The University of Tampa Top Questions

The University of Tampa was a great choice for me. As a performer it is great to be involved in a growing program. There are three theater or musical productions every semester and multiple dance productions. The speech theatre and dance department make sure there are multiple performance opportunities for us. They also try to get us as performers and students involved in other depeartments if they need speakers etc. I have made life long friends and learned lessons I will never forget. I regret nother about my college career and I love the University of Tampa.

Since I am still in college I cannot wholly speak on my experience and where college has taken me. I feel that college was a good choice for me. I want to full fill my dreams and I want to do something that will inevitably help the environment. I want to get out of college, a degree that will make it possible for me to do important research to explore our oceanic environment. I want to attend even more schooling to ensure that I am chasing my dreams and being a Marine Biologist with all the passion I can offer. I am struggling in college, not only grade wise, but with change. The change that makes college so much fun yet impossible at the same time. I have wondered if I was going to make it out in four years alive, but I know I have the patience and persistence to get through college and achieve my dreams! I have already taken so many hits and let myself down, but I plan on coming right back and challenging myself. That is what I am getting out of my college experience because it is worth the fight.

I have gained so much from my first year at college. Not only have I learned about the material but I also learned how to be a better student and successfully manage my time. It has been extremely valuable to attend because it has helped me grow as a person. I have also had the opportunity to gain some experience outside of my school that will help with my career in the future.

If I could go back three years and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to not let other people make decisions for you. Sometimes the toughest decisions have to be made in the company of strangers. Sometimes your peers may influence you to take part in something you didn't originally want to do. I would tell myself to make sure that I follow my heart when it comes to important decisions, because ultimately it is me that I'm going to school for. I am getting an education so I can support myself later in life. I would plead with myself to do what makes me happy and not let what other people think hinder my decisions, because after all is said and done, I want to be able to look back on my college years and be happy that I lived my life for me and no one else.

I would tell myself that when planning for college there are multiple variables to consider. Foremost, getting the money to pay for school is the biggest deal. I would have thought harder about whether I would like to be paying off loans for the rest of my life or if it is not an issue. Also, I would consider the location of the school and how far I would want to be from home. I am from New Jersey and traveling back and forth can be exhausting and expensive. Finally, I would tell myself that there are alot more opportunities for students than I had known about. Like more scholarship oppurtunities and specific prgrams for my major. If i were to go back in time I would have almost done everything differently, but back then I did not have the experience I do now.

I wish I took more AP classes and learned to write better. I wish I worried less about my appearance. After a car accident I had at the beginning of my senior year in high school, I was left with facial scars and a brain injury. I worried that people looked at my scars and would not talk to me because of them. It bothered me that classmates and team mates would not talk to me. Once I got to college no one cared what I looked like. They didn't even notice my scars. They focused on me as a person! This allowed me to really concentrate on my real passion; painting, drawing, and photography. Had I done this in my senior year I could have built my portfolio up. I may have recieved more scholarship awards and applied to more schools. I would tell myself that college is nothing like high school. You can be yourself!

Don't let money be an issue, you have to follow your heart and you will end up exactly where you are supposed to be. Live life to the fullest and work hard, and make sure you have a first aid kit! You never realize how many band aids you go through!!

The biggest piece of advice for any high school seniors, is to make sure that their chosen college institution offers the program that they are seeking and that it offers, in addition, the means to compliment their academic careers through extra-curricular and internship opportunities. The reputation of the school is not the only aspect that matters because when seeking employment after graduation, or applying to a graduate program, employers and institutions also take a look at experience and work you have done in that field. Unfortunately, the biggest myth I believed was the thought that the school's reputation did it all, but that is simply not true. Location is a huge aspect, and being a political science student in a city that is more financially-driven, there are little to no internship opportunities in my field, let alone, job opportunities. On a more social aspect, it is very important to know whether or not you are ok with living with other people. Most of us don't think it will ever be a problem, but as a resident assistant, I see that many first year students have roommate conflicts because they are not used to living with others.

If I could go back in time and give my high school self advice about college, it would be that the transition is an adjustment and the professors are nothing like high school teachers. The professors treat you as an adult. They do not hold back with anything that they have to say: they are very blunt and straight forward. Also, mom and dad are not here to baby sit you anymore. It is your job as an adult to remember that you have assignments due by specific deadlines. Late work is often not excused and extra credit is seldom given so always give your best on your first shot. Honesty can be brutal but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so just take your instructors criticism and let it be a guide to help on future assignments. Many times you will only see your instructor once or twice a week, so always listen carefully and ask questions if necessary. If you start learning how to be an adult while in high school, the transition to becoming a college student will go alot smoother.

"Don't worry. You're doing fine. I know nothing really makes sense right now. Yesterday you wanted to study psychology, today you want to be an artist, and maybe tomorrow it will be international politics. You don't know what you want to do with your life or where you should go to college, but that's okay. Most people don't have it all figured out in highschool. The most important thing is that you don't let it weigh you down. Don't give up. Even if it takes years before you discover your real passion, if you keep trying, eventually things will start to fall into place. Experiment, do what you love, take risks: these are the things that change you and help you become the best person you can be. Don't be afraid of making a mistake; mistakes are bound to happen. You get up, dust off your knees, and keep moving forward, a little wiser than you were before. And above all, remember that nothing in life is handed to you. if you want to succeed just keep working hard, be strong, and pave your own path."