University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Top Questions

So far, my college experience has taught me respondsibility. I have learned to become more independent because I do not have my parents around to assist me at every moment. I am living on my own, making my own money, and experiencing things daily that are different than high school. I have also gained a sense of self because I have had to meet new people and become acclimated with such a large campus. I value my experiences because they have allowed me to obtain skills that I can use later in life.

I looked forward to attending my university because of the numerous research opportunities it offers. But I would have never thought I would get to know my professors as well as I have currently. My College of Applied Health Sciences is relatively small college compared to the other colleges on the university campus but because of this, my professors have been able to provide more attention to their smaller pools of students. As a result, my professors have provided me with valuable opinions on my future plans as well as new research projects related to my interests. They have also provided support while helping me to understand challenging concepts. On the other hand, my university campus is large, which offers me the chance to interact with students from many other colleges and to participate in various extracurricular activities such as student organizations. Because of the balance between my college and my university campus, I believe I have discovered experiences and resources that have prepared me to compete successively in my future career.

I feel that I have gotten a lot out of my college experience so far. I have had the opprotunity to work with and be around people from many different cultures and backgrounds. This has helped me to further understand other people, and to be able to look past the obvious differences and see the actual person. This has also helped me to be able to fully embrace the beauty of other cultures. Attending a bigger university has also allowed me to really grow as a person. Since Illinois is such a large institution, there is no one around to watch your every move. It makes no one any difference if you go to class, do your homework, study, join a club, or decide to go out on a week night. You and you alone are responsible for your actions. As a result of this, I have learned how important it is to take responsibility for my own actions (good and bad). I have learned how to prioritize and manage my time effectively. Most importantly I have realized that I am the one who decides what my future will be.

I have learned many things from my college experience, but I would say that it is not the "book-smarts" that you attain that make college valuable, (although it helps), but rather the experiences you have and the people you meet. It is one thing learning from a book and craming with video lectures untill 2 am. before an exam, but it is really something else to do it with a group of people all sharing the same worries and helping eachother. The true values of college come about during the times of stress and anxiety, the value is in knowing that you can brave through all the work and pressure and come out a changed person for the better.

My college experience is an opportunity to bring together a lifetime of educational and work experience into a new career. I put down my art career in college to address social issues. I'm very excited at this time in my life to come full circle and find a way to make a living in the arts. Fashion design has an enormous impact on our environment and health. I am part of an evolutionary movement seeking to "green" our industries, protect our environment and animals, end unfair labor practices and implement innovative economic structures that redistribute the wealth. My work experience includes fiscal planning, administration and management. I'm a retired Alternative Health Care Practitioner, Bodyworker (specializing in PTSD), Reiki Master and Nutrition/Wellness Lifestyle Coach. I have taught realistic drawing/art therapy to homeless children in transitional shelters as well as a 750-hour therapeutic massage certification courses in San Francisco. I worked in the environmental movement and various social movements throughout my life. After being laid-off as a teacher, at the request of students, clients, and fellow practitioners, I founded Lokahi BodyWorks, Inc., a nonprofit wellness organization.

Being from a quiet suburban neighborhood I feel I have been shielded from what the rest of the world is truly like. But college has been an eye-opening experience for me, and I have been given a freedom that has never existed before. Through this freedom came great responsibility and I have been given an opportunity to develop skills and habits that will allow me to succeed on my own. People from all sorts of backgrounds and passions are brought together on this college campus and I got to see the diversity that the world has to offer. Everyone has different aspirations and I find myself constantly surrounded by peers that are on different paths than my own. And being around these people, I have found myself picking up a thing or two about their subjects of interest. Also, my professors are constantly motivating me and reminding me that my goals are possible and that I should continue to persevere to obtain those goals. Not only have I been able to grow academically, but I have learned essential skills to survive in the real world and I've made a few friends along the way.

The changes in my life have been great, I am a mother of 4 and have a husband who is in the Army and deploying . I will be taking care of every thing here on the home front with out the help of my husband., when it comes to the family as well as going to school. I am taking this challenge on to better myself and families future. Like my husbands sacrifice of leaving his family and fighting for our country over seas I am waging a type of battle of my own here by going back to school while he is gone. I want to prove to myself and show my children you can do anything as long as you put for an effort put your nose to the grindstone and never give up. This is not going to be an easy journey but one will worth it in the end.

the only thing i have gotten out of college so far is basic knowledge. in order to survive in todays job market one needs that peace of paper that says degree just so the HR will look at the resume.

By attending college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign I have learned to be independent. As soon at I touched down at the University I realized that it would be a lot different than High School. Not only is the enviornment different but the workload is different as well. . Many times people get upset when they see people succeeding but what they do not realize is that they have worked hard to get to where they are. College has also taught me to balanced out my school work and social life. College has also made me realized that education is the key to success and without it success is hard to reach. I have also realized that going to college is not about making money but about loving what you do. By attending college I have met many new friends who have encouraged me to keep going when I felt that I could not go any further and that is why I feel that college has been valuable for me. I have also learned that education is not a given and that you have to work hard to reach success.

Thus far i have gotten the skill of being able to never give up and strive until i reach my goal. The work here at this university is at a high level of learning and in order to keep up with the rest of my classmates i have to work hard and never give up when there is a new task thrown in my direction. It is ver valuable to attened this college for my personal reason because my school has a excellent social work program that i will benefit from whne i graduate.

This is something that i wanted to do for a long time. And then when i finaly got the chance to go to this college i did! Now i am a profeccional and know what i am doing This college geve me good educationd , and more goles in my life.

Thoughout the first half of my college experience, I have found out a great deal about myself. Coming into college, I felt that I was a strong person and could take anything the University of Illinois could throw at me. However, after experiencing my first mid-term season at college, I quickly realized that my courses were not going to be as easy as high school. After realizing this, I became exteremely motivated to work as hard as I could. This motivation not only led me to be able to join numerous honor's organizations, but also drove me to obtain not just one, but two jobs while maintaining a full course-load and a major GPA of 3.70 on a 4.0 scale. I do not believe that I would have encountered this motivation had I got anywhere besides the University of Illinois. Because of its history, I felt pressure to ensure I do not let the University down, but also myself and my family. For that, I am forever grateful.

What is the life that we live? To ourselves it is the world, to most it is a wayward flicker unnoticeable nor relevant, but to a few it is essence of love that bonds us. I used to live a life that was encased in a prison of my own making. Watching the movements of world through the gap of my life was my fear compelling me to shelter myself in my own dream. It was a primal instinct that bounded me from ever reaching out to blind fate, because the fear of humiliation and suffering was an ever omnipresence pressure. The cancer of doubt and hesitance was never something I ever overcame; it was something that was cured by others. Since coming to college I have found a place of warmth where I belonged in a nutshell with friends. The value of relations, friendship, and interaction in general is the value that most take for granted; these values are what drive us, motivates us, and protects us. These are the valuables of college that I adhere the most, and which I will never forget.

I have learned that responsibility is an absolutely essential trait to have. It's very important to be able to stay on top of things because no one is going to push you like they once did in High school. Teachers no longer go out of there way to tell you what you need to get done; you are an adult and are treated as such. It is also very important to be carefull of the people you choose to associate with. I have also been given the opportunity to take classes that both interest me and allow me to learn about the environment around me. It was while attending Human Development classes that I discovered that I wanted to become a teacher. Attending college has helped me grow into a better person. I have learned invaluable lessons that have helped me succeed in both my college career and my personal life. Armed with the ability to stay organized and the personal determination to succeed, I have become an imporant component of society.

College is the gateway to success. I realize that to succeed in life, you have to do things that require time and a bit of skill. College has helped me understand the value of education and what it can do for you. Not only is the extra education needed in any upcoming jobs or programs, but it is also used in everyday life. College shows you how to be a better person, both mentally, and physically in and out of the classroom. A good education can take you a very long way in life, the only way to get there though is to let it take you and to capitolize on every opportunity and chance you are given.

I have learned the importance of making connections with all different races and ethnicities and the benefits of taking advantage of all of the great opportunities U of I has offered me. Every day I have the option to meet someone new and it has taught me to learn from every single person you meet. Choosing to join a certain student organization or opening yourself up to meet and talk to people you would not necessarily have a reason to talk to could completely change my life for the better and I am definitely taking advantage of that while I attend the University of Illinois.

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself that I should be prepared for an extreme change. I would tell myself that college is a time in life that changes who you are, that there are going to be many temptations all around you, such as alcohol, parties, drugs and much more, and that you have to learn to prioritize. Don't give into temptation. I would assure myself that although everyone around me might be doing these things, that it does not make it right. I would also tell myself to be more open and personable with other students especially the floormates because you will be living around them for a year. Also, I would tell myself to not stress out and especially not to procrastinate. Do not stress out during finals week even though it is the hardest time of the semester, that everything will work out as long as you do everything on time. Lastly, I would tell myself to enjoy this time and to really put an effort in school because this is a critical time in life where you find yourself.

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about transitioning to college, I would just have a few things to say. One, be very outgoing. Everyone is new to campus, and the school is very large so everybody is looking for friends. You have nothing to lose by being extra friendly, for if someone doesn't like your personality there are always more people out there. Also, get involved right away. School activities are a great way to meet new people and make connections for after college. Activities look great on a resume, especially organizations you were apart of all through college. Lastly, I would tell myself to study more. While high school can be challenging, college classes are much more difficult. They require a lot of time and dedication. Being that there are no rules or parents, it is easy to slack off. But, if you work hard, in the end it pays off to have a good GPA that will help you get great job offers.

Be willing to stand out! Make a great first impression, and introduce yourself to someone you never would have in high school. College is a time to grow and learn. Know who you are sitting next to in class and exchange cell numbers because you can share your confusion together. By introducing myself to the people around me, I formed study groups and found awesome friends. Learn to balance! Arriving at college, I had no idea of what to expect from my classes, socially, or through extracurricular activities. My parents were not in my dorm room encouraging me to stay in and finish my work. Make sure you learn or know how to balance your time and be self-disciplined. I signed up for ten plus activities at the beginning of the semester, and had to learn what I could reasonably accomplish in 24 hours. Try something different! Coming to college, I knew I wanted to go into engineering, but was interested in so much more. I am currently researching with an anthropologist. I am also part of an organization called Alternative Spring Break, where groups travel across the country to help others. Make sure to invest in your interests.

The biggest advice that I would give myself as a high school senior would be to not procrastinate during senior year. Having less work to do during your final year of high school allows you to become lazy and be able to procrastinate. This lack of work turns the laziness into a habit that carries on into college. The biggest mistake for me was the fact that I was not used to completing homework and focusing during classes. I became lazy and did not study my coursework as much as i should have. If I had stayed focused and did not procrastinate in high school I would have been used to the amount of time and energy needed to stay ahead in my college classes. Now that I have this experience under my belt, I attend every class and complete all my work ahead of time. I have study days at the library twice a week rather than waiting until it is time for midterms or finals. This knowledge would have been crucial to me during my senior year as I would have been completely prepared for the commitment needed for collegiate studies.