University of Florida Top Questions

When I was a high school senior, I was so ready to make the move to college that I wasn't as focused on enjoying the remainder of my high school years. I was canstantly thinking about college. While this motivated me to obtain high grades and prepare myself for college, it also made my senior year more stressful than it could have been. If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school sneior, I would tell myself to not rush through my senior year and to focus on the present and enjoy it. Another thing I did a lot as a high school senior was stress about college and where I would go and what I would do. I would worry that college would be to difficult or too tough of a transition. If I could go back in time, I would tell my high school senior self to not worry as much, since college is a great experience and the transition is not nearly as bad as many worry that it will be. I would tell myself to relax and not worry so much and just enjoy wherever i end up.

What can you expect from college? Expect to be tested. These tests will come in various forms, some will tests your study skills and intelligence, others will test your beliefs and resolve. You may not ace every test, hell you may not even pass some of them but you will learn from all of them. You will learn how to study: after each lecture review the notes and read the text book. You will learn how to ask for help: professors are generally willing and able to help you understand concepts during office hours, this is also a good way to get to know your professors for recommendation letters. You will learn how to make new friends: joining clubs and being active is a great way to meet new people and experience other cultures. Find and join the organizations that can help you achieve your professional goals. Finally, you will learn about yourself and you will grow. Where you are headed, countless challenges await, face them ! Don’t be afraid to take chances and make mistakes. Open yourself up to the possibilities of life, it is the only way you can succeed.

High school is a rather precarious time in ones life. Everyone in high school has the exact same problem: lack of foresight. We do not realize how easy our lives are in high school until we enter college. Although life in college is an artificial environment, it is extremely close to independent living. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to enjoy my high school experience more. All throughout high school I constantly pushed myself. I took the hardest classes, joined numerous clubs and honor societies, and played three varisity sports. Looking back on those days I really wish I had appreciated how easy I had it. My high school experience was also a tragic one, because my father had two devastating brain surgeries that have severely handicaped him. If I could, I would go back in time and tell myself to force him to go to the doctors sooner. Maybe if I had, they would have caught his brain abscess earlier and he would still be the same person today.

Given the ability to go back in time and talk to myself, I would naturally want to give warning about the mistakes I’ve made in my college career to ensure that I could manage myself accordingly to keep my social and scholar life separated and equally attended to. Hopefully, with this knowledge in mind, I can avoid situations that have affected my studies negatively, and spend more time acting to boost my studies in a positive nature. Although being social and hanging out with friends is an important part of life, it should not supersede a full-time student’s primary occupation: studying and passing classes. I have always tried to remind myself that school comes first above all else while I am in college – why pay for school if you are going to flush your grades down the toilet? Knowing how difficult it can be to schedule with a social life, my biggest piece of advice would be to manage my time appropriately, studying when I must, and having fun when all else is taken care of, stressing the importance of getting school work done first, and not after I’ve finished having fun.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would most likely tell myself to pay no mind to the troubles I have now. I would tell myself that in the future you will be faced with difficult classes, bills, and not so happy professors. I would tell myself to always consider the future and the outcome that my actions have on it. Also to work even harder in the classes im in now because when you get to college, the answer almost never comes easily or without a price. And I would tell myself to be smart and to not quit my job, cause believe me, groceries are not cheap. I would tell myself to listen more carefully to the advice and "useless" information that my high school teachers give me, cause there will be a time when I am in the same situation they warned me about, and when that time comes, I will miss their guidance. And most importantly, I would tell myself not to worry too much; that everything will work out in the end, no matter how hard things seem at the time, they always get better.

Looking back on being a high school senior, the avice that I would give myself is to take a few Dual Enrollment courses in high school. I was a part of the AICE ( Cambridge ) program and I received college credit through that, but the amount of people that brought in credit through dual enrollment are further ahead in their college credits. I would also tell myself to stay on track and make sure I am actually learning the material rather than just trying to pass the class because that is one thing you have to learn early on in your college years. I would tell myself to take school even more seriously and make sure that nothing stands in my way of acheiving what I want to achieve.

Knowing what I now know about College, there are many times I wish that I could turn back time and give myself advice. Even though there are a lot things that I would like to say, I believe that there is one piece of advice that could topple them all. Don't be afraid of your failures, and more importantly, don't believe you have failed simply because it is what you are told. Failure is something that is only attainable through the negative thought that you are not accomplishing what is expected of you. You can not live life on the basis of meeting the expectations of others. Just becuase there may be a change in your dreams and asparations doesn't make you worse, it makes you different. You need to do what you know in your heart will make you happy, even if others look at that happiness as dissapointing and undesirable. College is a time of exploration and excitement, be open to new ideas and be yourself. In the words of Douglas Adams: "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."

To date college has definitely given me a different perspective on things. My senior year in high school was anything but great. I struggled academically with a GPA under 2.0 and needed at least a D on an English final exam that I thought I did poorly on. Turns out I got a C which was enough to raise my GPA to a 2.0 and walk across the stage with my peers. Thinking I wasn't able to get into a good school with such poor grades I enrolled in Broward College determined to get a degree but not necessarily with a major in mind. Upon taking classes I found a real interest in psychology from taking the course with an amazing professor. Throughout school I had a real interest in increasing my overall intellect in math, reading and writing; something that wasn't in my thought process in high school. With one, maybe two obstacles, I was able to obtain my Associate degree in psychology with honors. So after providing you with a 3 year synopsis I would tell a younger me to be patient, develop a thirst for knowledge and manage my time well.

If I could go back, I would tell myself that college is not about who is the smartest or the most well-rounded; those who excel in college are the ones who put forth the effort. A person's determination to succeed is how you can tell whether or not they will do well in school.

I know that right now you feel as if your not to smart enough for college and that your not ready. I know you feel as if working is your best option but trust me its not. You are smart enough and you are ready. It wont be easy but you will see that its worth it and that with a little hard work you can do it. I believe in you and I need you to believe in yourself. I promise you wont regret it. Your smarter than you think, I know your thinking of community college but you can do a 4 year college. Have faith in yourself and you will do just fine, trust me. Just go for it.

I would go to a school that was excited to have me as a student, and where I did not feel like just a number. I would have also choosen a school with more diversity, because in college your mindset and ambitions change and I would have rather been on a campus that offered that.

Knowing what I know now about college life, I would tell my past self to not worry so much about choosing a major or a career. College is a time for finding yourself and exploring who you are as a person and what it is you enjoy doing. The main goal is to find the thing that inspires you; you need to be able to wake up in the morning and say "I love what I do," regardless of how much the work pays, regardless of your level of success, or the prestige you aquire. In life, happiness is key, and college is the time to find out what it is that makes you happy. Plan FAR ahead in regards to financial aid, because the process can be tedious and long, but don't sweat the small stuff. A career isn't everything. If you do what makes you happy, (and make sure your financial aid is in order), the rest will follow. College isn't as hard as you think it is, especially when you enjoy what you're doing, and your proud of what you accomplish at the end of the day.

I would definitely advise myself to have done more laundry! As trivial and strange as that may sound compared to the magnitude of other more difficult transitions, I was really thrown off. Being so far from home? I was ready for that. Taking classes where three multiple choice tests made up my grade? I was prepared for that too. Spending a good majority of my time studying my life away cooped up in the library? I did that all of high school anyway. It was the simple task of doing my own laundry that baffled me. I was a wreck the first time I had to do it alone. Having done it with my mom for years, I never bothered to check the settings for different clothing types or anything like that. If I could go back and tell myself to be more observant for the little things in life that adults have to handle, such as the dreadful laundry, I would jump at the chance.

I would tell myself not to be so quick to become a realist. You have the rest of your adult life to tackle all your responsibilities and college life should be included in your youthful adventures and take more time to have fun throughout college and not take every single day so seriously. And most of all, never give up playing soccer because one day you'll be playing the "What If" game wondering how different your life would be if you were a professional soccer player instead of a future accountant. Both are rewarding careers but your true love will always be soccer and you should never have given that dream up. Also learn to say no to your older sister every time she asks for you to pay for rent because she has a job and just needs to learn that buying clothes and purses and going to Disneyworld are luxuries that should come after paying for rent and utilities.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself about my college life, life for me now would most likely be totally different. I would say to take my work more seriously than I did and to take more inititive in aquiring the things I wanted. I could have skipped the grey area of trying to figure out what type of major I wanted to do and how I would go about completing it. I would write down a well structered list of ideas and events that I neglected to act on and tell myself to work hard to finish them. Not only would I tell myself about the academic side of college, I would also tell myself of the social aspects too. I'd tell myself not to worry about whether making new friends is hard or easy because I've found out that most college kids are very cool with people who have different personalities from the norm. The last statement I would say is dedication and determination can go a long way during college because those two attributes will keep you focused and set you up to accomplish the goals you are trying to complete.

If I could go back and give myself advice as a high school senior, I would emphasize the importance of spending money wisely and managing time. Currently I am attending a two year college while working a part time job that demands nearly fourty hours a week. I need the money to pay bills and college expenses but struggle finding time to accomplish all my tasks in a timely fasshion; this is my main source of frustration about college life. If I had of saved more money during high school instead of spending on what I thought was important back then, I might not have to work as many hours to support myself now. This information would have been helpful, but I am succeeding now nontheless. You live and you learn: that's the magic of life.

I would give myself advice not to expect everything that I had heard about college before. RAs won't be around, not everyone is friendly, and the administration just may not care. You'll have to make it on your own, but you can do it, if you relax and try to make new friends.

Do not be afriad. College is an experience that many people only have the oportunity to experience once in their lifetime and it is up to you to make it the experience you want it to be. There should be very little dauting during this time period because it is where you place a value on yourself; it is where you become the person you always hope you would grow up to be as it is the beginning of a new chapter in your life. There is no better feeling that being rewarded for something you worked hard at, but the only time you will ever be rewarded is when you take risks and become focused on completing the task to your best ability. Risks should never be feared but always proceeded with caution as rushing things has never worked since we all tend to forget and skip a step, which could cause problems later on. Thus, don't rush things and never fear because the only thing to fear in this world is fear itself.

Assume the unexpected. Students come in believing that they will be doctors, lawyers, and the like and tend to be shocked when they stray from their paths. However, college is not just about the degrees and the prestige of becoming PhDs and MDs. Colleges are oftentimes the institutions that help students “find themselves”. Enrolling in a university opens the opportunities for students to explore numerous fields and the diversity of classes will assist students in picking up on the aspects of their potential that will signal new future ambitions. So expect the unexpected, but still expect to be exceptional.

I would tell myself not to be afraid to try new things and that in order to truly experience life you shouldn't always assume that something unfortunate is going to happen. Furthermore, I would tell myself to chalk any bad experience up to life and simply keep on living. Getting used to a new place and new people isn't always easy and that's why it is so important to just put yourself out there. What you must keep telling yourself is that everyone has been where you are at one point, and is capable of empathizing with any apprehension you may feel and that because of this you should not be deterred from living the life that you envision yourself leading. College is a chance for you to completely re-invent yourself if that is something you desire. Go ahead and make the best of it, because it goes by quickly. Ultimately you find yourself ready to graduate and wonder where all the time went. Make memories you will cherish forever and never be afraid to just go for it.

The greatest lesson I have learned is how to be open minded. College has made me a person who will try anything because you cannot stand on the wayside and let life pass you by. When I moved to Gainesville, I knew no one but I really had to put myself out there in order to meet people. Sure, it was a little uncomfortable but I wish I would have walked into class the first day with this mindset rather than waiting weeks to warm up. Also, stop worrying so much! You have four years to figure out what you want to do, do not rush into a major that you think is safe. Pick something that is going to make you happy rather than one that is going to be "financially stable". Take all sorts of classes, explore your talents, and learn! Sit in on classes during drop/add and find something that interests you. I have taken three semesters of American Sign Language and it has changed my life, wouldn't have guessed that four years ago! Be yourself, explore, and be happy!

The number one thing that I would tell myself if I could go back would be to stress out a little less. I was very stressed out over the whole college application process and worried constantly about what I had and had not done to make myself appealing to colleges. I was also stressed over my final exams. I would also tell myself to bring cooking supplies to my dorm because dorm food is awful and you want to be able to cook some food yourself. Also I would tell myself that you would do well achemically in college courses and would make lots of good friends.

Social skills are fundamental in life and leadership skills allow us to break free from our shell and become active participants in activities where we meet new friends, making our time in college memorable and exciting. More importantly, tolerance. We have each encountered conflicts among our peers at some point of our life and at times we do not know how to act upon them and oftentime fail to realize the consequences of an offensive reaction. Flexibility in these problematic conflicts allow us to respectively manage uncomforable situations and alleviate stress. For all we know, the world could one day flip unside down and we might not know who we end up asking help from along the way. High school is a perfect environment where one can put these skills into practice, it is a stage in life where one is exposed to ever possible life scenario and is put to the test, giving us a little taste of reality. High school is where you make your mistakes and learn from them so that when you face the real world you are well informed of how to behave and can live a harmonious lifestyle with everyone around you.

If I had the ability to speak to myself as a high school senior concerning my current knowledge of college life, the advice I give might sound cliché but it would be necessary words of wisdom. First and foremost I would harp on responsibility. When transitioning from high school to college, it easy to maintain the mindset that one's habits in high school will be as effective in college; a notion that is very much mistaken. Now that I attained a year’s worth of experience in college I realize that responsibility as I had known it is nothing like what I experienced it to be. I would tell myself that to be thrusted into the world without any immediate support is what lies in the future; a true test of one’s ability to overcome adversity and to cope with the stressors that accompany the daily rigors of life. Also I would lecture about fiscal responsibility. Reminding myself that I am no longer a child, and that the burden of my financial security no longer falls upon the shoulders of my mother; but on mine. And that sacrifices will be made to ensure my well-being.

You dope! Quit wasting your time right now! Even though you are able to educate yourself better the most people about different avenues of life, this world will always need proof. Rather then arguing that you are capable of great things, it is much easier to show them your diploma with countless awards stamped onto it. Instead of being well into your PhD program by age 27 and traveling the world on someone else’s budget; you are counting your nickels and dimes just to pay your next month’s bills! Sure, you are having some fun by going out and meeting girls that are egotistical, selfish, and flat out boring. But imagine the good times that you can have with the women at the universities which are a hundred times more intelligent, independent, and well worth your time! I know that you are planning to get your degree regardless of what age you start to get things rolling, but the time is now. The faster you start filling your cup of knowledge and wisdom, the faster it will overflow and you will be able to quench the thirst of people around you.

The only thing I think I would do differently is look more closely at what I wanted to do with my career when I started college versus what I want to do now. I started off working with design, art, and computers and then I realized I did not enjoy what I was doing very much. Sure it was fun as a hobby, but I could not see myself doing it as a profession. I decided to change my major to criminal justice and I absolutely loved it. I always watch fictional and real investigation shows on television and they have always deeply interested me. If I had looked more closely at myself and the type of person I am, I would have started off with criminal justice as my major instead of having to change it. We all have those learning experiences in life and I think that was one of them.

I would go back in time and tell myself to find out what type of student involvements that are offered at the school that I am going to attend. Getting involved early is the best way to establish a foundation for yourself. I would also tell myself to save as much money as possible by applying or more scholarships, get a job, and stop spending money on unnecessary iteams, because college is more exspensive than you think. Last but not least, I would say to myself do not take high school courses but instead take dual enrollment classes to get all of your prerequisite classes out of the way.

The most useful advice I could give my high school senior-self can be summed up in a single sentence: "Abandon all of your insecurities and the walls you've built up around yourself since middle school and just enjoy yourself, because you will be accepted and you will make so many new friends." I never expected college to be such a thrilling experience. I was such a guarded kid in high school for personal reasons. There weren't many people like me in my home town--if there were, I was just too reserved to go out and find them. But the friends I have made in college are some of the greatest people I've ever met. They accept me for who I am and we have the best times together. I would want my high school senior-self to know that he won't regret showing his true self in college, because there are so many people who will love and accept him. (Also, I'd warn him about taking useless electives. It's not wise for an engineering major to pay tuition for "Rock n Roll & American Society"--just secretly audit the class!)

Knowing the things thought I now know about my college life, I would tell myself about the tribulations that will come. I will lay a blueprint in front of my high school self that will show me how to be properly prepared for college. One of the first things that I will tell myself is go to office hours. It is so important to have a connection with a professor. It could be the difference between getting an A or a B+. In addition, professors are good resources when a students needs a recommendation. I would also tell myself to do my best and be resilient. When certain expectations aren’t met, I would tell myself to not let my pride keep me feeling like one of the best unique individuals with inner strength and motivation. I would also tell myself to have fun because there are to many exciting things to do, but stay focused. I would also tell myself to be grateful because there are people that don’t won’t me to be in college. Every that I do will build my character. So be happy and humble in the face of opposition.

Now I know college seems like a whole new realm of questions and wonder, but fear not. You are going to be just fine as long as you stay on top of things and open yourself up to change. I have to tell you right now that college is not like high school. They are not going to give you a checklist of what exactly needs to be done. You are going to have to climb out of that turtle shell of yours and ask questions and demand answers. Do not assume that you will get your projects and studying done eventually. This is the first warning sign of procrastination. Stay away from that! It will be the root of all evil when it comes to college life. Remember, this added life tile is not meant to be confusing. It is suppose to be a new road and adventure for you! I know it looks intimidating at first, but trust me, you will find that the prime of your life will be here. Look forward to college. Embrace it and do not look back. It is fun; I promise!

Note to high school self: Do not take yourself so seriously. Mom always says "College will be the best years of your life.." But what about this year? Don't rush through senior year just to get to college. College will come. Take time to make the most of the time you have left with your high school friends and your family at home. Delve into those college books with a fury to make sure you know what will be the best fit for you. The sky is the limit and where there is a will there is a way. Remember that no dream is too big because if you don't dream, you will never know what "could" have happened. Visit the schools you're interested in - even if you are only "a little bit" interested. Don't base your decision off of anyone but yourself! No matter where your girlfriend, boyfriend, or bestfriend is going next year, the next few years are YOURS. The next few years are your chance to find yourself, your dreams, your impact. College will be the best years of YOUR life - just keep listening to mom!

I would tell myself to get out of my comfort zone. High school friends are great, but it's okay to get to know new people. I would also tell myself to not let fear stop me from getting involved more on campus, especially in activities that I would have liked to do. I would have told myself to focus more on studying, going to class, and time management. I would also tell myself to know what I want because that is the only way I will get to where I need to be with less of a struggle. I would also suggest to budget more and not completely take financial aid for granted.

I would tell myself that it is okay to not get A's in every single class. The most important thing is to learn and apply the material to your life and future occupation. In addition, I would advise myself to be open-minded and patient with others.

I would sit down with my younger self and let her know that the best way to move forward is to be completely honest and straight forward with people. It makes living so much easier, and it's self-rewarding because you aren't hiding from the world. Being bashful only hinders success, and it is possible to be confident and outspoken without being over the top. I would tell her that real life can knock you off your feet, but dreams and ambition are always possible, regardless. I’d mention college is nothing to be scared of; it is an experience worth paying for. Most importantly, I would tell her to start taking control of her life tomorrow and doing something about it to achieve her goals. Stop procrastinating, do what you need to do to get ahead of the game. Always practice and work hard, it'll pay off in the long run. Never let fear of failure get in the way of your effort; that is greater than any failure you could achieve by trying.

If I could go back to my senior year I would definatly tell myself to apply for more scholarships! College is so expensive, and takes alot of energy to get through. I wasnt really sure if I was gonna make it last semester but my family helped me. Another thing I would tell myself would to be work harder at everything I was doing to make sure I got far in life. I would make sure I got a better ACT score so I wouldnt have to fill out any scholarships, and have my school all paid. I would also have spent more time doing homework and scholarships instead of trying to find things to do (some of which would have got me in trouble). Im not trying to "wow" you in anyway im just honestly trying to make some money to make my life less stressfull. Thanks for your time

Knowing what I know now about college life, I would go back in time and tell myself to be more outgoing and confident. I feel that people would have respected me a lot more had I not been so insecure about myself. I have always had a problem with doubting myself and that has held me back in a lot of things I've done, especially school. I would also prepare myself for basic college procedures. Because I was homeschooled, I never really took tests or had deadlines for projects and that ended up being something I wasn’t prepared for at all. If I had better prepared myself for those things, I wouldn’t have had such test anxiety and stress throughout college. Applying this knowledge now will help me progress more as I continue my schooling at UF.

Choose a more general major, like business and get a masters in PR because that's what you'll end up really liking. Since you don't know what PR is yet, I'll just let you know that you're perfect for the job. Look around more and apply for ALL internships that you come across. Don't waste time on boyfriends because the memories you'll remember will be those spent with friends and experiencing new things. Try getting into a multicultural sorority or other groups so you can be more involved. Make sure you do a study abroad EVERY summer because you'll only get so many chances to have that kind of experience. When you're abroad, don't hold yourself back, whatever you do. Meet as many new people as possible and never say no to a new experience. Make sure you use tutoring services from the very beginning because it will make your life easier. Have fun while you're here because it goes by way too fast.

You're now in the phase of senioritis, ready and prepared to launch into a new world. We all think we’re ready, however being ready doesn't translate to being prepared. College can challenge your goals, change your mind, and create the necessary obstacles for you to transform from just a student to a student making important decisions. You are now thinking that how different can it be? College is hard. However, it can be easily simplified when being compared to a day at the gym. Step one, come in with an end goal- how many calories to burn. Step two, figure out how that goal can be accomplished- what machines to use. Step three, know that it's a mental game, distract yourself with things that will keep yourself pushing for that extra mile- the fit person next to you running 5 times the pace. These three steps can be the manual for anything you want to accomplish. Walk through that door, whether it's your lecture hall or the cardio room and "Just Do It". As the common phrase goes, you always regret not going to the gym, but never going. Don't let McDonalds influence you.

If I could go back and share one piece of advice with my high school self, it would be to not overcommit and to figure out earlier what my goal in being in college actually was. By the time I hit my sophomore year in college, I was so burnt out from activities and work on top of a rigorous academic load that I knew I couldn’t survive another 3 years of it. I barely had time to breathe, and I had no focus and to think about where college was taking me. Here I am, five majors later, wondering how I’m going to pay for college again. You see, in that sophomore moment, I realized I needed a break, so I took the 2010-2011 school year off and have spent the past six months teaching English in a third world country. I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world, but I wish it hadn’t have cost me thousands in scholarship dollars to take a year off. If I had known earlier what I needed to be working towards, I could have arrived here in a better financial condition.

College is a life experience that you should enjoy. Don't overwork or fret too much. The classes are hard and challenging, but they're supposed to be. You'll learn all your own study habits and make new friends and discover so much about yourself. So take it easy, take it slow. This is the time to work hard but play hard too. Remember your goals and what's really important in life and you'll do just fine. Good luck and try to get an off-campus apartment as soon as you can!

If I were the given the gracious opportunity of giving advice to my former self I would warn him of all the habit changes I must undergo in order to be successful. As freshmen I’ve learned that college is entirely different in academics and structure than it is in high school. To conquer this transition I would advise myself that it would be absolutely necessary to raise my academic endeavors to the highest degree of concern. From personal experiences my friends and I have suffered academically due to the harsh effects of adapting to college life. As my study habits remained similar to the ones of my high school career I found it hard to compensate to my new life. It was not until my second semester of college that I studied more frequently and received better grades but ultimately only time can repair the mistakes of my first semester in college. Currently I have lost my bright futures scholarship award for the upcoming fall semester and my overall financial aid has been cut in half. If I had known this I would have most certainly adhere my warning and following my advice to prevent it from happening.

Stay positive, maintain your organization skills, drink less, keep dancing regularly and continue to work hard and progress academically. Don't forget to have fun but at the same time remember to work first, play later. Make new friends as much as possible and don't choose to live with friends-it can ruin a good thing.

I would say to make an effort to keep in contact with high school friends, do lots of research on scholarships, and listen very carefully at orientation.

If I could go back in time and give the high school version of me one piece of advice, it would be to get involved as possible and not let the fear of how others' perception hold me back. To say my high school lacked diversity would be an understatement. Anyone who did not fit the mold, was considered different. Even though it was apparent this attitude was flawed, it was all I was accustomed to, so going into college, I expected the experience to be similiar. What I found out after a semester or two was that in college, being different is not considered weird - its admired. Students who strayed from the norm were considered innovative, future leaders, not judged for being different. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself this with the hope that I would be able to overcome the fears I intially had when I started college earlier than I did. Even though I did realize this eventually, I wish I had realized it sooner and not let as many opportunities to pass me by.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, the first thing I would say is, "always apply for any scholarship that you are eligible for." It will help out in the long run. Also, always go to class. Even if you are sick, make the effort. If not you will be at least two days behind. Don't let a boy decide where you go to college, or what you major in. Always do what you feel is best for school, even if your friends don't agree with you.

If I could go back in time to my Senior year to give myself advice, I would say to master time management. When I got to college, I didn't realize all the free time I have. Sure I attend classes sometime during the week, but I have so much more free time than I did in high school. In high school, I took numerous honors and AP classes, served as Vice President in Student Government and National Honor Society, put 20+ hours in for competitive dance, and served as captain for my Varsit Cheerleadin squad. Although now I'm in a sorority, Campus Crusade for Christ, and attend activities for those two organizations, I still have so much free time. It definitely allows me to put things in perspective, and makes me prioritize my time for what is really important or what really needs to get done. I think I have pretty good time management, but I didn't know my Senior year of high school that it would be that important for college.

none, I did well in the transistion so I have no regrets or wants.

The advice I would give to myself would be to be more involved during my first semester of college. The more involved you are in school, the better the experience you have while in school.

In my opinion, I feel I was pretty well prepared for transitioning from high school to college. My high school career prepared me for the academic aspects of college. Although, if I could go back in time, I would definitely advise myself on all of the hard work and studying outside of class that college entails. Moving away, I felt one of the hardest things to adapt to was time management. There is no one over your shoulder telling you when to do things, like devote more time to studying. Another situation I would advise myself on is being financially independent. Being able to budget money wisely was hard for me in the beginning. Having to pay for tuition, books, room and board, and basic living expenses all on your own is a huge change that most people aren’t very prepared for. In addition to time management and finances, I would absolutely advise myself to do more volunteering and/or shadowing in many different fields that I was interested in. This would have given me a better idea of what career I want to pursue in the future and what my major should’ve been when I entered college.

The transition to college for me was like a walk at night in woods as a high school senior- I had no idea what would become of me! I knew that I had prepared myself as much as humanly possible by doing well in school. If I had the rewarding opportunity to talk to my former high school self, I would say that grades aren't enough! You need tenacity to endure this experience that we call college. It's nothing more than a great heaping plate full or worry, peer pressure, and too little sleep. Even still, with the same attitude, I could honestly tell my high school self to throw caution to the wind...not a cliche, but a method of survival. I would remind Jessica the high school senior that college follies are inevitable, but your success is not if you believe that you are greater than those follies. I would tell myself to develop BETTER study habits because college is not high school, and you will therefore be the better because of the experience.