University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

I would tell myself to take school more seriously during the rest of my senior year and try my hardest to get into a 4 year university as fast as I could. I would also tell myself to look forward to college because it is amazing. It's seriously the experience of a lifetime, I never thought I would love school and getting an education as much as I do.

I would make myself take harder classes and make sure that I look at all possabilities of schools and where the best education is but for a more reasonable price.

If I could go back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to be patient. Making the transition to college, I was very impatient with everything from submitting the applications, finding my financial aid, and just moving away from my small town home. Looking back, I would tell myself to cherish the time in high school and with friends. I know I'll always have my friends, but going back home is never the same after leaving. Getting to college, I was eager to make friends and tried to hurry relationships and and force friendships. While I did make some friends right away, I made truer friends from just relaxing and letting things happen naturally. Overall, letting events run their course and enjoying the ride is the biggest lesson I've learned from the transition to college.

I would tell myself that I should go to whichever college fits me best, as in the one where I can see myself going to school and meeting people. Although the cost of tuition, room, board, and everything else can be intimidating, debt is all relative. It is better to go to the school that fits best than to listen to the money and where your finances are telling you to attend. I would also say that school is important, but so it a social life. My high school self needed to hear that academics are just as important spending time with friends, especially since the next year everyone goes separate ways.

I would tell myself to RELAX. I was very nervous about the transition from high school to college, and I had no idea what to expect. All college students have experienced this. Meeting new friends is never a problem, adjusting to a new environment will happen over time, and homesickness will disappear before you know it. I would tell myself to prepare for added responsibility and better time management. You have a lot of free time on your hands at college, and it is up to you to make your activities worthwhile. I would tell myself to enjoy it while it lasts. Your college years will fly by so fast you won't believe it happened.

Mike, The best preparation you can make for college is this: Remain flexible and vigilant in class. Keep an open mind in your studies; sometimes even "boring" general classes can be engaging and enlightening. Don't take for granted the fact that you have the opportunity to gain an education, and pursue your dreams to the fullest. Maintain a positive attitude when you are faced with a challenging or uninteresting class. Take pride in your work. Your professors will appreciate it and you will have a strong sense of confidence and happiness with your academic pursuits. Look for interesting opportunities to socialize with your peers: college is about more than academics, it is about becoming a personable citizen.

I would tell myself not to be nervous because college work is not that different than high school work. My high school prepared me really well. I would tell myself to not let procrastination get the better of me and use good time management skills. I'd tell myself not to be so nervous about meeting new people and to go out on the weekends and introduce myself instead of sticking with the people that I already knew all the time. Most importantly, I would tell myself not to let everything stress me out and just be happy with what I have going for me.

I actually have thought about this after my first year of college, and I came up with some things i would have liked to change. I would tell myself not to room with my best friends from high school. Not because we didnt get along but because i should have stepped more out of my comfort zone and roomed with someone else. I should have taken the whole college experience on and roomed with someone i didnt know and had a chance to meet a group whole new people.

I would tell myself to imagine walking through each and every campus on a daily basis and ask myself "Do I feel comfortable here?" "Can I see myself succeeding in this environment?" I failed to ask myself these questions before I actually moved into my dorm room. Luckily, I made the correct choice in picking a college whereas my high school friends did not. They based their choice right upon the cheapest they could get. Yes, the college I am attending is a bit pricey, but I know this is exactly where I want to be. I love everything about this campus. I love the fact there are always activities and clubs going on and their is never a moment to be bored here. I would have told myself to visit the campus more than just once to get the feel for being there. You can't get an idea of being there unless you experience the campus first hand. I fortunately made the right choice but I feel anywhere else I would not be as happy.

It's hard to find words that would encompass all the things that I've learned about life through college experience, but perhaps that is because there is so much left to learn. As a high school student I, as many do, had a personal idea of what college would be. You do you're best to prepare yourself for that particular idea, but when you get to the real deal it turns out to be completely different. That being said, I would tell myself things like "get organized and stay organized", "always work hard and to high standards", and "never back off what you believe." I think points like these are things teachers, parents, and mentors have always tried to hit home. Because when its said and done, nobody can prepare you for your specific college experience, all they can do is prepare you in how to handle experiences and react to situations that are thrown at you. Which may be one of the best life lessons of all.