University of South Florida-Main Campus Top Questions

Currently, I am a second year student at the University of South Florida and I am proud to say that I successfully survived the infamous freshman year of college. Upon entrance into the university, I was somewhat nervous about the new faces I would encounter and the college workload I would have to endure. Nevertheless, I was pretty confident in my ability to excel and manage the new lifestyle that I was transitioning into. Over the past year I have learned a lot about myself and continue to learn new things everyday. As I sit and reflect on the woman that I was, specifically as a high school senior, there are a few lessons that I have learned; some of which I wish I had been informed of earlier. For instance, managing a full course load while somehow balancing a social life can become extremely exhausting. If given the opportunity to go back in time, I would caution myself as to the importance of effective time management and organizational skills. I would also inform myself of the proper strategies of studying, so that instead of just memorizing information I could have learned early-on how to analyze and comprehend concepts.

Hey Keith, do not worry, college is not as hard as you as you think it will be, so just relax. As soon as you get to school, get as involved as you can. Join all the clubs you can and make as many friends as possible. When it comes to classes, do not be afraid to form study groups to help out. That could be the difference between a B and an A in some classes. Also ask for help from your professors, they are always willing to help, but you have to let them know. Last, but not least, have fun and enjoy the college experience.

One mistake wasted me almost an additional year of schooling. Senior year of high school I dual enrolled at community college. Advisors at the community college pointed me into a different direction than my degree requires. The dual enrollment program does not permit students to choose a specific degree program. Most dual enrollment courses I took counted for general education requirements. About a quarter of courses I completed did not benefit me in any way. Now, at the University of South Florida I am falling behind schedule. Not being provided with information, I performed research about my degree. Wanting to become a veterinarian, I researched prerequisites for graduate school. Researching many schools and programs concluded my journey of education started off incorrectly. To resolve being half a year behind, it is mandatory to take three core science courses per semester and two additional courses a semester to graduate on time. My journey to becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine is eight years, and now might have to be nine years. Returning back in time the only piece of advice I would give to myself would be to research and take the correct courses for my degree.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have to tell myself not to rush through school, to enjoy the time I have there, to focus on what really matters most and not to be afraid of what is going to come. Knowing I was going to leave the state and jump with two feet first into a completely new environment, without knowing anyone freaked me out a little bit, but now that I am actually here and have found the friends that I have, I would never have it another way. I would tell myself not to worry about being so far away and to pay attention when people say to manage time well because college you have a lot of time to do what you want to do without other people telling you not to, but you have to take that responsibility and apply it to school work or a job or the way that college students want to go out and party. I think I would tell myself to have a good time and manage my time and to not worry about every little thing that comes up.

Knowing how I was during my senior year in high school, I would approach myself not as a wiser college freshman but just another student. I would emphasize my desires. I would give myself the advice to re-evaluate what I really want and what I think I want. There's a big difference between what I desire in my heart and what I've been pressured to want. I would tell myself that no matter what anyone says, that it's me at the end of the day slaving away at the books and having to deal with the consequences of doing something I know I don't want to do. I would advise myself that people might be disappointed that I didn't take their advice in regards to what to do as a living, but it'd be worse to be a disappointment to myself. At the end of the day, everyone I love just wants to see me happy, regardless of anything else. And I would be the happiest doing what I desire in my heart. I would advise myself to always keep that in mind.

I would tell my self to go to a community college near by home. It will be cheaper and I don't have to purchase a meal plan. Going to a 4 year univeristy is very expensive for a freshman considering that it is mandatory to stay in the dorms as well. I would also tell my self to find other options for buying books other than the university bookstore. It is very cheap to rent them online and more money can be saved to buy other important and unexpected expenses. Also try and get a job very early that corresponds with your scheduele so that you can have some money for the upcoming semesters.

Go for it Diedra. You want to be a journalist? Well, college is the time to put yourself out there. It's going to be intimidating, but that's why it's calling leaving your comfort zone and discovering if this is what you want to do. Don't worry, your dedication will not go unnoticed. The newspaper there is 2nd best college newspaper in the southeast. You have the resources, so don't you dare back out.

GET OFF YOUR BUTT and apply for as many scholarships as you can! It is amazing how much you can achieve when you simply try and apply. It is possible to win them, I promise. Even if you do not get all of them, you still had good practice writing essays and learned more about yourself in the process. Now is also the time to break out of your shell and explore your passions. Try new things to see what appeals to you the most. You could be passionate about cake decorating or fishing and not even know it because you never tried it. You should also get out of your comfort zone and and meet new people. Build better relationships with your friends and be more confident in yourself because good networking skills will take you far in life. As for academics, you need to learn for understanding rather than memorization. Once you get to college, you have to be able to retain information for the sake of your future job, not just to pass a test. Practice these social and study habits now, and you will do great in college and beyond.

I would tell myself to a go for straight A's and settle for nothing less, and upon entering college, to immediately get in the habit of studying everyday for every class, even thought temptations will arise. College becomes increasingly difficult so aim for a 3.5 GPA during the first year. Otherwise there will be intense pressure to make better grades to bring up a deflated GPA. The sooner you sort out your priorities and develop time management skills, the better off you will find yourself. Once school is over, stay in shape because you will want to try out for a sports team to combat the pressure of constant studying. Remember though, grades come first and sports second. Make sure you make the best grades you can because there will be a day where you will want a higher education and you may or may not get into the school or program of your choice. This all depends on your mentality upon entering college. The bigger the hole you dig, the more you have to climb to pull yourself out.

My advice to myself would be to not take college for granted. There should have been more research involved so that I could have chosen what I wanted to major in before applying to schools. The "undeclared" major was a trap for me and I just used that as an excuse for not trying. Quitting school was my big mistake and because of that I gave up two years to part-time retail complacency. I now know the right way to do things. Even with all the knowledge I've gained I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, but by staying in school and being involved with career organizations I have a better idea of that. The point is is that you don't quit, and that is the point that I would try to get across.