University of Mississippi Top Questions

Since I graduated from high school I have had a rough begining to college life. My social and personal life has built itself to be dusty, and my brain has worked so hard. Stress from test and even obtaining books to study has almost worn me out. I keep going because I want to make something of myself. Every once in a while I just need a little push. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to stay strong. With those words I would be pulled to go further. I have family and some friends to encourage me to go on, but sometimes I need to push myself. College life isn't easy at first. I should stay strong and go through until it is.

The most important thing to realize when you are picking a college and deciding what to study there is to acknowledge what you are interested in, what you are good at, and how much time you will realistically commit to your studies. If you want to be a doctor or a chemical engineer but you can't commit many hours to your studies you shouldn't do it. If you really want to succeed in those fields you have to realize that it takes a lot of work in college. Realize that if you were not good at a subject in High School, you probably won't be really good at in college either. Decide to study something that you are interested in, even if your parents wish you would choose something "practical". If you want to major in English because you like it, you'll do well. If your parents want you to major in Biology and you hate it, they are going to wish they had given you different advice when you get your grades back after Freshman year and your lack of interest is reflected. Pick a school and a major where you can succeed.

If I could go back into time and talk to myself as I senior in high school, I would definitely tell 'young William' to save some money! People have always told me about the cost of attending and living at college, but I never realized it until I experienced it first hand. From meals to gas (and everything in between), it can get pretty expensive when you can not run home to mom for a hot, fresh, not to mention FREE meal. One has to really adopt a sixth sense for managing money while attending college. If you spend too much on one thing, then you will definitely notice it later and have to cut back on something else. Similarly, I would tell myself to go job hunting EARLY for some extra cash because the open postions fill up fairly quickly. Nevertheless, college is still a preparatory step into the real world. Therefore, being introduced to semi-independent circumstances is necessary for overall growth and responsibility. This being said, I appreciate all those broke days as a college freshman. They taught me a lot and provided me with skills for survival that I will surely need as an adult.

If I had the ability to give myself advice when I was a senior in high school about college life and making the transition, I would start off by telling myself about the amazing opportunities and awesome people I am going to meet, so not to be nervous even though I am going to be so far from home--Ole Miss will become my home away from home and my friends will become family. I would also remind myself that the reason I am going to college is to further my education, so make sure I attend class and realize that each class is an opportunity to expand my knowledge. The another piece of advice I would give myself would be not to be afraid of having my point of view challenged in or out of the classroom; it will only deepen my principles and my reasoning for the beliefs. Last, I would tell myself that these will be some of the best years of my life, so try new things, go new places, meet new people, and take everything in stride.

The advice I would give myself is that it isn't going to be as hard as you think . When I left for college I was an overly shy person who was terrified that I would get to college and I would be totally alone, that no one would like me. This fears seemed particularly justified because I am a West Coast kid and the college I attend is in the South. Especially that first semester, I did keep to myself, though a few brave souls bowled right on past the barriers I set up. Nevertheless what I learn more and more of with each passing semester is that no matter where you are, you will find or trip over or be found by people like yourself. And the best advice I can give is something of a cliche: be yourself. There will be people who don't like you. I've short hair, which is very odd in the South, and there are people who make judgements about me and dislike me because of it. But there will always be those people who look at you and see something of themselves. Those are the ones to keep.

The first thing I would tell myself would be to know your priorities. Know your reason for being in college. I would tell myself to be ready for the huge workload, along with a strain on your social life. I would definately tell myself to stay away from certain people and certain things because they will only knock you off your path to getting your degree. Don't try to befriend everybody, only try to make a couple of good friends and stick them.

I will give you my list of what to look for in a school with 1 being very important: 1 Affordability, 2 Does it have my major, 3 How does the school rank in my major, 4 How far is it from home. Once those schools are narrowed down, pick your top 3 or 5 and take a visit to look for: 1 The type of enviroment i would be in, 2 how comfortable did i feel about the school, 3 the success/graduation rate, 4 how quickly are students offered jobs after graduation, 5 what are other students saying about the school's academics, 6 Social Life, 7 dorms, & 8 can i have a car on campus.

When trying to find the right college to attend there are numerous factors that one needs to pay attention to. Accademics being the main factor. A university needs to have what one is looking for in a major and wheter their accademics are up to ones standards. The atmosphere around the university is the next factor. A person needs to look at the univeristy and see if it feels right to them. One needs to visit each university they are thinking about attending. Do the students there remind them of themselves? Is the atmosphere exciting, does it make one want to acchieve to their greatest potential? If a university has the atmosphere one is looking for, then that person will feel it. They will sense that it is like a second home. For an upcoming freshman to gain the most out of their college experience, choosing the right univeristy is the most important step. Once you have chosen the right university it is easier for everything to fall into place. An upcoming freshman just needs to be themself and let their heart guide them through the wonderful experience that is college.

Make sure the student takes college visits at multiple schools so that he or she can balance out different schools and find the school that fits their needs best. Also, make sure he or she has an idea of a major to find a school that offers that major and has a good school that will properly educate the student in that field of study.

In choosing a college, be sure to visit several schools which are different in size, student demographics, location, etc. While visiting, be sure to note what goes on outside of the classroom as a student generally only spends 16 hours a semester in class. After choosing a school and then arriving at said school, make every opportunity to meet new people as possible. Attend sporting events, concerts, poetry readings, club meetings, parties because you never know where you'll meet your new best friend whether it be on an intermural field or at a rally on campus.