University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Top Questions

It's important to have friends that you can count on for sound advice. They should be accountable and trustworthy. They should also be people you enjoy spending time with. During your life, you will face many challenging situations, and it is important to have a good support system that surrounds you in these situations. A good work ethic is also valuable to have. Being able to get what you need to done, whether for a class, for a club, or for your job is important as you will always have tasks that need to be completed. The work won't get any easier, so it's better to realize that and just push through obstacles you face.One thing to avoid is stress. Ways to manage stress are by knowing what must get done when. Leaving some time for yourself, making sure you eat well, and sleeping enough are also strategies to combat stress. No one wants to be friends with the person who complains, so it’s better to realize we’re all in similar situations and move on.Life is a learning process and it is okay to make mistakes, as you will learn from them.

I feel that by coming to this college, I have been able to experience a very diverse population. Also, it was new for me to live in an urban enviornment. Classes are large, and you really have to do the work. Being here, I can tell I have grown up a lot. I have realized what is important in life, recognized goals and matured all together. I work hard and I understand the value of my work. I have to say that so far, the best thing about my college experience has been the extent to which it has helped me mature. I now have goals that I actively pursue, and look at the world differently. That's a very valuable thing.

The first thing I got out of my college experience was a solid education. Do I feel like I learned a lot of specific facts? Absolutely not. But I learnedto solve problems and to trust my own intellectual abilities. I tackled some really tough classes, and though I've long forgotten a lot of what I was taught in those classes, I have the knowledge that I am up to the challenge if I'm willing to put the work in. The second thing I got out of my college experience was a strong sense of who I am now and who I want to become in my life. It sounds corny, but college taught me a lot about myself and my goals. I met the people who shaped the adult that I am becoming. I did the research that helped me to decide what I definitely did NOT want to do in graduate school - and pushed me in the direction of graduate studies that I did have a desire to pursue. I got much more than a degree: I got a solid pathway to the rest of my life.

So far, I have gotten alot out of college. These past two years I have not only learned alot about myself and also what I want to do with my life. When I graduated high school I decided to go to my local community college so that I could volunteer at the numerous research facilities in the area. I have now volunteered at places such as Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, The Brevard Zoo, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, The Florida Hospital and Keep Brevard Beautiful. Through volunteering I have gained experiences with research, data collection and entry, animal husbandry, marine mammals, food preparation for marine organisms and an overall awareness of the world around me. I believe that it's possible for anyone to go to college and it's an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. I have really discovered who I am, who my real friends are and how important family is in life. You won't only be studying textbooks in college, you'll be studying yourself.

Due to my university, I have grown up. Being thrown into the college life is a hard thing for young adults to do. Day in and day out I have witnessed students taking advantage of the freedom and not doing their work. Seeing these students ruin their college careers, I have learned time management and ways to study because if I didn't, the university would either kick me out or put me on academic probation. Also I have gained a sense of saving what I have. Most college students barely have two dimes to rub together, so every cent counts. Moving into college is not an easy task but if you can understand the ways to be successful and learn from others mistakes, it takes some of the hardships away.

My college experience has pushed me to grow into a better, independent person. Coming from a small town, I had to quickly adjust to the city environment and go outside my comfort zone in order to succeed. After adjusting, I learned to love the area and the oppertunities that it has to offer. If you are not one to centralize your attention to alcohol or drugs like myself, there are plenty of other options such as theater, museums, and arts. I became very involed with these options to expand my knowledge and cultural awareness. Additionally, having downtown Pittsburgh a short bus ride away, jobs are easily accessible. Overall, Pitt has been the best option for me, and has continually allowed me to become a stronger woman.

Going into college, I was under the impression that the true value of attending would come in the form of academics; both expanding upon previous knowledge and exlporing new topics and ideas. And in a sense, this is true. Education is a valuable aspect of attending any college or university. However, hindsight has revealed that college is not about the classes we attend, but rather the people we meet along the way. College has afforded me the opportunity to interact with individuals from all walks of life. Each person came from a completely different background, and in getting to know them, I was able to understand more about the brilliance of diversity--culture, ethnicty, socioeconomic status, religion, gender identity and personal struggles--than a hundred years of sitting in a classroom could have taught me. These people came from completely differing situations and, as a result, had developed his or her own philosophy and world views. My college experience gave me the chance to meet these people whom I would not have otherwise met, and the true value of this journey has been the opportunity learn from these individuals, and to incorporate their views and beliefs with those I hold.

I believe that out of my two years in college there are many things that i have learned. Though, the most important thing that i have learned is to never sell yourself short. When I started college the only thing on my mind was playing softball and I wasn't the smartest kid. That is why as the year went on my grades began to suffer. It was hard but I decided that my grades were more important than playing softball. That is when I quite sotball amd began to focus on my grades. Once i did that, things began to fully turn around. I got my gradesm up and I had been accepted into the honor society, what an amazing turn around. I was given the oprotunity to further my education through softball. If it hadn't have been for that i probally wouldn't have attended college and missed out on actually making something of myself. Though, it was hard at first i doubted myself but didn't sell myself short and definetly made the best of it. I will be the first in my family to graduate college and thats the best feeling in the whole world.

Attending my campus has been an amazing experience for me. This was not my first choice but I am so glad I chose to attend there. I wouldn't change it for the world. Going to this campus has taught me more about living life on your own. I was able to get a job on campus that coincides with my major. So, not only taking classes I get hand on experience daily with the equipment and knowledge it brings. I love the professors because they help you as much as they can and their office doors are always open. The president of our campus really cares about the students. He always has a smile on his face and loves giving hugs. Coming to this university is a joyful and rewarding experience in every class you walk into. Living with fellow students on campus and getting to relax during the down times is nice getting to know others and help them when needed. This experiance is the most valuable yet. I have learned so much to help me in the future and will never forget this campus once I graduate. It is really one of the best colleges around.

Education is important, but it isn't everything. What the University of Pittsburgh has given me is an opportunity to leave my comfort zone and experience new things that I would never had known existed previously. I'm from a town so small we don't even have our own mailing address, so coming to Pitt, with the crowds, huge number of undergraduates, and more than one stop-light, was an obsticle. This dramatic change, however, was extremely beneficial for me. By coming to the University of Pittsburgh, I've learned how to meet new people, and to be independent. In my old town, you knew everyone. Here, I had to leave the protective bubble I've lived in all my life and get to know new people, which is a skill I wouldn't have developed by going to a school closer to home where the people never change. City life at Pitt has also made me more independent. I have to rely on myself to find places and get there on time, find food, and everything else an undergraduate needs. The University of Pittsburgh has given me opportunities that I wouldn't have had anywhere else.

College has been an experience full of vast opportunities to broaden my social skills and furthering my education in topics that I find most interesting. While it may be arduous to leave home and jump into an entirely different setting, the end result is worth all the effort. With only a year and a half of college completed, I have already found that I better understand what type of person I am. College allows a chance to discover who you are and to learn to defend your own values when in the presence of people who may attempt to alter them. If I had not taken the step to attend college, I would not possess the mental strength to withstand all the pressure life can bring. Becoming a well rounded person, as well as an independent individual, are only a few of the surprising results that have emerged from pursuing a degree.

I have been able to learn more about myself as a student and as a person over the past three semesters. I have also been able to surround myself with people that I feel will continue to be there for me for the rest of my life. I feel that my college experience has helped me to see what I want to do with my life, and the work I need to put in to achieve my goals. I also now am able to see what my strengths and weaknesses are in an easier. It has been valuable for me to attend college because without it I feel that I would still be lost. The University of Pittsburgh has given me the opportunity to try at my strengths and learn from my mistakes. I feel that I can now go into the world with a greater understanding of myself and others.

My college experience has been a great learning experience. I have made new friends, met a lot of new people, and learned that I can live 11 hours from home by myself. I have had to learn to deal with people I do not like and try to make the best out of these experiences which I think every student should have to do-learn.

College, for me, was a wonderful transition from high school to university. I have been able to receive my associates degree without a single college loan or credit card; mostly surviving on a meager job and government Pell Grants. My tuition costs are about half the price of my friends in universities and I am always thankful I started out at a cheaper level. This has allowed me to accumulate credits without accumulating massive debt. Another really helpful aspect of community college is the smaller course sizes. Many of my friends in universities complain about the size of their classes and I believe that the- smaller then university; bigger then high school- sized classes were a helpful transition. College has prepared me for the future of my University career and I cannot wait to begin. With the experiences I have had from Community College I have an informed idea of what is expected of me in higher education. I think community college will help me succeed in more rigorous academic situations.

My college experience has really taught me how to have responsibility and maturity. The University of PIttsburgh enabled me to take a variety of broad classes to help pin point what I want to do with the rest of my life. It has really opened my eyes to issues around the world and made me think outside the box. This in turn made me realize th need for me to transfer to a school that fits my interests and desires more closely. I want to major in Public RElations and need to attend a school with a great school for communications and the University of PIttsburgh made me realize what I need to find in whatever University I choose to transfer too.

As college experiences typically are, mine has absolutely been life-changing. It has not been the typical "fresh start", cathartic, eye-opening experience; rather, its impact has come through the subtle daily differences that college life entails. I've had to adapt to an independent, urban lifestyle coming from a small Pennsylvania suburb. Now, I only know the classmates I have reached out to, not my entire graduating class. My professors do not know me unless I make the active effort to get to know them, unlike high school teachers that took the time to at least learn my name. I must fend for myself, which is a struggle in and of itself. This experience has taught me the incredibly vital life lesson that any experience is only what you make of it. College has been such a wonderful time for me only because I chose to make it one and my actions followed through on that choice. The education has been rewarding and the social life has been enjoyable because this is what I wanted my experience to be like. The value of this lesson will certainly carry me through the rest of my years in university and beyond.

Since I've started college, I've finally discovered where I want to go in my life. I feel more confident and more determined than ever before, and I know coming to University of Pittsburgh is responsible for that. I've learned so much both in my classes and outside of them, and I've made friends that I know I'll stay close to for life. I started college a bit later than most, and I feel that as a slightly older student, I have the experience and the desire to make the most out of my college experience. I'm certainly trying to!

One of the statements I am most disappointed to hear people say is that going to college is a waste of time because they need to study things that are not exactly relevant to what they want to do when they graduate. Beyond the concept of what a classical education actually is, college teaches a person how to follow a process. Earning 120 credits in four years (more or less) is a tremendously long process with many steps along the way. In order to be successful, students must be diligent, keep timelines, stay focused, and achieve a goal. They must do this with a myriad of distractions in an atmosphere they are likely not used to from when they lived at home. This translates into experience that is helpful for the rest of the student's life regardless of whether he or she ever actually uses what they learned in Psychology 101. If I never use what I learned in my Russian Mythology class I will still have had a valuable college experience because I can see a goal and know what I have to do to achieve it.

My college experience has taught me more than just the formal teachings from books and professors. It taught me how to be a life-long learner. Each day my personal, professional and social lives are enriched with learning experiences. In my personal life, the one question that my 2 year old son Lachlan asks endlessly is "Why?". This simple word is an important learning tool for him. It provides him with the ability to learn more about people, places and things. Some unimportant to us but all important to him in order to gain understanding and make sense of the world all around him. When teaching him, I suddenly realize that his simple curiosity causes me to gain a better understanding. In applying this to my professional life, I learn daily from the children and families that I work with. I learn that different families have a variety of dynamics that make their household function for them. I feel that my education has been valuable to me in developing the person that I have become.

"College encompasses many trials which encourage maturation and independence." Thus is the mantra that many parents drone to college bound children, pushing the reluctants out the door and into adulthood. Yes, this idea may be veritable in its own right, yet beyond that statement is where I find my meaning in a collegiate education. Beyond the lessons that college life teaches is the complete and utter satisfaction of seizing the American dream of an advanced education and building a future for myself, based on my own funds and ideas. While I have quickly learned the importance of eating healthy, balancing finances, creating time to study for eighteen credits of classes while balancing twenty hour work weeks, and squeezing in time for friends, I have gained so much more. After two years of college life, I have found my identity in my studies and through my independence. While I have learned survival skills, I have acheived skills to thrive and grow as well.