University of Nevada-Reno Top Questions

If I could go back in time I would honestly tell myself just one thing. This one thing is something that I seem to think about every day since I decided to go to college. It may seem odd and not geared especially toward education but I feel that it is something completly necessary. The one thing that I would tell myself would be to trust in myself as well as to trust in my family. After all, even if college is a bust and you are at the lowest point you could ever be at you will always have yourself and your family to pick you back up and to push on to the next life defining moment in your life. My family has been one of the most dependable and supportive force in my life and for that I am forever greatfull.

Congratulations and welcome to a bit of advice for your future. One big fact you need to know is the importance of the next few years of being at college. Here are a few main points to help you along the way. First, do not be afraid to be yourself. You will meet a million different people who seem fascinating and driven and you might feel intimidated by them. Do not be ashamed to be you and find pride in what you are. Second, work hard. Spend time to do all your homework and study. Find pride in your grades and how much they can affect you. Third, be prepared for the entire academic challenges you are about to face. High school is easy and fun. College is fun but will push you to work hard to get ahead. Face the challenge and overcome it. Without great challenges, nothing would be worth fighting for. Fight for a better tomorrow and a better future. Fourth, grow. This is the best time of your life. Explore new horizons. Try different activities and do not be afraid to discover new ideas. Good luck and never stop fighting for what you want.

As I was growing up, I heard the expression, "If I only knew then, what I know now." Now that I am an adult, I I think the exact same way! If i could talk to myself at that time, with the knowledge I have now, I would say to put my education on the top of my priority list. I got involved in a serious relationship, began raising someone else's child, and put my education on the back burner. I got so wrapped up in working and paying bills, that I couldn't go to school full-time. I could not get any financial aid then, but I did pay for a few classes here and there with money from waitressing. I am happy that I was able to get some credits under my belt. If I could tell the highschool me one valuable piece of advice, it would be: to be aware of the scholarship opportunities, and do everything possible to go full time. Now, I am 26 years old, and have many more years left of school. If only I had of went full fledge right out of highschool, I would be nearly done!

Take advantage of office hours to get to know your professor and receive extra help when you need it. It often can make the difference of your grade if you are borderline and want a higher grade. The professor is much more likely to consider rounding your grade if you took extra time to get help on material and come to office hours. I would also suggest going to all review sessions and studying with others. It gives you the opportunity to take the same information from a different perspective that would be able to help you. It also helps create friends and support systems in really hard classes.

I'd give myself the advice of not trusting UNR due to its unfair policies.

Do not overlook the "cheap" schools. A low-cost education does not necessarily correlate to a low-quality education. In fact, most of these “low-cost” schools still offer a great education, plus they generally have many clubs and activities to take part in. Is going to a school that will land you a hundred thousand dollars in debt really worth it? Is the difference in quality so drastic that you are willing to graduate with debt comparable to that of buying a house? The answer, in all probability, is no – the financially feasible colleges still have so much to offer. While the primary reason for attending college is to get an education, it is also very important to grow as a person. Try new things! Join clubs you may not even have an interest in! Meet new people! It’s all about the experience you have, and you can create a great experience no matter where you choose to attend. College is what you make of it, so make the best of it!

Dear Brianna, Knowing what I know now about college there are a few things I would like to tell you. Everyone's telling you to stay close to home and commute to school so you can stay close to friends...don't listen to them! Follow your heart and make decisions that will better your life. Get focused as early as possible and really make an effort to keep your grades up. You will be surprised how proud of yourself you will be when you make the Dean's list. You are allowed (and encouraged) to have your own opinions in college, do not be afraid to speak up when yours differ from someone elses. Get involved and do more community service! Your college experience will be so much more fulfilling when you start serving others instead of yourself. Most importantly, stop underestimating yourself. You will go so much further in life when you start to believe you can do it. With Love and Encouragement, Brianna P.S. You will learn more in college than you ever thought possible...get excited!

If I could go back in time and give my highschool self some advice it would be this. Turn in all paperwork early so that any problems that arise can be fixed early on. Also don't be afraid to talk to the faculty they are there to help and will do what they can to work with you, they want you to suceed not fail. Lastly I would advise not to be afraid to go to the room next door and say hi. You never know who you'll meet until you try and they could very well become some of the best friends you've ever had.

I would tell myself that there's nothing to stress about and to be myself. College is so big and there are too many people on campus who have their own problems that they arent going to remember if you did something emarrassing or stupid. Also it is so important to keep track of when assignments are due and to keep up with readings in textbooks so I don't fall behind. I would also tell myself not to be self concious about using they study tools available like the help writing center and the chem help center. I would stress to myself to use these to my advantage so I can do better in my classes and to take advantage of the free tutoring that is provided.

I would tell myself to be more outgoing and to talk more in class when I got to college. College is not like high school and the sense of community and acceptance makes it fun to join in activities and clubs. Talking in class and with the professor is also a great thing about college and two of the best ways to gain knowledge and insight. I would also tell myself that the two yearly scholarships I received in high school would not be nearly enough to cover my expenses and that I should start applying for more scholarships, and continue to do so every year. I would also tell myself that my two community college years would be the easiest, and instead of sitting at home, I should take the opportunity to make friends and enjoy myself. Most importantly, I would tell myself that when studying gets hard and there’s a lot of pressure to get good grades, to not stop hanging out with friends entirely and lose them as a result. Grades are important, but too much pressure is bad and it is your friends that can help you through the hard times, not more work.