University of Maryland-University College Top Questions

My college experience has shown me that hard work pays off. I am a wife and mother, and now a college student. I made a difficult choice by going back to school to earn my bachelors degree. My college experiences have been eye opening and definitely changed my outlook on life. I have learned to appreciate this experience and apply it to my everyday life. The college life has taught me to preserver through all things. What you learn in college will help you function and excel in the real world. The main reason I decided to attend University of Maryland University College is to show my children that all things can be done if you put your mind to it. I want them to understand that being persistent is vital in becoming successful in life. I want my life to be an example of what to do and what not to do. One thing they will learn from my life is "Choices have consequences". My decision not to attend college right from high school is something I have always regretted. I am now able to rectify that situation by earning my degree now.

Take education more seriously because without it, there really isnt a great career ahead of you these days. Balance having fun and being studious a little better. Most importantly, believe in yourself and don't put other peoples needs in front of your own!

If I had the chance to go back and talk to myself while I was still in high school, I would tell myself to take advantage of the opportunity to get a free education while it was still being offered. I would tell myself to go directly into college, you have no idea how hard it is to go back once you have been out of school for so long. There are placement tests about stuff you know now but will forget about in a few short years. You could learn so much more if you keep your brain stimulated and keep on learning. I would tell myself, not to waste time. By the time you are 24 years old you could have a masters degree or you could just be getting started. I would tell myself that Ive seen how it is on one side and it could have been a lot better if I would have applied myself. I wouldn't let the senior me deny college and start working. I would have told her all about UMUC and told her how easy it will be to go to college and still have a life.

I believe if I were able to go back in time, I would tell my former self to relax. I remember making a lot of mistakes in a lot of different situations such as social, educational, and even professional. Number one thing when being emersed in a new environment away from home is to just be yourself and not worry about what others may think of you. You can't please everyone, so don't try to. Life on your own becomes much happier when you can accept yourself as you are, and not as what everyone else wants you to be.

My adjustment difficulties are not the typical ones that are commonly thought of such as staying out too late, putting off assignments, or partying. For me, they have been more subtle. As my classmates are typically working adults adding degrees later in life, I have felt more intimidated in class. If I could give myself advice, it would be to be more outgoing and voice my needs, concerns, and opinions. I would tell myself to view the experiences of my classmates as another source of information instead of something to fear. We are all in the same class, with the same goal. With this fear behind me, I would spend more time in study groups and sharing my insights in class as well as asking questions. My willingness to participate more freely in class would not only have aided that portion of my grade but brought answers to my concerns more readily. Therefore, the main advice I could have offered myself and benefited from, would be to not be afraid, take a chance, speak up, and learn from others!

Personal choices that I have made have brought about many blessings and many setbacks. I have had the chance to live in and visit places all over the world and I would not trade that experience for anything. However, this journey has caused my college education to span eight years and six different colleges. With this in mind, I would advise my senior self to buckle down and get it done. I would recommend going to college, living in the dorms, and finishing in the normal four year period. Although my life has been exciting and fulfilling, traveling could have waited until my education was complete.

There are many things that I would tell myself if given the opportunity to go back in time to visit myself as a senior in high school. The first thing I would tell myself is to take my education seriously. When I was a senior in high school, I was pregnant with my first child. I figured that all chances of college were out of the question for me. I put my education on hold and decided that if I could only be a mother, then I would be a good one. However, I wish I could have explained to my younger self that just because I was a mother did not mean that I had to give up on my education. I would have told myself to hang in there. If I could graduate high school after having a child, I could graduate college too. I also would have reminded myself to use the resources available to me to find out information on scholarships along with grants, and to never take the easy way out. I do not regret the choices that I have made for experience becomes knowledge and wisdom. I feel that I have gained both.

I would emphasize more on the importance of studying because that is a major part of getting your degree because you need to understand the information in order to pass the classes. I would have also applied for more scholarships because the cost of school is not cheap.

If I was a high school senior and was able to go back and talk to myself about the transition between high school and college the main thing I would say is, it is not as bad as everyone says it is. Teachers want you to pay attention so they tell the class that what they are teaching is going to be very useful in college so that you will worry and pay attention. I remember that teachers kept saying that college professors do not write notes on the board, that they lecture and you have to take notes off what they say. Out of all of the classes I have had I never had to go off just what they said. So, do not worry about the future because you are prepared more then you think and once you get through your first semester you will realize that there was no reason to worry throughout high school.

The advice I would give is to not give into the peer pressure to boys and have sex early. Although, I love my son dearly. I wish I would have waited to "sow my wild oats" first. It took me til 1998 to return to school to pursue any post secondary education. It is hard to balance a child, working and school being single. But, " I DID IT!!!" I am truly blessed to have a son that is so well rounded, smart, disciplined, a college student at Bowie State and an Army Reservist.