University of the Virgin Islands Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself, "self, stop slacking and focus more. You got a lot more years of school coming, don't screw them up. Chemistry is not the right fit for you, change it before you graduate. Don't follow the crowd, do your own thing, live your own life, make decisions that will benefit you in the end, not everyone else. Branch out, make new friends. Go somewhere where you have never been before. Be your own person." When I graduated high school the only thing that was on my mind was leaving for college. I didn't take the time to properly plan everything. I got to the United States and got into so much trouble with paying for school. Went into a major I knew nothing about and then had to leave after finishing my freshman year. Today, I would tell myself to major in something that i know I will enjoy, something that I know I will not fail in, something that I already have a passion for. "Self, major in American Sign Language Interpretation." You'll be great!

The dawn of your future is rising but do not be afraid of what is to come. Relax, calm your thoughts, and don’t forget to breathe. Your life will fall into place as time progresses and do not be afraid to challenge yourself. You are going to surpass your expectations for yourself and you will be successful in all you do. Never forget that you are in control of your future and you are the only one who can change who you are. If you truly want to succeed, you have to change your outlook on life first and you will accomplish that. You are going to have quarrels and disagreements with Mom and Dad about school, but remember that time heals all wounds. You already have an excellent work ethic so rid your mind of anxiety for college. Make sure you get to class on time and do not allow yourself to procrastinate your work as you use to. Independence and freedom are gifts, but do not take them for granted. Stop worrying about what is going to happen and how life is going to occur and appreciate the moments as they come.

As I look back in time, the advice I would give myself would be, Achieving success is not easy, however, success comes by hard work and determination. The only way to succeed is to continue your education by earning a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution. Learn all that you can whether it’s about local history or about other cultures, principles, and values. The University of the Virgin Islands has something for everyone, so continue your education there and remember, the more you learn, the more you grow.

Most importantly I would advise myself that I need to keep up to date with my Math skills. College Mathematics classes have been my downfall even though I tested well and gained the C.ertificate of Initial Mastery in High School. I'd recommend that I take some kind of time management class as well because it's sometimes hard juggling class, home time and free time when you aren't used to it. I think I would also advise myself to spend more time researching the college I would like to attend instead of only my late senior year of high school. I would want to better prepare myself for financial eventualities. I never thought I'd have to go to school on ONLY grant (FASFA) money. Overall I'd just tell myself to be prepared for any potential eventuality.

If I can go back as a high school senior the advice that I would have given myself was to find a scholarship available to aid in the payment of collage and make a saving to aid in emergency situations. I would have also looked for opportunities to complete community service which was not a requirement for my school.

When I began my college education, I lacked focus and I was only attending school because it was expected. It is known to be the continuation of high school hence where my problem began for I was no longer in high school. I thought that everything was set up for me and I could attend school and breeze through my classes. I would graduate with only a Baccalaureate and be fine, what a mistake I made. After two years of satisfactory grades, I had to cease attending school to get a job because I no longer had enough money to attend school. After working very hard for two years at a male dominated brewery, at a salary below the standard minimum wage, I gained a great amount of focus and saw that college could put me in a better career path. I attended two summer programs at other Universities after I managed to pull up my grades and focus on success in my classes. I now see the value in attending college and the reason for continuing my education so that I may one day attain my PhD.

College is is not the same as highschool. Education does not get easier. As you graduate from highschool, prepare yourself to become more responsible because your parents will not be there to make sure you wake up in the morning for class. Sacrifice partying time and study alot more. This is necessary if you want to become successful. It may be difficult to adjust on your freshman year of college, but you will be fine. Just remain persistent and remember that Your college transcript will determine what jobs you will be offered to you when it is time to graduate.

I personally feel that everything happens for a reason, so everything that i have been through during my freshman year thus far happened only to make me stronger. Nonetheless if i could have talked to myself when i was a high school senior I would have told myself that I need to be more serious about all of the scholarships and awards that were being presented. I would have told myself that I needed to try harder on my S.A.T scores and try to obtain as much information as possible about anything relevent to my future before the year ended. But regardless nothing could have gotten me completley ready for the real life college experience, because college is where you find yourself. You find your weaknesses, strengths, alcohol intake level and you also learn who your real friends are. There is one thing that i wish i could have really given myself advice on as a High school senior getting ready for college and thats " TRUST NO ONE".

Take advantage of all the classes and extra curricular activites in high school, they prepare you for college and help you get scholarships a lot easier. the first year of college tends to be hard because the work load is a lot more than high school, but stay focused and you will do just fine.

I would tell myself to buckle down and fill out and apply for more scholarships. Acquire a mentor to help me because I am a first-generation college student. I would try to be more involved in researching majors and where the best place for me to be. Concentrate more on class and home work and get straights A's from high school straight to college. Find an on-campus job sooner and do not take out any loans. Never accept off-campus site provided by the university. Be more involved in social activities and learn how to speak up for yourself. Be more active in classes and get to know your professors better. Be more friendly and open-minded to your classmates. Get help in math and writing. Be kinder to your family. Enjoy life more often and smile more.