high school class you have ever been in. Your first semester, the whole semester, is your time to transition to college classes, college studying, college living, etc. Don't be afraid to try out a lot things, such as different clubs or activities, in order to find where you fit in. Finally, be yourself.

Bailey

Honestly, I do not know if I could give myself any advice. All the choices I made and the clubs and activites I was a part of in high school helped shape the person I am today and the choices I have made so far during my time in college. Through my experiences, I have learned that the types of people I was friends with I high school are not the types I want to be friends with now and I would have never figured that out had I not been around any these people in the first place. I can come up with no piece of good advice that I would give myself about making the transition except to do it my own way because I will figure it out as I go along. Maybe one thing I could say is that the transition is not going to be as weird or difficult as everybody says it will be. Yes, the food is not as great and nobody is telling you when to go to bed, but for me, it was like I was coming home and I will never want to change the way it played out.

Breunna

With time and age, I often think about "what if I had done this" or "I wish I could have done that differently" back when I had the chance. With that in mind, I ponder the words of former president, Theodore Roosevelt, "Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young." Nonetheless, I have been satisfied yet grateful of the blessings I have today due to my previous choices. However, if I could go back I would tell my young self to give everything more effort and patience because delayed gratification is a very worthy trait. Too often, I would get away with doing the bare minimum and call it succeeding. Unfortunately, that mindset has held me back from tackling common obstacles such as awaiting the news from a job or even completing a difficult novel. I was in such a hurry that I would end up disappointed from the effortless work I put in. Now that I recognize this weakness, it has changed me for the better. Still, some things would have gone smoothly if I had given more effort and waited kindly. A Lesson Learned!

Emily

If I could go back and tell myself only one word of advice, it would be to enjoy and relish in the limited time that you have. Graduating from a rigorous magnet school here in Tennessee, we were constantly being pushed to be the best academically that we could possibly be. I definitely feel that my high school prepared me for the workload that I have in college, but I also feel like we were all so caught up in working towards the future, that we often didn't stop to enjoy the time that we had in high school. Our school was full of intelligent people, people that we could learn from, and bounce ideas off of to make each other better. Unfortunantly, instead of taking time to learn from one another, and grow together, we were often caught up in our own lives, and worried about where we would be in a year. If I could just tell myself one thing, I would make sure that I knew that our high school was full of very special individuals, that are rare to happen upon anywhere else, and to take pleasure in the time that we had together.

Isabelle

If I could go back and talk to my high school self I would tell her to not be so worried all the time when it came to certain situations. I would tell myself that college is a fresh start, a time to become whomever I wanted to be. I would also tell myself to save up a little better and apply for more scholarships because it is a lot harder being cut off from your parents than you think. But most importantly, I would tell my high school self that college is an amazing and truly life-changing experience and to look forward to it and the freedom I have now to be who I want and do what I want with my life.

LONDON

I would tell myself to pack light, keep an open mind and be ready for anything. I mean anything. You may have several ideas about how life will go on campus with a roommate that you may not know and have high expectations but then reality shows something totally different. Always remember your are in control of your destiny. Make the best of each situation, good or bad and never allow others to influence your actions. Call mom or dad when you have doubt. They are always with you and for assisting you. Remember to be happy and give what you have to give and nothing more. Set boundaries. Set boundaries. Set boundaries with your roommate. this is very important. Just because you get along in the beginning, you may eventually have issues along the line so boundaries are necessary. One last thing I would tell myself is to utilize any and all resources. They are there to help you.

Jeffrey

Hey man, you do NOT know everything. Go ahead and pay attention in pre-calculus because you will use that trig again very soon, and a lot of it. Oh yeah, and go ahead and start getting in the habit of reading your textbooks. Those help out a lot. Stop fighting with Mom. She has been through this whole college deal and know how it works. Also, your current relationship doesn't work out. Sorry about it. You might want to develop some study skills, too. Those come in handy pretty much every day of school. Start keeping a planner and check it throughout the day. Check the tasks off as you complete them. Keep an eye on the time. That Xbox that your roommate will have will keep you up longer than you think(Don't worry, your roommate is a cool guy). Stay on top of your school work and don't let assignments build up. When they are assigned, get them done. Most importantly, have fun. It's a big school and things can get hectic, but I promise that we made the right decision. UT is our Home. Sincerely, Your wiser, much more handsome, future self.

Kevin

While the location of your college is an important thing to consider, it is not the end all be all of college. Anywhere you go, you will make friends with like-minded individuals just as nervous about embarking on a new portion of your life. You should, however, really choose a school that you will be proud to go to. If you aren't excited about your college and your education, you will have a miserable time and face a lot of challenges in your upcoming four years.

Samantha

You may be smart but grades don’t come easy in college like they did in High School. College depends on the workload you are willing to give. You may think that it’s okay to skip over a few things or slack every now and then, but each and every day you skip, homework miss, or attention not given will without a doubt result in your grade. It’s as simple and complicated as that. That’s the difference between college and High School, college doesn’t depend on your knowledge it depends on your commitment. You will learn way more than you think about yourself in college, so take every opportunity to experience new things, and most importantly, always remember to read a good book, meet wonderful people, and have amazing conversations.

Anthony

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I know exactly what I would say. I would tell myself that college is much harder than you expect but at the same time is a great experience. I would tell him to get up and go to every single class and study hard in order to maintain the GPA needed to keep his scholarships. Going through my first year of college I now know what i takes to be successful and I would warn him about the mistakes I made this past year, which were many. I would also tell myselef that there is no reason to be nervous. College will be great and you will meet so many new friends. I would tell him these next few years will bring so many great memories and new and exciting things. In short, I would tell myself that college is a blast but at the sametime to take school seriously.

Mikayla

I would tell myself that it is alright to not know what you want to be. High school is the time where people struggle to find out who they are, so how are they supposed to know what they want to do with their entire lives? Not many other people know, either. Everyone acts like they know everything and have a plan, but in reality that plan is just a hopeful guide. You get to college and are surrounded by all kinds of people and opportunities that you could never imagine. There are jobs and majors and classes that you have probably never even heard of. It is also fine to change your major. Lots of people do it, even Juniors and Seniors. So what if you have to stay for longer than four years? It happens. The world will not end, and no one will think any less of you. Try not to worry so much. Just be the best you can be, because that is all that anyone could ask for. They will still be proud, even if you decide to be an English major.

Madalyn

I grew up in the same town all of my life and when it came graduation, most kids stayed close to home and attended the University of Georgia. I didn't. I had always wanted to go away for college, just to get a new experience, and that is how I ended up at the University of Tennessee. If I were to go back and talk to my senior self, I would tell myself that college itself is a whole new experience no matter where you go. College is what you make of it. I thought if I went to UGA it would be high school all over again so I pushed myself to go away. Little did I know how hard my first semester would be knowing absolutely no one at Tennessee. I wouldn't change my decision of coming to Tennessee for the world, I love it now, but I would want myself to understand how big of a decision it is to move away from everything I knew and start over. I would want myself to appreciate everything home had to offer because I can honestly say I miss the town I so badly wanted to leave.

Adriana

Adriana, college life is a big change. While high school prepares you for college academically, there are just some things left out. Before getting into that, hit the books, they are not going to hit themselves. What you are learning now is going to follow you into college. I know you dislike writing essays in English, but you are going to write about one essay per class every semester and your practice now will help you. On the topic of help, when you get to college some classes will be more difficult than others and there is nothing wrong with getting it. Afterall, you are there to learn, and if something does not make sesne, seeking help from peers, tutors, or the proffesors themselves demonstrates just how much you want to learn. Chemistry will start off not being your favorite class, but with tutoring, study groups, and asking your teacher for help, you will actually look forward to going to class, end up getting an A, and even get recommended as a tutor for the next semester! Finally, friends. You have different classes with up to 100 students at a time. While daunting at first, you cannot live without them.

Julia

Never give up. Be true to yourself. The people making fun of you now? They won't matter when you leave. You'll never see them again and they will have absolutely no influence on your life. Don't let them bring you down.

john

Study Philosophy. Don't study Physics or Chemistry or even Math because you are good at it. Study Philosophy because it will help you the most in life. Even if you don't graduate, which I didn't, it will help you learn the ideas in any new endeavour so you can succeed. Many people will tell you to study practical things--don't. You'll be able to make a good living learning things quickly later. But through all your upcoming hobbies, relationships, jobs, and lifestyles having learned many different way to think about how the world and people work will benefit you the most. When you find the career best suited for you, you can learn it when the time comes. Until then, keep building all the various skills you are interested in. If you do this, none of your time will be wasted. This goes for extracirricular activities just as well. In particular, the time you waste playing with computers will be your best career in the future.

Ayana

The one advice I would give myself if I could go back in time is to perservere. High School is just a little taste of what college will be like, but it is not the real thing. College can be overwhelming and difficult; however, you have to fight through it. You cannot always rely on someone to help you or give you advice when you need it. You have to make the best decision you can. If that decision is wrong, own up to your mistakes and learn from them. You are strong in enough to overcome any challenges that awaits you. Just be the best you can be and perservere.

Alejandro

Stop what you are doing right now and listen! What you “know” at this very moment is extremely minimal to what the reality of the world is. The party this weekend is definitely not in your best interest, it will in fact do more bad than good. It is highly probable that you will no longer be acquaintances with three-fourths of the friends you have now. Getting in the same trouble as your friends does not make you a better friend, it makes you more lose who you truly are to be more like another person. Furthermore a true friend will not ridicule you for deciding to study on the weekend, nor will they be ashamed that you are an avid school band member. So do not, and i repeat do not waste your talent and quit playing the instrument you spent hours on end practicing. Hold dearly onto your morals. Listen to your mom, she has sacrificed so much to give you everything you need, completely on her own. You are smarter than you think, you will be an honor roll student in college and you will get into the college of your choice to pursue your goals.

Dillon

Dear Dillon-In-High-School,I know you are busy being fueled by angst, and don’t have a proper outlet for your energy, but you will find that outlet soon. As hard as it is to imagine, soon you will be somewhat of a perfectionist and you wont procrastinate quite as much- so do me (and yourself) a favor and try not to slack off in the last few months of High School. I promise you that the energy you’ll spend trying to find the easy way out will be more than the energy it takes to just do it. It may be hard to believe but sometimes the best way to ‘stick it to the man’ is to just get the work over with as fast as possible, and not dwell on it. If I know you like I think I do, this advice will probably make you want to try even less, but if you can muster a little bit of foresight and help me out I would be indebted to you forever. But regardless of what you do, just hang in there. The best time of your life is almost here.Sincerely,Dillon-In-College

Antoine

Stay focused at all times and never give up

NiKi

Take as many dual courses and AP credit classes that you can!!! I'm not kidding. It will be hard work and you won't have fluffy senior year where you only have 2 real classes, but it will make for a much better time in college. Taking classes in high school will mean that they are cheaper and easier. Once you get to college classes cost hundreds of dollars (plus the cost of books) and they will be confusing with unwilling-to-help professors. Start taking college classes as early as possible in high school.

Adrian

Degrees are more expensive to earn than they used to be. Avoid loans or you'll end up with annoyed moans. If you want, take a break right after High School, do not feel rushed because society insists you must finish school first. 'Rush' is a state of mind, it is much more important to find yourself first than to live life without knowing your identity and what true purpose you would like to pursue.

Summer

The high school senior Summer Palmer should have known to appreciate every moment for what it was. As a freshman at the University of Tennessee, I have made a huge transition. In high school I was in a small, rural town where everybody knew and loved everybody else. Here I am surrounded by tall buildings and rude strangers. I wish in high school I had truly embraced the town that I lived in and the people I was surrounded by, because I know my life will never be the same. However, even now, as I say that I wish I had known this, I still need to learn it. College is a great time where you are surrounded by friends and peers all trying to achieve a common goal and instructors who are willing to help you get there - these are things that should be enjoyed. "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough trouble of it's own." Embrace each moment for what it is, love what you have, and stop concerning yourself so much with the future. Today is a precious day, and it should be treated as such.

Madison

I would tell myself what college was really about. High school is something many people are able to get through successfully without much study. I was lucky enough to makes A's and not have to study very hard. This uncharacteristic of college and I would tell myself to hit the books every day. I would also read one new thing and meet one new person every day. As much as college is about schoolwork it also holds deep social connections that need to be formed to be a success. I would ensure that I was taking every advantage I was given and reading all the books I could find. College life is different than high school life as well. I would tell myself to learn how to keep a schedule an write down all of assignments that I had. Keeping up with everything is a must because there are no more make up assignments. Working hard will always get you what is needed and I would to myself to always put on mroe steam. Read for pleasure and fun. Learn someone's name everyday. These simple things will help you be the most successful student possinble.

Zachary

Man, this was a hard question to answer. The hardest part of my transition to college was being away from my girlfriend. She went to OWU and I went to UTK. That first week of school was the worst week of my life. Advice I would give myself is to not stress about it, she will be ok and I should put my trust in the Lord and everything will be fine and I'll ge to see her sooner than you think. More advice I would give myself would be to apply for more scholarships because of how important they are. I would tell my senior self to get more involved in school when I'm a freshman, join different organizations, make more friends, maybe even apply for SGA. I would tell myself to always stay focused on academics and grades because that's the whole reason I'm there in the first place. I would make sure to tell myself to go talk to my adivsor early because of how helpful they are and how important they are to my overall success at my university.

Brooke

I would explain to my past life that exploring your college community through clubs and organizations will help you learn more about who you are and help you discover what you want to not only major in, but also what you will want to major in.

Arnie

I would advise myself first to stop eating so much and start saving money. Also, I would advise myself to live on campus and not move back home. Ever. I would tell myself to really crack down and study hard, both for classes and outside of class, because Campbell County doesn't prepare you for crap. I would also advise myself to go somewhere cheaper and possibly farther away so that I would be more independent.

Ashley

Hold on to your belief in God, your morals, self motivated, organized and persistant in everyone that you do. As long as you can stay positive then you can influence others to be positive. Never give up and remember when one door closes, another will open. Also, you must stay one step ahead of what it is your trying to accomplish. People will dissapoint you, lie, and betray you. However, that only makes you stronger. Get up ,stay focused and have the desire and will to change your life and the lives of others. I promise if your focused, stay deligent, and ready to take on the world each day with knowing that things are not always going to go the way you want them to, than you will keep striving to be great. Life is about choices and the decision you make. Ok. fine. today you made a bad choice. Now lets move on, take that mistake, learn from it, and be better a person.Ok. fine. today you made an excellent choice rejoice and be proud that you have matured and know that anything is possible. One more thing:You are in charge of your life, only you.

Angelia

Hey there. I know you’re busy rushing to finish those college applications and stressing like crazy, but I just wanted to tell you not to worry so much because things are going to fall into place. Right now you think that you’ll begin college alone, with nobody to call your friend, but the truth is it’ll be the exact opposite. Remember that everyone will be in the same boat as you and never be afraid to talk to new people, especially those that seem shyer than you are. You’ll be surprised by how many friends you make that way. Also, get involved! The prospect of joining a group in which you don’t know anyone seems a bit scary at first, but being involved with groups on campus is actually fun. It helps you meet new people and is beneficial to you and many other students on campus. Not to mention, you’ll get to do so many cool things like seeing Frank Warren (I know you don’t know who that is, so after you read this, Google him. He’s very inspirational). For now, just take everything a day at a time.

Kalen

College is expensive. It can be an investment but it requires a lot more than just money. It requires an investment of your time, dedication, and commitement. One thing I learned the hard way is, if you don't know what you want to do, start off small. Get your general education courses out of the way, you may find along the way you will find something you want to pursue. Then at that point, you'll be used to taking college classes and can explore your core classes. When I first started school I didn't know what I wanted to do and changed my major 3 times in the first year. I took too many core classes for each major and they don't count toward any degree. It was a waste of money and I hope that you don't make a similar mistake. My last piece of advice would be to start applying for scholarships. It can take years and years to pay off student loans, and it is hard enough to graduate and start a new job, maybe buy a house, or have some kids, especially if you are thousands of dollars in debt.

Dustin

If I could go back and give myself some advice it would be keep an open mind and try new things and meet all of the people you can. I really didn't start trying new things and keeping an open mind until my second semester. I loved my second semester because of that, my first semester was the most miserable 3 months of my life. In the second semester my freinds and I started going to events on campus. One thing that we went to that we all enjoyed was a rock opera. It was really enjoyable and when we went none of us thought we would like it, we were just bored and looking for something to do. Since then I enjoy going to plays and have developed an appreciation for theatre. The other thing was to meet people. One time we were playing soccer and a group of guys walked by and we asked them to play with us. It turns out that they were a group of foreign exchange students from all over Europe. It was really cool to be able to talk to them about where they were form and see the cultural differences.

Stacy

If I was given the ability to go back and talk to myself as a high school student I would tell myself that time management is very important. In college your mom and dad arenn't there to wake you every morning and make sure you get to class, and the teachers are not constantly reminding you that you have an assignment due. In college you are on your own and you must be able to decide when to study and when to complete many assignments along with many other activities that may be going on. It is so easy to lose focus in college as there are always many things going on but you must make sure that you know what you have to be doing. Carrying around a planner may be the best idea ever. It helps for you to write down everything even it you may not forget it. Also writing down all the assignments from the syllabi into the planner is also so good so that you are aware of an assignment well before time. Time management is very important for college success.

Will

If I could go back and give myself advice, the first focus point would be to learn time management. In college, I am faced with a lot of free time that should be used wisely. I struggled with this when I first got on campus, but I learned quickly how to use this time to it's best potential. The second point is to develop great study habits. In highschool, test are pretty simple and straight forward, but college is completely different. I had to develop great forms of studying to prepare myself for each exam. The last point is to be prepared for lifestyle change. College brings many new aspects of the world that highschool does not have. I met many people from all types of backgrounds and cultures. I have learned a lot since getting to college, and I am greatful for this experience.

Jared

If I could go back into high school, I would tell myself to be more involved in things, be more outgoing, and not take childhood for granted. In high school I was a shy, but relatively popular guy. I played soccer and was in a few clubs, but that was it. I loved the things I did, but I would do more if I could do it again. I had a lot of friends, but mainly just the same group as I always had. I was not the best at making friends, and at college it has hurt me. I wish I knew more people. Lastly, do not take anything for granted. In high school I dreamed of going to college at Tennessee. I love it, but people are growing up, I have lost a few friends, and the workload is much more requiring. I never had any work in high school. I would tell myself to quit complaining about what my parents told me to do, how lame high school was, or wanting to go to college. Looking back, it was the best year of my life and I would not trade it for anything.

Rachel

Don't waste your time worrying and stressing about little things when you can be out living your life and trying new experiences. God has a plan for you. Even though it might be hard to see where His plan is going sometimes, always trust in Him, because He'll never put you in a situation that you can't handle.

Andrew

If I were to talk to my high school self, I would leave him with these passing thoughts: Never change yourself for a significant other. The one worth hanging on to will love you for who you are. Give yourself a break. This assignment is not life or death. You are an intelligent and hardworking person, and your quality of life is the most improtant thing. Find something you are truly passionate about. A handsome salary means nothing if you hate what you do. Don't date yourself. Find someone who compliments you not someone who mirrors you. If you are a scientist, date an artist, and vice versa that way you always have something to teach your partner. Don't be afraid to try something new. My favorite classes were theatre, world religions, and constitutional law, which have nothing to do with my major. Find some positive friends who build you up and encourage the better aspects of your personality. In my case I found these at my campus ministry. This is also where I met my fiance. Get involved in a religious or spiritual organization. Murphy's law happens in spades in college. These people can help.

Bethany

Looking back over my adjustment to college life, the best advice I would give myself as a high school senior would be to take on as much responsibilty as possible. As a college freshman, I was thrown into the world of responsibilty really quickly when I arrived at the University of Tennessee. My health, hunger, cleanliness, spirituality, [and] sanity, were all up to ME. Not to say that my friends and family were not there helping me along the way, because, as I moved away from family and friends, I truly did realize who my true friends were, and how much my family really did do for me while I lived under their roof. But, I would commit my high school self to find a steady job, manage my finances, start looking up professions that seem interesting, learn about the entire college process [from relatives or older friends], but also, bottom line: to simply enjoy high school. I would tell myself to take the responsibilty of simply enjoying classes, getting good/ decent grades, and learning about the world. I know now that every piece of information that you learn in high school will, in fact, be useful in college.

Carrie

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to study harder, take harder classes.

Tujuana

My advice would be to: 1. Go to the college as early as possile to gather as much information as possible about the process. 2. Gain as much information on the subjects for the major that the person is interested in obtaining a degree. 3. Talk to the professors and see if you obtain a syllabus to gage the level of work that is required for the different classes. 4. Talk to the financial & registration officers to understand what documents are required for a smooth experience. 5. Speak to an adviser to undertand what is required by the student to graduate with a good GPA and as quickly as possible. 6. Having the student to sit and speak with other students that are in the field that they are going to obtain their degree. 7. If the student is young having the parents assist in the process to guide their education in the best interest of their child. 8. They have to be serious about obtain a degree and wanting to be in college. People like the idea of going to college but when they see the work load they become a little weary, so this should be addressed early .

Elizabeth

I would advise myself to take all the academic opportunities given to me in high school that would better prepare me for life in college. I haven't had a hard transition into college academics, but I definitely underestimated the importance of studying in high school and how that would affect my grades and studying in college. I would also advise myself to get more involved with school organizations and the community. I am getting very involved at my school with organizations that benefit not only students on campus, but also those individuals in the community. I would stress getting involved in more organizations like this in high school so that it's not a complete culture shock once students enter college. Lastly, I would advise myself to get to know people in different social groups than my own comfort zone. There are so many interesting people out there in college, and people are going to be thrown into contact with them whether they like it or not. Start early in high school, and extend the social group from those that are exactly like you to include those that are different.

Angelia

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would firstly tell myself to fill out as many scholarships as possible and enter as many essay contests as well. One thing I have learned is that college is expensive, in fact I had to leave The Ohio State University because I couldn't afford it, even with loans. When you have parents with bad credit like me, you can't really get all the loans you need. I would also tell myself to join more extracurricular activities because once you're in college it's good to join them and if you are familiar with them from high school it could be easier to let yourself join more as a college student. An individual will have more fun and meet more friends if they join the extracurricular activities available for them in their college or university.

Hannah

Apply early and give yourself enough time to find funding for the college you want to go to. By giving yourself enough time to clearly think and do your best on essays and answering questions on applications you represent yourself better as an individual than if you rush through it the night before. Colleges like to see your personality! They don't want a cookie cutter application.

Matthew

Change is good, embrace it, go with it- everything that you need to know about college you probably already know. Work hard, keep your head up when things go wrong, because things WILL go wrong. Be friendly with everyone you meet, you may never know when that person could need your help or you need theirs in return. Laugh, because sometimes that's all you can do when things are out of your control. If you think you know the answer to a question when the teacher asks, just raise your hand and say it, you may be surprised at how often you could be right. It is also ok to be wrong sometimes, it just means you are human. If you know that you don't know something, don't hesitate to ask a question, because there is a hundred other people that most likely want to ask the same thing. Also, make sure you have a good time, because college may be about learning and bettering yourself for the future, but it can still be an amazing time in your life. Just be sure to take breaks inbetween studying. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Curtis

Start early deciding what kind of college experience you want. Take the ACT/SAT early enough to repeat it a couple of times especially if you are an anxious test taker. Visit several types of colleges to get a feel for what appeals to you. READ READ READ everything about the colleges you are most interested in.

Jeanne

I would definitely tell myself to get a flu shot before coming to college. College is an environment that those of people are constantly moving about and interacting with one another; you are bound to get sick. I made the mistake of coming in without a flu shot and being deathly ill. I would tell myself not to feel like I had to join an organization for the friends, college provides so many opportunities to meet people and do things; you shouldn't just bound in there and feel compelled to do something. Take your time, and pick out the activities that you love and want to do- it will help you meet friends that share similar interests and you won't be stuck in something you don't like.

Brittany

If I could go back to when I was a high school senior I would tell myself this - to stay true to yourself. Make sure that when are making important decisions for youself to not let anyone point you in any direction that you do not wish to go. Also just remember that this is a time when everyone is learning how to start living on your own as an adult. So don't stress over and worry about every little thing, because that won't get you anywhere. Just remember, It will all work out, I promise! Do make sure you stay focused on the main reason that you are in college in the first place, for an education! So therefore it is a good idea to set goals for yourself that you know that will challenge you to become a better version of yourself!

Kara

Dear Confused High School Me, I have learned a lot in the last few years and my advice is good. Firstly you have to learn to be flexible. All of the planning and working in the world does not mean that you can control the future. All you can control is your attitude. If you are prepared to meet change with an accepting attitude you won't be constantly struggling against the inevitable. Secondly I have learned that success does not come from one grand and large motion. Success is acheived by small step after small step. Your goal should be to just do your best and to keep chipping away bit by bit. Thirdly is that no thing and no one will ever be able to fill up your inner needs other than you. You cannot look for relationships or grades or jobs to fulfill you. You must do work daily to be fulfilled in yourself. Here are a few more tips. When someone asks you a question take a breath before answering. They will wait. Work on your communication skills because they will be key. Love yourself and the world because this is what we have got.

Charles

I would tell myself to be as open as possible to new things. I would also teach myself about how to prioritize.