University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

If I were to go back in time, I don't think that I would tell myself to do anything differently. I am completely satisfied with my school and love everything about it. The only thing that I constantly worry about is how I am going to pay for each semester. That being said, I guess I would tell myself to pick up more hours at my job. Other than that, I feel as though I have made great decisions and could not be at a better university.

I would tell myself to create a clear plan on what I want to achieve in college. I would tell myself to list my goals as well list my weaknesses, so that before college I could work on them.

I know you hate them, but participate in the icebreakers. Make a real effort. Be genuine. Be nice. These people, your roommates and your classmates, don’t know you. The girl to your left hasn’t been in your homeroom for years, and the boy to your right isn’t your ex-best friend’s ex-boyfriend. Nothing relates you to them but your common interests. Don’t let that scare you! It should excite you! They may not know your sense of humor, your quirks, or your history, but that is okay. Give them time to get to know you, and try (really try) to get to know them. You aren’t obligated to be these peoples friend, you can choose who you get closer too. This isn’t high school. Be thankful for that. You may have had 10 friends to walk from class to class with, and always knew someone at lunch, but you have 30,000 new friends to choose from, enjoy.

Asia, when you get to college, please remember how important it is to stay strong and focus. So many things will be thrown your way that will heavily impact you in both an emotional and mental way but you can deal with it! Please don't forget who you are or where you came from because everything you've been doing up until this point has been prepartion for this journey you're about to embark on. Situations may get hard, but you will never be alone. God and your family are the best support system a person could ask for. Be patinet. You may not excell in all areas as you have in the past, but you can still achieve your goals. You may stumble on the way to your destination, but don't beat yourself up. Failure is a mindset by which you are not plagued. You know that every "mistake" is a learning experience that will give you exactly what is needed to pave your way to the top. Be fearless. Be outgoing. Be the strong, determined girl you've been all along. And, above all else, rememeber, prater works.

I would advise myself to take as many classes as I could and finish early. iwould also advse myself to go straight into a graduate level program instead of working first.

As a high school senior, my head was filled with the supposedly simple concept “this or that”. This university or that university. This program or that program. This financial aid package or that one. I never imagined for weighing options to be so difficult. On May 1st, I made the decision to attend the school I loved instead of the one that offered better financial aid. In every moment of the months to follow, I was constantly thinking about whether I made the right decision. Looking back at my freshman year, the uncertainty regarding my college decision led me to get caught up in formal matters such as repaying my student loans and earning the best grades possible to keep my scholarship. Attending college is an honorable experience and a route to fulfilling your dreams. Every day on campus is a day full of opportunities to make new friends, interact with professors, and most importantly, to learn. I would advise my high school self to trust my decision and enjoy every privileged moment I have as a college student. I would tell a high school student, “leave your apprehension about college at home, trust yourself and everything will be fine”.

First of all, how amazing would that be if I could travel back in time? I would say pretty amazing, right? Anyway, back to the topic of discussion. What would my advice be to my high school self if I could go back in time? I would say just be bold; embrace everything that is college. Make sure you take a couple weeks to get adjusted, and then make new memories for yourself with new people as much as you can. Do things you have always wanted to do, see things you have always wanted to see. This would be my advice, because during my freshman year I was very conservative and focused completely on my academics. I was smart and saved money on books. I was independent in high school so living on my own was not as bad of a change as I thought. Now academics should always be your focus in college but that is not everything college is about. College is about the whole experience of going in uncharted territory, stepping up to the challenge and coming out on top.

During my first year of college I contemplated high school a myriad of times. Although college was an amazing new experience of being completely responsible and independent I always thought about what I could have done better to prepare for college. If I could go back to my high school self the first thing I would tell myself or rather beat into my head about would be to take those AP tests seriously! If I would have gotten passing scores I could have saved tons of money on the various introductory courses that felt more like a repeat of the AP classes than furthering my education. I would also tell my high school self that picking a college that is just far enough from distractions will help make you more focused academically as well as more sociable to enable you to make new friends faster. I think the last most important thing that I would tell myself would be to start saving money or working a job while you have it easier because once you are in college you want to focus solely on your studies to succeed. College is hard but definitely worth it for the experience.

If I could go back and advise my high school senior self about college life it would have to be over coffee for it would take all afternoon. As a twenty-eight year old college sophomore with seven years of volunteer and non-profit experience working in the worst of Philadelphia's public schools, I would tell my former self not to go directly into college after high school graduation. "If you do that - you will find that you're just not ready for college yet. You won't take it seriously because you take yourself too seriously. You need to see the world outside of tiny town, Maine and realize that you are capable of doing so much more with your life than what you think right now. If you go right to school next year - you will end up dropping out after a year with more student debt than it was worth," I would say. I'm sure former me would have questions so I'd have to explain how experiential and service learning is the key to my success - and that college will still be waiting for me when I'm ready for it.

I would tell "my high school self" that somehow, some way, everything works out (at the end of the day) and in quite a remarkable way! I would also remind myself not to "sweat" the small stuff and to never lose sight of the "Big Picture" and that although it's insanely overused, life (INCLUDING your high school life), is truly all about this most incredible "journey" we all have the fortune of going through and the invaluable life lessons (both good and bad) to be learned during this rather extraordinary "voyage!" In this regard, no "step" can be viewed as a "mistep," so live EACH and EVERY day to the fullest!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, my advice would focus on financial aid. First, I would tell high school senior self to start applying to every scholarship for which I am eligible. I would tell myself that as a college student, you can always use some more spending money. I'd also advise that extra scholarships would save my family money that we'd need the following year when funding for certain need-based aid gets cut. I would also say that the transition into college is incredible and it's great to relax once I'm there, but I should do more than just go to class during the first week of school; I need to apply for a work-study job. I'd tell myself to attend the first work-study info session and start applying for on-campus jobs immediately thereafter, if not before I even go to the session. What I didn't realize the first time around is that campus jobs go quickly, and if I don't start the search as soon as I get there, I'll miss out on work study money.

Please take the SAT’s seriously. If you can be in CollegeBound or SAT prep programs do it! Study instead of having alot of social activity. Become a part of a student organization that can help you gain access to scholarship and post-secondary networking opportunities. If you can develop a mentoring style relationship with any teachers or advisors at the high school you should cultivate that as best as you can. Please apply for as many scholarships as possible, that is so crucial. Please understand the way the FAFSA works and where you fall with regard to “need-based” eligibility and Merit based scholarships. Your GPA is not everything but it does count against you at the wrong times and will exclude you from a lot if you don’t take it seriously. It is good to be sociable and have friends but don’t feel bad if you don’t stay in contact with them after graduation. Only invest into them what they are willing to invest into you. Having a romantic relationship can be fun but don’t be with someone who doesn’t want to help you achieve your goals and encourage them to achieve theirs.

Dear High-School Self, Relax; everything will be okay. The college application process is difficult, but don't get so caught up in it that you are not living in the moment. Remember where you are right now: You are a high-school senior. You are strong and capable. You have been through so much in your life already, but you have so much more yet to discover and experience. College is the next step in this journey. Live in the moment; be present. Put yourself first, but don't get so caught up in yourself that you forget those around you. Care about others and see things from their perspective. But don't care too much that you neglect your own needs. Assert yourself. You are valuable. Above all never forget that everyone is worthy. We have all made mistakes, done things we regret. We may be as diverse as the fall leaves that fall outside your window as you fill out those lengthy applications, but we are not so different. Remember that. Love, Your Best Friend, Your Partner in Crime: Your Future Self

I wish I could have the opportunity to go back in time and talk with myself as a high school senior. Life would have been easier for me. I would have excelled compared to that I encountered in college. I would have advised myself to be more industrious in my academics, to be focused, to be hard hardworking, to learn various skills and to be with a good spirit. I have wasted a lot of time during my high school days. I partied almost every weekend, went after friends, skipped classes, forgot to study, and failed to use available recourses. Each time I think of these, I feel very remorse; If I had known. I would have planned my life better because I now have limited skills, I didn't develop my brain power. It is advisable to make hay when the sun shines. Do not procrastinate, study hard , be involved in activities, meet good people, ask questions from professors, do well on exams, get textbooks needed for every class , and read textbooks for every class. I would always wish it is possible to go back in time but time spent can never be regained. It's a pity!

My high school senior self didn't understand the beauty of a good, solid education. Going into my freshman year at the University of Maryland I was ready to join a sorority, club running team, attend all of the best parties on campus, and show up to my classes. I mean, you just have to pass to get your degree, and that's all that matters right? Wrong. This mindset is completely flipped from the one I have now, but I didn't change until about half way through my first semester of freshman year. First semester I pulled out a decent GPA but didn't get much substance from my classes. Second semester I really focused on understanding the content and I fell in love with science. The advice I would give myself, and anyone else who is going into their freshman year of college, might sound cliche but it is definitley something that needs to be headed; don't focus just on your social life, enjoy school. It's cool to be a "nerd" persay, and it pays off in the long run when you have a job that you are truly passionate about. Focus on your studies.

First, I would place more emphasis on the courses research for my prospective school. Knowing what major was back then, I would stress the need to visit the main website and get info on all of it's classes. Finding out all the courses would have given me more of an edge than I did when I first signed up for them. Second, I should definitely check on all of friends who would be attending the same school as me, and make it a priority to try and get a room assignment with them. College Life can always go smoother when you're rooming with a person that you know, since I decided to live on campus. Third, I would learn about all the clubs I would be interested in before the official first day. It would be beneficial to be involved in them as quickly as possible and it helps to acclamate yourself to the school environment.

I would tell myself these exact words..."I am going into my senior year at the University of Maryland to obtain a bachelor's degree in Psychology. I wish I knew before I came to this school how fast the experience was going to be, and how important it is to try as many different activites and classes before deciding what major to focus on, your major is not as important as gaining experience in different environments, meeting new people and building relationships, having fun and learning to work hard while having alot of freedom. Focus hard in your labs and dont miss classes. There will be plenty of time to hang out with friends and extracurricular activities. Dont ever drink alcohol the day before a big test, and for heaven's sake, do your assignments when you get them dont wait til the day they are due!!! Good luck and dont go out with any girl's named Stacy."

If I could advise myself four years ago, I would tell myself that every class is important to your development as a student and a person. My experiences in the professional world through job opportunities and internships have shown me that my academic classes will benefit me in my career aspirations. By realizing this connection, I would be more motivated to truly understand the concepts and lessons that my professors taught me. I would also advise myself that although there are many opportunities available, it is unnecessary to take them all. I initially had the problem of trying to join every club or organization that I found interesting, however over the course of the semester, I began to fall behind in my studies. By learning to time manage better, I would be able to enjoy my time more efficiently, and not be overwhelmed with everything I was trying to do. If I had previously applied this knowledge, I would be in better position in my education and life by being closer to achieving my goals. Even though I cannot change the past, I can still apply these insights to my current and future endeavors.

Reflecting on my years as a college student I can't help but think about my expectations as a incoming student and the realities I discovered. Often the last year of high school turns into a robotic process of fulfilling both college applications and the standard senior social requirements. We follow the advice of our friends, family, mentors and alumni in hopes of making the transition between high school and college easier. Many times the advice we are given becomes repetitive and automatic - choose your major, stay out of trouble, try to complete everything in four years, plan ahead- so much so that we develop a lack of understanding of the true realities of the opportunity college provides. There are few 18 year old students that have truly figured out their academic plans and passions. I thought I was one of those few 18 year olds. I wouldn't have believed anyone who told me I would stray away from science to enjoy art history or that I would be interested in electronic literature. My advice to myself as a high school senior would be to expect the unexpected and never assume you know who yourself. Explore and learn!

How does a heart grow fonder towards loved ones? I wish I would have known to never take for granted the love for the ones around me, especially my parents. Parents provide love unconditionally; something I never quite understood. This love weighs heavy on my mother, and as a stay-at-home mom, she is the most selfless person I know. During my senior year, she fell ill to Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a debilitating skin disease. She chose to refuse hospital aid insisting that it was her most important duty to take care of our family. I desperately wanted her to get better, and with her blistered body, she forced herself to continue taking care of the family as if that was more important than her health. This decision angered me and something had to be done. Transitioning to college life, I have to think on my own. I realized that it is pointless to criticize her decision because I was holding an unhealthy grudge. I have to appreciate her devotion through my love because my mother made this decision to love me unconditionally. The period of distance between us helped me to cherish her presence as a dedicated mother.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that this is your opportunity to be who you have always wanted to be. This is a new beginning that requires you to shed all your old fears and conceptions about who you think you are in favor of optimism and confidence in the person that you know you can become. You should understand that whatever change will only ever come from within. College isn't going to make you into the person you want to be, only you can do that. That being said, being in a new place with new people gives you a great opportunity to reinvent yourself or ideally, bloom into the person you've always been but have been afraid to express. I know that maybe you weren't the coolest guy in high school but no one here knows that. They only see what you show them, so it is important to show them and more importantly, to show yourself that you are comfortable taking risks. When it's all over, you will regret the things you didn't do, not what you did.

Knowing what I know aboout college life, I would tell myself first, practice different study methods and find something that works. During my first year it took me awhile to find an effective way to study as well as where to study; so make sure you go to a library. I would also tell my high school self to talk to more people instead of the same group of friends; college is all about meeting people and you have to be comfortable talking to people from different backgrounds and regions. Antother piece of advice I would give is to joind as many clubs and organizations as possible that even remotely interest you. That way you can go to a few meetigns and see what you truly enjoy. It is a great way to meet people who have the same interest as you. And finally I would tell myself to stay true to who you are and stick to your morals, but have fun and enjoy the time you have at an amazing school.

College is definitely a wonderful experience that I believe every individual should live through. Not only does it bring many lifelong friends and different opportunities, but it also helps us to evolve as individuals by strengthening our ability to be responsible and independent. If I could talk to myself as a college senior I would definitely remind myself the reason I am going to college. Many people have all these goals they want to achieve but allow the freedom that college brings to distract them and interfere with the primary reason they went to college. Secondly, I would inform myself that college is all about balance and priority. As long as students are able to balance their school work and their social life then everything will fall into place. College is not just about having fun, we are paying all this money to obtain a degree and create a job opportunity. In order to accomplish that goal we must understand that we cannot take part in every social event that takes place. College is about prioritizing our needs over our wants. In addition, we must take part in campus events to become more involve with the community and other students.

Being 4 years removed from high school and in the college/real world has taught me some things I did not know. The biggest thing it has taught me is to be more decisive in all choices I would have to make. Throughout the beginning of my college career, I was unsure of what I wanted for a career. I decided I wanted to get away from home and attend East Carolina University, and from there I would decide on my future. I stayed undecided at ECU and eventually came back home after a year of school. Then I decided I wanted to try to pursue an engineering degree. I attended community college part-time while working for the Government as an intern to help pay for school, bills, etc. After transferring to the University of Maryland last year and getting into the engineering school I am finally seeing my dreams of becoming an engineering coming true. My indecisiveness has taken me through 4 years of not being confident my decision making when it comes to school until this point. This is why I would advise my high school self to be more decisive when it comes to college choices.

“Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.” -Danny Kaye College is not high school. I cannot emphasis that enough - it is a world of difference, and you better get ready. Every freshman is thrust into an environment that's entirely new for them, and you'll all be just a little bit lost. College is when you're given a chance to find out who you are: what you want in life, what your goals are, who you'll become. So, explore! Keep your dorm open, and make friends with everyone you meet. If you see a club you're interested in, go out and join it. Find events, go to parties, laugh until you hurt, dance until you can't, and take every opportunity you can to learn more about yourself. College is an amazing opportunity, and you better seize this adventure with everything you've got. Trust me and relax, you're going to love it here.

Don't be afraid. There is a great adventure ahead of us. College is a place where we can truly touch our dreams and passions, it is a place where we will discover the power of friendship and team works. College is a very different school, no teacher will keep reminds us to study for our exams, and no parents will command us to wash the dishes or to clean up our room—because at college, we became the ones that reminds ourselves to study. By doing our laundry, washing our dishes, cooking our food, and budging our finances, we became our own “parent”. We are the ones that need to take care of ourselves. Don’t worry, that only means, we had finally grown up, and we are getting ready for the real world. In College we will learn a lot from lectures, and a lot from outside of classroom. However, for most of the time, we had to decide what we hear is the truth, and make sure we have choice the right thing to do. We will start to learn how to listen with our heart and making the right decisions with our mind.

As a high school senior I was a little cocky (to put it mildly). I knew I still had a few things to learn, but for the most part I thought that I had life figured out. I felt I was way ahead of everyone else when it came to life experiences, that college would not be a huge revelation. I was wrong, and it only took one year of college to make me realize that hard fact. Upon coming to College Park I soon found out what it was like to live independently; the true responsibilities that you have to take on and the hard choices you have to make. Balancing academics, work, volunteer service, social life, and "adult stuff" like health care and tax forms made me realize that I knew a lot less than I thought I did. So if I could go back to myself as I high school senior, I would try to convince myself that I am nowhere near as mature as I think. I would rattle off examples like the ones above and see if I could change his cocky attitude (a slap to the back of the head would probably help too).

The advice that I would give myself would be to actually read as much as possible. I realized that the more you read, you become a faster reader and you develop a bigger and stronger vocabulary. While reading take notes, so you can look back at them later and remember what you just read about. Another piece of advice would be not to judge things right away. Don't ignore an idea too early just because you get a bad impression from it. Just because something seems bad at first, does not mean it is bad. I would also force myself to actually join clubs. Clubs are not just important for colleges to see, they provide new experiences and help you grow as a teenager. You will also meet new people that you would have never thought that you would have similar things in common. My last and finally piece of advice would be to not get involved in the drama. During my senior year I got involved in the drama with prom and other things way too much and it distracted me from my academics. So I would tell myself to ignore the drama and turn the other way.

Bravery. This might not be something that you considered as being a part of your transition into college but it most certainly is. As cliche as you think it may sound, this truly is the beginning of a new chapter of your life. While going to college may seem like a standard part of what people your age are doing right now that does not mean that it will be easy. Go into this experience knowing that. Allow yourself to remain conscious that you are putting yourself outside of your comfort zone and embrace this. This will be one of the best times in your life to indulge in new things that interest you and to develop relationships that will last forever. Use these experiences along with the knowledge you gain in your classes to help you understand what it is that drives you. Trust me, doing so will make answering "what do you want to do when you grow up?" much easier. Go easy on yourself, it will enable you to truly be present for the things you will miss after leaving this campus. You will discover so many things here, congratulations on taking the first step.

Congratulations! You are almost there! As you are getting excited and preparing for the big move into college life, here are two very important tips from yourself after experiencing the first year. First and foremost, do not be afraid to get out there and meet new people. The campus may seem huge and you do not know anyone, but every other freshman is in the same position as you. Go to events and games and clubs meetings. You will be surprised how welcoming people are and it is the best way to meet people. Also, hang out in the lounge or common area and you will meet just about everyone in your dorm. Now, it may seem like a myth in the beginning, but the freshman fifteen is a real things. The dining hall at first glance seems perfect, because it has all of your favorite calorie heavy foods. Those foods are okay every now and then. Become close friends with the salad bar and step out of your comfort zone and go to those group fitness classes. Start off the right way and you will not have to spend your next summer getting rid of those freshmen fifteen.

Be brave. Never let anyone tell you can't do something. Speak up in class and have an opinion. Your voice matter! Have a plan after your first year to keep your loan amount down. Appeal financial aid if you can. Don't ever, ever get a tattoo... you'll eventually regret it. Study hard and commit yourself to your studies. Don't procrastinate! If you have time, get it out of the way! Avoid the PC and get a MAC. Always know that it'll work out. Your professors are your allies. Love yourself and respect your body.

My growth as an individual has been exponential since my graduation from high school. However during my senior year I believed that I had done all the growing I needed in order to be successful. Unfortunately, I was wrong. At this moment there is only one thing I would advise myself in my senior year- if you can manage to find a proper balance, then nothing you will encounter in college will be too steep. Thus a proper balance of one's studies, social life, family, sport, etc is key. Without it one thing may receive more attention than other deserving portions of your life. For example, if I devote all my time to my studies, I will lack in my social life leaving me no friends to fall back on. On the contrary, if I procrastinate from doing my work to party then I am wasting the opportunity that I have been given for higher education. Therefore, a proper balance of all your responsibilities will allow for an even allocation of your time, and ultimately a happier college experience.

“Wake up Daniel! High school, as you most certainly know, was a joke. You did not need to ask for help because everything you needed was handed to you along with the answers. College is a different story; you cannot do everything on your own. Some days you will be sitting down for hours trying to figure out one physics’ problem. Why? Because high school has made you into a stubborn idiot. Understand now that instead of spending hours on one problem, you could go to a tutoring session and spend one hour on five problems. Stress will seem nonexistent in your college life if you seek that help early, and college will become a fun and enjoyable experience from the start. You are smart and determined to succeed in your education, so do not allow such easy access to help slip by you. Lastly, College Park, your future school, has already taken your money, so make them work for it. Utilize their helping resources, and your set for having a calm and relaxing college life.”

Dude, the decision to go to your flagship in-state university 45 minutes from home is the best decision you are going to make this year. 45 minutes is not too close, you won't have to deal with your parents-at all- if you don't want to- but you can totally bring your friends home for a delicious dinner before lasertag. Join all the clubs. UMD has an event called the first look fair in the fall where all the clubs and organizations recruit. Look for the gems. Do as much homework for all of your classes with people in your classes. When one of you gets inevitably stuck, they will be invaluable. 8 and 9 am classes suck, but it is really nice to be done for the day in the early afternoon. Minimize gaps in your scedule. Read the textbooks and look online for study help- make sure you are actually learning the information. Remember- all of your classes matter- even if you don't like them. But, most importantly, relax, college is going to be a wild and great ride!

"It's June" I have time, I thought. July.. August.. September, time flew. Before I knew it, college application deadlines were approaching. Little did I know about the process and let alone which colleges I wanted to apply to. Mistake #1: Procrastination. It is known as the root to all trouble, but the truth is, most people proacrastinate because they may be uncertain about how to complete a task or may dread doing so. When really, if you just do it and seek help, the task will seem less daunting and will save you loads of stress later on. #2. Resarch, Ask, Ponder, Probe: This is the time to try to figure out what it is that you enjoy doing, your likes, dislikes, interests, etc. Take this time to Job Shaddow, meet with Professionals etc, so that you may enter college with some sort of direction. Good Luck and enjoy your Senior Year in High School!

The most important piece of advice I could give to any high school senior would be to move past any fear and be prepared for any experience you come across. Embrace the new environment and face any difficulties head on. It may feel strange to interact with new people, and going to classes or joining clubs will be intimidating. However, I have found that the only way to truly embrace everything college has to offer is to dive right in and not worry about your uncertainties. Once I learned this lesson, I finally made some great friends and learned so many new things in my classes. I know it is difficult to stop worrying about what people will think of you, but college is a much different place than high school. People are open and accepting, and it is an environment that is ideal for people who want to thrive and succeed.

Dearest me at Seventeen, I know you think you've got it all figured out, but there are some important things you need to hear from me (your future self). I know that High School is fun and you want to make the most of the 'best years of your life'. Im here to tell you that there are far better days ahead for you if you are willing to do what it takes to get there. Friends and boyfriends will come and go, but your education is something that will follow you throughout your life and guide you down the path to success. It may be entertaining to laugh at your Math teacher's rediculous hairstyle and outfits, but that will not help you learn the Pythagarean Theorem! When your teachers ramble, listen! When you have the choice between going to that party or revizing that English paper, choose the paper. Make the grades to get to where you want to be in your life. When you go to your part-time job at Subway and come home with empty pockets, consider your future (me) and where you want to be, after seventeen. Sincerely, your hopeful future self

First and foremost, I would tell myself to be careful of the group of friends I choose to associate with. My mother would always tell me to be aware of my group of friends and it would go in one ear and out the other. However, it wasn’t until freshman year of college that I realized some of my “friends” were not good influences. Next, I would tell myself to take as many honors and AP level courses as I can in order to knock out some of the prerequisite classes for college. Even though I took a good amount of AP level classes, I certainly could have taken more. Furthermore, I would tell myself to not worry about campus housing because I will be able to find a few roommates and live in an off-campus apartment. These are the main points I would note to myself if I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior.

The day before applying to school, I would tell myself to apply to as many scholarships that you can. It's great that your parents are taking a loan out, but it would be best to apply for scholarships to pay for school. Then second that I would tell myself is not to limit your self to just one school. Apply to the best and take a risk. There is nothing to loose if you put yourself out there. The final advice would be to join a campus organization. It's always goog to be a part of organzation that will help you when you transition out of school.

Sarah, you are much smarter than you think you are, and you tend to sell yourself short. I know highschool is not the greatest time for you right now, and you feel very much alone, but it gets better. College will give you more independence, and you will find yourself making huge life decisions about your future. Your social life will flourish with new friends with whom you share similar interests. You are going to find out you have many talents to put to good use, such as your amazing memorization skills. Your confidence will continue to rise, with time. I understand more than anyone the struggles you are going through right now, especially with home life, but they are making you so much more determined and assertive than you ever thought you could be. In college, you don't have to fit in. You are your own person. And as badly as it hurts right now to be an outcast, know that you are worthy, and you will accomplish great things, with many more obstacles to come.

I would tell myself to always stay focus and never fall off track. College isnt as easy as everyone said it is but as long as you stay motivated and determined you can succed any any thing you do. College is alot different for High School. Stay ahead and focus on completing school and you can be top of your class.

After I finished college I realized that the career I had always envisioned myself in was not for me. If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I tell myself to look into as many majors as possible. There were many careers I did not know about that I might have been interested. I now know that I had only been exposed to a handful of careers growing up. When I entered college I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do and there was no reason to investigate other fields. I wish I had taken the time to go to the career office more often and considered other options. There are so many possibilities why limit yourself at the beginning of your college experience. After college I was unable to get a job in my field. I wish there had been more resources to aid in job placement. I would tell myself to remember that the goal is to begin a career so you need to work on a long term plan as well as your coursework. I would encourage myself to go to job fairs and talk with counselors about the opportunities after college.

"Be thankful you are going to community college first." I would tell my high school self that because I wanted to go straight to a university after graduating high school. Unfortunately, that was not the plan. My plan A was to go to the University of Maryland, instead I did not get accepted into Maryland and I did not get accepted to any of the schools I applied to. I want my high school self to know that even though plan A did not go through, the next four years will be life changing. Just because I was going to a community college, that did not mean I would stay there forever. To my high school self, use your time at Montgomery College to create your Plan B because you will apply to those schools again, but this time you will get into all of them. After, once you enter Maryland, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of opportunities that Maryland has to offer. Knowing what you want will make your transition easier and apply for more scholarships! It won’t be as easy as the scholarship we won for Montgomery College. Other than that, you will be alright.

"Have some self-control," is what I would tell myself if I could. I feel I learned too much too young and got carried away by college. I made so many mistakes due to stontaneity and a lack of self-control: partying too hard, experimenting too much, spending money I didn't have. Living fast left me with nothing but broken relationships and debt. I feel I've done well finding my way from rock bottom, but I still have a long way to go, and if I could sit down with my high school self I would tell him "Just say no." Like they told us in elementary school, during D.A.R.E., "Just say no." I would probably laugh at me. That, or I would be pretty freaked out by the fact that I am talking to myself face-to-face. Still, it never hurts to try.

Everyone doesnt have to like you. While everyone wants to have fun their senior year, colleges look at your senior transcript as well. I wish I would have focused more on academics in order to receive scholarships and better opportunities. Socializing can wait, Talking can wait, parties can wait. Yes I miss highschool at times, I miss old friends at times, but my college experiences make those memories collect cob webs. Highschool was not the end of the world. Walking across that stage made it simply the beginning. Friends come and go, learn from your experiences, soak it all in, save money and LISTEN. The advice my counselors and teachers gave me are forever embedded in my heart and mind. To this day I use some of the advice, believe in all the moral and values and still use the resources they gave me. Never forget who helped you when no one else would. Never forget where you come from, don't bask in it, but don't forget. I love the college life, just wish I was better prepared. I wont stop until I reach my goal. This scholarship can help me do that. Thank You.

Do not worry too much. It's going to be hard to be away from home, but you can do it. Save yourself the tears you cried over being away from your best friend, even thousands of miles apart you guys will be okay, and she'll call once a week to let you know how much she misses you. Try harder to be friends with your roommate. You may never be best friends, but she'll be more willing to forgive how messy you are if you make the effort. Get to know your floormates, they'll be your family for the next year. Stop being so afraid. It's okay to be away from your friends and family, and no one is judging you as much as you think; believe it or not, most people are too busy worrying about themselves to criticize what you're doing. Push yourself in every way possible: study harder, meet more people, join clubs. Stop caring what other people think, at the end of the day you won't be thinking about them, anyway. Get a job as soon as you can. Don't forget to enjoy every minute of it.

Dear Meenhee, You're currently in high school, ready to go off to college. You think you're smart because you get A's without studying much, but you're actually not smart. You were just lucky during your whole high school life. I'm saying this because I know you will struggle academically when you reach college. Please teach yourself how to study. Please make your academics a higher priority than your social life because you have a chance at social life post college anyway. Also, don't just apply to UMD.... Please apply to multiple schools because you're going to wonder where else you could've been accepted to. Another thing, start working! You will come to a financial struggle during your college years, and your parents will not be able to support you financially. So, start saving up! Finally, this is the most important advice. Don't take any science classes or math classes unless you have to. Please choose computer science as your major because if you don't listen to me now, you'll find that computer science is your passion a little too late in your junior year in college. Love, You

My advice to my high school self would be to take advantage of the opportunities that are given. Even if they seem scary, or risky, or maybe something that you wouldn't like, you'll never know until you try it. College has many opportunities, especially for Freshmen. You need to throw yourself into the college experiences and try many different clubs, activities, and classes. You'll be surprised by some of the things you can end up getting involved in. You will have so much fun when you have an open mind about opportunities. You will get to meet so many interesting people, who can change your life.

There are a few things that I would have loved to know in hindsight. The first is definitely the amount of work and the high expectations I am about to dive into. The transition into college was not the hardest, but I do not think that I was prepared to dive straight into it. If I had known to prepare for college more in advanced, particularly, as a high school senior it would have definitely been beneficial to me. Although, Maryland does its best to transition the high school seniors as easily as possible it is just always helpful to know what you will be jumping into ahead of time. Lastly, I wish that I knew to save more money because the cost of college is very overwhelming at times. I take out loans to pay for college, but knowing the debt I will face when I graduate is crippling. I wish I could go back to my high school self and tell myself to save every extra penny that I get because every little bit of money helps, and that maybe a new dress seems great now but those fifty dollars will help in the end.

Dear Past Sam, There's one thing you need to know in order to make it in college: You are a perfectionist. That's right. You can try to deny it, and I know you will, but you're better off accepting it right now. Yes, yes, I hear you. "Perfectionism" is just a way of unfairly spinning "endlessly hard-working". But be honest with yourself. You work so hard, and when you fail to meet your own unrealistic expectations, you feel ashamed and disappointed with yourself. But no one else is punishing you, are they? It's all you. So what does this mean for how you can make it in college? Give yourself a break! Learn your limits. Know that nothing can ever be truly perfect. Don't kid yourself into thinking that you could do more. Taking your insane standards with you to college will only stress you out leave you disappointed. Instead, ditch 'em. You'll join an improv group your first semester and you'll make best friends that will help you knock the perfectionist out of you. It's for the best and you'll feel freer, believe me. You're great, Future Sam