Elizabeth
Dear past self,
As you're enjoying your senior year, I know that you are also extremely worried about what is to come next year in college. Don't worry--it's normal! Within a few weeks on campus, you'll discover that all of your worries were in vain (this is a good thing--trust me, I've been there!). One little bit of advice though--stick around on orientation weekend. You'll be very tempted not to, and you'll definitely regret it if you don't. This is a great chance to bond with the other students on campus and find friends that will stick with you throughout your years of school. Also, getting involved on campus will be one of the best decisions you'll make in your college career. Each club and activity you participate in is like a close-knit little family in itself. It is an amazing feeling to be involved with these groups of people who truly care about you. One last thing--enjoy yourself! While studying is important and definitely necessary to succeed, don't forget to take regular breaks to relax and spend time with friends.
Sincerely, your future self
Abagail
I would tell myself not to be scared to move far away from home. I made the decision to stay close to home because I thought I would miss my friends and family too much. It turned out that moving far away from home was just what I needed. I would defiantly tell myself not to be worried about making new friends and the friends you thought you would keep in touch with from high school you won't. You will find your best friends in college. I would tell myself to take some college courses while in high school to get some of the general credits out of the way. Most importantly I would tell myself not to be scared to take chances and try new things. You never know where your future is going to lead you, but don't be scared to venture out into new surroundings.
Jessica
I would tell myself to relax. As a senior I was incredibly nervous to step out into the real world by myself. I would tell myself that even though I will miss my family very much, I will also have fun in school by learning and experiencing new things every day. During my senior year, people told me stories of their college life experiences and it sometimes made me nervous and scared to branch off all alone. If I could go back, I would tell myself not to be so apprehensive about the situation. During college I will meet many new, interesting people that will help me with any problems I may have. I would also tell myself that I am not the only one that is nervous. Almost every senior going to college experiences some sort of nervous feeling, so I was not the only one. The main thing I would tell myself if I could go back in time is, "Don't get caught up in all the hype. Be yourself and enjoy the new environment and experience as much as possible."
Kaci
I believe that by coming to Mayville State University first, it allowed me to get a good start on what college life is like. I feel so at home here, and I love the size of the school. I like that the teachers care about how I am doing in class, too. I have met a lot of life-long friends at Mayville. With a couple of them, I exercise almost ever day which is a lot of fun! Also, I think I have learned more by taking the Chemistry classes and Anatomy and Physiology classes at Mayville, rather than at a larger school. Here, I am able to get a hold of the teachers if I ever have any questions, and they encourage a student to come ask them! Since these are important classes for my major, this is very valuable to me to be able to understand the subjects better.
Johnathon
In high school i was a kid who would get picked on by others for not being very smart. In reality i was just as smart as them, and in most cases smarter. I came from a home where it made it kind of hard for me to get my work done. Now that i am out here in Mayville and over 6 hours away from home dont have to fight to do work and when i want something done i just go and do it. Thats been the most valuable thing for me is realizing that i can do something with my life.
Michelle
My college experience has given me the confidence to believe in myself and my Education. I have learned that knowlege is power and the relationships that are cultivated are also as valuable in the career world. Attending Mayville State Univeristy helped me succomb to the idea that technology was going to necessary in any career and as they pushed the envelope I am grateful that I was a part of those changes. In the interm, they have continued to push the envelope to allow a different demographic of students succeed.
Katelyn
Through my short time in college thus far, I feel rewarded and blessed to be able to attend an ungraduate school. I am learning to prioritize my time with two children at home as a; wife, mother, and student. The word difficult might as well mean easy when it comes to my daily routine. However, having an education as a parent enables you as a teacher later when needing to help your child(ren) with their own homework. I really do love to learn and expand my own ideas through intrapersonal realization and with others who have remotely the same goals as I do. There is one thing that someone can never take away from you and you can never get too much: Knowledge.
Aj
I have learned a lot of new things that i did not realize i still had to learn. I have made many friends here. I was never going to attend college, but a close friend to me talked me into it and i would say it was one of the best decisions i have made. College is giving me many more options for my life. It is going to allow me to have a career and care for my future family. College has made me a better person and a far better student. It has talk me to work hard for the things that I greatly want in life, and that includes working for grades. I now average a 3.2 gpa compared to a 2.1 in Highschool.
Lisa
My college experience so far has taught me that life isn't perfect; Mayville State University is not perfect; I am not perfect. I would've liked to get through school without taking out any loans. However, I have taken out a lot of loans, and I have to work at Mayville State to pay my bills. Mayville State informed me last semester that I needed to have a minor in order to get a job. Therefore I need to stay at the college longer. This means more loans. I believe that if I did better in high school and had a higher GPA I would've received more scholarships. I could've reduced my loans. Attending Mayville State University was valuable to me in that it showed me how nothing is perfect. With nothing being perfect a person has to make the best out of what cards they are dealt. Things will always work out in the end.
Ashley
My college experience has been amazing. I do believe, regardless if you have the "money to go" you should go to college. Not just because of the education it gives you and the amazing job opportunities that will follow, but because of the experience you will have. Going to college has changed me as a person. My father nor my mother ever went to college, which made me want to go and get a better life than either of them had. My father went to jail when I was very young and that changed me as a person. It made me want to do better for myself and my family. Two out of four of my mothers children have attended college and I want to be the next to graduate. I have meet so many nice people while at college. I believe these people will be friends for life. The morals they teach you is outstanding. They teach you to be who you are and do the best that you can know matter what the circumstance is!
Meghan
The biggest thing that I have gotten out of my college experience, other then the actual education, has been the exposure to some classes that covered topics I didn't know much about, for example sociology. I discovered that I love that field and have actually deceided to add it to be part of my degree. I have really loved that this campus allows students to do distance education and offer the degree programs online. It has really been great to be able to continue my education without having to up-root my life and my family in order to get that education.
Maira
I've gotten a sense that I am not alone in my quest to change the world. It's been incredibly valuable to attend the University of Arizona because I feel more prepared and more motivated to be somebody in my future. I love the freedom I now have as well as the many opportunities available here.
Evan
I feel like it's been valuable to attend Mayville because I have gotten a lot out of smaller class sizes, a more firnedly and personable staff than I've seen at other, larger colleges, and a quality education that I feel has really halped me grow as both an individual but as an eventual worker. I am excited for my career-to-come, and feel I am up the task. I go to class every day excited to learn more and am very thankful for this.
Benjamin
I have received more than just a great education out of my college experience. I have changed as a person, becoming more responsible, motivated, and caring. I now have knowledge in a content area, which I can use to educate others and improve myself financially and whollly. Before attending college, I worked at many different jobs, using my back and not my brain. Now, I can combine that work experience and my skills learned at college, to create a compelling resume. It has been valuable to attend college because I needed to find out what I was capable of. The staff and students at my college has created a sense of devotion within me to my school. How can I not have feelings of gratitude towards an institution that has completely reshaped my life for the better? Relationships that I have made with students and instructors by attending Mayville State University, can help me in my future dealings as a teacher.
Misti
I have expirenced and learned so much going to college. Learning who i am and where i want to go in life would have been difficult without school. Going through the different stages in life with the support of an entire university is irreplaceable. I played college basketball, which created a second family for me. After two years of playing i moved on and found another academic group to be part of that has also scored me some great friends. It's often said that knowing the right people will get you where you where you want to be. What better place to make friends from all over the country than in college. I imagine down the road these everlasting friendships i've made will help me get where I am going.
Lawrence
I have learned many new things. I have learned to manage my time better. With being heavily involved with my community government and having a full time job, balancing an educational experience has been a challenge, but, it has been worth it. I believe going back to college will allow me to have many new opportunities to further myself. I have also learned that hard work and dedication pay off. I see this in the grades that I have earned to this point. By taking the different classes I need to earn my degree it has broadened my knowledge and it has shown me that the world is a much bigger and more diverse place than what I first thought. The only regret I have is that I did not go back to school sooner.
Kelly
I have gotten lots of useful information on how to steer my education towards the fields that are most in need. The staff has been great about giving me guidance in what decisions to make even if they aren't the most beneficial to the school. My advisor has been great at answering my many questions and even admitting if she didn't know and forwarding my information on. The school has been very flexible with my various family obligations. The teachers have also been understanding. In my college experience I have learned many things that are valuable to my future career. Somethings can only be learned by the experiences in the field of my professors as opposed to the textbook. I love the practical hands on experience that I have gained from Mayville State University. I encourage you to check it out!
Michael
Teamwork has been one thing that I have gotten out of my college experience to date. am currently enrolled in a nursing program which involves a lot of time working in the actual clinical setting. As a result, you end up working with closely with your fellow classmates. We have come to reley on each other during our clinical settings for advice, assistance, guidance, hope and prasie. As we are all going through this experience at the same time and have developed varying levels of expertise, we have come to reley on each other on a regular basis. We have become a team. This has also showed us what we can expect when we begin out jobs as nurses, since teamwork will be essential.
We have also in part become a family. Not only do we reley on each other in the clinical setting, but also in the school setting. The nursing program is accelerated and is very difficult. We have laughed together, studied together, cried together and have been there for each other when things get difficult. It is clear that this family and team that we have become will stay with us after graduation.
Daphne
What I have gotten out of my college experience so far is hard work will equal sucess. I had to work hard to get accepted into college and now that I am in college I have to work hard to stay in college. My parents aren't helping me pay for college so most of my money for college is coming from scholarships. If I don't take the time out my day to actively search for scholarships, then I won't be in college. It is valuable to attend because I know that it will help me obtain my dream job while providing with the experience I need. In the end college has increased my academic stamia and self perserverance.
Cory
The most important things that I have personally retained from my college experince is hard work and dedication. Playing sports at a high level such a college forced me to dedicated to one thing for a long period of time even though things might have been going the way the team wanted. Playing sports helped me alot with learning how to be a hard worker but it also carried over into school work. I started to realize my freshman year that if I did not put in the hard work to get good grades I would get a job I did not like and it would be a constant battle everyday I went to work.