The University of Montana Top Questions

I would ask myself what could I see myself doing in 10 years? Which road do I want to take? I would tell myself don't get affiliated with the wrong people and strive for success. I would tell myself to be super productive in doing my work and to branch out to others and make connections. I would tell myself to make the best of college, have a purpose for being there. I would tell myself to just let God direct me where I need to go.

I would tell myself to make friends and be more open to people I didn't know. Everyone else is in the same boat: scared, missing home, and definitely missing their friends. Bring pictures of family and friends to your dorm and decorate your room with them so that when you get lonely you can look up and see their bright, smiling faces! Don't be afraid of your roommate! Also, don't be afraid to ask questions about where classes are and buildings are located. There's nothing more embarrassing then being late to a class because you were too proud to ask where it was, when you easily could have asked and been their on time! Leave your dorm room open so people can pop in and say "hello" (it's definitely an easy way to get to know someone!).

Calm down. Enjoy yourself. This is just another stepping stone that you will have launched yourself off of quicker than you anticipated. Your GPA does not hang over your head forever, so do not allow tests, quizzes, or papers to ruin your time, it is still just school, not quite real life.

If I could give myself some advice as a senior I would tell myself to take academic more seriously. I had the potential to have great scholarships but even though I had good grades I didn't think they would be that important later on in life. I also would have liked to take some courses online to get ahead in my college classes, making a minor possible for me. But I did not and reality is that I love the major I have chosen for myself and the school I am attending. I am now taking my academics very seriously; maybe this is because I didn't as much in high school.

Don't be so anxious to leave your hometown. College is new and exciting, but try to stay in the present and live up your last few weeks at home with all of your caring friends and family. Another piece of advice would be to understand and practice the concept of time management. Finish your work before doing all the wonderful activies college life has to offer. Work hard then play hard. Don't overwhelm yourself with a huge courseload. It's important to be taking a number of classes but don't over do it. You'll just end up stressed and not be able to enjoy your college experience. One other very important piece of advice is to be yourself. You are new to a place that is unfamiliar, you don't know a lot of people if anyone at all, so finding people who have things in common with you is important. As long as you are yourself, you will naturally gravitate towards people who you can develop frienships with. Join a club that intrerests you, go exploring, talk to people! Have a good time, but also remember why you are attending college in the fist place.

I would tell my high school self to take part in extracurriculars and community activities as much as possible in order to discover your passions and find what you enjoy doing on a daily basis. Getting involved and gaining hands-on experience is the only way to find what you truly love. Use this knowledge to plan the path you take in college. Forming a solid awareness of your interests ahead of time instead of changing your major in college numerous times will save you time and money. Getting involved will also sharpen your time-management skills which you’ll need more than ever in college, so don’t be afraid to dive into many activities at once; just remember to keep those grades up! Time-management is a skill that comes with time and practice so try to get as much practice as possible before entering college in order to be primed and ready to go come freshman year. So whether it’s volunteering at a hospital, working at a wildlife refuge, or joining the school band, go out there and get involved!

Take as many college prep classes as possible (science, math, writing)!! You will be so far ahead of the game it will make your first year way less stressful! Also, do not take time off. Keep going until you are done. It is a lot harder going back after being out of school for years.

I would advise my high school self to be more conscious of time management. As it seems in my collegian experiences, there is less time spent in the classroom with a tremendous amount of work to do outside the classroom. I would emphasize to myself that setting up a systematic routine for studies and homework. It is absolutely imperative to sustaining a well-balanced and prosperous college life. However, I would also suggest knowing when to take breaks and relieve oneself from his strenuous studies and go outside, get a breath of fresh air, and interact with fellow students. Understanding and familiarizing oneself with his/her surroundings is a vital piece to being successful in a college enviornment. Also, I would tell him to seize opprotunities when they are presented in terms of scholarships, grants, or other extra-curricular activities such as clubs or student counsel meetings. I believe with these core suggestions, my younger self would exceed his own expectations in achieving college success.

Seek real world experience before wasting money failing classes.

College life is all about focusing on the right things. There are so many distractions, from other students to events on campus. I went into my freshman year with a fear of failing. I was highly motivated and wanted to get the 4.0 that everyone dreamed of and was expected in my family. While I did not lose my motivation, I felt overwhelmed at all the distractions, and felt out-of-place of the social life while living in the dormitories. It was merely too much to handle. Starting freshman year over, I feel a balance of school and social life is the most critical factor in obtaining the optimal education and promoting well-being. Enjoy yourself responsibly, while also working hard to achieve the grades you desire. Take the opportunities of hanging out with new friends. Join campus events and social clubs. Learn who you are, but also stay true to yourself. Like Mom always said, "Get your homework done first, then you can go hang out with friends". Stay true to this advice even in college, and you will find that balance between school and social well-being.

If I could talk to my high school self as a senior I would simply say "it's game time." While the excessive partying needs to stop and you should still go out and experience the world and have fun while you’re young. Enroll in a diverse amount of classes because you’ll change your mind about what you want to do many times but in your heart you know what you want to do. You should go and take risks because you have the innate ability to bounce back. This maybe the last year you have of “no responsibilities,” but that doesn't mean you don't have any. You have responsibilities to yourself to become something great. To reach that potential that you know you have. If you want to make an impact on the world there’s no better time to start than now, but you must focus and give it your all or you’ll never accomplish what you’ve dreamt of. If you never try, you’ll always fail. Go out there and try.

I would tell myself, you don't need to decide your career before you get to college. Take some classes to explore various fields before you decide. You're making a big investment in your future and you do not want to invest in something you don't want to do. Make a decision to go after your dream, no matter what the employment prospects are or how much you will make because in the end, what matters most is that you are happy with your work.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to worry less about sports and hanging out with friends and focus more on my grades and what the teachers were teaching me. As a regular teenager, all I was concerned about was hanging out with my boyfriend and friends and playing softball instead of taking the time to focus on my homework. I would tell myself that sports and friends especially boyfriends come into your life and they can leave just as quick, but your education is what is going to get you to where you are going in life and its going to get you a career. I would tell myself not to slack off in class and not just do the bare minimum to get the passing grade or memorize the correct answers for the homework and not remember the material the next time I needed it. I also would tell myself that I have to make time for homework because I might not have time the day before the assignment is due. Education is the key to the places you are going to go in life.

If I could go back and talk to my 18 year-old self, I would tell myself to never lose sight of who I am and what is important to me. It seems the older I've gotten, the harder its been to remember those two insights. Relationships, school, friends, work, and financial obligations often cloud our hearts and we lose sight of the reasons why we started down a path in the first place. My passion has always been in fine art, but there were several years when I strayed from doing what fills my heart to doing something that pays the bills. At the time, I was feeling pressure to find a secure job and pursue the "American Dream". Thankfully, I had some really great people in my life who encouraged me to follow my dreams and assured me that life would work itself out. Now, I get the chance to work on my Master's of Fine Arts and I've never been happier! My only regret is that I wish I would have known sooner just how important it is to always, no matter what, stay true to yourself.

If I could go back and tell myself anything it would be to stay at home, don’t go live with some guy you think is great. Stay at home and spend time with family and friends. If he’s the one he will be there when high school is over. Though friends move away and you can’t live with your family the rest of your life.

Start looking at colleges early. Take the time to look at them thoroughly. Visit campuses if necessary. Really look at all the places you might want to go and give them all a fair shot. Do not limit your choices and make sure you start looking early enough to give all of them a fair chance. Once you do pick a school, embrace it with fervor. Get involved as much as possible and really take the experience with open arms. Everybody is new to the college thing, so don't be embarrassed and don't let your inhibitions keep you from participating in everything that college has to offer. Enjoy your time because it will be gone sooner than you think!

I would tell myself to decide a range of things that i would possibly major in and look at school that have good programs for those things. Also i would tell myself to expand my college search and not be closed minded about any size or type of school and just to look at all my options. And also to apply for more scholarships.

Keep up the good work! Your grades are excellent. I know you love school but in order to go to college you need to be assertive with the counselors and your parents. Your parents don't know how to navigate the process of applying for college so take the reins and ask for help from outside sources. It has taken me years to work towards my degree. If I had obtained help applying for college during high school, I would have earned my BA and most likely myt Masters by this time in my life. Please, ask for assistance in getting into college. You want it badly and you will be successful, but don't listen to your parents who keep putting you off with your questions about how to do it. I wish I had been maturre enough to realize my parents weren't discouraging me, they just didn't know what to do and were too embarrassed to tell me this. Go pursue your degree now, before you start a family...it is so much easier and will help you and your future family by ensuring a better and longer successful career!

Knowing what I know now, there are a few pieces of information I feel that a younger me should know, both for his sake, and consequently, mine. First off I would inform him that college is a very real step, and with that step you get a metaphorical "foot in the door." This is not the time to dawdle, this is the time to act, because even those first few baby steps can set you on the path that will be the rest of your life. After stressing the importance, I would give him a more personal message, "Do your general education studies locally. It'll pay off, literally." By completing generals locally I saved thousands of dollars that now fund college in Missoula. I hated staying, but sacrifices were made. Compounding on this, I would give him the most important motto I've adapted, "Just Keep Swimming." Through everything he will be through, it's important he keep on doing his own thing, maintaining his sense of self-identity, and never giving up. Life will be miserable and difficult at times, but he should always keep going. I've made it this far once, he can do it again.

Be gentel on yourself. You've worked so hard these last four years and college will be hard for you. Go ahead and give yourself a break before starting this new adventure. You will see and do wonderful amazing things that will take you in a direction that you never thought you'd go in, so go with it and don't fight it. Don't believe anyone who tells you that your not smart enough, good enough or worthy enough. Because you are all those things and more. Your going to have to work harder then you ever thought you could but you'll do just fine. And remember, everything works out fine in the end if you put forth the effort, even if there's a little adversity and heartache in the mean time.