University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

This is something that i wanted to do for a long time. And then when i finaly got the chance to go to this college i did! Now i am a profeccional and know what i am doing This college geve me good educationd , and more goles in my life.

Thoughout the first half of my college experience, I have found out a great deal about myself. Coming into college, I felt that I was a strong person and could take anything the University of Illinois could throw at me. However, after experiencing my first mid-term season at college, I quickly realized that my courses were not going to be as easy as high school. After realizing this, I became exteremely motivated to work as hard as I could. This motivation not only led me to be able to join numerous honor's organizations, but also drove me to obtain not just one, but two jobs while maintaining a full course-load and a major GPA of 3.70 on a 4.0 scale. I do not believe that I would have encountered this motivation had I got anywhere besides the University of Illinois. Because of its history, I felt pressure to ensure I do not let the University down, but also myself and my family. For that, I am forever grateful.

What is the life that we live? To ourselves it is the world, to most it is a wayward flicker unnoticeable nor relevant, but to a few it is essence of love that bonds us. I used to live a life that was encased in a prison of my own making. Watching the movements of world through the gap of my life was my fear compelling me to shelter myself in my own dream. It was a primal instinct that bounded me from ever reaching out to blind fate, because the fear of humiliation and suffering was an ever omnipresence pressure. The cancer of doubt and hesitance was never something I ever overcame; it was something that was cured by others. Since coming to college I have found a place of warmth where I belonged in a nutshell with friends. The value of relations, friendship, and interaction in general is the value that most take for granted; these values are what drive us, motivates us, and protects us. These are the valuables of college that I adhere the most, and which I will never forget.

I have learned that responsibility is an absolutely essential trait to have. It's very important to be able to stay on top of things because no one is going to push you like they once did in High school. Teachers no longer go out of there way to tell you what you need to get done; you are an adult and are treated as such. It is also very important to be carefull of the people you choose to associate with. I have also been given the opportunity to take classes that both interest me and allow me to learn about the environment around me. It was while attending Human Development classes that I discovered that I wanted to become a teacher. Attending college has helped me grow into a better person. I have learned invaluable lessons that have helped me succeed in both my college career and my personal life. Armed with the ability to stay organized and the personal determination to succeed, I have become an imporant component of society.

College is the gateway to success. I realize that to succeed in life, you have to do things that require time and a bit of skill. College has helped me understand the value of education and what it can do for you. Not only is the extra education needed in any upcoming jobs or programs, but it is also used in everyday life. College shows you how to be a better person, both mentally, and physically in and out of the classroom. A good education can take you a very long way in life, the only way to get there though is to let it take you and to capitolize on every opportunity and chance you are given.

I have learned the importance of making connections with all different races and ethnicities and the benefits of taking advantage of all of the great opportunities U of I has offered me. Every day I have the option to meet someone new and it has taught me to learn from every single person you meet. Choosing to join a certain student organization or opening yourself up to meet and talk to people you would not necessarily have a reason to talk to could completely change my life for the better and I am definitely taking advantage of that while I attend the University of Illinois.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I should be prepared for an extreme change. I would tell myself that college is a time in life that changes who you are, that there are going to be many temptations all around you, such as alcohol, parties, drugs and much more, and that you have to learn to prioritize. Don't give into temptation. I would assure myself that although everyone around me might be doing these things, that it does not make it right. I would also tell myself to be more open and personable with other students especially the floormates because you will be living around them for a year. Also, I would tell myself to not stress out and especially not to procrastinate. Do not stress out during finals week even though it is the hardest time of the semester, that everything will work out as long as you do everything on time. Lastly, I would tell myself to enjoy this time and to really put an effort in school because this is a critical time in life where you find yourself.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about transitioning to college, I would just have a few things to say. One, be very outgoing. Everyone is new to campus, and the school is very large so everybody is looking for friends. You have nothing to lose by being extra friendly, for if someone doesn't like your personality there are always more people out there. Also, get involved right away. School activities are a great way to meet new people and make connections for after college. Activities look great on a resume, especially organizations you were apart of all through college. Lastly, I would tell myself to study more. While high school can be challenging, college classes are much more difficult. They require a lot of time and dedication. Being that there are no rules or parents, it is easy to slack off. But, if you work hard, in the end it pays off to have a good GPA that will help you get great job offers.

Be willing to stand out! Make a great first impression, and introduce yourself to someone you never would have in high school. College is a time to grow and learn. Know who you are sitting next to in class and exchange cell numbers because you can share your confusion together. By introducing myself to the people around me, I formed study groups and found awesome friends. Learn to balance! Arriving at college, I had no idea of what to expect from my classes, socially, or through extracurricular activities. My parents were not in my dorm room encouraging me to stay in and finish my work. Make sure you learn or know how to balance your time and be self-disciplined. I signed up for ten plus activities at the beginning of the semester, and had to learn what I could reasonably accomplish in 24 hours. Try something different! Coming to college, I knew I wanted to go into engineering, but was interested in so much more. I am currently researching with an anthropologist. I am also part of an organization called Alternative Spring Break, where groups travel across the country to help others. Make sure to invest in your interests.

The biggest advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be to not procrastinate during senior year. Having less work to do during your final year of high school allows you to become lazy and be able to procrastinate. This lack of work turns the laziness into a habit that carries on into college. The biggest mistake for me was the fact that I was not used to completing homework and focusing during classes. I became lazy and did not study my coursework as much as i should have. If I had stayed focused and did not procrastinate in high school I would have been used to the amount of time and energy needed to stay ahead in my college classes. Now that I have this experience under my belt, I attend every class and complete all my work ahead of time. I have study days at the library twice a week rather than waiting until it is time for midterms or finals. This knowledge would have been crucial to me during my senior year as I would have been completely prepared for the commitment needed for collegiate studies.

The most important advice I would give myself is to learn time management. Throughout my life, I have always been able to do well and succeed in my classes based solely on intelligence, not work ethic. Unfortunately, that is not enough in college. My first semester was exceedingly difficult because college classes are about learning concepts and retaining information, not simple memorization and lazy success. Also, being Pre-Dental, I have the added pressure of doing well to get in Dental school. I would have told myself to develop these skills as soon as possible. I would have explained to myself how important it is to study every night, and retain the difficult concepts as I would have to do in college. This may seem like a common response to the question, but it really is one of the most important things I have had to learn in the past year and a half. Since learning it, I have been very successful in class, very involved on campus, and an overall happier, more positive person.

I would tell myself to really go out there on Quad Day and find something to join!! Yes, the start of first semester is crazy with all the new classes and to try your find your way around campus and make friends but after about 2 months, things calm down and that is when being a part of something will fill your week up a little more and meeting people with your same hobbies or passions makes the transition throughout the semester even better! I know that I heard this advice a lot before starting but I would really want myself to listen because getting out there not only helps you meet people but also looks great when trying to find internships and other things that will further one's future career.

College life is very different from High School. While it is very different, it is important for you to embrace such change and be very open to whatever might come your way, whether it be joining a new club you have never known exists or interacting with people much different from you. These people who you seem to have nothing in common might very well become your best friends. You will also have to take on a harder coursework as well as adapt to a lifestyle where you make most of the decisions. That means you will have to decide whether to study or to go out. When going out, you will have to make choices what environment of people you will want to surround yourself with. While you make this choice, just keep in mind that college is supposed to be one of the best times in your life. Would you want to recollect college as the time of having great fiends and succeeding in school or having to deal with severe responsibilities of your poor actions? My advice to you is make choices you will not regret and make sure college is the best time of your life.

This question seems to be really important to me because I am the first generation to go to college so I did not have much advice given to me when I was a high school senior. If I had this chance to go back in time I would absolutely tell myself to apply to College of Business than applying for General Studies. Just because I miss this chance I have to go through a much harder and longer process to get into the College of Business. There might even be a chance of myself not being able to get in which I am really afraid of because I do not know what other majors should I go for. I really want to have a good future to support my family and to thank them for everything they have provided me to get into college. I am not that bright so it takes me harder time than most students but my parents believe in me and I am using this encouragement to pass my college life each day. I would also tell my self to get a job because during my high school years I had a lot of free time.

Do your best and study hard. Do not give up. It is an accomplishible goal!!!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to start taking classes at the community college right away, as a senior in high school to get jump started on my general education requirements. I would also tell myself that jobs will come and go, as will boyfriends and even friends, but going to school and getting an education will last forever. Knowing what I know now, I would convince myself to learn as much as I could while still young and in less debt. The older I get, the harder it is to take a break from a full-time job and full-time responsibilities to complete my education. An education that should have taken me four to five years to obtain, has taken over ten. While I will obtain my educational goal eventually, it would have been nice to know that if I applied myself and stuck to it as a teenager my goal would have been obtained already. I do not regret any of my choices in life, and I am thankful that I can still obtain an education, at any age.

I would tell myself that it is extremely important to make friends within the first week. Go up to people at lunch and dinner and introduce yourself. It's the beginning of a new school year and a great chance to meet some new, wonderful people. Get involved right away! It's so much easier to join a group in the beginning of the year than trying to get accepted after everyone's already made their own little groups. Also, be open to new groups of people. I come from a town where diversity isn't extremely wide. Therefore, I would tell myself to be ready to meet people from all over the country that decided to come to the same school as did. Finally, I would tell myself not to procrastinate and actually read every word. In high school, I got very good grades but didn't really need to study. I would tell myself to learn to study well and get my homework done early because you should always make time to have fun and relax. College is stressful but you need to unwind from time to time.

You are embarking on a journey in which you are the sole determiner of whether the outcome is success. As a first generation student, you should be proud of yourself. With that being said, now is not the time to get comfortable. The demands of College are vastly different than those of High School. You'll learn new things at a faster pace, study longer and you may not understand everything immediately but all things will fall into place within time. Take your time. Explore. It's normal for you to find new possibilities for you to declare as a major.Try not to let your friends, associates, or advisers discourage you from or force you into a major. The choice is yours. You'll be the most fulfilled when your passion and your profession come together. Besides academics, the social aspect is a huge part of college. You'll become acquainted with people from different backgrounds so remain openminded so that you can further your experience. Don't hang with your friends from High School only, branch out. Be sure to surround yourself by positive people because negativity will hinder you in reaching the goals you set for yourself.

If ever I were given the opportunity to go back in time and give myself advice about college, I would have so much to say! First, I would tell myself to begin looking for scholarships and grants before I even started my senior year. It is never too early to get started, and you can never have enough money to fund your education. I would also encourage myself to always do my best, in all my classes, and in all that I do. Reassuring myself that it is not easy being in school with no funding, and would definitely tell myself that in the future, I would have to take a whole year off from school because of the things that I did not do while in high school. Also, I would express how much fun school is and how important it is to remain in school, without any breaks. When you take a break, your life takes a complete 360 degree turn. I went from loving school, having my own apartment, to having to move back home and having to find a job just to get back in school.

If I could go back in time to tell myself about what to do to prepare for college, I would tell myself that even though I am attending a high school with strong academics, that the challenges of college work, even as a freshman, far surpass most high school work, and to be prepared to do much more reading on a daily basis. Along with this, I would tell myself to learn to manage my time, since every minute of your day needs to be used to the fullest if you want to be able to study and be involved in activities in college. Lastly, I would tell myself to be prepared to solve my own problems, because in college, nobody is going to offer help to you unless it is asked for.

If I could go back in time and advise myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to meet new people. While I met my fair share of people in my first two years, I wish I had met more. I think that meeting people both professionally and personally is very important, especially in the first few semesters at the university. The benefits of making professional contacts are countless. Everything from more relaxing discussions with the professors to advisors writing recommendation letters for graduate school is improved. On the opposite side of professional contacts are personal contacts are friends. Meeting people both in classes and outside of them is equally important. Some of the friends I have made I will know for my entire life. My only regret is that I haven?t made more. If I could do it all over I would go even more out of my way to meet everyone and everyone. I would try to develop more personal contacts with my professors as well as enjoy my time with my friends.

I never imagined that I would be the one to have a tough time making the transition from high school to college, but I did. I had always been a high honors student in high school, with minimal effort. The transition from high school to college was therefore a huge shock for me. I don't mean to sound conceited, but for the first time I had to try to get good grades. I had to put time into studying and I had to pay attention in class. I experienced a drop in my grades, which was difficult for me to deal with because I had always been "the smart one". Knowing what I know now, I would definitely tell my senior self that college is no joke. From day one, effort is demanded to do well in class. It's my responsibility now that I am away from home to commit myself to my studies. I have to work hard to achieve good grades. I wish I hadn't had a less-than-stellar first semester, but now I know that with hard work and effort, I can achieve great things, a lesson that I can always use.

If I could go back a year and talk to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to relax. I spent the majority of my high school career worrying about my college decision. I waited until the last minute until I finally chose a school. I was stressed about trying to find the best fit for me. I know now that it was a nartual transition. I was quick to figure out my way around campus and feel comfortable here. I would aslo tell myself that living away from home is a lot less frightening than I thought it would be. My parents did a lot for me, and I feared that I would not be able to survive on my own. I would tell myself that at school you are never really alone, you are surrounded by friends. I would tell myself that living away from my parents and relying on me is not nearly as scary as I thought it would be and has helped me discover myself more than I ever had in high school.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself a lot of advice. First I would warn myself about the Freshman 15 weight gain. It happens to many college students but I have realized there are easy ways to avoid it. I would tell myself to limit myself to one plate at the buffet style dining halls, walk to class, and avoid late night snacking. Another useful tip would be to avoid taking naps. Naps just make you more tired and take away from time that could be spent doing homework. I would tell myself to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. Although attending a large university can be intimidating, it is important to make a name for yourself in any way possible. Leadership, research, and volunteer opportunites are all excellent ways to get involved and meet new people. Lastly, the most important advice I would give myself would be to relax, not get to stressed, and enjoy the time you have on campus because it goes by fast.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have a lot to say. I would begin by saying that college isn't the place you thought it was. It is more than just work and parties like you hear everyone say. College is the best experience you could ever have. You will meet many people who are different than what you are use to. You will learn a lot from them and learn to appreciate the world around you. You will grow up very fast so be sure to stay focused on the task at hand. Once you manage that, more doors will open for you than you can imagine. Some of these doors are the networks you will develop with the people around you. These are the most important part of college. Be outgoing and develop friendships, because even if you do poorly in college or decide that it isn't the place for you, friendships will last forever.

I wouldn't actually make any changes. I believe I prepared myself very well for the college life. I maintained good grades my senior year and didnt slack off. I did unfortunately however, sort of slacked off first semester of my freshman year in college. I didn't fail any classes or anything, I just could have worked harder than I did. With that being said and second semester just starting, I'm focusing on my school work ten times harder than I did first semester by taking advantage of the library more than I have before. If I could give advice to current seniors in high school now I would tell them to remain focused and don't let college life and freedom take away from your studies. Manage your time wisely because it can effect you negatively in the long run.

One piece of advice that I would tell myself would have been live life like as if it were my last. I would say this because you make so many memories in high school that you cannot repeat twice. You get to experience many new things in college but you can never relive the memories you made in high school. Life goes by fast when you?re doing nothing but seizing every moment of your life would make time seem a little bit longer. Playing on different sport teams, being a part of different clubs, going to school dances, and being the senior at your high school is a once in a life time chance. I would have told myself to give it my all and not to be ashamed and try to be all that I can be. I think I stressed too much about college and life after high school that I did not get to appreciate my last year as much as I could have. No one really notices how good things were till it?s gone and now that I?m in college you begin to say to yourself, ?man I missed those days.?

If I were to talk to myself as a high school senior I would advise that I be open to all opportunities that come my way. I would suggest meeting and establishing relationships with as many people as possible disregarding any differences they might have from myself. Most importantly I would stress the importance of developing relationships with professors because they will be the ones aiding me in everyday work, research and eventually a career search. Furthermore, I would establish the importance of developing as an individual through new experiences. These experiences should include concerts, internships, seminars, clubs, parties, laundry, dorms, fast food and all other things that are so representative of the college life. I would warn myself how fast the time flies and how important seizing every moment is but I would also tell myself that sometimes it is ok to slow down and enjoy time to myself. While I was academically prepared for college I had no idea of the wonderful life changing experiences Illinois would present for me outside of the classroom. I wish I could go back and tell myself how lucky I am to be attending such a diverse, well rounded and prestigious University.

Ever since I transitioned into a college life, it changed my views of college that I originally had when I was a senior in high school. There are many things that I wish I knew before I got settled into my college life. The major advice I would have given myself if I was in high school is that many of the studies done in college is independently motivated. This is a crucial advice for high students because back then, teachers would be on each student?s tail making sure they got their assignments and studies done on time, however, that is not the case in college. This is because many of the studies done in college are based on a lecture and discussion style. In addition, the pace that the professors go is extremely fast because they need to get a whole subject covered within a semester, which is half the time a high school student would learn in. All in all, studying habits and time management must be adjusted to a higher level when transitioning from a high school life to a college life.

I cannot believe how fast two and a half years of college have flown by for me. If I were to meet myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to let opportunities to slip away. While I am involved in things, there are so many things I would like to do and so many classes I want to take that it's hard to believe I will be graduating in just three more semesters. I would also tell myself that college is about academics but it is also about growing up, becoming independent and having fun. Sometimes I feel like I forget that grades are important but they aren't everything.

In high school I was not sure about who I really was or what I wanted to do later in life. I had no concept of how I learned best. Looking back, these would have been priceless things to know about myself. I wish I could go back and take some time to get to know myself and my interests better. To accept and learn to love myself. If I could go back I would take time to explore my interests more thoroughly. I think that knowing my interests and learning style would have made a difference in the colleges I looked at, and ultimately, the college I ended up at. It's important in high school to have fun and learn about yourself. I wish I would have done that; taken more risks, tried new things, become comfortable with who I was. If I could go back, I would be more aware.

Do not procrastinate on paper or studying. Under no circumstances should sleep be more important than going to class. Don't judge chemistry by the introductory chemistry class, because you will become complacent. Don't even bother taking a math course at the university, you won't even be able to understand the professor. Become involved right away in clubs and don't hesitate in approaching professors and introducing yourself to them; they could give you research or internship opportunities in the future if they take a liking to you. Just because a class seems like a blowoff doesn't mean you shouldn't bother studying for it, it's always good to review material for exams. Don't take more than two big science classes at a time or you will suffer the consequences. Don't be afraid to run for leadership positions in clubs, even as a freshman. Clubs are always looking for freshman to take leadership roles because they want the club to continue after the upperclassmen in the club have graduated and gone on.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would mention is: Be excited (not scared) about going to college because they really are the best years of your life! College is a great opportunity to discover yourself and build on your character and individuality. As you experience college, you mature and begin to feel more confident about making your own decisions. You will have plenty of opportunities to meet new people with whom you can hopefully develop lifelong friendships. In college, it is important to be involved! Join a volunteer organization, social club, intramural sport, or just-for-fun club. There is so much to gain from being involved in college activities: meeting people, being able to include them on your resume, taking your mind off of schoolwork for a while, and having fun. Try not to consume yourself with only academic achievements because that is not what college is about. Be sure to apply for any financial aid, such as FAFSA, and scholarships, even if it is a small amount. Any amount is worth it because college is becoming more expensive. Finally, put yourself out there!

Definately take more AP classes, younger me. Don't be scared that you won't make friends, because you will. You may have been not very cool in high school, but in college you will find people who will like you and all your geeky, quirky, weird ways. The learning is harder. You used to be able to coast through high school, but don't try to do that in college. Definately start studying early and try to make friends in your classes and in your major, because you'll see the same people a lot. Those people in your concentration are really cool and really nice, don't be afraid of them! They're different from you, but they'll like you for being you! Don't be scared younger-version-of-me. College is fun. P.S. Don't live in the dorm called FAR... it's really far. Duh.

The transition into college personally wasn't very difficult, but I have observed that many students came into college with up to 50 credit hours from taking AP tests. Qlthough I did come in with some hours from taking AP tests, senior year I opted out of taking a couple of tests which would have eliminated a few more of my general education classes. And if I had recieved credit for these classes I could have saved alot of money on books and tuition and I could have already started classes focused on my major. Also, I would tell myself to apply for more scholarships and save up more money because in college you do not have nearly as much spendingm one as you did in high school. I would tell myself to learn to be frugal now, so it would be an easy transition once I went off to school.

Don't freak out. It is not as bad as you thought. You do make friends, just put yourself out there and get involved. The school is not that big, yea I know it looks big, but it grows on you. You really will love it and in four years when you graduate you won't want to leave. Please give it a chance and don't think you are giving in to Dad or anyone else, it is the right choice for you and you will love it. Oh and kick mom and dad out if they are staying to long, they don't mind. Oh and grab the lightbulbs so that you have them already instead of having to purchase and then forget the ones that we left in the car.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in high school, there will be a few thing that i would mention. When you first come to college, it is very helpful to be friendly to new people because it helps you to be more socialized at this very diverse university. Also, it is helpful that you create an organized schedule for different tasks that you may need to complete for your classes before the deadline because your instructors will not inform you what needs to be done. Lastly, it is good to become involved in school, but you just have to make sure that it is something that you can benefit from and it does not interfere with your workload. Mostly if you go by these guidelines in college it will help you be more successful.

I would say pace yourself; pertaining to course load and social life. My freshman year I thought I needed to take all these fast-paced courses in order to be ahead of the curve. But, that first semester I really hurt myself with too difficult of a course load and ended up with a GPA that represented that. My best advice for the first two semesters of college would be to take a good portion of gen-eds and make them as diverse as possible! Thankfully that first semester I also took a Speech and Hearing Science course and I loved it! And I was good at it too. If you have a balanced course load, then your social life should balance it self out. Since I was so overwhelmed with school, I looked to relieve myself a little too much and got all wound up in the aspect of being the life of the party. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't be a slacker in terms of what classes to take; still do something worth while. But, people say college years are the best of your life. So think logically and make them that way!

High school students have differing visions of college life and the freedom it brings. Some focus on admission to the most competitive program, while others are simply looking for a change in scenery. What some fail to prepare for, however, are the responsibilities of college life. This includes responsibility for grades, life without the family, and most importantly, personal behavior. I would advise high school seniors to continue working hard through senior year, so that they may maintain good work habits needed for academic success. Choosing a school based on friends or a significant other is common practice. Relationships change. Students? decisions should be based on their own needs. The right school not only has the best program, but a fitting community environment as well. To summarize: 1. Don?t slack 2. Be selfish 3. Learn to do laundry

First off, I would tell myself to relax. I have found that I put way too much pressure on myself to succeed. I judged my success on my grade point average instead of what I had learned. Secondly, I would tell myself to be proud of getting a B in an engineering course in one of the top engineering colleges in the nation. Thirdly, take advantage of the career center right away. They are there to help you prepare for the right career and introduce you to what is expected in the professional world. Lastly, I would tell myself to have fun! Don't spend your Friday nights doing homework. If you keep yourself completely focused on your studies, you're going to miss out on a lot of what college has to offer!

When you go away for college, you aren't going to have anyone to push you to stay on task or give you reminders about important dates. It seems daunting, but being responsible is not as hard as it sounds. You just need to set your head on straight and remind yourself that you are an adult now. It will be a great feeling once you realize how responsible you have become, you just need to knock down that fear! Also, scholarships are your life right now. Do not spend a waking moment NOT filling out scholarships because you do not want to end up filling out scholarships, trust me. As long as you keep your fears in check, you are going to have a blast this upcoming year, so stop stressing! College is a fun time and you're about to embark on a whole new learning experience.

They will tell you it?s easy. They will tell you it will be the best years of your life. You and your friends will become filled to the brim with excitement. Your parents will become melancholy as August rolls around. Then you will be off on your own. If you go into the process knowing it will not be a walk in the park, you will succeed. Face the changes that lie ahead of you. Face them so you can conquer them. Pretending that adjusting will be uneventful is lying to yourself. College is hard because that first week everything sets in?you miss your family, you wish you were around all your close friends, you wish you could go back to the level of high school work. You will ?wish? quite a bit, but know that these wishes will not come true. They aren?t supposed to. Work through this great change in your life and grow stronger from it. Acknowledge the fear and strive to make your experience EXACTLY what you have in mind. Do not let anyone else write your story. Know that this is the first great, giant leap on the path of YOUR life.

If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to keep an open mind in high school. I went through high school thinking that I knew exactly what I wanted to do after I graduated, but I ended up at a University that I had not originally considered attending, and I have discovered an interest in medicine, which I never considered in high school. Had I kept an open mind in high school, I could have taken more science classes and worked harder to learn more about science. There is nothing wrong with making a plan while in high school, but it is important to keep an open mind and be conscious of the fact that the plan may change. I would also encourage my high school self to consider many different schools. I only applied to a few schools, but I wish that I would have visited more schools and applied to more Universities. I am happy with my current University, but I only thought about applying to the University of Illinois at the last minute. In summary, I wish that I had considered more paths for my future when I was in high school.

I jog up the stairs to my bedroom in excitement that another day of senior year is over, and college is one day closer. I see a sheet on my desk that was not there when I left for school this morning. It appears to be my handwriting but I don't recall writing it. I read slowly, in shock that I'm reading a letter to myself, the date in the corner reading "March 2009," more than a year into the future. My eyes scan slowly, appreciatively over the advice somehow given to me by --well-- me. "Dear Me, I've done a lot of things right this year, but knowing what I know now, I want you to know in the present you have the power to change the future. Savor your senior year and graduation: You only have one of each. Study hard, study often, and complete all your assignments. Don't take your education for granted. Meet as many people as possible. When you're tired of meeting people, meet some more. Be exactly who you want to be; college is a time of self discovery. Know that your dreams are never out of reach. -Me"

I would tell myself that it's ok to accept failure, there's no way to look at your life as a highschool student and know exactly what your life is going to look like a year, two years or even 5 years from now. Right now you expect that in 5 years you will be an elementary school teacher, and have a husband and a house with a white picket fence. Little do you know how much life can throw at you all at once. Take it from me, I'm 30, married 2 years ago, dropped out of college the first time and have since been working with financial services and finally ready to go after our dream of being one of the top chefs in America. Some times you have to fail, just make sure that you fail forward and keep the lessons that you have learned in life.

The main thing I would tell myself is to be more open minded on all topics. I judged people very quickly my first year of college and I feel I may have missed out on some experiences. I had already made up my mind that all athletes and fraternity and sorority members were not people I wanted to be associated with. Not everyone is the same and should not be judged for a group of which they are a member. I also felt I needed to choose a major right away, I ended up changing my major several times and will now be graduating a year late. Once in college you are exposed to more people and classes and views, your own views my also change. You will grow and change and there shouldn't be a rush to decide on your future career. The first semester or even year is a time for exploration, take a chance and try new things.

College is one of the best opportunities there is to make memories. No matter what life throws at you, there will always be someone in the same shoes as you or even worse. Don't be scared to be different than the people around you and never settle for someone less than you are. There are way too many people and experiences waiting to be met to accept something that you are not satisfied with. It's not highschool anymore so don't be afraid to make a change and take a risk, because there is no more halls to be walked down and stared at. Anything that you have done in the past is now erased, so be who you want to be because this is the one time in life you are guaranteed a second chance. No matter the temptations don't forget that school is for work, but DONT get too stressed and forget to smile. Once you stop believing in yourself is when failures start to occur. If there's one thing I want you to get out of this is that there are only a few things in life worth fearing, so take a risk.

I would tell myself, don't just go to college to make others happy, go to better yourself for yourself. Make sure you going for what you want to do as a career, not what makes good money. Then no matter what it is you do you will know it's something you love and will enjoy having to work everyday.

High school is very slow-paced compared to that of college life. In high school I had a lot of free time on my hands. Once I entered my first semester at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I felt as though I had even more free time with an hour, sometimes more, between each class or not having that class until later in the week. To my surprise, at the end of first semester, I realized that those hours between classes and days between the next time your class meets, are very precious. In the hour between one class and another you can get an assignment done, maybe even two, rather than sitting at your computer or napping. Time management is everything! Those one hour naps where you could have been doing work would have saved you an all-nighter later in the night. I feel very strongly about this. I wish I would have realized this before first semester was over. Best of luck to all future and prospective students!

Home to 40,000 students and 2 cities, the University of Illinois is a huge place. If I could talk to my senior self, I would educate myself on how to navigate around the giant campus. I may be a number calculating, graph reading math major, but I have never been able to read a map or calculate distances. My first harship of college all revolved around this idea and my mistake of coming to college oblivious to my surroundings. On my first day of classes, I paid for this. I left for my first class 10 minutes before, not knowing how long traveling would actually take. I spent tens of minutes lost, walking aimlessly. I wound up being 30 minutes late to a small discussion class with a peculiar professor. He was so odd he took out a nerf gun and pelted me in the face singing "You're late, you're late!". One bruised chin and a histerical class later, I vowed I would learn the campus and never be late again. If I could have told myself anything, it would be a lecture on where everyting is on campus, so I could have avoided this embarrassing occurence.