University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

Jillian, you need to slow down and take stock of who you are and who would want to become. Do not choose for the sake of making a choice, or present a facade of certainty. This decision need not be rushed, you see. Instead, listen to a confident voice that cries out to be heard! Listen to your inner woman that seeks a deeper purpose and truth. Hear her wisdom that doesn't mold to "acceptable" answers. She knows your generous spirit is well equipped to lift the burdens of those struggling for inner peace. She sees what you don't see! Let her guide you! Remove the pressure of others' expectations. Now is the time to examine your own expectations for the future. Sit with your soul and discuss what she knows. Your future path cannot be chosen by others. Let the clouds of others' noise part to let her timid voice through. Finally, young Jillian, don't be afraid. Mishaps will occur. Do not fear; you can persist. Do not hesitate to unleash the bold, determined woman you feel writhing within. She is ready to face the world with bravery. Follow her courageous lead!

If I had the omniscient power to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself five things. First, engage others intellectually. Make an effort to develop concise arguments based on reason. Always remember to attack the idea, not the person. Second, ask yourself the tough questions. Develop your values, find out what is important to you, and realize your beliefs. Do these while understanding other person?s positions, all while not compromising your own. Third, diversify your collegiate experience. Join a club you would normally have no interest in, or go to an event you normally would not see yourself attending. You never know what you might find. Third, seek leadership positions and guide yourself and your peers. No better experience and confidence can come from executing your own strategic planning. Lastly, and most importantly, get off campus. There is a whole world outside the boundaries of your campus. Go seek out new places, cultures, and relationships. Understand the realities of the world, and how your studies apply to those facts. Never take yourself too seriously.

First of all, things will never go exactly as you anticipate. Go with the flow and trust that everything will be fine - because it will, even though it may not seem like it at the time. You might not get along with your randomly assigned roommate or you might have no idea how you will survive certain crazy semesters, but you will get through it. Be flexible, even though it's hard to give up control. Not only will your daily schedules often change at the last moment, but exciting opportunities you never expected will fall in your lap. Take advantage of the exciting adventures that come your way - because they will often pave the way for additional opportunities which may sometimes include payment! Be attentive in class and don't be afraid to study all you can, even if others tease you - this is the time for learning all you can! Then, when you are about to graduate, you will see with satisfaction that you have indeed learned quite a bit - even though it also seems like you have barely scratched the surface! Finally, don't forget to live life joyfully and see the beauty all around you!

I would tell myself to seek out the personal counselor and the career development centers earlier then I did because it has become a huge help. I would also tell myself to take care of all the financial aid documents much sooner because it is very hard to try and get them done right before school. Another thing I would try and tell myself is not to fall behind in my studies and make sure that I study for tests multiple nights ahead of the test because college tests are not like high school tests. Finally I would tell myself that I should make fewer shopping trips because I can use that money for better things like paying for college.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to relax and enjoy my senior year of high-school. I would tell myself that getting good grades is important for being admitted into college so I should keep up the good work. Next, I would tell myself that I should spend more time with my true friends from high-school because only the true friends will keep in contact with me for the rest of my life. Finally, I would tell myself to be more open-minded and outgoing because once I get to college, there will not be as many cliques or judgemental people around. Therefore, I should remember to always be myself because the people who matter won't mind my quirky traits, and the people who do mind my traits won't matter to me. That is what I would tell myself as a high-school senior.

Mahatma Gandhi once said ?Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes?. If you were to ask me knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition from high school to college, this is the advice I would give you. I look back on my transition from senior year of high school to college and there are multiple things that I would do differently but if I had not allowed myself to realize I made a mistake I wouldn?t be where I am right now. The best thing about college is that you can change your mind whether it is about your major or where you are attending school. I transferred to a new school after my first semester of college and had I not gone to school for that first semester I would never have found St. Thomas. So the biggest advice I can give is to don?t be afraid to make mistakes because it is from making those mistakes that you will learn the most.

I would tell myself that I should buckle down and develop some study skills because the bare minimum will not get me good grades in college like it did in high school. I would tell myself to develop the discipline to shut everyone and everything out and set aside time to study. I would also tell myself how to calculate how much financial aid funding and to find out my cost of attendance so that I would know that I could live on campus. I would say that living on campus is better because all of the resources are right there and it makes getting to them and using them much easier. I would also tell myself to develop a relationship with the professor so that they will be more familiar with me and able to help answer questions and better understand the class and material. Also they will be more willing and able to help if they know you well and a tough issue at home or outside of school in general.

Calm down. Take a deep breath. I know that your stress is reaching dangerous levels right now, but everything will work out I promise. I know I sound like every other adult that tells you things will be ok, but trust me your life will never be the same in a better way. Just take the time to find out what?s important to you, and let that be the guidance you need to get through this new time. What kind of people do you want to become friends with? What are the values that are important to you? How are you going to stay close to the ones that matter now? Knowing these things will make going to college an easier transition into a new life, and the old life you want to hold onto. Leaving home is scary, but remember that every person you?re meeting is going through the same inner turmoil you are. Keeping that in mind just be yourself. Yeah, it?s uncomfortable at first, but these are going to be the best years of your life and it?s what you make of it. This is going to be the step of a lifetime.

Start your own business!!!

If I could go back to last year and give myself advice based on what I have learned about the college experience, I would remind myself to be open and get involved. I would have like to have had the encouragement to put myself out there especially in the first few weeks of school and don't just stick to talking to the immediate bubble of people you meet off the bat. Get involved in the clubs and groups that really intrigue you because that is how you meet the people with whom you have common interests. Also, I would suggest to get into a routine and stick to it. Wake up at the same time every day and schedule a specific time for homework and excercise and relaxation. In order to have a successful transition into such a new and exciting time in our lives it is important to lead a balanced life between mind, body, and spirit. Take time each day to study, excercise, and relax/reflect. Enjoy your time because it flies by and embrace new people and new experiences each day.