University of South Florida-Main Campus Top Questions

If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to learn some time-management skills and ways to cope with stress. College can be extremely stressful and a lot of the stress is due to not planning my schedule in advance. I would also highly encourage myself to start practicing working on my projects in adavance, procrastination in college just doesn't work and I had to learn that the hard way. I also was extremely nervous about not meeting people, being a commuter student, and what my classes would be like. If I could do it all over again I would stop worrying about the little things and learn to appreciate the bigger picture, I would also have chosen to live on campus in the dorms. It's definitely much easier and a lot less stressful to not have to worry about getting to school on time and it makes meeting new people a whole lot easier.

As a current sophomore in college, I would honestly not be able to advise myself anything at all. I say so primarily because at the age of 14, I started to live the life most 19 year olds merely get a taste of. At 14, I moved to a different country on my own and had to balance academics along with athletics (seeing as I was a professional soccer player in Germany). If I had to choose one thing, it would be to not procrastinate in school work because there is no room for such laziness in college. Otherwise, I would live the same lifestyle as I did in Germany.

Dear High School Senior Nicole, It's almost Fall Semester now for college. Summer Semester just ended and you ended with a passing grade for the two courses that you took. You'll have your long stressfull moment, but here's what I'll tell you. Don't stress. Don't do what you'll likely end up doing due to stress because it'll just make things worse on you. Classes and life are hard and even though you'll never know what's to come, going to the extremes is not on the list of getting by. Be more social in high school so that you'll have more friends to hang out when you come down for a break. It shouldn't start in high school. Try making other relationships with people other than having Rachele as your best friend because that "best friendship" is not going to work. College life isn't easy. Best thing I can say is don't be a procrastinator. That's where all nighters come from. Don't let it happen. It becomes a big problem. Be strong. Love you always. Future Nicole. :)

Don't think that you have all the answers. You're smart, but not smart enough to know everything. Ask more questions and meet more people! It will help you from getting burned out in the long run and keep you from making mistakes. It's tough making friends so take advantage of the fact that everyone else is just as scared as you are. Band together with them. Don't go home too much but do keep in touch with your family, they love you and support you. Remember that this is a time for growth and learning so don't feel that you have to stick to your plans. You can always make new ones and explore different paths. College is about gaining knowledge, not just getting a fancy piece of paper to impress people. Enjoy it.

If I could go back as a high school senior I would advise myself to cherish every moment I had left at my high school. College is truly the transition (for most people) to becoming an adult. When your parents leave you in the freshman dorm rooms they no longer have any control over what you do on a daily basis, you decide whether or not you want to go to class, or study, or when you want to go to bed. You are placed completely on your own. It may be scary for many people at first but being completely liberated from all sense of control at one time is an absolute breathtaking experience. I would also tell myself that I should really focus on my own system for studying because in college if you do not study, you will fail. There is no other way to pass classes than to study. In high school, many students got by copying and sharing homework with other peers, in college this will not help you, you must acquire your own system of studying to be successful.

If I could go back in time and have a chat with my high school self, I would emphasize the importance of being myself. During the first few months of my undergraduate education, I was entirely too focused on the opinions of others. I would recommend to younger students that it is vital to happiness in college to be yourself and be outgoing. Adjusting to college life is much easier when you have friends to support and love you. I would also tell myself to get involved in clubs and extracurricular activities. During my freshman and sophomore years of college, I played in the university's marching band. This experience gave me many close friends and made transitioning to college life that much easier. However, now that I have graduated, I wish that I had been more involved during my final two years. I would tell my younger self to be actively involved during all four years, not just at the beginning. Overall, college was a wonderful experience for me. I enjoyed my time at USF and made many great friends. With a few adjustments at the beginning, my years at USF could have been even more enjoyable.

I would tell myself not to stress so much about college so much. I would also tell myself to stay home and attend the local community college because it is cheaper and it prepares you for the four-year universities` rather than moving hours away. I would also tell myself to take my time and discover what I want to do rather than pick a major and try to stick it out when its not really what you are passionate about. College is a time for exploration and adventure, so I would tell myself to be patient and take an array of classes so that I would have the opportunity to discover what I am truly passionate about. I would also tell myself that it’s not the school that you are at that matters, its what you make of the experience.

I would advise myself to be confident in the school I chose and to not worry so much about everything because it would turn out better than I could have ever imagined with all the people I would meet and the opportunities I would be presented with.

College is all about finding yourself. It's okay if you don't know what you want to do right now. Start pursuing your interest and remember you can do anything you want to do. Just stay focused and give every one of your classes all you have. If you're not ready to start college, because you don't know what you want to do with your life, or because you're too busy with everything else then wait because it's not worth messing up a few years when you can be serious from the beginning. Remember, college is about finding yourself and finding what you like. It's not about just getting a job. Pick a major you are genuinely interested and make an outline for how you're going to achieve that goal. One last thing, don't limit yourself to hometown colleges. Go wherever you want and try as hard as you can to find scholarships.

If I were given the opportunty to give myself advice while I was in high school, I would tell myself two things. First, take basic courses such as English and Math with a dual-enrollment. Taking these classes will help get to the courses that most students strive to be in day one of their college experience. Second, get involved with school clubs and community service organizations. Being involved has changed my outlook on my profession and what I want to accomplish in life. It's not all about being book smart, but also street smart. The experience given by being involved has given me the tools necessary to be successful, and had I known this my freshman year in high school, my involvement would have been exponentially greater than it was when I graduated.