University of South Dakota Top Questions

If I were to go back in time to give myself advice, I would tell myself to delete my Facebook. Now that I'm in college, I see how much time and energy it takes away from my day when I could be doing so much more. It would be difficult to delete my Facebook now because I use it to keep in touch with family, but I wish I would have deleted it back then so I would never have gotten to this level of dependence. If the internet begins to affect my grades, I'll get rid of it, no problem. But when it doesn't obviously hurt things, that's when it's hard.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself not to worry as much about what other people thought about me when I went to college and to loosen up a little. I would tell myself that people are so open here and that making true friends was so easy that I don't remember how I met all of my close friends!! Also, I would tell myself that when I got to school, to drink less alcohol my first year of school! : )

If I was able to go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, with the knowledge I have now about college, there are a few different points of advice I would give myself. First, I would advise to visit colleges in-state, and out-of-state. As a high school senior I did not visit ANY colleges and I believe it would have been extremely beneficial in making my decision. Second of all, I would advise to be prepared for the move by purchasing essential items a month or two in advance. I waited until two days before leaving to start shopping for what I needed and it was very stressful! Shopping in advance could have potentially relieved a large amount of stress. Finally, I would have advised saving money my senior year. I wasted a lot of money my senior year and now I am pinching pennies to make ends meet. If I would have saved for that entire crucial year before becoming a freshman in college I could be sitting much better financially.

If I could give myself advice before attending college I would have told myself to be outgoing and make as many friends as possible. I regret not partaking in the social aspect of the college experience. It seems scary at the time but one should try to be open to trying new things or things they normally are not comfortable with. I would also suggest getting as much real life experience in different fields in order to help determine what career one would like to pursue after college. Setting long term goals and short term goals to achieve those will help.

Focus on studying and get out there and don't be afraid to be yourself.

Take more college visits. Find a campus that fits you. Don't just go on tours; spend more time getting a feel for the town and social life. Academics are always a priority, but no one can learn, grow, and thrive in a socially lonely or hostile environment. Go into college with an open major and leave it undeclared for at least one to two years. Even if you have a strong idea of what career field you would like to go into, having an open major allows you the flexibilty to look into other careers that may be denied with a set major. Get to know students on campus. Go to those cheesy meet and greet events offered by your dorm. You'll be surprised how warm and friendly most of your classmates are if you give them a chance. Go to your professors office hours. They can provide guidance, reassurance, and tips for succeeding inside and outside their classroom. Keep your mind open! College is truly a time of self-discovery, so make sure you world views, beliefs, and values aren't too rigid. Get ready to question nearly all of them. Most importantly have fun!

Live on campus for at least two years. Experience everything and give everything at least one chance. Look into groups and organizations.

Don't worry about your standing in the class, you do fine in college. Apply for more scholarships; you have no idea how handy they will be. Paying for school wont be easy. Also, remember one thing. Go to the school you want to, now where everyone else wants so. Apply into your nursing program the first year, don't second guess yourself and your abilities.

If I could go back to high school I would tell myself to try to learn more about english and take the college english course offered even if it was an hour befor actual school started. Also, I would tell myself to study more and take my ACT agian so i would qualify for more scholarships and not have to worry so much about money. One more thing I would do to prepare myself is that I would research what I need to do to become what i want to be. All the things that go into decididng a major and minor just knowing more about college and what it intailed.

Stay focused and make small and big goals that can be acheived. Make sure homework is turned in on time and the best way to pass a test is to study for it. If you do not understand something take advantage of the available resources to get help. There are a lot of things out there that are helpful. Make new friends but do not let that be more important than your school.