University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

If I could go back in time and give myself some advice, I would stress the importance of proper studying skills and test taking skills. Too many times in my high school career did I 'dump' my knowledge into tests without worrying about retention. Concepts are revisited in college. It is impossible to be successful without properly learning the curriculum and retaining the information. This is why good study skills should be learned in high school where there is less stress and pressure. Test taking skills are also very important to learn in high school because a large portion of final college grades rely solely on test scores. It is imortant to possess these test taking skills to make the best use of the limited time to take tests. Students who enter college with a sound background of studying and test taking skills are much more likely to find success than those who come ill-prepared. Now, I have learned the imortance of these skills and am finding the academic part of college to be rather enjoyable. I just wish I had obtained these skills earlier, so I could have found this success even sooner.

For many immigrants, the idea of moving to America is best described as the search for a better education. This was my parent's view not mine, at least not for the time being. My first day of school in the states was difficult. In a classroom filled with blonde haired, blue-eyed students, my Asian features drew unwanted comments and scrutiny. As a child of a different race, complete assimilation in the host culture was crucial, otherwise your broken English and heavy accent would make you more susceptible to public humiliation and torment. A key part of my assimilation plan was to master the English language and completely burn all ties to my heritage. In my childish mind, being different meant being inferior, which was simply too painful to bear. By the time I entered high school, my goal was to be completely be American every way possible. I viewed my two nationalities as divorced parents that I had to choose between. I would go back and tell myself that to deny one and embrace the other was like denying a sacred part of myself and i would regret it in the future.

I would tell myself to be more independent. Stay on campus, and get involved early on. Volunteer for helping those who are in need. Staying on campus will help make the transition easier. The best part of college is meeting new people. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself, and describe yourself. College is the best part of your life to meet people that could lead to lasting friendships. Do things. Go do things that the campus is offering, especially if they are free.

My advice for the transition into college is to not be afraid of the change. You got into college for a reason, so don?t be afraid to speak your mind in class and with those around you. Another important piece of advice, when you learn that you only have 4-5 classes in a semester, there is a reason for all that free time. STUDY! For real! Your classes will require more work on your own time than you think so it might be a good idea to start planning some time management. Also be open to new experiences and ideas. There are a lot of different cultures that are brought together by colleges and universities. You should take this opportunity to embrace them and learn from them. And finally, get involved! Find something you love or something that interests you and go for it 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}! That way, you find people who already share a common interest just may become your best friends throughout your college experience. So all in all, instead of fighting the transition, go with it! You might just discover something awesome!

Remember that your school work and grades are extremely important, but that you cannot let yourself get too stressed out. Take time to be alone or be with your friends. Go for a walk or do something else to relieve stress. You need to experience life while at college, because you are being prepared for what's next to come. Yes, get good grades, but do not make that be the only thing in your life.

I would tell myself that there are so many poeple at the school, its easy to find a group of friends to fit in with. In college, you can do your own thing and become your own person without anyone telling you what to wear or do. In college, there arent popular kids or bullies. You do not have to be around people you do not like. Most and foremost, I would tell myself that everything will be ok, once I graduate from high school because college soon becomes the real world. High school is just a temporary place where you have to be and once your done, you move on with your life. The second most foremost thing I would say to myself If I were to be a senior, would be that I should never slack off in school and say, "O wait, I got accepted or I got this or that". Excelling in school doesnt mean that we should do it for ourselves, rather than doing it to get accepted in a school or win a scholarship, it means that we should always put effort in whatever we do for our brains, our personal growt, and knowledge. '

The first thing every high school student needs to know is that teachers are correct when they say that college is very different than high school. It is easier to start thinking about what you want to do while still in high school because college comes and goes quickly and it can be hard to make a decision about what to do for a job, career, or lifestyle in just 4 years, so planning a career path or an interest pool early is a must. I've learned that life can become all too real once individuals are on their own for the first time and they can only prepare themselves by having a steady financial backing, at least one goal they want to reach by the end of school, and an open mind to a completely different world. However, each person can also succeed getting a great education and will be able to find a niche where he or she fits in perfectly in both an academic and community setting so give yourself options and choose what is in your best interest.

The High School version of myself was excited to attend college, but was not sure about the people there, or how her friends would feel about her leaving. I did not fit in well at my high school because of my interests, my beliefs, and the way I dressed. I was worried that this trend would continue, and I would not find people to share my enthusiasm with. Now that I know my concerns were uncalled for, I would tell myself that the University of Minnesota is full of people just like me, people who want to meet others with both similar and different interests, people who want to learn the skills they need to do what they love, and people who are just as unique and friendly as I could have possibility wished for.

If I was able to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I think that there would definitely be a few important things I would tell myself about college and making this important transition. Before choosing a school, make sure it is in a location where you can see yourself living, because further on in your education, you may be staying there throughout the entire year. Also, be sure you understand that in college, grades are not solely based off of your work and how you are doing as a student. Grades are all about being competitive at a large university. Studying and focusing on school is extremely important to being successful but you should also be sure to be involved in many non-academic clubs and activities. I wish I would have not listened to other students opinions about recruitment for Greek life. Do what you want to do and do not let other people opinions influence your important decisions.

Looking back at my senior year, I would tell myself to truly enjoy those last nine months with my friends and family. In those nine months I was always living, but not being alive. I often applied excessive stress to situations that, looking back, I didn?t need too. I was in charge of things such as being in charge of hockey super-fan outfits and players, making up choreography for four dances on dance team, and planning out where we would eat and how we would get around for prom groups. The situations I would take part in were more about getting the items on my check list done instead of getting the items done while I was also building on friendships and personal character. As a whole, I would tell my senior self to relax and not be so uptight about stressful situations.