University of Delaware Top Questions

Looking back at my senior year of high school, I realize that I was definitely on my way to becoming the confident and independent woman that I am today. Since my transition to college life, I have developed a new found assertiveness, abandoning my hesitation and coyness. If I could go back, I would tell myself not to be afraid to be outgoing and spontaneous. I would advise myself to talk to everyone and always be open to making new friends. In college, I?ve learned that if you need help, just ask. Organizing study groups and finding trusted peer-editors is always a great idea. I would tell myself to set goals and organize my time well. Getting school work done is important as well as having a healthy social life. I would remind myself that I made it through high school working a part time job while managing good grades. Working part time in college will be most helpful to purchase books and have a little extra spending money. Finally, I would tell myself that I have what it takes to succeed; I just need to apply myself and work to bring out the best in me.

You have attended the same school for fourteen years, you have lived in the same house your entire life, and you have had the same friends all throughout school. You are about to put yourself in an extremely different environment, and although you think you know everything you need to know, I am here to tell you that you are wrong! You will no longer be surrounded by Christian classmates and Christian teachers. Instead you will be surrounded by a diverse group of individuals who will challenge your beliefs. It is not only critical that you know exactly what you believe, but that you are strong in those beliefs. Also, be open-minded and respectful of what others believe. You have always been the one being a friend, but now you are the one making friends. You will be intimidated at first, but the best thing for you do to is be confident and be yourself. People will respect you for that. Some friends will pressure you into things such as sex and alcohol. You may make a few mistakes, but you will learn your boundaries as long as you remember who you are.

The advice I would give to myself as a high school senior would to be soak in the knowledge I learned in my high school courses. I would tell myself to really pay attention to the criteria I learned in high school. It is important to not just work merely for the grade on your transcript but for the basic knowledge college eventually will expand on. In college, the classes I learned in high school are studied more critically and in depth. If I could go back in time I would?ve taken every writing assignment as an opportunity to practice my analytical skills and test my critical thinking. In college I learned it is important to take every little thing as an opportunity to strengthen and enhance my skills.

If I were to talk to my young, inexperienced high school self, I would impart on him certain wisdoms that have been given to me by older college generations. To begin with, start the college diet a little easier. Easy-Mac in the morning, Ramen Soup in the afternoon, and a bit of both for a late night snack. These foods will be your staples for the next four years, and the sooner you get used to them, the better. Adjust your sleep cycle, from 3 AM to 11 AM. You do not want to miss out on anything important, so sleeping at the right time is essential. Invest in lots of pajama pants and sweatshirts, as they are the new style. Who wants to wake up and actually get ready in the morning? The college student surely does not. These are essential steps in becoming the model college student. Without taking these steps, transition is nearly impossible. My last piece of advice, however, would be to go into college with a blank slate. Try everything you can, and do not be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone. However, this is optional, and Ramen is clearly more important.

If I could give myself advice about making the transition to college, I would first remind myself to not let time slip away. Your senior year goes by quickly, and before you know it, it's time to start looking ahead. Make sure all deadlines are met, and don't wait until the last minute and rush things. If everything is taken care of over time, the transition will not be stressful. That is the most important thing to remember. I would also tell myself to not worry so much. Many high school seniors worry about leaving friends and making new friends. College is a fresh start. You meet hundreds of new people, and everyone is "in the same boat." You will have plenty of time to see your old friends during breaks. Joining clubs and groups is also a great way to meet new people and see what your new school has to offer. Last, I would tell myself to welcome the transition to college, because it is a great experience and something to embrace instead of something to fear.

At first the whole college chift may be difficult but you will pull on through with flying colors. They say that, "whatever doesn't break you makes you stronger." Sometimes you just have to learn to roll with the punches. You will get through everything in college whether it be a ten page paper or some drama with a room mate or friend. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish, how independent you will get and how much you truly are going to grow up. At college you are going to realize a lot more dreams and you will even attain some even by the time you graduate. College is going to be the place that you will grow and shine . So get excited because your life starts now!

To the girl about to enter the "real world," You've been through so much these past years, and now it's time to show what you've got, even to tight-pant professors and frat boys/sorority babes who may misjudge you. If anything, know that your education comes first, not partying or popularity-leave that for high school! Make a homework schedule to manage your courseload, and do NOT pull an all-nighter. Pick a major fitting YOUR interests, not your parents' And, if you ever doubt yourself, DONOT GIVE UP. PS, french fries are not vegetables!

Here's some advice: Be proactive, and don't settle. Take initiative in everything: join and then PARTICIPATE IN clubs, don't wait until you're settled in. Do the work to get the grades you want. Be prepared to to the work. But don't think college will be all work and no play for you. Make some play time early on, go out and have fun so you can put in the effort when things need to be done. HAVE FUN, because I know you will do your work either way.

The most important advice I would giv e myself as a high school senior is to apply to an out-of-state college. I was forced to stay in-state by my parents, and the drama living at home has caused has definitely negatively affected my school work. Also, I would have never chosen to participate in the connected degree program, where you are a University of Delaware student, but you attend a Delaware Tech campus for classes. Delaware high schools build this program up to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, as it offers two years of University of Delaware education for no cost to the student. However, they do not tell you that you are only allowed to choose classes from the front and back of a sheet of computer paper, not the entire UD catalog. Also, most classes are arts classes. As a chemistry major, I will be at least a full year behind in my degree if I continue on to the main campus. I feel robbed of two years of my life.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have many things to say. The first, and biggest piece of advice I would give myself is to practice good study skills. It can be really difficult away from your parents to force yourself to practice good study habits. This leads to a lot of stress and sometimes, poor grades- which only add to your stress levels. The next piece of advice I would give myself would be to practice time management. This ties into good study skills. Having good time management skills is beneficial in college because it will increase the amount of time you have to study, so you will not feel rushed to study. Good time management will also prevent you from cramming too close to exam time. The final piece of advice I would give myself is probably the most important advice ever: have fun! College is a time to find yourself and to learn your limits and boundries. If you hole yourself up in your dorm room and don't get out and meet people and make friends college is going to be the worst experience of your life.

I would first and foremost make use of my academic advisor and a planner. Time management is key to success. I would definitely interact and rely on my advisor more often and set a plan for my four years. Setting goals and achieving them are also great. Balancing school work and social life is probably the main issue many college face. I would definitely put more hours into studying, join study groups and request a tutor if I find myself struggling in a class. There will always be another party but you only have one chance to pass a class and to keep your gpa up. Also, once you fall short it is hard to bring up your gpa so I would definitely maintain a 3.0 and above. And lastly, I would keep in mind that I am paying for these classes, so I would not miss class and I would take advantage of professors office hours. They are there to help you so make use of their willingness and time.

I could have been more prepared for college financially, academically, and even socially. If I were able to go back in time I would advise myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible and take as many classes as I can at a community college. This would cut costs significantly and possibly allow me to graduate early. I would also make sure I knew to buy my textbooks at amazon.com or other discount websites. Being ?green? saves money too. I would suggest refilling a water bottle and printing notes on the front and back of paper. I would recommend interacting with and getting to know the people on my floor. Don?t shy away from them. I would also recommend joining any clubs or teams that seem interesting. College is remarkably different from high school. I would encourage myself to allow ample time to study before each test and to read the chapters before each class in order to get the most out of each lecture. I would also inform myself how easy it is to gain the ?freshmen fifteen.? I would advise myself to eat healthy and go to the gym frequently.

Flashing back to senior year in high school, I would first say to myself, "GET A BETTER JOB." I wish I had been making more money in high school in order to help pay for books, food, rent, utilities and all the other things that I was not aware costed so much. College is expensive and I'm starting to realize that the "real-world" is also very expensive. I would also like to tell myself that I should have gone to the library more, and practiced better study habits, you learn quickly in college what study habits work and what ones don't. College is a learning experience inside and outside the classroom, I was not aware how different life at college would be. As a high school senior, one acts as though they are on top of the world, but once you arrive at college you realize that you are back at the bottom of the world and have to work yourself right back up again.

If I could travel back to the year 2007 and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are quite a few things I would tell my younger self. I would tell myself all the normal things first; relax, enjoy life, do not worry about that one zit on your forehead, but I would also give myself advice about college life and making the transition. The first thing I would advise about the transition is to give it time. Transitioning is always difficult, but join a team or club. Meeting people with common interests definitely helped me through my freshman year. The next thing I would tell myself is what I consider to be the most important advice I did not understand. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. A week's worth of good night sleep not only helped me pass classes, it made me much friendlier. With sleep I made the effort to make and keep friends which is important because friends help you through all of the hard times in college. College is not just about parties and having a great time, there are plenty of downs to go with those ups. So join a club and get your sleep!

The advice that my 17 year old self desperately needed was to "look before you leap." Coming from one of the top schools in my state, it was assumed that I would immediately attend a four-year institution. I was thrust into a furry of SAT scores and application deadlines, without taking the time to decide what I wanted. I didn't know what type of school I was interested in. I'm not one to shy away from hard work, so the application process was not difficult. However, picking a school was. I had no preferences so I ended up making my decision based on money. I attended the least expensive school that I had been accepted to. It turned out to be a horrible experience. The campus life and the education level were not fulfilling my needs at all. Luckily I was eventually able to transfer to a school that was able to do that. I would tell my senior-self to take a deep breath and think before I make any decisions. I would tell myself to ignore the pressure, that it was okay to take a while and decide which school was right for me.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that college is not as overwhelming as it all may seem. I was anxious and remember wondering if I would be able to keep up with the fast pace in college classes and all the hard work and time that is needed in order to do well. I found that with time management right from the start, it was definitely manageable. Also, I found that working ahead makes it a lot easier to follow along with the professor in class, and getting ahead can relieve some extra stress that will catch up with you later on. With good time management, college has been a lot less stressful than I had imagined it to be.

I am currently a freshman in college and I find it remarkable how much of a difference one year can make. Throughout high school I always went out of my way trying to please people, no matter what efforts it took. By doing that I forgot to think about myself: What do I need? How can I help myself? I felt like I was losing my identity. I would find myself agreeing with others for the sole purpose of making them happy. A lot has changed since being in college. I have come to realize that I need to do what I believe is right and make myself happy. It is very important to maintain strong relationships with others, but one should never have to sacrifice what they believe in: their values and their morals.

Now a transfer student at a different University of Delaware campus, I look back at my time spent at the Newark, Delaware UD campus as more like a trip to an alien planet than a milestone of long-awaited independence and freedom. This unfortunate memory, though beneficial in having experienced it, is irrefutably attributed to my improper and incomprehensive college search during my senior year of high school. Urged by a long history of family attendance and the realism of financial constraints, I handicapped my chances at happiness and diversity by applying to only one school: the University of Delaware. What hampered my spirits most at the Newark, DE campus was the bizarre and alien atmosphere. I have always relatively been in the social majority; however, in Newark, I was undeniably cast into the social minority. The wild behavior and academic disregard of many of the out-of-state students bewildered me. If any advice could be given to my high school senior self, it would emphatically stress the importance of careful and thorough college searching, and as far as regarding college options, stress the revision of my previous mindset of limitation to a mindset of infinite possibilities and opportunities.

My senior year, I felt apprehensive about college. All my life, I had been socially awkward, and the thought of the overwhelming task of finding my place in this sea of strangers scared me to tears. I had only ever fit in with my small group of friends, and they were all moving away. After weeks of staring at the ceiling 'till 3 am, I finally decided: by being friendly, dressing simply, and giving each person a chance, I would be everyone's friend. This worked for about three months, but it wasn't long before I couldn't keep up the ruse. There were certain conversations that I simply could not contribute to, and I began avoiding people entirely. I became severely depressed, withdrawn, and anxious. I had no self esteem, began smoking, and would harm myself, physically and psychologically. I was suffocating. Sometime during Spring semester, I took a hard look at my life and asked: why do you care so much about what other people think of you? It is impossible to thrive while living in fear. Be yourself, accept it, and be grateful. This realization saved my life, and continues to do so every day.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to look for a lot more volunteer work because colleges definitely look for that in a student's application. Another thing that I would tell myself is to take at least one AP course so that I would be able to experience how the college class setting would be like. Overall, I would tell myself to practice on improving my study skills because knowing the material for courses is very crucial and for most students in college, it's difficult to bring up your GPA. These are the things that I would tell myself if I had the opportunity to go back in time.