Read my latest interview for the “Mental Health Mentoring Series”

Interview #2: Freshman at UC Berkeley with an undecided major, graduate of Gunn High School 2024

Eugene Hsieh

In high school, what was your overall stress or anxiety level from 1-3:  2 - Moderate

In college, what was your overall stress or anxiety level from 1-3: 1 - Low

What contributed to your stress or anxiety in high school? Spending too much time on things I knew I shouldn’t have been spending them on. College applications.

What contributes to your stress or anxiety in college?  Less stress due to non-mandatory attendance, freedom, and increased motivation.

What were your favorite high school activity(ies)?  Swimming

What are your favorite college activity(ies)?  Sports, meeting new people.

How have pressures you faced in high school differ from your experience in college? 

Pressures in high school come from other people expecting you to do things, whether it’s teachers expecting you to do something or parents expecting you to get into a college. In college, most of the pressure is self-inflicted. When you have more freedom to choose what you want to do and go for it, you will put pressure on yourself to succeed.

How have your social relationships changed from high school to college or beyond? 

College is less cliquey. People are more open to talk with each other.

How have your studying habits or approaches changed from high school to college?

In high school, my study habits were terrible, not studying until the last minute and only when necessary, and scrolling on Instagram instead of studying. In college, it became necessary to develop better study habits. I found environments that allowed me to lock in, like the library.

When you are stressed or anxious, what techniques, rituals, or ways do you manage?  

I ask myself why I’m stressed or anxious. There's always an underlying reason, you just may not have found it yet. Once I’ve found the reason, if I can do something about it, I start working towards it. If it’s something I cannot control, I don't worry about it.

What do you think high school students misunderstand or get wrong about college life? 

People are not as different from you than you think. You may think people at top schools are extremely talented or smart, and while some are, most people don’t stand out as extremely smart or talented.

Knowing what you know now, if you were back in high school, what might you do differently? 

I would fix my study habits earlier. I kind of had a notion that I’d fix my study habits once I got to college. That’s not how it works. You may be able to have great study habits the first week of college, but that is due to your newfound motivation. Motivation is guaranteed to fade. Strong habits will stick. Build those habits in high school so you don’t have to struggle with them in college.

What would be your best overall advice to high school students? 

Networking is as important as technical skills. Meet new people and become more social by talking to more people.