University of Nebraska-Lincoln Top Questions

Coming to college was the scariest thing I've ever done. I was the first person in my family to decide to further my education, which really made the process even scarier because I had no idea what to expect. Even though I've only been at the university for one full semester, I've already learned so many things that I wish I would've known at the start of it all. I wish I would've known to not be so scared that first week because I met some of the greatest people I've ever met that week. I shouldn't have been so nervous going to those classes, thinking that I was going to be too stressed, because through all the hard work, I still managed to make the Dean's List. The biggest thing though would be to not second guess my decisions., not to worry about if I picked the right school, sorority or major, because even though it's still early, I know I made the right decision. I was born to be a Husker.

Knowing what I do now about the college life, and making the transition, I would not have to tell my younger self too many things. I have adjusted well to college life. One thing I would tell my younger self is to get some Community Service hours. Many scholarships list community service as a requirement. Getting some community service would help towards being eligible for many more scholarships. Another thing I would tell my younger self is to excersise a bit more. Physical fitness is a large part of ROTC. Being in better shape would go a long ways towards making your participaton in AFROTC easier. Even if I decide AFROTC is not for me, a healthy lifestyle is good in and of itself. Those two things would make my transition into college life simpler and easier to adjust to.

If I could go back in time to when I was a senior in high school and give myself advice, the first thing I would tell myself is to not be afraid of pursuing what I want to do in life. When I was still in high school, I knew that I wanted to work in film, but I was afraid to declare it as my major. There were people around me that told me things to discourage me from going into a career in film. I realize that now if I put my mind to it and stick with it I can have my career in something that I love. If I would have had this mentallity back when I was in high school, I could have come to the university knowing what I wanted to pursue, and thus be further in my academic journey than I am now. So the one thing I would tell myself would be to not let anyone try to discourage me from following my passion. I know that if I follow that path that I am on now I will end up in a career that I love.

As a high school senior I planned to go to college and get involved with all of the activities that I thought would look good on my resume, volunteering with groups or working on research projects even if I didn't have an interest in them. After a few months of forcing myself to pick up applications that I didn't want to fill out, I realized that with all of the organizations around campus and throughout the community, it would be a waste of time to join the first ones I found just because I thought they would make me look good to a future employer. It didn't take me long to find groups I was really passionate about, and that even helped me discover what I really want to do with my career. I would advise high school seniors to be open to exploring all of the opportunities available to them, to find their passion, and to follow it.

The advice that I would give my high school self from the knowledge that I have gained throughout my three years of college is that it is not just you. You are one person in a huge, vast, desperate, beautiful world. You are luckier than most, take advantage of what is placed in front of you and go make the world a better place. Spend four years of your life learning from experts so that you can make a difference. I wish it would not have taken me 20 years to figure out that life is much more than 20 years of school. Life is about taking opportunities to go help others. Whether it be in your neighborhood, community, or half way across the world. Find a major that can not only benefit you, but more importantly benefit those who are struggling to survive day to day. I cannot wait to make a difference, even if it is for just one person. I just wish I had seen this goal from all along to help moivate me and others. This is the advice that I would have given myself four years ago.

"Always remember that academics are the reason you are in college, so always know your priorities. Pay attention to all your resources on campus and utilize them to their greatest potential as they will be your best tools for the next four years. Keep your eyes peeled for financial opportunities and don't be afraid to ask questions. Get to know your professors and they will become a great asset in more ways than one. Stay positive, even on your toughest days, and remember why you are there. With this advice, you can't lose!"

College is different than highschool. In highschool you can get by with very little effort, but you have to try in college. So start making that transistion now. Get used to putting forth effort in your classes, because being best friends with the teacher is not going to get you anywhere once you move on to college. Second, don't be too influenced by other people when you get to campus. You are going to be exposed to a much wider variety of people and individuals in college than you ever were in highschool. Be yourself - don't try to please everyone by changing to "fit in." You won't be happy by changing. At the same time, accept other people for who they are. Just because they are different than you or have different opinions or thoughts that you've never considered doesn't make them wrong or bad in any way. You don't have to agree, but treat them with respect, and you'll be treated with respect in return.

The most important thing I would say is to not go into college with your mind set on one major. Instead, pick a broad area and take classes from all subdivisions of that area. If one of those subdivisions is interesting, keep taking classes in it to see if it is really what you want to do. When you go straight into college in a field you only think that you'd like, you might find out that it is not what you want to do with your life. That in turn will confuse and sadden you, which could lead to many unneeded changes of major and wasted hours. Another bit of advice I would give myself is to plan ahead. If you even think you might transfer colleges at sometime, take the general classes that you know will transfer for quality credit at whatever institution you may go to. However, at the same time be flexible and have fun. Allowing yourself to take the unnecessary fun class here and there will keep the whole college experience fresh and fun.

If I could go back in time to give my high school senior self some advice I would start with, apply for UNL sooner. Along with that crucial advice I would tell myself that some friends are here for good and others are likely to take a seperate path than you so there's no need to worry about that. To prepare for college I would advise myself to enjoy the taste of energy drinks and get used to long nights working on paintings, drawings, papers, and 3D models. Though my biggest advice to myself would be to keep motivating yourself through the semesters even with the bad times and just keep looking forward to the time when everything will be as it should.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I could have gone back and told myself three things: Boys will always be there, focus and prioritize, and DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! For my first semester, I had put a lot of my time into trying to find a boyfriend but, at that time, it did not matter. With that, I was never focused on the important things like my homework and money for school, I was worried about the little, unimportant things like boys. Lastly, I procrastinated like crazy! I always figured i would have time later but, with my busy schedule I never did. Now I wish I could go back and start those habits early on so it would not be so hard to start now it is already happening.

I wish that I would have tried even harder in high school. I didn't know how easy I had it until I came to college. I always got good grades in high school, and I had a 3.5 GPA. I think I could have done better then that now. I took my classes for granted. Knowing what I know now, I know I could have done better. It would have not only helped me then, but it would have also helped me make the transition into college.

The first thing I would tell myself about college would be that I am going to love it, and I shouldn't be nervous about leaving home. Also, I would remind myself to stay true to who I am, being yourself helps so much when it comes to finding real friends. Another thing I would mention is to keep focused and determined when it comes to the homework. It is a lot different than high school, but if you keep your mind on what you came here to accomplish, then you won't mind working hard to finish all the work. I would tell myself to save more money during the summer, college is expensive and a good summer job can help lower the amount of student loan money that you take out. Last thing would be to soak it all up, it's a great experience and there will be nothing like it again in life.

The first thought that came to mind when I entered that first house on that sunny day in August I thought to myself, "Laura, what are you doing here? What if this all goes south, what if they don't like me, what if I make a fool of myself?" Rush week was one of the most exhausting, pressuring weeks of my life and I was scared to death. Acceptance has always been something I needed from society weather it be from being accepted into a group of friends or to a college, and rush week was about to test that need of mine. If I could go back in time, I would have to tell myself to not worry, that I wouldn't be alone at college like I thought I was going to be. I would tell myself about the 122 sisters that always have my back and how they have made this year so amazingly smooth and not to mention fun. I would then give myself a big hug and say everything works out, study hard, and try to get to sleep before 2 a.m.

I would tell myself if you are not clear on something ask for help. For example, if you are filling out scholarship applications and you are not sure of the deadline, call around or email someone and they will be more than happy to help you out. Also, if you need help with classes, financial aide, or anything on campus there is always a resource ready to help you out.

I wish i would have studied more. In high school I understood the material extremely well and didn't need to study. When I came to college I didn't have the study skills I needed to do as well as I wanted. I really need to buckle down and develop those skills for this next semester. I also wish I would have filled out more scholarships because I'm already taking out lots of student loans. The good news is that it is not too late for either. Better late than never!

To keep trying and never give up because one day you get there I promise.

If I had to ability and go back and talk to myself as a high school senior there would be so much I would tell myself! I would be able to spend hours on end talking about how I would need to just be more active once I stepped into the college scene and branch out. I would demand of myself that I would need to break out of my shell and just meet people. Meeting people and getting involved would be so much easier instead of sitting back and observing the whole process of transitioning that others do. I would let myself know that I will, be a bit overwhelmed at first, but its better to be overwhelmed rather than possibly missing out on a chance to meet someone who could become a best friend. I would let it be known that schoolwork is extremely vital, but it is also very important to be active mentally, physically, and socially. I would tell myself how I need to find that balance that works for me, and work hard in school, but also make time for myself to enjoy and take in the entire college experience, you only get to once.

If i were to go back in time, the first thing I would tell myself to do is get more involved in high school. All the extracurricular activites look good on resumes. I would also tell myself to learn how to study better, because in college you really need to know how to study. Also that college is a lot of fun and not to be scared to meet new people. The last thing i would tell myself is that its okay if you don't have you major all figured out and not to rush things because college will be one of the best experiences in your life.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to not waste time being afraid of uncertainty. When I came to college, I was coming from a very small high school (approximately 250 students) and going to an incredibly large university with about 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students. I guess you could say I was culture shocked and I spent almost an entire year making the adjustment. During this time, I found the hardest thing for me was being surrounded by people who knew exactly what they wanted to major in and precisely what they wanted to do when they "grew up" and I had no clue what I wanted to major in. This indecisiveness in regards to a major turned out to be the difference between graduating in four years or five, but I don't regret taking that time to make the right decision for me. If I had hurried myself and simply chosen the road that would have been the easiest, I would not have been able to take advantage of some of the great opportunities I have discovered while taking my own path through college.

Hey Steph, It's me, yourself from the future. Listen I need to tell you some important stuff about college. First, just as you suspected, it's awesome. So much better than high school, so enjoy yourself. Unfortunately with all that, it's still a lot of work. So especially in that French class you have, you are definitely not prepared for it, so just work really hard and study at least a few hours every day. Same with finals; even though the exams were pretty easy, it's easy to forget some of that material from the beginning of the year. Also, you need to learn how to manage your time better, trust me it's possible. You certainly have time to volunteer at the health center. And you need to go find a research job in the chemistry department immediately. They have some amazing projects that you need to get on-board with. One last thing. People aren't as pig-headed as they were in high school, so don't be afraid to talk to people, just don't let anyone push you around or make you feel uncomfortable. You deserve better. All right good luck!