University of Missouri-Columbia Top Questions

It's not important right now if you dont know exactly WHAT you want to be when you graduate, because that is what this next journey is for , to help you figure it out. You will lose friends, and gain new ones. You will deal with love, and loss, and heartbreak. You may even have to deal with death, but most importantly you'll deal with life. Face your biggest fears, and remember that once you've faced a fear it's no longer your weakness but your strength. Just stay focused and don't let anything knock your world of it's axis. Even when it seems like your just there, and the world is turning, dont be down- everything will come to light and work out one day.

I would have told myself to stay more focused and to not be afraid to ask for help.

There are many things that I would go back and tell myself, that I have recently learned as a college student. First and foremost, be accepting and open to others opinions. Understand that not everyone has come from the same, or even similar backgrounds as you, and it's important to understand and respect other's. Also, be extremely outgoing, and get involved in campus acitivties whether it is volunteer oportunities, or greek life. These opportunities will help you become a well rounded person in the future, and it will also help for resume building when looking for a career. Last but not least, make sure to enjoy every last minute of the opportunities that offered to you. The time passes by extremely quickly and it is important to take it all in, and enjoy it while it is here.

As a high school senior I lost motivation and energy with applying for colleges that truly interested me, but looking back I needed to push myself even further than I could ever imagine. I needed to do more research, talk to more alumni of universities, not rely on the failing knowledge of an inept and socially fearful student counselor. I should have discussed my financial aid needs with people in college, talked to representatives for schools in Texas, California, New York, and Florida. I should have taken the SAT and prepared more for the ACT. Lastly, I would emphasize the importance of being confident in whatever decision I made, not taking the easy road because I was tired of being a high schooler dealing with the pressures of conformity and single parent households.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would probably tell myself not to worry about drifting away from friends from high school. I have stayed very close with some of my friends from high school, and I feel that the transition from high school to college helped me to learn who my true friends were. Also there was no reason to worry, because although I'm not as close to some people from high school, I've met all sorts of new people in college that I plan on staying friends with for a very long time. I would also tell myself to practice patience, because I had to learn that there are many different ways of accomplishing goals, and not all of them are how I would have gone about it.

I was pretty prepared, I just wish I had more opportunities to get scholarships and aid for school because it's so expenisive. I love it here and I love the university atmosphere.

I would tell myself to, first semester, focus on schoolwork. I would tell myself that even though parents are not there to make sure you are doing what you need to do, it is your responsibility now to get it all done. Being a far way from home is hard at first, but if you make plenty of friends and focus on school, it will be an amazing experience you will never forget. I would also say to make sure that if you ever need help pin classes, get it and do not procratsinate. There are so many resources available to you that it's incredible. Focus on schoolwork and stay determined in what you want. Do not let other people influence your decisions so easily. If someone does like like you for who you are, there are thousands of other students on campus for you to meet. I would say that college is one of the best times of your life, and do not take advatnage of it.

Be brave, Be Courteous, and know you are not invisable.

As a high school senior, I had my heart set on attending an out of state school ten hours from home. My parents let me make that decision for myself, although they advised me not to go that far from home. After a semester at the school ten hours from home, I transferred to MU. I wish I had known that MU was the right place for me academically, socially and emotionally. I am so much happier here at MU--I feel like I am at home.

Go to a school that makes you feel welcomed, and comfortable. Making decisions based off your friends or significant others is a bad idea, because this is your future not theirs, and making decisions influenced by them may lead them to not be in your future altogether. And if you get to your "dream school" and find out that it's not what you wanted, don't wait around and see if things will get better because chances are they won't, so when you choose a school make sure its a choice that reflects your personality, and your decision and major.