University of South Dakota Top Questions

I would tell myself be perpared to adjust. I used to be a meterology student and now I am a CMJ and music student. I would also tell myself to be perpared for living near some of the loudest and thickest people ever. Especial when dealing with transfering from Iowa Lakes to USD. I would also tell myself to fill out more scholarships to get more money because it will become incredibly difficult to pay them off later.

I would tell myself to work hard in high school - it is important. I am not only talking about working hard in school, but also in other aspects of your life. School is very important, and so are your grades and involvement. These things are what allow you to get scholarships, but they also will help you to adapt to new situations and people well. Being involved in activities will be largely beneficial in going to college, because it is a big change, even if you don't go very far away. Learn how to manage money. Going to college is exciting, and the freedom you have is a large part of that. However, freedom can be expensive. Listen to your parents when they talk to you about saving money. Learning to manage my money is one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned. Lastly, get a job in high school. It will teach you about money management, but more importantly, it will give you an invaluable work ethic. You will need to work harder in college, and a job will teach you some of these valuable skills. Have fun! These are the best days of your life!

As a freshman in college, I would have liked to know what to expect from my college. I wish I would have known that this college does not offer a lot of classes in the field of my study. Also, I would advise myself to search for a more well-rounded college and take more risks to reach my goals in a college. Overall, I would recommend enjoying high school and not wish away the time before college.

?Go...? The whisper startled me back to attention in my desk. I glanced around, but each classmate sat silently around me. Writing it off as a bit of daydreaming, I returned my pencil to my notebook. Scribbling the words ?UC Berkeley?, ?San Francisco?, and ?breakthrough cardiothoracic surgeon? my attention drifted. ?Chase your dreams?? the whisper was louder and more insistent now. I leaned to my friend and whispered, ?Did you say something?? I received a headshake from her and a glare from the teacher. ?Just try it?? the whisper was so persistent I was increasingly convinced of my certifiable insanity. I looked to my paper. Could it be? Is this what these nagging whispers could be referencing. I shook my head and muttered under my breath ?Impossible? I?m a small town girl, and its way to expensive.? ?Just try it?? the whisper repeated, ?Chase your dreams!? The intensity of the voice struck me, as well as its similarity to my own. ?I know it?s scary, but you can do it.? The voice was almost my own now, but more knowing. Just then the bell rang, and my introspection ended along with any thought given to my crazy dreams.

I defineitely would tell myself to apply and visit to a broad variety of schools, not just one or two of the same type. I believe for every college student to succeed he or she needs to be comfortable enough to be themselves, but also be challenged academically. Looking at a variety of schools, I believe more high school seniors will find that perfect school right away and not have to transfer after their first year like I did. I also would tell myself to take more AP classes and the tests for them. I am relieved that because I took Calculus my senior year, I only had to take a math methods course for my major. However, I would have tried harder in AP English and would have taken an AP science course. Taking these courses and tests would have saved me money, and given me time to take a fun elective class or two.

Academics aren't everything would be the thing I would first tell myself. Learn how to socialize and make friends now, because your school skills are decently developed. It's the learning how to make new friends and how to talk to the superiors in order to get help that you need to learn how to do that most, because once you get to college you are going to feel lonely and lost. Do not be afraid to talk to those in charge in order to get assistance. Most of all, don't be afraid to be yourself.

I would make sure I was prepared for the distance from home and the fact I know no one at the campus and really have to rely on myself to make friends and not be afraid to study hard when need be and also to have fun and get to know lots of people.

I would not worry as much as I did because after being here, I realized I had nothing to worry about. Classes are hard and required work but not impossible. Everyone is in the same boat and they are trying to make friends as well. I would not have brought as many things as I had brought because I found out I really did not need certain items that I thought would be essential.

My senior self was not expecting his college courses to be so difficult I never had to strain for A's and B's throughout K-12. My advice to myself would be to lay off the social gatherings and focus on the educational values?Use time management and make good decisions. I never thought I would say this but I do actually wish I could press a restart button and start college over from day one. My life would be a little bit easier, but overall my mistakes in the 2009 Fall semester will not affect my life in the long run.

Don't try to put so much emphasis on the need to make new friends immediately. Try to focus more on finding yourself and a major that you will love. Don't feel that it is necessary to go out and party for the sake of looking cool. College is a learning experience and overall you'll have an amazing and incredibly stressful time finding who you truly are.