Marquette University Top Questions

Entering college is a life transforming experience, but it can be very difficult for some. However, there is no need to loose sleep over the issue. I made the mistake of trying to live two lives. I would plan trips home whenever possible, spending thousands of dollars on airfare, trying to keep life the same at home. I did not want to leave the place I grew up, my family, my friends, and trade it in for the complete unknown. Holding on the past and living in a technological world--calling home as often as possible and texting and skyping my friends from high school daily, I completly wasted the vast majority of my first semester. I missed out on meeting so many amazing people and experiencing the freedom of college. In order to make a smooth transition it is very important to give college a chance. Get involved in something that interests you from the beginning to meet people you have something in common with. College is a chance to be yourself and grow into an adult. Enjoy it because homesickness goes away and things at home don't change as much as one would think.

I would first tell my self to take a deep breath and say that everything is going to be okay. Yeah the real world and college might be very intimidating, but you are so ready for it! You're going to make lifelong friends and get an incredible education at a safe place you can now call home, Marquette. I would tell myself to make sure I make a schedule for myself for when I need to study and do homework, workout, and even just have time for myself (trust me you're going to need it). I think that the most important thing that I would tell myself is to just be myself. College isn't like high school where you have to be like everyone else for people to like you. In fact, in college, it's seen as a great thing to act and live just the way you are. You'll be much happier being yourself than you would be pretending to be one of them. And be confident while doing it! A little confidence and faith in yourself can take you a long way.

Going back in time to give myself advice as a high school senior would be both a blessing and a curse. While I believe that everything in my life has worked out successfully and is meant to be, I feel that there would be one thing I would tell my high school self. I am a Marketing major, and am very happy in the business school at Marquette University. However I also find that I have a passion for history, and would enjoy being a high school history teacher. I would tell my high school self that it is okay to have two passions, and to explore both of them. That it is okay to major in both education and business, that it would not be a difficult transition into both majors if I am determined and love both of them. My high school self figured that college would already be a difficult enough transition, that choosing two majors would be more than I could handle. I feel that if I could go back I would tell myself to choose both majors, and to be fervent and work extremely hard in my studies.

When you go to college, your past doesn’t matter. It is almost as if you are wiping the slate clean and starting a whole new adventure. When you leave to go to college, leave your past behind you. Here, nobody knows your story, and because of this, you can be whoever you want to be. Change your hairstyle, change your attitude, and change your dreams. Your old friends will soon fade and be replaces with new ones who will share smiles, laughs, and even tears with you. You will soon find that the friends you make in college will impact your life so much more in the first few months of college that your high school friends made in your whole lifetime. You will grow with this group of friends and realize that your old life has no affect on the new life you are creating.

Dear self, Don't worry too much about where you are going to end up. You will do great so long as you follow these tips. Reach out and get involved. It may seem daunting, but you will be surprised to see how rewarding it can be. However, don't overextend yourself. The excitement and energy will wear off, and you will no longer be able to function for 20 hours at a time! Find one or two things that you enjoy so much that you feel motivated to give back to. Stick with those activities, put forth your genuine effort and compassion, and be ready to soar towards new heights. Be ready to lock down and work hard. The more work you put in, the better off you will be come finals week! However, most important of all, make sure that you stay in touch with those you care about back home. They will always be there for you, and will push you to make the best of yourself. College is what you make of it. Make it something that you will always look back on with fond memories, a sense of accomplishment, and a full heart.

Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone frequently. There is a well known quote that says, "stepping outside of one's comfort zone is where the magic happens." The more you step outside of your comfort zone, the more you will grow and learn about yourself. You will be amazed. It is always intimidating to try something new, but the magic will come and you will be rewarded for your efforts. Even though each experience will be different, the more you practice embracing new circumstances and situations, the easier it will become. Your high school self is only the beginning of who you are meant to be. With every situation you are presented, there is an opportunity to perfect who you are. You will encounter new challenges which will provide you with opportunities to grow, build on your strengths, and become a better version of yourself. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and embrace life's challenges to become the best that you can be.

I had always thought I was completely prepared for college, however, I was wrong. I had taken multiple AP and CAPP courses, thinking that would be all the preparation I would need for college, but honestly there is no sure way to prepare onself for college. If I could go back I would have taken even more AP courses, and in addition to more AP courses I would have challenged myself to do more outside of the class learning, like picking a language and teaching it to myself. I believe that would have greatly helped me prepare for college because in college I am often teaching myself new concepts after lectures. The last change I would make if I could re-do my senior year would be not to have been as involved as I was. It may seem odd that I wouldn't want to be extremely involved, but in college I am not in any sports or in student council and NHS, so now I have all of this free-time that I have never had before. I am not used to all of this free-time, so I do not know how to manage my time.

Dear High School Self, Be patient. Plan ahead now, if you believe that there is a subject that you may not be good in, get a tutor. I know that you think you are doing really well in school and understand every materal but understand that that might not be the case. Also find a good support system, wether that means joining a club or finding a group of friends that support what you want in life and who are also motivated to succeed in life. Also be willing to go beyond your comfort. You'll never know what you like or dislike if you never try new things. These four years you are going to learn more about yourself than you have learned the years leading up to you graduating. Last but not least, don't close doors before they even open. You might have an idea of what you may want to do in life, but college is all about exploring other options. With that being said, have fun and be responsible.

Given the chance to advise my high school senior self about college, I would touch upon the three aspects of college that provided a plethora of learning experiences: academics, participation, and communication. I would urge my senior self to take more advanced placement classes in order to potentially obtain a greater number of credits that could be applied to pass out of general classes. Moreover, enrolling in advanced classes at an earlier stage would provide a better picture of the field I chose to enter and allow for flexibility in case changes were to occur. Next, I would advise my senior self to participate in extracurricular activities. College is the time to find out who you are and spending every hour studying will not aid in a full development of the self. However, being a member of a club or leader of an organization will help accelerate this gradual process. Finally, I would advise myself to develop the ability to effectively communicate with others, particularly with faculty members. Faculty members know of many opportunities that can advance a student's college education and building a strong relationship with many teachers allows for these opportunities to be taken advantage of.

I would tell myself to relax and have fun. Since I am a senior now, and entering graduate school next fall, I have done a lot of reflecting on my college career at Marquette University. My only regret is my freshman year. I spent too many hours in the library studying in order to get perfect grades. I sacrificed going to fun activites with friends in order to stay at the library until close every Friday night. Although my grades are still supremely important to me, I have been able to find a balance. I have learned that I actually do better in school when I have other activities with friends planned because it is my time to relax. I have enjoyed studying more when I take short breaks to socialize with friends before getting back to the library. Therefore, when my brother entered college this past fall, I made sure to give him this advice. He is a lot like me, and I did not want him to become burnt out my the over-studying. Therefore, if I could go back to school, I would make sure to relax and have more fun with friends.