University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

Like most other high school seniors, I feel I went into college blindly. I was unaware of the extent of the social scene, but also of the beauty of independence. Knowing high-school-self would have eagerly listened to transformed college-self, I can give high schoolers some advice. Firstly, high school seniors need to learn a sense of peace about their future. Attending college will open up countless opportunities for them, so don't sweat it. Let me tell you, the futue is big and scary, but everything will turn out. Secondly, DO NOT feel you need to pick your lifetime career within your first month at college. Everyone will experience anxiety about committing to a real job, but most people average 16 careers in their lifetimes in this day and age. Lastly, there WILL be times when you feel challenged, scared and out of your comfort zone, but you will learn more about yourself when you experience a test of character. Every moment may not be a grand piece of black forest cake, but perhaps smaller bites of cake, with the occassional whopping corner piece laden with frosting, which will be the overall unexpected opportunities college will bring.

Although I love the school that I'm attending now, I wish I would have done more college visits, and applied to a variety of schools. I only applied to two schools, one community college and the University of Minnesota and I didnt really give myself a variety of choices that I saw a lot of my friends having. I'm in the situation where I sometimes ask myself, what if? What if I have visited more colleges? What if I had applied to colleges all across the country? Questions like this come to me from time to time and I wonder what other types of college experiences I could have had, especially a college experience away from home which I currently am not persuing. Don't get me wrong I do like living at home, and I love the college that I am currently enrolled in, but I still sometimes wonder how my college experience could be different. There are so many different types of colleges out there and I didn't really give myself the chance to explore those colleges. So all in all I wish I would have considered all of my options a little bit more.

I would remind myself that while what my parents think might be important, my life is my own. I turned down a full tution scholarship to WashU in St. Louis, a more respected school than my chosen college, because I followed my heart to a place where I thought I would be happy. However, the pressure of trying to live up to expectations started to get to me and I ended up suffering from depression. In your first months of college, listening to yourself and taking care of yourself physically as well as mentally is the most important thing you can do for yourself. It took me three months to admit that I was unhappy, to see a very helpful school psychologist, and to pick myself up and talk about my problems, and then ultimately change my major to something that I wanted to do, not something I thought my parents wanted me to do. Use the resources your school offers to discuss majors, classes, study habits, and mental health. My first semester was spent taking classes I mostly didn't like, and so I damaged my GPA as well as my mental health. Avoid that when it's possible.

The transition to college is a much harder one than I expected. Going from a set schedule everyday, to having one that you have made yourself is pretty awesome. However with this type of freedom common in all aspects of college comes a lot more responsibility. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have warned myself about all the different things you are responsible for in college. I wish I would have known that once I began college I would have been considered an independent person and would no longer have my family to come home to for emotional and financial support. Now with much more responsibilities, I wish I would have prepared better. Thats why the advice I would give myself is to not depend so much on my family to support me financially as well as emotionally, to practice good time management, to get into good study habits and to take on more responibility for my actions. Everything you do reflects the kind of person you are and it would have been extremely helpful if I could better prepare for the amount of responsibility I have taken on.

Being a college student isn't as easy as it looks. College is where you take your first real leap on your own, into the "real world" as our parents would say. This transition is comparable to the crest of a rollercoaster. You have to be prepared mentally and physically to make it to the top and ready for the exhilaration and loops ahead. In high school, one can prepare themselves by applying for scholarships, taking challenging classes that may yield college credit, and learning about themselves. The truth is college is expensive and there are many scholarships available to high school seniors. Fill everyone out that applies to you. Receiving advanced placement credit saves you money, time, and puts you ahead of students your age. Challenging courses in high school prepare you to be successful in college! College also entails details that are not taught in school. You have to understand how you learn, how you interact with others, what you enjoy doing, and what kind of environment you need to be in! Many students leave college because they don't understand themselves, which is the safety-belt you need to ensure a enjoyable ride on the rollercoaster!

Senior year was one of the most stressful times of my life. College applications, searching for scholarships, and studying for AP tests filled my time from September until May 31. I knew with each passing day that graduation day was looming, but I didn?t allow myself to enjoy the few precious memories with my peers and best friends. My hard work led me to the University of Minnesota, an institution I have come to love as my second home. What my high school self should have realized however was to work hard and remain dedicated, but to take pleasure in the short remaining time with family and friends. Stressing over minute details did not lead me to my future but it did consume my senior year. As the pressure took over I wasted key moments with the ones I love, a regret I will always have. The past cannot be changed and I do not lament the struggles that led me to my present state, but I will never take for granted those around me as each moment should be appreciated in full.

Keep a long-term mindset. Think about everything you want to accomplish throughout your college career and start planning it out right away. One of the mistakes I made was to keep a short-term focus with regard to the courses I chose, and I ended up having to readjust my study abroad plans because of course requirements. I wish I would have saved some of my liberal education requirements for my study abroad semester rather than getting them all done my first year or two. It was much harder to find study abroad programs that satisfied my major requirements. Although people like your academic advisers are there to guide you, you can't always rely on them to know what is best for you. Take control of your path.

First I would hug myself and say, "You are so much stronger than you know." Then, I would sit myself down, take my hand, and begin to pour out everything I possibly could. "You are going to miss your cats. It's strange and silly, but so true. Perhaps it is the way they are always there--ready and loving--and forgiving." I would laugh a little and explain, "You are going to discover the importance of a real, good night of sleep. I might try to encourage you to "experience" college by pulling an all-nighter, but honestly, it never works, and you end up with really crappy essays." Looking into my own eyes, I would finish, "But the best thing I can tell you, the string of words which you should carry close to your heart all semester are, 'You are loved.' Plain and simple. It is so beautiful to remember this. Transitioning to college life is one of the hardest things in the world, especially when you were finally so comfortable with life at home, but if you remember where you came from, there is nowhere you cannot go."

You tap at the eggshell and it gently gives way to a crack, then a hole, then an exciting display: an array of communities and unfathomed opportunities; welcome to your pending collegiate soiree. Your wings will spread voluntarily, freedom blazing in your bones, and suddenly you are plunging into your future unknown. Within you, you will find a desire to be extraordinary, and to conquer your fears and set out on your own. Your never ending adventure of learning begins now, as you flit from branch to branch, making new discoveries at each bough. Consider life?s many directions, and choose more than one, because your many experiences will benefit you in the long run. And with complete sincerity I will now confide that the challenges will be great and will not subside; but not as great as the person they will make you become, if you trust the guidance of your mentors, peers and loved ones. One last thing you can never forget: don?t let a second go by that you might regret, because when days seem like minutes and minutes like seconds, the time is now, and the person in charge has your silhouette.

If I could tell myself a year ago what college would be like, I would tell myself that it will be hard. It will be hard to make friends at such a big school, when odds are you might not see your acquaintances ever again. It will be hard to adjust to schoolwork and studying much more than you did in high school. However, it will be a greatly rewarding, amazing experience. You will make great friends, even if it is hard. You will get good grades, even though it's hard. You will become involved in many activities that you enjoy. You will be intelectually stimulated, and you will be presented with all of the resources that you need to make a difference in the world. So, in short, I would say do not be discouraged by the first few weeks, and do not give up because you will eventually find your niche and love where you are.