University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

Making the life transition from high school to college can be a difficult one, and is different for each person. You could go near or far from home, big or small school, public or private, but no matter where you go, you will need to be prepared. If I were to give myself advice before I came to college I would tell myself to BE PREPARED. Be prepared for lots of hard work, tests, finals, and stress. I would try to teach myself better study skills and ways to help me better focus. Without my parents there telling me to get to work and finish my homework, with the pull of friends, facebook, and other distractors, it is much hard to get things accomplished. Time management is key when you are preparing for college. One other piece of advice that I would give myself in highschool was to work hard and make money. Being a college student it is hard to find a job and life away from home can get expensive!

I would first reassure myself that everything would be ok and I would be able to adjust just fine. Believe it or not, living on your own isn't as difficult as you might have imagined. Just remember to focus during class, and keep yourself organized. Also, be open to meeting people-all different people, even ones you wouldn't have hung out with in high school. Those may be the ones you become closest with. There's a whole new world waiting for you at college, don't be afraid-go forward with confidence and excitement.

I would tell myself to always go the extra mile in all I do. It gets noticed by everyone when you show up every day for an 8am class when most drop it within the first week. Would also say that while hanging out with friends is really important, you need to remember to study for finals. On that note, study for my math exams.....it will make it easier when you have to take a math course and you already know the basic material.

I would adivse myself to have a better time mangement because in college you really need to know how to mange your time well because you have so much free time and no one to tell you when to do your homework that you can get quickly caught up doing something unproductive and then cause yourself to stress out and stay up late to catch up. This is the biggest problem that I have right now, although it's not that bad for me, I still believe I could do better with the time that I have.

I would tell myself not to go to go to a large state university first, as I did, and then transfer to St. Thomas. You must go directly to St. Thomas. Stay on campus in a dorm, because as terrible as it sounds it is a great way to connect with other students. If you don't stay on campus for at least two years you will regret it. Don't worry about not having a car the first year. It may seem as if you're stranded but you're not! There are so many places within walking distance that a car isn't even necessary. Also the school hosts different activities that will provide a bus - take advantage of these! Get involved in a sport right away and stay commited to it. You made it through six years of swimming in high school, you can make it in college too! It is yet another way to connect with more friends and grow within the St. Thomas community. And lastly, take pride in your school and show it off!!

The biggest thing I would tell myself was the fact that I had a plethora of options when choosing a college. When I first looked at colleges I only looked at the ones in Minnesota. The reason I did this was because I believed that financially staying in state would be a cheaper option. However, I never considered that college is also supposed to be an experience. It means I could have looked at colleges all over the country and opened myself up to new experiences. I would have a different kind of perspective than I gained from my time at Saint Thomas. I would have met more people from many other states. While I do not regret my decision to attend Saint Thomas, I think that college should be about taking risks. Risks that lead to truth, friendship and pave a path for my future.

I would say that I should keep working hard and learn as much as possible. I should be prepared to workhard and studying a couple hours a day. Have as much fun now because college life is a lot of responsiblities and is a totally different experience than college. I believe high school has prepared you for college academics and the ability to succeeed. It's not all fun and exciting but stressful and disappointing at times. Do your best and everything should workout well.

I would tell myself not to worry so much. During my senior year in high school I was extremely worried about choosing a college. I fell in love with my current school when I visited it, but I wasn?t sure how I would pay for it and how I would fit in after I had heard certain rumors about the type of students that went to this school. Now that I am at the school, I know that the rumors I heard were not true, and that money is not more important that getting a quality education at a place that feels right. Looking back, I am so glad that I chose to come to my current school despite all of the worries I had, it was the best decision I have ever made.

First of all, everything is going to be okay. There is no need to fear change and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Enjoy your final year in high school because you will never have an experience like it again. Always remember where you came from. Don't dwell on the accomplishments you've had but continue to set new goals for yourself. Work hard and always have an open mind. Don't forget the people that helped you get to where you are now and most importantly, take some time every single day to simply enjoy life!

Be paitient. Be willing to learn. Be friendly. Be involved... The rest will come naturally...