UC Berkeley / UC Davis College Tour

This past fall I had the opportunity to travel to UC Berkeley and UC Davis with a group of young journalists from Santa Barbara Middle School. They were there to interview college students and uncover the secrets of a successful transition from high school into college. (see their complete interview coverage @ sbmsteenpress.org)


Here are some of the responses college students gave to the questions that were asked... Think of this as some free college advice ...

Q: What helped you with the transition from high school to college? What do you recommend?
A:
Be yourself
Define your own priorities
And above all else..... get connected, and get involved

Q: What do you wish you would have known or done your senior year in high school?
A:

• Don't waste your time just waiting for your senior year to be over.
  
• Use this time to rediscover a long, lost passion, rediscover who you are and really ground yourself in this awareness, explore some creative outlets (photography, yoga, art, blogging, biking) -- there won't be time for creative exploration or much play once you hit college.
• Leadership matters-- make sure your skills continue to evolve
• Good high school friends will stay good friends -- Don't worry!
  

Q: How did you decide to go to UC Berkeley? UC Davis?
A:
I chose my college based as much on heart and gut, as on intellect and image. This is good advice. Your heart and gut always know what is best when it comes to really big decisions. Listen with your heart.

Q: Did you get into your first choice college?
A:
No, I didn't and I was devastated. It really took me down for a while. Even though everyone around me kept telling me, and reassuring me, that in the end it will not matter. What matters is that you find a sense of home and connectedness on your college campus, so that you can relax and really settle in, connect, and learn. We cannot always connect the dots or make sense out of what life gives us looking forward.... only when we look back can we understand that what was given to us was totally meant to be all along.

Q: What's the best piece of advice you can give incoming freshmen?
A:

• It takes time to settle in, so be patient

• Get involved

• Sign up for classes that interest you early on... don't wait

• Call home once a week

• Study first, party second

• Real education exists beyond the classroom's four walls so experience all that you can in the next four or more years

• Plan to travel abroad if you can-- Travel is the best teacher

• Find your own people

• Balance fun with work -- you need both to be happy