University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

Time travel is a topic that entrances everyone, and I am sure everyone thinks about it. What would we do if we could go into the past? Most people would go back to change a decision they made, or to give themselves advice about the future. Other than tell myself the next week?s lottery numbers, I would give myself advice about college. It is a major transition, and looking back at it, I could have used all the advice I could get. My biggest piece of advice would be to be open and friendly. Start up a conversation with everyone- your neighbors in the dorm, the people you sit next to in class, and even your professors. Making friends and networking is the easiest thing to do if you just put yourself out there, and having an active social life and building relationships is as important as doing well in class. Friends are important to have because we all need someone to lean on, and when we have that support and know we have it, we are happy. When we are happy we are able to do our best work and be successful in life.

The transition to college life can be stressful and exciting all at the same time. There are many ways to make this transition occur more smoothly. One thing I wish I had done earlier was get involved on campus. From the dorms to rec center to classroom, make your presence known. This, I found, is even more important on a large campus such as mine where its easy to get lost in the crowd. There are many was to accomplish this. The first and easilest is to open your door and make friends in your dorm. Get to know the people around and do it right away. Find a friend to eat dinner with or someone to watch your favorite tv show with. Another option is to join a club, sorority/faternity or inturmual sports team. Organization on campus not only expose you to new activities but new people, maybe even some who are older and wiser. The last place I recommend making your presence known is in the classroom. Raise your hand and ask a question or go to office hours to get to know your professor, they may help you out later. Let your campus know your presence.

First, when your parents are pressuring you about scholarships, choosing a major and choosing your college, this is not the time to be rebellious and not listen. No matter how ?un-cool? they seem, they are trying to give you good advice, and to be there for you when you need help, or someone to talk to. Apply as early as you can to the colleges, even if you have not taken a tour or know what you would like to major in. Often schools award institutional scholarships on a first come, first served basis, so even though you don?t think you can afford the school you never know what financial aid you may receive. College is not some wild party like most think? well it can be. College is what you make of it. Choose wisely when you want to go out several nights of the week. Skipping class is fine, but just be prepared to accept the GPA you earn at the end of the semester. Lastly, appreciate your last year in high school. College is fun, exciting, scary, and every emotion you can imagine. It is a different world that is the start to your future.

As a high school senior I had an easy time in school. School came easy to me and I took the easy path through high school. If I could go back and give advice to myself, I would have said, "Challenge yourself, Jordan, to go above and beyond. You wasted so much time in high school doing meaningless things and now I wish I could have some of that time back to prepare myself for the rigors of college. " "It takes hard work and dedication to become successful in this world. College is not going to be a breeze for you. Your education is going to be the most important thing you ever set out to do. Don't take it lightly. Use this last year of high school to get ahead of the game, to practice life skills, and to make decisions that will bring about a better, less stressful future. Change your motto to 'Bring it on world. Make me stronger.'" That is what I would say to myself.

If I were to talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would have forced myself to join the marching band. After participating in the U of M pep band and being around the band family, I realized in my freshman year that my apprehensiveness limited my experiences that year. I saw that way the marching band performed, acted, and how dedicated they were to school spirit. This was something that my high school self should have known and acted upon. I missed out, and making the decision to join as a sophomore has demonstrated to me that a band family of 300 can be the glue that keeps life together. Our weekday rehearsals and Saturday Game Days mashed every college major and personality together, moving together as a single unit. This is something that, as a freshman, would have made the transition into college life easier. I doubted my capabilities and should have challenged myself to take a chance coming into college. Joining the marching band has led me to many more opportunities inside and out of college. My family of 300 has and will continue to shape all aspects of my life for years to come.

If I could go back and talk to myself as as a senior I would tell me to be more outgoing. Getting to know people when you move onto campus is crucial. It will be very stressful if you don't make a support network for yourself. I was shy in high school and did not have the best social skills coming into college. High school was a good opportunity to develop these skills and I missed it somewhat. I would also tell myself to work on better study habits. Adjusting to the workload of college is difficult if you didn't study much while in high school, like myself. The work there was easy so I put in the bare minimum and thought I could get away with that in college too. But I learned quickly that this was not the case.

Dear high school senior me, I'm here to give you advice now that I've finished my first semester of college and have a better understanding of all that college is about. First, start looking into scholarships this year and apply to as many college as your heart desires. Dont limit yourself to just in state schools either, look abroad at all the options because they're limitless. I know your worried about losing your friends and starting new, but dont worry! They'll be back for the breaks and you'll see all of them again. Once you start college you'll make tons of new friends and they're all going to be mature and ready to take school seriously. Finally, while you're in college everything is going to change. You're going to be considered an adult, resonsible for yourself and all your actions. You'll learn new study habits, how to balance your time, and what it takes to live on your own. Although it sounds scary now, dont fret! High school senior me, enjoy your last year of high school and be prepared for next year, its going to be a good one!

As pessimistic as it may sound, I would advise myself that you'll never be ready for the first week at college. I attended a college-preperatory highschool, had lived by myself and thought being high school senior was the most independance anybody could ever ask for. I realize now that moving out, orientation, and even high school graduation were all preparing me for a transition that was truly life-changing. Meeting new people, discovering what type of person you will be, and embracing the deep changes that will occur is something that no amount preparation will help soften. It was an amazing experience and totally worth the immense effort, but I would advise my high school senior self that changes will occur, whether they were prepared for or not.

First off, skipping the lectures and "just learning it on your own" is not always going to work. Oftentimes, the professor may explain something such as a math formula in a way that is easier to understand than the textbook, or he or she may have their own method of solving something that they want you to use on the tests. It's hard to employ these "tricks" if you don't go to class to learn them! Sometimes professors won't fully explain something, however, so you should read the textbook for further explanations until you fully understand. It's good to team up with someone else while doing homework so that you can help each other, provided that you actually do work and not just sit around and talk. Another important thing: NEVER wing a midterm, because that's about a third of your grade down the drain, and relying on the final to bring up your grade is not a smart choice either. Doing the opposite and studying so much right before the midterm is also a bad idea because you will be too exhausted to think by the time you take the midterm.

If I had the opportunity to go back to my senior year of high school, I would tell myself to be more confident and sure of myself. Entering college, I realized that unlike high school, it isn't just about classes and studying. It is extremely important to have a medium set so you don't overwork yourself. Having a social life and joining all the interesting clubs and groups that are available is part of the whole "college experience." By exclusively putting my entire self into my studies, I sometimes get drained too quickly. So I would tell myself to continue studying hard, but to also step out of my comfort zone and make friends, have fun, and most importantly live life.