University of Maine Top Questions

The advice that I would give myself is to start studying more and reading the books in High School. I would also tell myself not to slack off in my Advanced Placement courses because they help a lot in the long run. There's plenty of classes you can skip or even not take as many as 15 credits a semester. Don't study too much or else you'll get a migraine. Get used to the cold because it's freezing in Maine! Be a social butterfly, it'll get you a lot of friends and a lot of help. Don't spend too much money on the silly things that you need, because at the end you won't know where all of that money went, and you will freak out. I promise. Go out and have fun. make your college experience what you want it to be, not what others want it to be.

My last two years of high school were filled with drama of every kind. I once thought I would be a veterinarian, but that dream went out the window. I felt lost and I was stressed because I felt I had no life dream anymore. If I could go back I would tell myself (and others in my position) that it'll all work out. College is a time to explore your passions, learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. Its a time to change and embrace that. At first you will be an odd mix of excited and scared, and you'll probably feel sick. But soon enough it'll all work out better than you could have imagined! You'll meet new people that'll change your life and you'll reconnect with old friends that you thought were gone forever, but have faith and live with love & passion as your goals for life!

Going back in time, I would have taken more math classes, especially precalculus or calculus. I would also have taken some college courses since I find that students with more college credits entering High School have a better choice of their college classes (really!). I also would have not listened to some advisors and have taken more AP Classes and not worried about my workload. You have to take the courses anyway in college and with taking AP classes in high school, you have the whole year to finish the course and take the AP exam. It's also really important to get involved in community and leadership activities since it really helps in the future for planning and managing a group or team as well as planning projects. Accept more leadership positions in clubs and extracurricular activities. The last thing I would have done is taken a time management class, a speed reading course and don't forget to learn how to type well (you'll be writing a lot of essays and completing a lot of online exams)! Good luck. Allie

I would simply tell myself that the transition and making friends isn't as frightening as I had thought, and that the nervousness wears off as soon as you step inside and see everyone welcoming you into the school. I would also tell myself to keep a roll of good toilet paper handy at all times., because college toilet paper sucks.

I would tell my self to get more self motivated. In college there is no parent there to get you up for classes everyday or to make you meals and such. Being more self motivated early gets you prepared for life on your own especially if you are hundreds of miles away from home. This also applies to doing homework, because is high school procrastination was easy, but in college it must be avoided.

I would tell myself to relax. The biggest thing is to not stress yourself out so much, there are many ways to get help you just have to do it! I would tell myself to prepare for the real world, there are many choices out there, some good some bad, but remember we all make mistakes the best you can hope for is to learn from them. College is quite different from high school, but it can also be similar in a lot of ways, it forces you to take on more responsibility so be prepared, but don't be scared! It's not as scary as it seems, and it truly is a lot of fun, but you have to learn to balance the fun with the studying. Be aware that there still is peer pressure and don't fall for it, be the best that you can be, and try your best! You're parents will still love you, and you'll more than likely come out with some great rewards!

Don't worry about what other people think, take more time to explore the options within the major you think you want to go into, as well as the other major choices offered at this university. Going to college is a major step in a person?s life and that step is not always easy. What should be easy is remembering that you have family to ask questions of, and important people in your life who care about you, no matter what career you decide to pursue. Most importantly, remember to have fun and make some new friends, just because you're going off to college doesn't mean you are going to lose your old friends. Oh, and don?t procrastinate about joining tractor club, you?ll get more out of it if you do it sooner.

College is not at all like high school. There's cliques, classwork, all the normal stuff but living on campus is a totally different experience. It is like living with a bunch of your friends, so there is always something to do. Which is great, but it also means there is a lot more peer pressure. So remember to be your own person and do what is best for you. Join clubs that sound interesting whether or not they are related to your major. They are the best way to get to know people and a good way to define yourself, plus they look pretty snazzy on any application. Remember to try new things and that college is all about figuring out who you are. It is a fresh start, so make the most of it and enjoy those four (or five) years.

If I could go back and talk to myself, I would tell myself what is coming. As a senior I thought the first year of college would be a blast and be simple but I was wrong. I would tell myself, prepare yourself for whats coming, study harder, get rid of the distractions, and focus on the studying. Don't get caught up in hanging out with friends, and the freedom that you now have. Keep you head and focus. College is not like high school, so work harder and in the end it will be worth it.

The transition to college is different than transitioning from middle school to high school because you?re paying but most importantly you?re on your own. To have a good college life you have analyze more than academic prestige of a school, but the location and people who attend. As a freshman I have learned that school needs to be fun, it can?t be taken too seriously because then you?re only stressing out and you?re alone, mom cannot hold your hand. My advice to myself would be after looking over finances and academic prestige, look at the populous and the location because they will determine how happy you are socially. The social aspect is just as important as academic purpose because the social environment determines your emotional state of mind. If you?re not happy, your grades are affected. However that doesn?t mean to pick the wildest city in America, it means in order to survive college there has to be a balance between academic work and social networking.