University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

I would have signed up for more accelerated math courses, and in all classes I would reccommend reading straight out of the book much more often.

Go out and meet more people, join clubs and get involved right away. There are many ways to have fun and meet people other than parties. Party less and focus on school more. Spend more time in the library and study rooms. Dont waste time at parties or playing video games. Do not procrastinate and work ahead.

I think I would tell myself to try and be really open to the college experience and try to get involved as much as possible. I'm a very quiet person, so I didn't really speak up much when I started college and didn't do many extra-curricular activities. So I would tell myself that it would be good to start getting involved and meeting as many new people as possible during that first year. I would also tell myself to continue to work hard and take more initiative for learning in classes. College has been much tougher than high school, but there is also more time to study and work through problems on my own. I sometimes may need to visit a professor in order to fully understand some material. In college, it is up to you to take this initiative, so I would let myself know this. Finally, I'd advise myself to really get to know the people in my major so that I can ask them questions and work together with them. It also makes classes and studying a lot more fun and productive.

Assuming time travel was possible, I would warn myself that I really need to study calculus a lot more than I did. I will need that knowledge to be almost common sense by the time I take calculus 2 in the fall. In addition, I would tell myself to fill out as many scholarships as possible because I will end up poorer than I thought after buying books and supplies. In addition to academic life, I would tell myself about social life in college. I would tell myself not to be so nervous because St. Thomas is full of friendly people and fun events. I would also mention that within the first week, I will realize that everyone else is in the same boat as I am and that I should be open and socially active as soon as I get to college.

Knowing what I know now, as far as the expectations people have for college students, I would tell my high school senior-self to make clear-cut and concise goals for myself. It's one thing to know you "want" success, but to actually list what you will do in order to attain it, makes the journey a lot less complicated. I would also tell myself to start out strong, so it makes it a lot bearable to finish the academic journey strong. Lastly, I would tell myself to be involved in a variety of activities, versus joining the same types of groups (ie. joining all sports groups, or all minority-themed organizations) so that I can be exposed to different people, ideas and ways of life.

Joining many clubs and organizations is a really great way to get to know people. Since you can join clubs with people who have common intrests, it's a great way to find more people to hang out with. I would also tell myself that studying more is worth it. Having a social life is not nearly as important as putting forth the effort to get good grades. I would also say that I should be open minded and not let people's expectations of me define how I act, nor should I judge other people in the same way.

College is a blast. Stay on task with your studies and get a good night's rest.

I would tell myself to work hard to make friends. To put myself out there and try to meet new people. Other students in your classes and who live around you are great people to make friends with. Every freshman is in the same position as you. They are trying to make friends, and by you making the first move, you can come accross as very friendly. I would also tell myself to take advantage of all the activites the school has to offer. They plan events on the weekends and offer discount tickets to events in the area. I would tell myself to explor and have more fun outside of the school setting.

If I could go back to high school and talk to myself as a senior, some things I would discuss are dorm life, academic work load and independence. I feel that these things are a big part that should be known to transition into college life. When I arrived at the Univeristy of St. Thomas, dorm life was something so different to me. I felt at first lonely, and uncomfortable and was unhappy with not having privacy to myself. But, I later figured out how to manage school work to have my alone time. Also, I looked at dorm life positively and by talking to people, getting to know them, they immediately became my new family. Another factor that is pretty major is the academic part. I must say it is no longer high school. The thinking level is so much higher and each student is solely responsible for their work and the professors take no slack or excuses. Managing your time to study and get help is a big part and it affects free time and personal health as well. Lastly, independence here in college is amazing because it lets you learn on your own and discover new things.

I would say go to a college that you know fits your personality. If you are very independent and don't get homesick often, then going far from home would be a good option. If you like special attention and get lot of help from teachers, then a smaller school may be best. PIck a school tht best fits you and your major, and don't go to a school based on any other person. Start applying for scholarship right away, and don't let lack of money stop you form going to your dream school, becuase there ar so many ways to get help and the college experience is worth every dollar.