University of Northern Iowa Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school I would tell myself a few things. First I would tell myself that I was right in my initial decision as to what I wanted to do for a career and not to second guess myself. Secondly I would tell myself not to go to college directly out of high school. I strongly believe this because high school did not prepare me for what was required at the next level. It takes a level of dedication that I was not prepared to give. Only through taking time away from school did I acquire the dedication necessary. Thirdly I would tell myself that as soon as I got into school to cherish every moment. Cherish every moment because it goes by quickly and it is the most enjoyable time of your life. Lastly, and most importantly, I would tell myself to never give up on your dreams because, whether you want to admit it or not, you are more than capable of achieving your ultimate goal.

"This is your time to pave your own path," is how I would start my conversation. I grew up in a home that every Sunday we would go to church, we would eat dinner at this time, and I could only see certain friends. My mother instilled positive morals in me that I thought I would follow for the rest of my life, but then I moved half way across the country and mother was not there any more. If I wanted to, I could leave hair on my bathroom floor, I could stay up all night, I could even go out partying. With college came a new freedom that also carried with it new temptations. There is pressure from friends to drink to fit in even though the drinker may be underaged. My childhood principles told me one thing but the new oppurtunties told me another; I learned about these forks in the road when I was a kid but I never realised they were real and that I would want to chose the "bad" desicion. So now that I have been enlightened with this knowledge I would tell myself, "Be your own person and make your own decisions."

Trust your instincts. If you know deep down that you don't want to be a business major, or a music major or any other major, please do not spend your time in something you hate. You'll thank me now for taking a semester and exploring all sorts of areas of interest to yourself (whether that is on campus taking gen eds or taking a semester to travel abroad or just figur out your life). Think about what you want to do in five years, where you want to live, the job you want to have, what your dream day job would be, and take steps towards getting there. It doesn't matter what your parents want you to do, or your friends, or your girlfriend. None of their ideas or plans for your life are worth a penny, only yours. So take your time, learn about who you are and don't be afraid to change course just because it isn't what you think the plan should be.

I would tell myself not to be nervous about it. Before I went to college I was nervous because I thought it would be really hard and challenging. College is challenging, but as long as you work hard you will do well. I would tell myself that it's ok to not be sure of what you want to do with your life. Lots of other people aren't sure either. I would also tell myself to be friendly right from the start. Getting plugged in and connected is much easier when you do it at the beginning when everyone else is still making friends and connections. I would also tell myself to spend my money more wisely to save up for college. Lastly I would tell myself that University of Northern Iowa is a great fit for me.

I would tell myself not to get so stressed out. I was terrified of moving into college, I was afraid to leave everything I knew. Once I got here, I realized that I wasn't the only one that was lost or confused. That made me feel better, just knowing that as a class all of the freshmen were also lost and confused. I eventually learned where all my classes were, which really helped me feel like I belonged. Some people didn't transition as well as others, but I relied on different support groups like my friends and family. My advisor also genuinely cared about me, which made me feel like a person instead of a number. I would also tell myself to be outgoing, it's college! You're allowed to be whoever you want to be! Make friends, make mistakes, and make more mistakes, but learn from them. Mistakes happen, and life goes on; don't dwell on your mistakes.

As a senior in high school, I was terrified to come to college. I was terrified I would never speak to my high school friends again. I was terrified my classes would get much harder and I would not be able to keep up. I was terrified I would not like college and not make friends. After starting college, I realized how I could not have been more wrong. Everything I expected to happen did not happen, in fact I had opposite results. I love college. I find my classes more challenging, but since they are more difficult I work harder and get more out of them. I have made a lot of new friends and keep in touch with my old ones. I have become involved in various organizations on campus. I am even going to travel abroad to Germany this summer. In other words, my high school senior self could not have been more wrong about college. If I could go back, I would tell myself, "worry less and enjoy senior year because it was great one. College will be a eye-opening, enriching, and exciting experience that you will love. Don't be scared, enjoy the ride."

I am a college graduate who is back in school tyring to get into medical school. I am doing my prerequisites now at a community college. I am currently working on a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program to move onto medical school. I earned an undergraduate degree in Human Development, so I am now enhancing my study of the human with the courses medical schools require upon applying. If I could go back in time and tell my high school senior self something, I would tell myself to keep all my science course work! It is all going to be studied again in the few semesters to come. I need to take physics, biology, and chemistry at the college level now; if I still had my high school course work I would have a refresher and a foundation to what I need to learn now. It is okay though, I did great in high school, I was in the top ten of my class, so hopefully when I come across these courses again, I will still be able to work hard and earn a great grade so I can prove that I am worthy of getting into medical school.

I would tell myself to not hold back and live in the past. You may love your boyfriend now, but you need to think about you. You never know when things can go wrong. If he loves you, he will find a way to keep up with you. If he can't do that, then he isn't right for you. You need to pave your own way, not looking back. It is hard to be away from home, but you can't let it interfere with you college life. Trust that good things will follow you if you follow your heart. The path will be rough, there will be heartbreak. But you CAN get past it and the best way to do so is to not look back. Enjoy your journey and don't let anyone or anything hold you back.

I would of tried harder in high school, senior year people always think it's the year to slack off and not care. I wish I would of been involved in more things, at school and in the community. I should of prepared myself more for college by figuring out good study habits. I would tell myself to take it more seriously and get good grades because it will help when attending college.

I would have told myself to go to a real university first, and not spend two years at community college at my hometown. I would tell myself to buckle down and study more, and that it isn't impossible to get good grades if you really work for them, the more you put in, the more you put out. I would ask myself what I really want to do with my life, so I don't waste time taking pointless classes that have nothing to do with my current major. Overall, my message to my past self would be 'Focus'. If I had focused more in highschool, maybe I would have done better, and now that I'm in college it's a lesson I had to learn the hard way. By focusing and putting effort into my work, I've learned that I can acheive almost anything, and that nothing is impossible. I've done things that I thought were impossible for me: Joining the army, getting A's and B's, all by focusing applying myself and doing what I had to when I needed to. That would be my overall message: focus, and it can be done.