Eastern Oregon University Top Questions

If i knew then what I know now, I would tell myself to be more open to new experiences and 'not sweat the small stuff'. There are more people at school who feel the same as me, and we can help each other through the tougher times.

Do not procrastinate.

To my high school self, college is an amazing opportunity for you to grow as an individual and learn the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill your dream. While in college you will embark on understanding your field of study along with truly understanding what you really want in life. Your friends and instructors are your dearest mentors who only want the best for your life and know that you will accomplish everything that you set your mind too. Understand that in order to reach your goals and dreams in your life, requires your dedication and self-learning, with these skills lying within you, everything will work out for your greater good. While for now college may be scary to take on, know that you have the ability to successfully finish your education to help make a difference in the world in the future. My last advice to you would be to always follow your heart, for it has gotten you this far in life and it is not about to fail you now, as you journey to discover your talent, skills and who you were really meant to be.

College life is hard and continue on this path until you reach your goals, no matter how far away it seems. It will be the first time you are away from home, family and friends. Do not take this time for granted though. It is a time to get to know yourself and find new friends that may last a lifetime. Enjoy your time now and work hard towards your goal. It is not easy but it will be worth it in the end. The skills and education you learn now will benefit you greatly in the future. You may not see it now but what you do now will greatly impact everything in your life. Focus on school and no so much on all the distractions. There will be time for that later on. What you put in right now will give your greater returns in your career and personal life.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to be more confident. In high school I was very studious, was a varsity athlete, but I doubted myself a lot and I missed out on a lot of great opportunities. I wish I would have been more involved with school activities. Also, I was pretty self conscious of myself. An example was that I loved art but I was often ridiculed by others. They made me feel small and it led me to give up on art for a while. I wish I would have stood up for myself more in my past and put those negative words aside. A conversation with myself on being more confident would have saved an immense amount of pain. Today I am very confident in myself, I would loved to have given myself the advice to be more confident however, I truly believe it made me so much stronger as an individual and I would not be the man I am today with out that hardship in my past.

Anything that you put your mind to is possible. There are no barriers to stand in your way as long as you put your effort into it and know that you are wanting to better yourself and at the same time help others later on with the education acquired. Pursue your goals and don't give up. Stay perseverant in what you believe is the right thing to do so that you accomplish you task. When you are half way there remember that the glass is half full and not half empty. So that you don't get discouraged about your goal being to far from you because when you finally reach that goal you will know that all your efforts towards it was for a reason and that reason was to accomplish what you set out to accomplish.

College is expensive. Simple as that. College is a really big investment so be prepared. At times, the money is what will stress you out the most and the schooling will be the easy part. Going home will not be something that can always happen because it is just so expensive to fly to Hawai'i during the holidays. Apply for the FASFA as early as possible and get as much scholarships as you can, because taking out an $18,000 loan should not be an option. Enjoy this experience because it truly is something that really helps you grow as a person and makes your family extremely proud that you're here.

In my first year of high school I thought I knew what I wanted going to go into once I graduated. However, that changed much more than I had anticipated. I went from wanting to be a forensic scientist, to having an interest in dentistry, then a curiosity in interior design. During my senior year, with the graduation date coming faster than I was expecting, I began second guessing what I wanted to have as a career. This brought on so much confusion and stress before entering college. The advice I would give myself would be to not worry so much. If you don’t know what you want to do, there's no need to cause yourself trouble over it. College is a place for you to find yourself and experience your life outside of the hallways and repetitive curriculum of high school. It is your place to explore and to discover. In realizing this, you can find your true self. If you follow your intuition, then old interests may reappear or entirely new ones could rise. In my case, prior interests reemerged and I now aspire to have a dentistry career with design on the side.

Have faith in yourself. You are cabable of more than you can possibly conceive now, but you need to learn to trust in yourself. Try to enjoy the small moments, because it is all going to fly by and you'll wonder where the time went while you were so focused on preparing for the next step. Enjoy those in between stages and embrace the unexpected. Everything is going to work out, so stop stressing about things out of your control and enjoy the time you have with the people you meet. Above all, believe in yourself and what you can accomplish. Also, do not eat fruit in coolers at parties, you'll see what I mean when you get there.

Make the best out of yourself during High School, because it counts more then you could ever imagine. Hard work in High school makes for a smoother, easier, and less stressful transfer to college. College is a huge reality check and causes many tears of frustration and disappointment. Things are much harder once you get to college. The teachers do not hold your hand through every hard obstacle that you face and you are completely responsible for everything you do at that point. If you mess up, you not only have to re-take those classes, but you have to pay for that mess up still, without a redo button that gives you a second chance. That second chance is going to be pricey and will take lots of hard work. You have devote yourself completely to your education and realize it's time to put on your big girl panties and step up and be a responsible adult and make something of yourself! Make yourself become a relaible and professional adult that can contribute to society in a positive way and make a good salary at the same. Enjoy your time in college; you don't get many chances.

Dear Bonnie- The fact that you have graudated high school despite the challenges you faced was a miracle. But, me your college self has some more information for you. You need to take a step back and realize, you might not of been ready for the shock of college. Take a year off and explore some of the things you want to try because you do not know what you are truly interested in and what is going to lead to your future. Take some time to travel and live life because you have a lot of hard work ahead of you. Don't expect to have all the answers, because there are challeges ahead of you that you could of never prepared for. Don't stress about this, realize that you need to ask for help and enjoy the journey, you are going to learn a lot and its going to be a bit of a transformation from where you are now to where you are now. And be proud of yourself for every accomplishment you make, you beat yourself up so often that you need to cherish who you are and what you accomplish. Love Me

I would encourage myself to ask for help. It does not mean your wrong or unintelligent when you question the material you are given. Yes, at a certain level the work is similar but it is also difficult. By questioning the material shows you are trying to grasp the concept. That alone shows you are dedicated to learning. Do not be discourage if things do not come as easy to understand as they use to. Your in a new world. Like a child growing up its ok to wonder, be curious and ask questions, explore, find what you like, dislike find yourself. Its not going to be easy. But if you put in as much time and effort as I know you are capable of you will have no problem. You do not have the knowledge of the world. Nor do you need that much information. You know your limits see if you can exceed them. Be you and do not give up because you are not a quitter. You only get determined to work harder not back down. You have your family behind you. Most importantly just believe in yourself.

One word sums it up.....STUDY

So far, I have gotten a lot out of my college experience. EOU is very far away from where I grew up in Montana, so this has really forced me to grow up and take responsibility for my own learning. School is also very expensive, so I have been pushed to fill out scholarship applications and budget my own savings to pay for it. The classes are much more difficult than in high school, so that has taken a lot of getting used to, but I have learned that I can push myself to finish assignments and stay on task. Education is extrememly important, and I'm starting to see that without it, I would not be able to find a career that I actually enjoy. College has definitely made me more mature and aware of finances, the importance of education, and responsibility.

I have learned that college is about the experience rather than just the degree. College prepares the person for lifetime success through deductive reasoning and analysis. I can know understand how solve a problem using different point of views. Additionally, college allows a person to understand and be tolerant to different people. My education and experiences have allowed me to meet and build life lasting relationships with people from many different counties and cultures. When I started college I just wanted to get a degree and make money, but I now understand why employers want people with education. Employers want educated people because they know that college graduates are committed, problem solvers and out of the box analytical thinkers.

My college was a place to be fearless and inquisitive, to challenge dogma and find a voice upon which to build for a lifetime. Rather than a static mass of absolutes, my college was a place of beautiful uncertainty, a microcosm of the world outside where knowledge is an illusion that begs to be disproven. Each time I was sure that I'd had an original thought, a little research revealed otherwise. Each time I was proud of an argument well constructed a better case would unfurl my ignorance. To be humble and comfortable in not knowing, these were the most valuable lessons learned. All is in flux, and school is no different. What seems true today may be farce tomorrow. Eastern Oregon University taught me how to learn not what to learn, and that has made all the difference.

Right out of high school I did not attend college because I was unable to pay the expenses. Instead I got a full time job and struggled to support myself with earning minimum wage. It was at that time I realzed how important a college education was. Now I am currently a freshman at Eastern Oregon University. During this time it is my second week of classes and I am already improving in so many ways. Organization, time management, and study skills are just a few techniques I am learning to work on. College has also showed me a more social lifestyle. Here at EOU the staff offers may opportunities to become involved in different activities. With all of the skills I am gaining at EOU I know they are all something that I can take with me for the rest of my life and use each and everyday. And for that I need to thank EOU for what they already instilled in me.

I have recieved an eye opener from attending college because it has shown me that besides a degree aiding that may help me in finding a better career that I will enjoy, it has given me a wider and more in-depth understanding of being an educated intellectual. I have learned that just the most basics of the courses, can help in leading more productive and happy lives outside of your career. Until two years ago, I never wanted to attend a college. I not only felt inaddequet, but not goos enough myself to even be able to understand the teachings of a college. Going to college has given me, not necessarily a second chance, but a better chance to lead a life I will enjoy and be proud to live.

Don't be so concerned with identifying a major; just jump in and take your core classes to get you on track. Throw in some appealing electives, to explore your interests. After a few years, and completion of your basic requirements, begin focusing in on what you like to do and turn that into a major. I would also advise new students to really investigate possible college choices and not limit thier choices to what is local. They should survey several sites before making a decision.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would remind myself that the transition to college is much more than expected in every way. I would tell myself to consider more colleges and not only talk to the faculty at those colleges but students that are currently there. Also I would take a vacation away from my family for a week or two to determine how I felt being far away from them. Knowing what I know now, college classes are much different than high school classes. In order to get good grades, the main thing is to go to class; if you go to class then you are usually guarantee a passing grade. Never procrasinate, talk with your advisor regularly to make sure you are on track, and meet with your professors so that they remember you making sure you sit in the front of their class.