University of Denver Top Questions

Cheyenne, sit down. We need to talk. In a short amount of time, your whole world is going to feel like it has turned upside down. The social life of college is going to come as a complete and utter shock to you. You have these wonderful groups of close-knit friends right now, and you're all starting to say to each other how you can't live without them and how you'll keep in touch no matter what. Unfortunately, you are all lying. Once they're off to college, all of your now-best friends are going to need to find their place in their new world--and that's okay. It will be for your benefit in the end. For the entirety of your first quarter, you're going to feel alone. But join every club you can and, I promise, you'll pull out of it because you'll meet more people and remember what you love. College is lonely. That's just the way it is. But think of it this way: you're learning to be independent. You're starting to define yourself as not a member of a group, but an individual.

Knowing what I know now, there are so many things that I would have wanted someone to tell me. I needed to just relax and really appreciate the time I had left in high school. It was such a unique time in a persons life when they are going to school with kids that have been in their lives since kindergarden. I took that for granted and forgot that these people in my senior class knew me, really knew me as who I was. When you go to college you are starting over. You are meeting all new people and re-establishing yourself as who you want to be. I needed to be reassured that everything was going to work out. I was so worried that I wasn't going to be happy or that I wasn't going to meet new good friends, that I forgot to enjoy the time I had left at home in my hometown. There are so many new adventures in the future that with my last summer underway I wish I could of realized that I had plenty of time to stress later on and I just needed to enjoy my time left.

Prepare yourself academically more meaning read more to be prepared for the workload of readings. And write more as well.

I would tell myself to look for more oppurtunities to get financial aid, because the more that is avalible the more oppurtunities you will have. For example, if I had more financial aid I could have lived on campus and had more oppurtunites to connect to my fellow students. I also wouldn't have had to worry as much about how i am going to pay for school.

So far I have got alot out of going to college! I have made new friends, but am still trying to decide what I want my career to be. Going to college has allowed me to be a lot more outgoing. In high school I was always one of the shy kids who didn't say anything. College has made me step up and take control of what I want to acheive. College has shown me that I am capable of acheiveing any goals that I want, and that I don't have to have a fear of people. Since going to college I have decided to do some volunteer work at a state park. My college has been valuable because if I graduate I will be the first person in my moms side to have graduated. It has also showed me new things that I didn't get to learn in high school, like how to write proper MLA papers. Most important is that I am enjoying myself, and plan on doing my best to make sure that I get what type of experience I want. Thank you for allowing me to apply for the scholarship.

“Whoever thought of putting a whole bunch of 18 to 20 year olds to live and learn together must have been crazy,” jokes Professor Addler. I have work in the morning and A’s to earn. “It's ok,” Akua assures me, “I don’t drink either.” Saying NO is NOT hard. BMI stands for Bias Motivated Incidents and as a Resident Assistant I have to look out for them. Not everyone’s going to like me, but I have something to say and I don’t have to plunge my head into a toilet right after I do. Juggling 40 hours of work a week and 18 credits does occasionally leave me sick, however. It’s easier to say YES. My carpet reeks of last night and the coffee I have to wake up to make a line of sleepy kids. Shoes time my hands as I ring up one more caramel latte and go over ‘contractarian and rights-based cosmopolitanism’ in my head. 3 Falls, 2 Winters, 2 Springs. Mummy, you don’t know me anymore, but I know myself now. It’s ok to fail sometimes. That’s what makes working to win worth so much more!

I've gotten so much out of my brief time spent in college thus far. I've learned to push myself to try new things and not get discouraged quite as easily. I have learned how important it is to make a good first impression and have an impressive resume. I learned how to take care of things myself without relying on my parents as much. I've learned that hard work and persistence pays off, especially when times get tough. Having a good relationship with professors is another great tool which can definitley come in handy. Most of what I've learned in college have been general life lessons, and things I didn't necessarily learn in the classroom.

When I first began applying to colleges I wanted to go to Stanford University. When I didn’t get in I was crushed. I no longer had any desire to pick a college and sort of just went where I though I would be the least unhappy. I was accepted to the Pioneer Leadership Program (PLP) and ended up at the University of Denver. The first few weeks I had so many mixed feelings. I was happy to be independent but I felt so out of place… I wasn’t in Stanford. However, one night my whole floor (we’re all in PLP) went to a terrible Mexican restaurant and I realized I was home. The University of Denver has become my home. The people here are amazing and each of them brings out the best in me. I have learned so much about myself and who I hope to be some day. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Here at the University of Denver I am not only learning what to learn but how to learn it. It took me a while to figure it out; but I finally know…I am in the right place.

Being from North Carolina and attending college in Colorado I have already gained many things from my college experience. The most import thing I have gained is my independence and maturity. Being so far from home I have made the transition from a naive boy to a mature man. Being on your own with the pressure to succeed makes you grow up fast. I have become a more diligent organized worker and my education is definitely my priority. Because when it comes down to it this is the beginning of the rest of my life and mistakes I make now will definitely affect me in the future, and with my aspirations I cannot afford to have any speed bumps in the road that I could have avoided. This experience has just begun and I have already noticed how valuable it will be when completed. College was always in my master plan to succeed and now that I am experiencing it I am glad that from a kid I was guided in this direction by my parents. As I continue on my college journey i plan on seizing the day and exhausting every opportunity I am presented with.

College has given me the opportunity to grow and expand my knowledge. It has also given me the chance to reach my goals, without education I would not be able to attend medical school. I feel that college is truly vital and the many experiences it has given me will help me in the future. Attending DU has given me knowledge, guidance, internships, and close friends. I have been able to learn from each one of my classes, there has not been one class that I have not gained knowledge. Also, being a part of the cheerleading squad has allowed me to come outside of my box and really experience the excitement and social aspect of college. The teachers at DU are extremely helpful and have a true passion for educating students, which makes class exciting to attend. College has given me confidence in who I am, knowledge that continues to grow, and the enjoyment of a close-knit college environment.