University of South Carolina-Columbia Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of South Carolina-Columbia know before they start?

Taylore

Let's say that there was an opportunity for me to travel back in time through a time machine. I would travel back to the school year of 2013-2014 when I was a high school senior. I would probably scare my high school self, but I would try to tell myself the tips of succeding in college. Welcome to How to Survive in College 101. College is a way different lifestyle than high school. There is more freedom, more clubs, and more people to meet. However, do not get caught up with the partying everynight life. There's nothing wrong with taking a break from work when the work is done. Do not be like those college students who pay thousands of dollars and take out loans just to flunk out of college. I would also tell myself that there will be a time when you accidentally lock yourself out of your room. When you lock yourself out of your room, just make sure you have a pair of shoes on. I had to learn the hard way. I had to walk barefoot outside to get a temporary dorm key. College provides crazy experiences. You'll be alright.

Evetria

I would simply tell myself that everything is going to be great. I learned a lot in school and do not regret any of the experiences I had. I completed my degree in the normal amount of time, made the dean's list, studied something I was interested in and was able to do all of those things while attending a school that cared about the student's first. The only thing I would tell my high school self and any person attending college is to apply for more scholarships. There is a lot of free money available but you have to apply for it. Student loan is a burden in life after college and there are ways to avoid it. I would advise all graduating high school seniors and gradute students to apply for all scholarships they are eligible for.

Christina

If I were able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, without hesitation, I would inform myself of the abundant amount of opportunity that is ahead of me. I would explain that the transition from high school to college is one of the most critical points in our life. It is this time in an individual's life where they can recreate themselves and become everything they have always dreamed of becoming. Along with recreating yourself in this "new chapter of life", as the cliche goes, a sense of greater responsibility will form in you. All of a sudden you will feel that it is your job to discover the cure for cancer or invent a teleportation device; and it is so crucial that you allow that feeling to resonate within you because this is your moment and this is your time to make an impact.

Sarah

There are plenty of things I know now that I wish I knew when I was a senior in high school. Get enough sleep, spend more time with your family, exercise more. However, the single most important thing I would tell my eighteen year old self is to forgive myself more easily when things go wrong and to embrace the things I cannot change. A central part to growing up is realizing what you are good at but that also means you have to realize what you are not so good at. Failing a test is not the end of the world, not getting elected to student council the first time does not mean you should not run again, and not getting chosen by the sorority you want does not mean that you are not valuable. If I could have understood that as a senior in high school and been a little easier on myself, maybe I would have garnered the confidence I have now a little sooner. Transitioning into college is not the easiest but it is definitely more fun if you allow yourself to have it.

Katie

I would tell my high school self to branch out and don't ever let go of your hard-working ethic. College will be hard but you are going to make it. There will be times when you feel like you don't want to be a music major anymore and people will tell you that you aren't good enough. Work harder than you ever have in your life and never give up. Call your family more and know that you don't have to go through hardtimes alone. In addition, I wish I could tell you how much your friends will mean to you. I didn't realize it until a few years in. Branch out, don't be afraid to take risks, and don't forget to have a social life! Your friends and family are behind you 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} and you will go on to do great things.

Sara

I would tell myself as study hard and take more advance placement classes. It is a huge advantage to go into college with some general credits out of the way. It would allow me to begin working towards my major right away by taking classes relevant to my major. Maintaining a social life is also really important too. Having good friends from high school helps ease the transition into college, regardless of whether they go to the same college or not. Quality friends give great advice and some even know people on my campus that they set me up with. Lastly, I would stress that it is very important to save my money. The one problem i encountered when making the transition to college is that the money goes quickly. Food, clothing, gas, and other expenses can really add up, and it is very difficult to get a job as a freshman. Also, as far as money saving goes make sure to apply to as many scholarships as possible! Any penny you can save on tuition can help go towards that food or gas you probably need.

James

When I was in high school, I dropped out of math. My high school principal tried to talk me out of dropping out of math. He said if you decide to go to college you are going to see math again. I responded I was going to the military and do need math to graduate high school. I did graduate high school. I did join the military. I learned in the military that in order to gain rank, I would have to go back to college at some point. In order for me to go back to college, I had to make up all the math that I did not take in high school. I would tell high school seniors to take all your course work seriously including math. You may not need it to graduate but you will need it later on in your life. Learn as much as you can while your in high school. If you don't take time to learn as much as you can in high school, like me you will have to take a lot of time playing catch up or get left behind in life.

Matthew

Take these first couple of semester seriously to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. It may seem far away but the real world is just around the corner. Now is the time to explore different possibilites so don't just blindly follow what your parents expect you to do. You'll make friends through frisbee and other activites so as far as the social aspect of college goes there is no need to worry. The biggest thing is setting enough time aside to really find a passion for a subject and follow through with it. Good luck and don't slack

Kenton

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was a senior in high school, there are so many thing that I would enlighten myself with. College has taught me so many lessons in life so far. The first thing would be to focus on school; and not solely on sports. Even though I was a two-sport college athete, I focused more on sports than my classes. A major knee injury ended my college playing career and I was forced to return home. Secondly would be dont procrastinate! In high school, it was so easy to procrastinate and still get by turning in a paper at the last minute. When you get to college the quality and quantity of work increases tremendously. Waiting to do things at the last minute can sometimes cause you to fall behind in college and you may not be able to recover from it. The most important advice I would give is be disciplined when it comes to social media. Many people dont believe it but social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter can be very addicting, even so much that they can cause your grades to fall considerably.

James

Me, I’m forty-one years old, I’m in my second marriage, and I’m in debt. This is you. This is the future you face. Right now you’re wondering what to do, how to change this fate, and maybe you assume that somewhere in the contents of this letter lies the answer. But it is not here. Because there is no answer. There is nothing for you to do. Don’t change. Don’t change a thing. Every decision—right or wrong—led you here. The knowledge you will have at this age is the product of every joy, every fear, every hope, and every angst in that unfathomable gulf of time and experience that lies between you and me. You may be a little late in finding your purpose, but the experience you have along the way lays the foundation for my small, but significant successes. You love, you lose, you teach, you travel, and you become a better person, even when you think you have sunk to your depths. Don’t change. Don’t change a thing. Just follow the path that’s been always in your heart. You PS – your second wife is HOT.

Madeline

There are so many things I want to tell you! I know the first year of college was tough, but I've got some advice for you that will make it just a bit easier to navigate. My first advice is to take only what you really need to survive in college. It is easy to convince yourself that you need that huge tapestry wall hanging, but, trust me, it will fall off the wall, lots of times. Instead, fill your wall with pictures of the family because you will miss them so much more than you think. My next advice is a bit more serious. Please don't worry about what you are going to do after college and what major to choose. This a time in your life when you are allowed to explore. Take classes in disciplines that are foreign to you. Try a theater class or an art class, even if you think you are not artistic. The things you learn about yourself can be life-changing. Do not be afraid that you aren't doing it "right." You will find your path in time to graduate. Lastly, call home...often. They miss you terribly!

Rachel

I was only a senior 6 months ago but I think I'd tell myself to chill out. Nothing is terrible and everything will be fine. I wish I would have put more effort into my pharmacy technician class and tried harder to get a job. There are a lot of things that I would do differently but mostly I wish I could tell myself to tell my mother that her constant hovering wasn't helping and was just making me more stressed out.

Jennifer

Get involved in the University. It makes it much easier to make friends and experience new and amazing things. Although friends from high school are still good to have, do not rely on them too much. Try hard to branch out and do things you wouldn't normally do. College can be an amzing time in your life to open doors and network, but at the same time, never forget to work hard on your studies. I know that on the surface college does not require as much written work or as many essays as were required in high school. However, do not underestimate your classes. Every class needs to be studied for, because unlike high school there is not as much classroom or one on one time with teachers. Always work hard. But be careful not to overwork yourself. College is a balancing act, you must remain psychologically happy while at the same timeworking very hard and not stressing yourself out too much. Just always stay true to yourself and be happy.

Aaron

Apply to colleges early in high school, and those for scholarships too.

Madeline

There's not much I would tell myself. Probably not to listen to what everyone says, especially the people in the family. The ones that did go to college majored in English, not science, they will have no idea what you're going through. The ones that didn't go to college don't know what they're talking about in general. Be prepared to make a lot of mistakes and even more embarrassing blunders (although you should be used to that by now). College is the perfect places to embrace your goofiness and where you can finally be you. For once, make friends that are cool with who you are and are okay with your weirdness. Finally, don't let anyone tell you what to do while you're at college especially the family, again. Actually, just forget what the family tells you in general and do your own thing. This will be the only time you can break free from them and create yourself, by yourself. Really, just learn to be true to who you are, as cliché as that sounds.

Samantha

Don't be scared. It all seems a lot harder than it really will be. Remember to keep up the good work after first semester and try not to make yourself sick during second semester by not taking care of yourself. Try to be social. Not everyone is like the people that you knew in highschool and you have a better chance at fitting in here than you ever did there. Try to sleep regularly. Really, I mean it. Don't panic over your school work. Panic has never done anything for you before and it won't now. Talk to people. Spend more nights out and doing things and less nights in your room by yourself. Be at least a little bit assertive with your roommate because you do share a room. Most of all remember that you can do this. College is going to be better than you can imagine so start getting excited.

Emily

Do not stress the small things. Stay focused in class, keep making good grades. The friends you have now will help you become a successful student. Study as much as you can and stop procrastinating, you're going to love every second of it.

Bryson

Well I’m about to enter my second year of college but before I do that I need to go pay my high school self a little visit. When I go back in time to the beginning of my high school senior year, I’ll have to prepare myself for the future. The high school Bryson needs to know that his senior year of high school and freshmen year of college are very important. I would tell myself to stay focused and dedicated to my studies. I would also tell myself to make a balance schedule between school, work, family, and friends. Knowing this information from the beginning would’ve been a great help!

Lauren

My advice is to make college your own--make your own decisions because in the end you are the one who is going to live with them. Realize that you are in the infancy of adulthood and this opportunity to define and shape your future comes once. Making mistakes and deliberately placing yourself outside of your comfort zone is crucial to building your character and discerning what you truly want (and don't want) out of life. There is no substitute for experience gained through mistakes, so make them, and don't be discouraged when you do because chances are, your mistake in college will serve as a reminder to make the better decision in the future.

Laura

The transition from a small high school to a large university was a culture shock. The lectures were twice the size of my high school graduating class and I was overwhelmed, convinced that everyone else was sure of who they where, what they wanted to be, and were unafraid to try or do anything. Looking back, I realize that my lack of confidence was exasperated by the time I spent online, distracting myself with social media. If I could, I would go back and tell myself to unplug the laptop, delete my profiles, and step out from behind the computer screen. The negative effects of social media were two fold. First, I was comparing myself to false representations of my peers. I hadn't realized yet that no one's life is really how it looks on Facebook; that everyone carefully edits their profile to present the most attractive and interesting version of themselves. Second, my laptop was an anchor that kept me glued to my desk seat instead of out exploring the opportunities unique to college. Moving forward, I am careful to limit my time online. College – and life – is too brief and exciting a time to waste.