University of North Dakota Top Questions

Simply, I would have better applied myself to my studies and concentrated on subjects that came less naturally to me. Though, school did not come easy, I could have studied a bit more and spent less time involved in clubs and extra-carriclar activities. Strangley though, many of those activities prepared me for the social, networking and problem-solving issues that I confronted in upper-level classes at university. The maturing process that college lent me the advantage that I needed to make up for any short comings II may have encountered in high school. Isn't that a large part of what college is all about?

Thinking back, I think I would tell myself that it's okay to be myself. College is a place to start new and I wish I would have realized that when I started. People are more accepting here than in high school. I wish I would have told myself to stay focused and not get caught up in the fun stuff and friends. I would also tell myself to be more prepared school wise, as in take more effective notes and go to class.

I would tattoo it on my hand to try has hard as I can to excel in math, because my life would have been so much easier the last few years if I had. EVEN THOUGH about ten people told me that and for some reason I just did not think to listen to these ten people, because “I knew what I was doing.” Also, you don’t need to go to the same college as your friends because you will make friends anywhere you go and there are so many awesome smart people to meet it is going to be great. Never underestimate a dollar; it can go along ways if you make it, (and you should, the sooner the better). Oh, and roommates make you want to be homeless so enjoy living at home, having all your groceries magically there for you when you open the cupboard, ya, you will soon find out that food isn’t just there, it’s bought. The most important thing to tell myself is enjoy your youth, enjoy being close to mom and enjoy the little things.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I would probably tell me to not start school until I am 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} ready. When I first stared college it was perfect, I was on time, and did all my work. Then a little more than half way done I started to slack, didn't show up some days, and then it went to that I ended up dropping out. Finally I had my son and started school again. So once again my advice would probably be something about waiting to start school, and really focusing on what is important about school.

Even though I was a generally hard working high school student I made some mistakes that have continued to bother me to this day. If I were able to talk to my high school self I would begin with encouradging myself to continue to work hard. Classes in high school were fairly easy, and sometimes I would find my self slacking off. I would spend less time on homework and studying because I knew that I could get a B without really trying. After that I would tell myself what college was like, it is a lot more work, I can't just do my homework in class, getting a B now takes effort. Lastly I would tell myself to get ahead while I could. I should have applied for more scholarships, taken more challenging classes to prepare myself, and also I should have sent in applications to more colleges. The only thing that could have done is help, if I had, I might be at a trade school now studying airplane mechanics. Overall I don't think that I made any big mistakes in high school, but I could have been a bit more proactive.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself not to put too much stress on myself. College isn’t high school, but it’s also not as difficult as everyone made it out to be. I’d tell myself to go out and be more sociable instead of staying in all the time to study. I’d remind myself that grades are just letters on a piece of paper and they don’t count if I don’t have other experiences to back them up. I’d learn right from the start how to manage a social life and academics, and I’d not worry so much about money. I wouldn’t be afraid of all the unknowns that come with moving away from home the first time, and I’d tell myself that no matter what happened, I’d be alright.

I would tell myself that high school didn't prepare you at all. Go get help right away, don't put it off until the end of the semester. Make sure you look at other majors, not just Physical Therapy. Don't be afraid to get a job right away and don't be afraid to make friends. I know that it's really hard but you can do it and there is nothing that can stop you. Work hard on your classes so your GPA stays high enough to keep your scholarships. Finally, TRAVEL. Go do stuff. Don't be a butt and sit on your butt all the time. You'll feel better if you leave the room sometimes. Trust me, I've lived it. And now you can do it.

My advice to me as a high school senior would be as follows: 1. Never do anything half-ass. Always perform to the level that you can be proud of. 2. Know when to say "no". You can get burnt out very easily by trying to do everything for everyone. 3. As a music major, the practice room is your life. Spend most of your free time there. 4. Cheesy, but stay true to yourself.

Your teachers are just trying to scare you guys. College professors are some of the coolest people you'll ever meet, and they are way more concerned with your academic--and personal--success(es) than they are about their salary. These are people who will go an extra mile for you whenever you request it. Seriously, use every single resource you have available to you, and for heaven's sake be sociable. Start using the counseling services immediately, because you and I both know you need the help; there's no shame in it, I promise. Take your love life slowly: don't get caught up in somebody just because they show you affection. You'll roll your eyes, but I can assure you that it's distracting, and it uses up a lot of time that you really ought to be using for something else. The most important thing that you need to know is that college isn't hard just so long as you keep up with your classes. Don't just skip because you're tired; the classes are all entirely worth your time--and Mom's and Dad's money.

Knowing what I know now, I would have told myself not to get so caught up in grades. My high school was extremely competivive and I was in the top 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of a large class taking many advanced courses. There were often times where I would get discouraged when I would recieve a grade lower than some of classmates and I would beat myself up about it. I always tried my hardest and I earned very satisfactory grades and despite that, someimtes I would get angry that I was not getting perfect scores on everything. In reality, the grades are not the most important thing. Yes, they are very important and determine a lot of things about your future, but they aren't the end all be all and they certainly do not tell me my self-worth. Learning new things and having fun while doing it should have been a higher priority of mine so that I would have enjoyed high school more than I did. Taking honors and AP classes is great, but if you aren't getting anything out of them, then it is pointless. Enjoy high school while you can.