University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

First off, here's a couple of inspirational college videos: http://www.buzzfeed.com/capitalone/inspirational-movies-about-college Cliche' alert: "take a chance" I'll try to avoid phrases like that. However, that's the point of going to school. It's a chance many people don't get to take. It can be scary, but if you let fear hold you down, you won't experience some of the amazing things our campus has to offer. There are tens of thousands of things to do on campus, and you have them available to you from day one. With over 1,000 student organizations holding 10 or more events all year, you'll always have something to do. There's an immense party scene, athletics, performing arts and volunteer opportunities here: do everything you can. Four years goes by in a flash. I think the need to focus on academics goes without saying. It's so important to stay on top of your grades. I've seen too many of my friends leave campus because they messed up a few midterms here and there. Maintaining your grades is essential to enjoying college and being able to "take chances" and have fun here, because if you are smart enough to stay here, chances are, it'll weed you out quickly- Study hard, play hard (sorry, the cliche' fit the moment!).

1. Be prepared for all weather. This is central Illinois, after all. You would think that, having grown up in this area my whole life, I would be used to it, but getting used to Illinois weather would be like trying to get used to random shock treatments. One day it's 55 degrees F in December, and the next day it's 26 degrees and has snowed 6 inches. Rain is the worst in college, and C-U seems to have a problem with flooding. Rain boots and a good umbrella are the best investment to make. 2. Go to class, even when it's raining/snowing/windy/cold. If you skip class just because you're too lazy to walk 10 minutes to the quad, you are going to have a serious problem on your hands! I don't say this from personal experience per se (I never skip class!), but a lot of people I know do this on a regular basis. Come on people, it's not that hard. 3. GET INVOLVED! Some of the best ways to do this are to join the club for your major (basically all of them have one), join your residence hall council, rush a fraternity/sorority, volunteer in the community through a service organization, or join a performing arts group or sports team. The more people you get to know, the more fun you will have! Really! 4. Don't get too involved, though. Your freshman year is a time of adjustment. Choose like 2-3 activities you want to participate in, and make sure they are worthwhile uses of your time. If you don't like the people or going to meetings, then try something else. Don't forget to devote time to your studies! It is the reason you're here, after all. 5. Finally, don't act like you're still in high school. Maybe you went to one of those high schools where you could twist the teachers around your little finger to get out of assignments or where you could study the hour before a test and ace it. But the University of Illinois is not like that. Even if you hate a class or you don't like a professor's assignments, you just need to deal with it like a mature adult. Whining and crying about a class will not get the work done. Do what you're told--unless it's something morally reprehensible or completely ludicrous, there is no reason to act like a baby about it. And whatever you do, don't be the kid who has his/her parents call a professor to make them raise your grade or blah blah blah. You are an adult now. (Stepping off soapbox)

Kenya, you are about to make the one the biggest transitions of your life! You're going to college! I bet you're nervous and it' okay! When you step foot on the campus at U of I know that you are going to be considered an adult. No more mommy and daddy waking you up to go to class or doing your laundry. The only thing you can depend on while you are away at school are your alarm clock and a nice hot cup of coffee. Make sure you go to all of your classes and be on time. Nobody is there to baby you or give you more accurate notes then yourself. Also don't be afraid to make friends because they will relieve the stresses of classes. If you decide to party Kenya, don't party on a Thristy Thursday you have Friday and Saturday to enjoy yourself. Try to leave Sundays for catching up on sleep, homework and study, study, study! Your books are your number one best friend! This new college experience will change your life and allow you to prove to your parents that your are independent. Make it your best experience ever!

Ask everyone that has gone to college or is in college as many questions as you can. As soon as you get to school everyone will be able to spot that you're a freshman from a mile away. It's good to ask around and learn the tips of college life early. This will not only make your life a lot easier but it may save you some embarrassment as well. For example, if you plan on joining a fraternity/sorority learn how to pronounce the Greek letters, that's something I messed up... If you don't know what you want to do with your life or what you want to major in, that is totally fine. I came into college freaking out about what I wanted to be when I grow up and thinking I needed to know right now. You have a lot of time in college to figure it out and a lot of credit hours to play around with. Take your time exploring any possible career choices you think you might be interested in.

Ask as many questions as you can right away. As soon as you get to school everyone will be able to spot that you're a freshman from a mile away. It's good to ask around and learn the tips of college life early. This will not only make your life a lot easier but it may save you some embarrassment as well. If you don't know what you want to do with your life or what you want to major it, that is totally fine. I came into college freaking out about what I wanted to be when I grow up and thinking I needed to know right now. You have a lot of time in college to figure it out and a lot of credit hours that need to be earned. Take your time exploring possible career options. Don't think you need to have a first semester class schedule of classes in one specific major.

Ask as many questions as you can right away. As soon as you get to school everyone will be able to spot that you're a freshman from a mile away. It's good to ask around and learn the tips of college life early. This will not only make your life a lot easier but it may save you some embarrassment as well. If you don't know what you want to do with your life or what you want to major it, that is totally fine. I came into college freaking out about what I wanted to be when I grow up and thinking I needed to know right now. You have a lot of time in college to figure it out and a lot of credit hours that need to be earned. Take your time exploring possible career options. Don't think you need to have a first semester class schedule of classes in one specific major.

College is not the same as high school. It is so much better! I was happy in high school. I liked my friends and had a good time, but college is a whole new world. The freedom to do whatever you want- socially and academically is so exciting. However, it is important to never lose sight of why you are at college. Without balancing academics with your social life, it may be difficult to succeed. Some of the best advice I can give is what your parents have been telling you your whole life: go to class, work first then play. Doing everything on time is the best way to keep yourself from getting too stressed out when finals roll around.

College is not the same as high school. It is so much better! I was happy in high school. I liked my friends and I had a good time, but college is a whole new world. The freedom to do whatever you want- socially and academically is so exciting. However, it is important to never lose sight of why you are going to college. Without balancing academics with your social life, it may be difficult to succeed. Some of the best advice I can say is what your parents have been telling you your whole life: go to class, work first then play. Doing everything on time is the best way to keep yourself from getting too stressed out when finals roll around.

Make no mistake, Illinois is a huge school. If you don't get involved in different aspects of the university, you will keep that feeling throughout your time here. But it's easy to make your Illinois experience personal by taking advantage of all of the opportunities that are here for students. Join one of the 1000+ registered student organizations (or start your own!), get to know your professors (introduce yourself and go to office hours!), and make an effort to make and keep friends. I remember that one of my biggest obstacles as a freshman was that I would meet people during Welcome Week, and then I wouldn't see them again because our paths didn't cross and our interests weren't similar. This isn't a bad thing--these people you meet in your first week could become your best friends here, or you might not talk to them for 3 years only to have them show up in your English class senior year. It's important to remember that every connection you make here is significant, but not necessarily sustaining. Get involved and try new things, and you'll meet a lot of people who like to do the same!

The most important thing I would've told myself would be to stop looking at colleges based on who I was 2 years prior. The biggest mistake I made was not realizing how much my interests and needs had changed during high school and limiting my search only to smaller schools that had good programs in secondary education. Little did I know how at home I would actually feel in a huge state school, and that my chosen major would so drastically change. What I forgot to consider was the social climate of the schools. While academics are important, I shouldn't have made the mistake of ignoring the social aspect, as it would determine how I spent my free time and, similarly, how happy I would be. The truth is, there are multiple factors to take into account when choosing a college, and, while some are more important than others, there are certainly a few you should never ignore completely. Make sure your chosen college will make you successful, healthy, and happy.