University of Florida Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Florida know before they start?

Wesley

If I were to go back in time to talk to my high school senior self I would tell him to get started on more scholarship applications. I would also tell him who wins the Super Bowl for the next couple years and who wins the Fifa world cup in 2014 so he can bet and win money and be financially set for the rest of his college life. But I would also tell him that going to St Petersburg college is not as bad as I am making it out to be and that I will get into the University of Florida after I get my Associates degree. Once at the University of Florida I would tell him to get a job and continue to apply to scholarships and continue to work hard and to be more social and build more friendships. This would be my advice to my high school senior self and hopefully he will take my advice and not worry about the future as much as I did.

Jennifer

If I could go back and talk to my high school senior self, I would tell younger me that college is not that scary. It seemed my entire senior year was spent dreading graduation while all my classmates were counting down the days. I was devastated when graduation day rolled around. I was going to a new place four hours away from my family and friends, walking away from everything familiar to me. But eventually move in day came and all I could feel was unnecessary fear. Upon arriving at the University of Florida, I was immediately thrown into new situations and interesting experiences. I met my awesome roommates, cool classmates, and learned my way around campus. And the best thing was it was entirely on my own, I didn't have old high school buddies in the mix, or any connections, it was all me; I was responsible for the best summer of my life. So, with this newfound confidence I would go back and tell the little stressed out Jenny that college is different and big and life changing, but its not scary. College is freedom and a time of discovery, something to be anticipated not feared.

suzy

Knowing what I know now about college life, the advice I would give myself as a high school senior would have been, to take some college courses while in high school, in order to get rid of some of those college courses and to be done with college sooner. More so, I would advise myself to stay extremely focus on school and to make sure my highschool GPA is as high as it can be. I would’ve apply for as much scholarships I could possibly apply for, so that I could have enough scholarship and grant money to cover my college expenses. Lastly, I would work on gaining more hands on experience from the field of study of my choice, to be better prepared to help the people of this world who rely on success.

Dallas

Research each college carefully. Each college has different standards and pre-requisite requirements for each degree. If you go to a community college and plan to transfer, be sure to know what pre-requisites are needed. Find out who is going to the same college as you. Friends for roommates is generally considered bad, but it is far better than getting paired up with random people. Spend a year in the dorms- best way to meet new people and make friends. Go to teachers' office hours. Get to know your teachers. They could potentially help you find a job after college. Many jobs require just a 4 year degree because it shows you can do the work and stay focused for long periods of time. While working on the degree, learn to learn. If you know HOW to study, college will be good. Don't get behind trying to LEARN HOW to study. Most important- finish the degree and network. Network with anyone you can. All job hires seem to come from knowing someone somewhere. Networking is everything.

Cameron

Not to be completely cliche, but find something you like to do and run with it. Pick up an instrument, try programming, maybe you like to cook! When it comes down to it, college is YOUR experience and no one can live it for you. This advice transcends far beyond the classroom too. It applies to people you meet, extra curriculars you participate in, etc. If you find an awesome club, or great group of friends that you feel comfortable with, ride that happiness for as far as it will take you. Don't worry about what people might think about you joining the Harry Potter Club. If that is what makes you a truly happy person, then by all means, be the best wizard you can be.

Joseph

I suppose the main piece of advice I would give myself would be to not live on campus for a second year. I feel as though that was my greatest mistake during my time in college. Any other advice beyond that trivial piece, I both would not and should not give myself because it would damage the entire process of learning, self-discovery, and self-improvement. I suppose my refusual to give my past self any significant advice on any noteworthy event follows the old adage about giving a man a fish and would completely ruin my ability to be a self-sufficient well adjusted individual.

Chantelle

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, one of the advices that I would give myself is to not procrastinate. University requires time management. Leaving assignments to be completed at the deadline can cause added stress. To avoid the procrastination, I would have advised myself to work consistently. I would do my assignments in small increments. Taking this advice would have enabled the production of higher quality assignments since I would have spent more time working on them. This strategy would have also reduced stress level which tends to heighten when multiple assignments and tests due around the same date. Another advice that I would give myself is to be open to new experiences and be willing to adapt fully to the life of a college student. Engage in activities that I have never done prior to coming to the college campus. This can allow me to experience life outside of the classroom. Also, doing more extra curriculum activities can aid in identifying and developing of a hidden talent of mine. This can facilitate the formation of a social network that can provide social support that is essential to college success.

Jeff

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Nicholas

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition, the advice I would give myself is be wise, don't drink and drive ever, be open minded, don't be shy, and just have fun and interact with people. You have to be wise in school and with people. You have to be smart and don't beleive evrthing you here. You should always question things that don't seem right, and usually if something doesn't feel right, it usually isn't right. Make sure you don't drink and drive ever. To many students die everyday because of drinkng and driving, don't become the statistic. Know your limit when to stop drinking. Make sure you aren't shy, and make sure you interact with people. When your shy, you don't give yourself the opportunity to meet new people and have fun. Interact with people and make friends and have fun! That's the advice I would give to myself.

Nicole

Nicole, When you first started college, your parents had a vision for you to be a doctor, or a lawyer, or something that defined success by others' standards. You did not have much of a vision for myself, since you were blinded by the advice of those around you. You did not know how to make your passion to help people into a career, probably out of fear, or simply because you were unwilling to think outside of the box. Well, I have good news for you: you realized you needed to start making your own decisions and chasing your own dreams. After a change in major to Psychology and English, hundreds of pages of information on counseling psychology read, and three months of your parents not communicating with you out of disappointment, you were happy. As the quote goes, those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. Your life was not meant to be wasted, and you should intend to live it with the fuel of love, care, understanding, and empathy for others. I know right now you think you have no way to choose your path, but you can, and you will.

Shannone

Since I graduated from high school fifteen years ago, I have learned just how quickly life passes you by. I met many great friends in high school and in college, but I have only realized recently how much I took that time with them for granted. This past year I started to make this right by arranging a ten year reunion for my tight-knit study group from college. We attended a football game back on campus, and we all had a blast reminiscing over memories. We also found that we each shared the sentiment that we should have reunited sooner. Having the opportunity to go through it all again, I am not sure that I would make many decisions differently, but I certainly would treasure this special time a lot more deeply. I would also tell myself to carve out sacred time to keep in touch with friends after parting ways. It is far too easy for life's day-to-day challenges to take over and leave us feeling like we can always leave the important things until "tomorrow."

Tracy

I would tell myself to do exactly what my parents told me, which is what I did. Choose a major that will get you somewhere, one that is a true career path. Never stay out past 2, nothing good ever happens after that, stay healthy, don't have more than one drink a night, more than two nights a week, and never drink more than three in one night. Be safe, never walk anywhere alone, always stay in lighted areas. Work through school, it will keep you grounded, and will force you to learn time management skills, take on internships to figure out what you want to do and to build your resume. Make school your priority, boys will come and go, as will fun, but that degree will stick with you for a lifetime.

Megan

The advice I would give myself is that you should apply to as many scholarships as you possibly can before you start college. It's a great idea to start early in earning scholarships, and it's an idea I took lightly. Now, I am hunting down as many scholarships as I possibly can to help lower the amount of money I must take out in student loans, which is pretty overbearing to deal with when you also have night exams and computer programs to write that take up much of your time. If I had looked for scholarships earlier, it's not that I wouldn't have to look as much during my years in college, but more that I wouldn't feel so pressured. Also, trying to apply for scholarships during high school could have given me more experience in the application process and could have shown me examples of the varied types of scholarships, instead of trying to explore on my own by trial and error when it is important to know what you are doing. Scholarships are an important thing for students to consider, and that is the advice I would give myself.

Alex

If I could go back in time and talk to my former self about college, I would most likely advise myself to cherish the time spent with the family. There is nothing I miss more than being at home and seeing my parents and brother every day. The transition of going from hanging out with my family all the time to seeing them only once every two months has been difficult for me. I wish I would have spent more time with them when I was back at home. Had I known I would not see them much once I moved away to college, I would have done more activities with them and been a better son and brother. The transition to college would have been easier because then I would have known that I spent some quality time with them before moving away. Because of I miss home, I would advise my former self to enjoy the time that passes by when hanging out with the family.

Drew

Don't say no

Steven

After having a challenging yet highly rewarding first year of college, three of the most important things I would tell my high school self are study well in advance for exams, get involved in only one or two organizations, and go to your professors' office hours. In high school, I'd have A's fairly easy because there are many assignments to bolster your grade. Then I'd cram one or two days before a test and could pull off at least a B, thus securing an A in the class. In college the exams comprise the majority of your grade, not to mention the difficulty and amount of information to remember has increased. In order to get an A in a college course, you must have mastery of the material which requires studying a little every day. It's important to get involved on campus but join too many clubs and risk spreading yourself too thin. It's much more rewarding to pick one or two organizations and become highly involved in them. Lastly, go to professors' office hours! This is a way to obtain help and distinguish yourself from other students, which is often difficult in large classes.

Ashley

In high school I went to school everyday worried, anxious and confused about what was around the corner. Always wondering if I had everything done and prepared and if I knew what I wanted. I was so concerned about what was going to happen the next Fall that I never really stopped to enjoy the moment. I would tell my high school self to stop and take in what is around me and worry about the future when its the future. Enjoy your last year of being in high school because in the blink of an eye everything will change and the world will soon seem a whole lot bigger. When I came to college I thought I knew, I thought I was absolutely positive. I could not of been more wrong. I soon learned that I did not want to be a Psychologist and that I had no clue what I wanted to be or where I wanted to go with my life. It took me a semester and a half to figure it out and now, as an education major I couldnt be happier. So have fun while you can because everything else will work out in time.

Miguel

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Victoria

The advice I would give to myself is get involved with what interests you and make friends that way. It helps when classes get hard and you start to feel overwhlemed. I would also advise to talk to someone and utlixe the free counseling if school and life begins to be too much.

Shane

Do not let other people influence your decision of where you will further your education. This decision must be yours, and yours alone, as only you know what will truly make you happy. If you are not comfortable where you decide to go, you will most likely not apply yourself to the fullest of your ability. Research schools day-in and day-out, and find where you feel like you belong, because at the end of the day, it is you who will be committing a few years and a good bit of money to that school. Make sure your decision is worth it, as I can tell you that transferring is a timely and expensive matter, but it has put me in a place where I feel like I belong, and I could not be happier with my decision to be at Florida State in the Fall. This is your life, made up with your choices, where each and every one will shape your future, especially at this crucial point in your life. So make a choice that you will not regret down the road, because at the end of the day, the only person to blame is yourself.