The University of Montana Top Questions

Curranty I am studying to be a music teacher. I am looking into implementing a music program into a juvenille detention center when I finish school. This being said, it would have been helpful for me to know more about the requirements of detentional teachers before I started college. Looking back I wish I would have known more about "running start" programs so that I could have gotten my general requirements out of the way. I find it quite difficult to complete all my "general requirements" while learning to be a teacher myself. Completing my generals early is definately something I would have told myself. Being homeschooled gave me time to be involved with my community through vounteer programs. However, I wish there would have been opportunities to help at the local juvenille detention center. Being able to spend time with the teachers there, and to work in the facillity that I will one day be teaching in, would have been irreplacable. Hands on expirence will give a person knowlede that no book learning could ever do. Therefore that is the last thing I would have told myself, "to get more expirence in my field of study before starting college."

If I could go back in time I would tell myself that college is something that I thought I knew about going into but really had no clue. As a freshman I came in expecting it to be non stop school and hard work and nothing else. As the year got started I realized there was a lot of time thats given to you that is for anything and its something you don't want tot ake advantage of. Instead of using time between classes as a fun time I would take the time to use as a break/study time because yes you have to work hard but theres no one there anymore that will tell you, you need to study, you need to do your homework, and you need to go to school. So going into college the biggest thing you have to be ready for is being by yourself and taken control of your life.

I would tell high school students to learn to study and to take classes to help them be prepared for college. I would tell them to rearrange their schedules so that they get the best teachers for each of their classes so that they are sure to have the opportunity to learn so they are prepared for college. If they aren't prepared, they have to take non-credit (expensive) classes so that they can learn what they should have learned in high school. I would also tell them to get involved in their high school. That makes it more fun.

College may seem alot more expensive and stressful than you realized, but if you work hard and get a good education, that education will be priceless.

If I could go back I would tell myself to study extra hard and take everything in. I noticed that I missed out on some skills that I should have learned in High School. With pushing myself harder in my High School years it would have helped me to transition into the college academic level easier.

I would first tell myself to become organized. A desk calendar will be a great investment so you can write down all upcoming projects, exams, readings, etc. so you can look at what needs to be done during the week. Having different binders for each class will also help, so notes will not get mixed up or misplaced. I would also say sit in the first two rows towards the middle. This will limit distractions during lectures and allow you to pay attention better. On the first day of class, I would recommend introducing yourself to your professors so they can match a name with a face. This way if you have any problems or questions, you will feel more comfortable approaching the professor and s/he will be more willing to work with you as the semester progresses. The last thing I would say is GO TO OFFICE HOURS! This is a chance to get help on homework or anything else class related. If you become familiar with the professor, s/he may be more willing to meet with you if his/her office hours do not fit your schedule.

There is no better time to start your life than now. Even though you are tired of school, ready for a break, just keep going on with your education. You are unsure of what direction you want to go and that is okay. Explore different fields and always remember that this is your life and you should go after the type of life that you want, not what other people want for you or what is expected of you. This is your life, live it. On a more acedemic stand point, schedule time for studying, writing papers, and doing homework. Setting up time for that is much easier than trying to create time for it after the fact. Never hesitate to ask for help from the instructors. They are there to teach and want to teach. Don't be afraid to make friends. Friends can make a great support network. Lastly, enjoy college, it goes by faster than you think.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would warn myself about what lays ahead. I would warn myself to be financially prepared. Since I began college my loans have run out twice and I have had to pay my tuition and pay for my books out of y own pocket. I would warn myself that even though school is going to be hard in both a mental and financial sense that I should not give up and continue school. I would tell myself that life outside of school is going to be rough as well. In one year I lost my grandfather to cancer and only a few days later my girlfriend of almost three years left me. And although I thought about giving up I didn't. I knew that later in life I would regret not finishing college. So I would make sure that my senior self would know that although times would be hard my family and both new and old friends would help me through even my darkest days.

I see myself as teenager. I have only been away from her for a few years, but she is bright eyed and curious of what is to come. If I could tell her how things were going to turn out, I don?t know if I would. It is only because I have lived through necessary trial, that I have become the person that I am and who she will be. Words are fair warning, but the voyage through the wilderness is the only way to enlightenment. The mark of a true scholar is the application of the lessons that have been imprinted through a most certain crash course through life. These are my remnants from just such a journey; Do things with integrity. Compete gracefully. Always say thank you to the people who guided you. Remember the things that made you happy when you were a child, for they are good therapy for the difficult times you will inevitably face. But most importantly, remember that tough times will pass, but you will never forgive yourself if you forget your dream and starve your soul.

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, there would be several things I'd advise myself. The first advice I'd give would be to be outgoing. Many college freshmen struggle with homesickness and miss their old friends and family. The best way to overcome this is to meet people on campus. Joining extracurricular clubs, for example, is a great way to meet people of similar interests. The second advice I'd give would be to take academics very seriously. Though there can and will be several distractions at college, academics should be top priority. While I graduated college with a 3.39 cummulative GPA, there were a few semesters where I didn't do as well as I could have. Looking back, I would have advised myself to spend more time in the chair and less time goofing off. The final advice I'd give would be to not stress out so much. College is an enriching, memorable time of one's life but it can become stressful and busy. I'd advise myself to take a deep breath, relax, and focus on one thing at a time.