MacKenzie
I would tell myself to not procrastinate anything dealing with college. Start your search for college your Junior, even Sophomore year. There are many colleges out there that aren't right for you, so you need to pick one that is perfect for you. Decide on a major you are interested in and let the professors know that you are interested, and get as much information from them as you can. SCHOLARSHIPS! Start on them early! And apply for as many as you can. Start saving your money whenever you can so you can pay for your schooling and things you want in college. And gas money to go home! Know that your high school friends are moving on too and they won't always be there for you, but your family always will. They miss you back at home and it's okay to miss them. You will also learn that the "off brands" of things, taste and look the same as the real brands and they are cheaper. Get involved. Don't be afraid to be someone different in college. Get involved in clubs and be friends with different types of people.
Matthew
Visit all the libraries.
Make a schedule of what you need to get done. When you check something off, feel good. When you check them all of, you've got free time, guilt free.
Live on campus.
Tag along.
Take classes with strangers, spend free time with friends.
Buy your textbooks new, and keep them forever.
Keep all of your notes, you'll be coming back to them, even years later.
Study with others.
Focus on the basics.
Don't take the meal plan.
Do take the bus.
Schedule in breaks.
Ask which are the good professors. Take classes with the one's people hate.
Buy a good pair of shoes.
Leave your laptop at home.
Remember the people you meet on your first day in class, and what you thought about them in that instant. Most of them will be your lifelong friends.
Doodle.
Asia
I would give myself the advice of keeping myself focused more and studying weeks before a test rather than a day or two before.I would tell myself to not stress as much as I did in high school.
Marie
Get involved. Apply for scholarships early. Don't be afraid to start a random conversation with someone. Ask questions in class. Get to class early. Learn time management. Read assigned homework. Do some form of exercise. Do some form of volunteer work.
Garrett
I have gotten alot more out of college than just learning. I was a kid that no one liked in high school. I was over wieght and over all depressed. College gave me life. It opened a door to multiple possibilities that led me to an avenue of confidence and knowledge. I grew in college, actually i was reborn. The kid that hated his life, finally learned what he was capable of. I was capable of obtaining a work ethic, which helped me to achieve. I have exceded all of my expectations and my personal goals and I learned that life is what you make it. College is very valuable. College helps mold students into proficent and logical people. College also provides the means of growing and discovering oneself. I am transfering this comming fall to a 4 year school. I know that college will help me surpass all my dreams. I know that I will get my degree; I also know that I will be a positive contribution to society. I cant say enough that college is deffinetly a life changing experience. I hope the students that enroll in college has the same possitive experiences that I had.
Katie
During my college experience, I have learned how to be independent, self-motivated, and, most importantly, be myself. A very important aspect of college is learning networking skills that will prove vital in the future. The relationships I have formed here include friends, professors, and colleagues who, during a job search, will prove to be invaluable references. These relationships would never have formed if I had not been genuine and honest with everyone I met. Thus, being myself has been one of the most important lessons I have learned at college. Being independent and self-motivated come hand-in-hand in college. Living on my own for the first time, I have learned how to find my own food, put myself to bed on time, and judge what is a stupid idea or a smart one. With classes, the professors expect me to do my work, study, and pass the class with very little help. Both of these factors have made me learn how to fend for myself and survive.
Brenna
Attending college has exposed me to opportunities that would not have been possible otherwise. I have met extraordinary and inspiring professors, made life-long friends, and learned an invaluable amount of lessons. Being away from home has also helped me in my transition from a teenager to an adult, but I do not feel alone since I am surrounded by other students that are going through the same experiences.
sally
While I was growing up I was not allowed to watch Television. The end of the Cold War, the Iran- Iraq War and many other events were things that I discovered later in life. Perhaps it is just a case of falling in love with something that one has been deprived of, but in my adulthood, nothing is more fascinating than current international events. It is my desire to work toward a degree in Global and International Studies with a focus on Middle Eastern Studies. When I have received my degree, it is my intent to work in foreign relations for the U.S. government. The Middle East is a region that will surely be involved with the U.S. in the future. Hopefully with more peace and understanding between the two. It is my desire to work towards this peace.
Jayne
When I came to the University of Kansas, I was a shy, introverted person which kept me from making friends easily. Although I still consider myself shy, my experience at the University of Kansas has helped me get beyond that initial shyness. I have developed some really great relationships here and have been able to view myself in a much better light. Because of this, I have more confidence in who I am. I have learned some really valuable life skills while attending KU and also the confidence to go beyond what I am comfortable with. I have also learned so much as far as academics are concerned. Even if the community were not good on campus, it would have been worth attending KU just for the education. My professors are really awesome and more than willing to help me if I am having problems understanding the material. Overall, my experience at KU has been incredible. I have learned practical life skills, developed lasting relationships and gained a confidence that will help me for the rest of my life.
Cameron
Attending KU over the last three years has been a wonderful and enriching experience. Even after turning down a full-ride to a different university, I still do not ever regret my decision to come to KU. The overall atmosphere of the campus is a very positive one, in that simply walking down Jayhawk Boulevard allows one to bear witness to all of the older, distinguished buildings at which various student groups congregate for enriching activities on a daily basis. Another valuable trait that KU has in their back pocket is dedicated involvement of the community. At any given KU basketball home game, there will be just as many alumni standing and reciting the alma mater as there are roaring students. Furthermore, it is comforting to know that uniquely enough, this rich tradition extends throughout the lifetime of any Jayhawk. Walking on Mass. Street downtown, wearing a KU t-shirt, no matter your age, will almost always elicit a "ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK" from several passerby. This undying comradery allows one to not only enjoy the years they attend KU, but also the many years thereafter. For this reason, among others, I could not imagine having gone anywhere else.
Daniel
I was raised by a single mom, and I never thought I would be able to attend such a college as the University of Kansas. Thinking this growing up, and being a student where I am now, has taught me to not take anything for granted. My college experience has been one filled with new friends, and a diversity of different classes which I thoroughly enjoyed. Saying that the University of Kansas has been a value to attend is an understatement. Faculty here at KU are there every step of the way for me, doing what they can to help me succeed, and advisors are right by my side helping me to make the transition into the 'real world' a bit easier by helping me in my search for an intership and a job opportunity. Overall, the University of Kansas has been one of the most valued opportunities ever presented to me.
Matt
My college experience has allowed me to expand my horizons by providing me the opportunity to meet new people, discover my true interests, and take on new challenges. The value of the college experience extends beyond the realm of academics. The social life of college has forced me to come out of my usual shy self and interact with people of many ages and of many different backgrounds. Since beginning college, my outlook on academics has dramatically changed. In high school, school work was something that I was required to do. College is full of decisions, including how committed you decide you are to your education. I decided that academics was the most valuable part about college, so I have set my priority as academics. I have learned to keep a good balance between social life and school life. I believe that is what every college student should aim to accomplish.
mona
since I am not from this country, when i came to U.S i felt so alone but after attending school i made lots of friends that is so valuable for me.
Christopher
It's been a great time to gain a pratical education, while being in a sweet town. It's helped me figure out who I am and what I would like to spend my life doing.
Meghan
My college experience has been phenomenal. I start class everyday by eight am, and love every minute of it. I hear other students complain about how early it is, or how they wish they could still be in bed, and I just think to myself how silly the y sound. If someone would have asked me if I was going to taking an eight am classes my senior year in high school, my answer would have been laughed in their face. After being called lazy, I decided it was time to kick it in gear an prove to everyone that I was motivated. My two year community college has kept me on the balls of my feet. My high school career makes me look back and regret how unmotivated I was. I used to sleep through class and maintain a 2.5 GPA. My GPA now that I try and want to make something out of myself is a 3.56. When I combine the high school years and the college years, I feel as if I have became a new woman. The baby step to a community college has opened many doors for me.
Joseph
College has opened my eyes to developing a system for determining right from wrong: Most often, you must examine the context of the situation before coming to any sort of conclusion. College gave me opportunities to, develop personal relationships with people unlike myself, develop knowledge that will help me in my profession, and develop my abilities to work with my communities to obtain community goals. Also, the education I received allows me to become an Engineering serving my communities professionally.
Undergraduate research helps students expand their critical thinking skill and knowledge in a specific area – I was lucky enough to win an undergraduate research award to design an affordable sustainable single family home. The value of a college education is shared by all the people the graduate interacts with college, breaks down diversity issues, supports specific knowledge growth in students, and instills humanity in young adults: These adults, spread the humanity, use the knowledge, and help remove barriers between peoples.
Michelle
I’m currently working on the Graduate Licensure Program through the KU School of Education with the goal of becoming a Secondary Biology teacher. I feel that my education is the most valuable investment that I have made thus far. I can’t say that my undergraduate degree prepared me for real-life, but the college experience definitely helped me define the type of person that I wanted to be. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in Human Biology, I wanted to pursue a career where I could make a difference. I have always wanted to make a positive mark on this world, but I didn’t always know how I could contribute. After three years of exploring various career opportunities I realized that I belonged in education. I feel that I can make the greatest contributions to society as a secondary science teacher, which is why I decided to come back to KU for yet another college experience. As a non-traditional student, my second time around at KU is definitely different from the first, but it has been equally rewarding. Through my first college experience I discovered my dreams, now I am making them a reality.
Dawn
Throughout high school I had a narrow vision that my life needed to be a certain way. My highest priority was to go to college in order to get a comfortable job and lead a comfortable life. In this mindset my future was comfortable yet uneventful. But after I graduated high school I spent a year studying abroad. Everything was uncomfortable. It was not bad, just different, unknown. The food was strange, the weather was cold and the language completely foreign. I was out of my element with nothing familiar to alleviate my increasing sense of disconnection. But something inside me resolved to persevere and prove to myself I was capable of overcoming the challenge. I came home not knowing what to expect from my first year of college. My attitude toward education had completely changed. Now it was something I did because I wanted to better myself and actually learn about the world around me; and more than just learn about it I wanted to change it and make it better for everyone in it. To become an active participant in life has been an invaluable lesson I humbly learned. I want to advance and progress even further.
Rachel
Although my college experience has lasted just over one semester, I feel as though it has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. After I first moved here, I felt so alienated from the people I lived with and spent most of my time around because of our differing morals and opinions. I wanted nothing more than to give up and go home, however I knew that was not an option for me. I was forced to grow up a lot in the first month of my college career, and accepted that it was up to me to make my time here to be the best it could be. I joined organizations and put myself out there to meet as many people as I could. Now I have a group of close friends that I can see with me well into my future. I also feel as though my learning and studying skills have grown immensly over these past five months. Looking back to my senior year, it is difficult to believe the amount of change college has brought to my life. Despite all of it, I am proud of everything I have learned through the process.
Alex
From community college, I have learned unexpected values and lessons not unlike a wake up call experienced by someone falling from grace or hitting rock bottom. Had I gone straight to a 4-year institution many values I have begun to realize would have gone to the wayside. Simple yet extremely important, perpetuating aspects such as a caring family, a roof over my head, and a close knit community become demolished under the sanctity of going to a 4-year school. It is much like high school, where the only thing that matters is school. Not that education is unregarded at community colleges, but there is much more to it then textbook knowledge. My college experience has been a small dose of the real world, where everything is certainly not handed over upon the snap of a finger or request. Reseach values- being able to research effectively- has been the quintessential thing I can take out of my college experience thus far. Searching not only for a self-concept, to abstractly make oneself whole, but also for practical and tangible items and tools such as jobs for money to support my bettered self has made college more than valuable.