University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Top Questions

Entering the University of Oklahoma as a freshman was overwhelming. I learned my parents were getting a divorce after 30 years of marriage. I had been living this suburban/privilege life and it was ending. As a result of this I realized I must grow up quickly and become an independent and self reliant woman. It became apparent that time management was at the very core of this experience. Finding my rhythm and pulse was key to my educational goals. College life offers you new independence — so it’s up to you to manage your time, take care of your studies and control your finances. Leaving home for college means you’ll be exploring a new place, making new friends and setting your own priorities. You’re going to face big changes in a small amount of time, which can be both exciting and intimidating. College is full of resources – professors, tutors, counselors and advisors – and help is available, but it’s up to you to ask for it. My old world was gone and a new world is awaiting me. I am on a journey to think multiculturalism. Thank you (Yakoke, Merci & Gracias) for your time and consideration.

I would tell myself to take some college courses while in high school to get a grasp of what college is really like. I would tell myself that life should stay on high school time, wake up early and go to sleep early. My advice to myself would be to stay involved in college, start as a freshman and get internships as soon as possible. I would say “hey leave all the hanging out for the weekends you have free time". Take things serious, this is the starting of your adult life. Although I did not party, I would tell myself to avoid difficult situations that could possibly get you in trouble. Don’t ever cheat or lie to a professor for just a few points or a letter grade. I would tell myself that life will become hard but this is the beginning of something special. These years will go by fast and will throw many challenges your way. You must learn and grow from them, have a great support team. Finally, I would tell myself to manage my finances properly. By doing all these things I would become even more successful than I am today.

My advice to myself as a high school senior would be to take advantage of all that OU has to offer. I came into college thinking that campus activities were lame and unfortunately it took me until I was a junior to realize that college was so much more than football games and parties. During my last two years of college I was able to go on a hot air balloon ride, hear Gulianna Ranic speak, meet award winning author Andrés Neuman, whom I researched for my final capstone paper, and watch a National Championship winning gymnastics team compete. Even better, I was able to do all these things for free! I find myself sometimes thinking about all the other opportunities that I missed and the people I could have met if I would have taken advantage of my campus when I was a freshmen transitioning into college. When I finally realized how amazing my University was, my heart and love for OU grew immeasurably and I wish I could have found and shared this passion when I was a freshmen!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to be afraid. I would tell myself to go for your dreams and do not be afraid to take chances. I would tell myself that you can do this and that you can make it but that you have to be the one to make that decision.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would probably tell myself to take my days one by one. During my transition, every day went by at the speed of light. Everything flashed before my eyes and the semester was already over, in what felt like a week. I would also tell myself to never listen to what others think about you. One day you're going to be successful, and everyone who though badly of you is going to be ashamed of what they had said in the past. Being yourself is an amazing key to success in college. The people you meet here are going to be the friends you keep for life. Would you rather have friends that like you for who you truly are? Or would you rather have friends who sort of like you for who you pretend to be? Nothing is more important than keeping your character and never giving up. There was a time I contemplated not coming to college because no one in my family has previously been, so what would people think of me? I never gave up, and I never will.

Take off your first summer after High School, get a job in the fall-Spring and during that time, decide what you would like to get a degree for. You can still work on music etc. in the meantime. Don't just jump into getting a job immedeately after high school. You'll spend many years wasted. Enjoy your last summer and think about what you want to do in life that you can actually attain getting a career for. Be realistic, but don't be afriad to dream big as well.

Going back in time to contact my previous self would be conversation that could only end well. I would not hesitate to yell at myself for not doing everything that could have changed my fate for the better. For four years I enrolled in rigorous courses in order to make my high school experience more challenging, but unfortunately I simply did not care enough to pursue scholastic opportunities. In addition to informing myself about academic opportunities, I would sit down with myself and have a good, long talk about what college will do to my personality and perspective towards the world. Not a second I would waste to inform myself about what it truly takes to be happy. From having a nonexistent financial burden to a high self-esteem, I would remind myself about the personal challenges that I can take care of before I move into an institution that would ultimately change my life for the better.

Oh, the advice I would give! Three simple things past Megan! Number one on our list would be, enroll in more concurrent classes so you can graduate college quicker and mover on to getting your marine biology degree in less amount of time. Number two, do NOT give up searching for scholarships; I know it is tiring and you write a lot, but you have the time so do it, you will indeed need it. Number three, wait until the teacher absolutely tells you what you need instead of freaking out and trying to get the books ahead of time. The professors understand if you do not have the book the first week, they get it, they have been in the same situation and will indeed listen to you.

Take advantage of more opportunities, and don't take yourself so seriously. When opportunities arise to make friends or to have fun, take them…at least every now and then. Things will not come as easily as they did in high school, but that doesn't mean that they aren't achievable. Stay focused and prioritize the responsibilities that you have, but never forget the ultimate goal of becoming a physician. There is no reason to get down on yourself for silly things, or to feel so alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, because there isn’t any shame in it. Find something that you are passionate about outside of school, and hang onto it. Try not be defined by the successes and failures of those around you, but on your own merit. Comparing apples to oranges will get you nowhere.

If I could go back and talk to my high school self, I can say with confidence that there are two things that, if i had known them in high school, would have made my college transition much easier. First, I would tell myself to learn how to properly study. In high school, it was easy to do nothing more than simply pay attention in class and maintain a 4.0. In college, studying is important because once you learn new material, there won't be time to go back over it every year, like children in the public school system are so accustomed to. In college, it's sink or swim, and learning productive study habits will be your life raft. Secondly, I would tell myself that even though studying is important, it's equally as important to understand that nobody is perfect and by expecting yourself to be the best at everything, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but college is about learning to use your strengths. All you can do is work hard and know that you've done your best.