University of Rhode Island Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Rhode Island know before they start?

Sean

I would have applied myself even more to my academics in high school. Many Seniors that have done an acceptable job in high school seem to take somewhat of a break during a portion of their Senior year of high school. Even though I had better than average grades as a Senior, knowing what I know now about college, I would have chosen to take classes that prepared me better for college work. I would tell high schoolers now, when you feel the urge to coast through your Senior year, tell yourself that you only have 4 more years of school to achieve greatness. What you will do the next 4 years will affect the rest of your life in many ways. Push through and stay focused. Achieve at a high level and you will be rewarded for your hard work.

Alexander

If I could go back in time to see my high school self, I would let him know that I should follow the path that is closest to your heart. Do not worry about what the future has to offer. Take every day one step at a time. In the long run, if you love what you are doing, then nothing wrong will come out of your experience. I would enforce the idea of listening to my heart instead of my mind. So many paths to choose from can cause a person to become anxious and overwhelmed. I had to go to counseling because of how stressful the college selection process was for me. I eventually made up my mind to go to URI because I could not decide on what to major in. I did not want to have to spend a lot of money somewhere when I did not know how long my future would be in attendance. I have now changed my major to Political Science because I feel that this is where I belong in my heart. Do not fret on the immediate results because if you keep working hard it will all work out.

Steven

The most important advice I would give myself is learn how to manage time as quickly as possible. Timing is everyting in college, you have to know how much time to put aside for studying, homework, projects, etc. so that your time for having fun and relaxing doesn't interfere with your schoolwork. Especially if you have a job. Although it sucks to have to not go out with your friends sometimes because of school, it's worth it in the end. Don't ever give up, and keep working hard.

Luzelly

Something I tell my younger friends and family members who are in high school is time is precious. Make use of your time here in college because it will go just as fast as high school did and maybe even faster. Plan your time accordingly because you will have a lot more freedom and freetime to get things done. Procrastination should not be your best friend, but what you work against. As a junior in college and a resident assistant I have learned to balance two jobs, class, and a social life. The key is to set reasonable goals that you wish to meet every so often. Rememeber to manage your time well and set your priorities straight before you head off to college. Always remind yourself what you are working so hard for because sometimes all of the stress, work, and partying can make you rethink why your doing this. Just remember that all the hard work, all nighters, study sessions, and money will pay off when you cross that stage on graduation.

Henry

I would tell my self to prepare my self for long nights filled with studying and doing papers. To start the semester on a good foot because its harder to bring your grade up rather than just keeping it at comfortable A. I would tell my self to take advantage of all the help they provide In the University of Rhode Island because the help they provide is invaluable and a great tool to take advantage of. I would warn my self that the classes i will be taking are going to be very difficult because I am a biology major and taking chemistry is not going to be a simple class and that I should stufy very hard in order to get that A. Probably the biggest warning I would issue my self is to avoid procrastination at all times because it will lead to problems and useless stress.

Jenna

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would do it in a second. As a high school senior, I did not have the self confidence that reflected in my academics. With the workload from honors and AP classes, I felt inferior. I really believed that I was incapable of accomplishing an A in a class. With that mindset, I convinced myself that I would never be able to recieve an A. After graduating high school however, I enrolled into college as a college freshman. During my first few weeks of college, I observed my classmates. I saw that every sucessful student had an optomistic attitude about their school work but most importantly, they had an optomistic attitude about themselves. Soon after, I tested this observation on myself. Instead of feeling bad about myself I made myself workout, eat healthier, study longer and pay attention harder. After a few weeks, I felt content with myself and my academics. Because of this new mindset, I have gained better grades and did accomplish A's. If I was a senior again, I wouldnt have to wait till college to feel satisfied with my accomplishments.

Kirstie

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Bryna

If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger,freshman self that I needed to worry less. I would tell myself to be calm and peaceful and not be too proud to ask people for help. I would tell my younger self to be more focused and not worry about the future. I would show my younger self some of the helpful programs that we have on campus; like the academic enhancement center. In my first semester at school I was completely overwhelmed with the whole college experience. It was difficult for me to find a balance between making new friends at my new home and getting everything done for my classes. I started to worry and stress about these two goals, and could hardly function. I started failing several of my courses and found myself isolating myself from other people; but I was proud and didn't want to ask for tutoring. I've realized since my first year at school that as long as I am worrying so much about my work, I don't do as well as I do if I am peaceful and calm.

Jackelinne

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, knowing what I know about college life and making a transition. I would tell myself to have good time management because in college it's all about having time management. You have to balance certain amount of classes and homework. It is difficult. Trying to put studying time into your schedule is very hard because sometimes you want to do something else. I would also tell myself to be more open and not hold back to making new friends. It is hard making new friends if some of your classes have 200+ students. I would recommend joining clubs because it's easier to meet new people. They have the same interest as you which is even better. A good idea is trying to introduce yourself to other people because you never know you might be good friends after. College is all about going out of your way and trying to do things you would of never expected yourself to do. It's an experience that helps you find yourself. It's all about trying hard. You never know what the outcome will be.

Brittany

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I'd advise myself to take AP courses! When I was in high school I never really thought that colleges really looked for stuff like that so I never took any of them. Now that I finished 1 year of college I now know that AP courses will make you life so much easier! I would also tell myself to learn some helpful study habits. Although this is very cliche, college is all about studying and unfortunately during my high school career I did not have to apply myself nearly as much to receive the grades I did. Another tip I'd give myself is to buy little energy snacks to put in your backpack to eat throught the day, there has been many times were I did not have time to eat because I was so busy. And lastly, I would tell myself that in college your peers aren't as mean and cruel as they are in high school. Knowing this would have taken a lot of stress of my shoulders when getting ready to move in!

Corey

If I could go back and give advice to my high school-self, I would tell myself to relax. Trying to decide and commit to choices regarding my (hopefully) long and prosperous future is daunting at age 18. The game plan at that age was highly reliant on what my parents had in mind for me, and looking back, I wish I had taken some REAL time to figure out what I was interested in, and mold my choices from there. It can seem like graduating from high school and entering college was a footrace to get to a finish line of a degree. I don't know why I felt like I had no time. It's not the case. There is plenty of time to get your bearings, discover your passions, and go for them. Even though I didn't want to hear this advice at the time, choosing a vague major for the first 2 years of college would have been the best thing I could do because I would have had the opportunity to explore my interests and not feel like I was hurrying to an end that I was unsure of. So, just relax!

shirley

if i can go back to the future when i am in high school i will probably be more organized so it could prepare me for college. i will tell my self that now is the moment to e serious and focus on school.i will also tell my self that if i need help to ask for it.

Desiree

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to participate in college. I was never the type to make friends or attend social events. Now I regret that after four years I have not made any memories that are not academic. Having a high GPA is important, but college is a chance to meet people, try new things, and do what would not be possible in any other situation. I would tell myself to talk to people in class, go to campus events, be less serious.

Samua

As a high school student, I always saw myself in the future frame. But I never imagined how much work would be needed to realize that future frame. I am not necessarily referring to academics but mostly socializing. I always did very well in my classes, even when they wrestled with me. But I did not realize how much work was going to be needed to make my presence known in classes, such as asking questions or class presentations, which I absolutely hated in high school and struggled in college. I found ways of removing that fear but it was not permanent because I did not push more. A fear that I knew from the very begenning would handicap me from interacting with people, thus I recluded myself even when I had tremendous ideas. When I voiced myself people would be surprise, but i always second guess my potentiality and didn't think that I could do better. If I could rewind the clock and go back in time I would probably find better ways to remove tmy fear, it would have been easier. Its a fact, I will need to deal with people and hiding is not the solution.

Jamie

I would tell myself a few things. First, I would tell myself to take the AP classes offered despite the steep price that they seem because it will save you thousands in college. Also, branch out into other fields! I already knew Anthropology was what I wanted to do, but there are not a lot of job oppertunities now. I would have loved to double major in natural resource sciences to broaden my horizons, but I found it too late. The last thing I would like to tell myself is to get involved on campus even though I lived and live at home. I always regretted not joining the rowing or rugby teams, as I would have loved to play those sports. But I was afraid. My most important message would be just that, to not let the fear of the unknown overwhelm and control my choices because I regret them more than words can say.

Margaret

My 20 year high school reunion is this Summer. I have many life experiences that I’d love to share with my high school self. When it comes to college the first thing I would suggest is to go to a less expensive college. I was not eligible for financial aid. Those were the days before internet access for scholarship searches and my counselor was not very helpful. I worked on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska to attempt to make enough to pay for a semester. I had to stop going as we just couldn’t afford it. I believe that if I had been smarter about my school choices I wouldn’t have had to nickel and dime my education completion. The other advice is similar to that to a bride before her wedding, “Make sure to slow down and enjoy every moment”. When we are young and eager to get out in the world we don’t realize how quickly life passes you by. A student needs to remember to not only work hard in their classes, but to meet new people, try new things, take care of your health, and live each moment to the fullest.

Julia

Dear Past High School Senior, You're in the final stretch now, ready to shake off the weight high school and take those glorious steps towards freedom. You're feeling like you should have been taking these steps years ago, but just remember that the transition won't be as easy as you think. Enjoy your last moments of being teenager and start preparing yourself for independence. Get a job and search for scholarships. More imporantly start taking time to really become at peace with yourself and find activities that keep you grounded and reduce stress. There will be many times in college where you need to be alone from everything and you'll actually miss home. Find something that keeps you happy, healthy, and calm in times of strife. Make time to exercise no matter how busy it is, or how tired you are! I promise that you will need it! There will be a lot of good in college and you'll learn so much, but there will be a lot to test you as well. So start building that armor and get ready for bumpy but amazing journey. Love, Future College Student

Cecily

My best advice to a highschool senior is ,"Stick to your goals and be persistent". Once you graduate high school you are not only making the transition from high school to college, but from mother's nest to the real world. You can either sore through the sky and reach your dreams or give into all the chaos of college partying and fall flat on your face when you leave the nest. Remember, there will be set backs and challenges that you will have to solve on your own now that your parents and teachers are not holding your hand; but when you surpass these challenges the sense of accomplishment that you will feel is tremendous. Keep your eye on the prize and focus on the career you have chosen for yourself. When you are given an assignment study and repeat the lesson over and over. Nobody forces you to stay in college or go to class; it is all about your self motivation and the drive that comes within you. Prove to the world that you are a success and NEVER GIVE UP.

Chelsea

Take a deep breath and find out what truly inspires you. If you find out what your passion is, hold onto it and always remind yourself why you chose this path. Once you know the path that you want to take, hopefuly it is the one less traveled, then you can plan for the future. Take notes, make friends, exchange emails, and talk to your professors. They are there as guides, use this opportunity to go far in your educational career. Look into and talk about what classes you need to take in order to graduate on time, but don't stress out. The first year is full of mistakes, but you learn from them all and come out stronger in the end. From there, plan ahead and anticipate mistakes and what you can do to prevent or correct them. Overall, find someone to confide in, to take study breaks with, and enjoy life. College will go by far too quickly. Remember everything you learn from this time, both inside and outside of the classroom. Your experiences now will come to define who you are, what you believe in, and how you will change the world.

Kristin

If I could revisit my high school self I would advise myself to be more confident. Since being in college I have been exposed to a diverse population of people. I have seen that most people have the same insecurities as others and are often unaware or apathetic of all the mistakes I may make. With this increased confidence I would tell myself to go out and make friends. Early adulthood is when and individual lays down the foundation for the rest of his or her life and making friends is an essential part of that foundation. Friends, I have learned, are not only for socializing but they can help me with academic or moral dilemmas. They also expose me to new experiences that enrich my life. As a high school student I was shy and awkward, I wish I could go back and tell myself that there is no reason for such behavior in a world of such diverse yet similar people.