University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Top Questions

It's funny how often we dwell on the past--despite our knowledge of the impossibility of returning. I think that's what makes us the most human. If we didn't regret, we could never grow. It's a part of evolution. It's necessary to cringe in hindsight. So knowing what I know now, what would I change? Well, my life has been filled with unimaginable blessings of freedom, opportunity, and expression; I have found such joy at college that I never saw coming when I was in high school. It's so easy to become caught up in the politics of high school and the incessent, gnawing need to be liked and accepted. But looking back, I laugh, becuase what was so gall darn important that I hid my inner light in order to be "normalized?" I wish I had tried out for the drama club and quit volleyball sooner since it didn't make me happy. I wish I had not done my homework and instead went out teepeeing houses. I wish I had smiled more. I wish I hadn't been so safe. I wish I could've allowed myself to be vulnerable.

The biggest thing that I would stress would be that you have to make an effort if you want to meet people and become friends with them. You are not sitting in classes with the same people all day, so it is much more difficult to "accidentally" make friends. Instead, you have to make sure you attend events that interest you and talk to people there. You have to leave your dorm room door open and be willing to put down your homework for a few minutes to talk to someone and make a connection. Most importantly, try hard to remember people's names - it makes a difference in how they remember you! The other thing that I would tell myself would relate to practicum experiences. These experiences in the classrooms of schools nearby are what help you in your future career and could help you get your foot in the door for a future employer. They are not just a requirement for a class you are currently taking, but rather a tool that will help in your future career. Take advantage of every moment and all of the skilled professionals you are able to work with.

The advice I would give myself I could go back in time would be not to take anything for granite. It may not hit you right away, but it has now. If I could go back I would take school more seriously instead of athletics because I feel that's what my high school was all about. I wish I would have been more involved and informed about financial aid and scholorships. The only advice I could have gave myself was simply to strive and believe on what I wanted to do at the time. The advice for the past doesn't make a difference now. I am in the present and not the past. Therefore, I will not dwell on the past, but simply move forward.

I am now a second semester college student and it’s hard to believe so much time has passed. I was really scared to leave home and go to college because I had never been away from home for so long and I didn’t know anyone else at school. If I could go back and give myself advice before I went to college I would have told myself that it’s okay to try new things, even if you don’t know anyone else doing it. I was really worried about not making friends and fitting into the right group, so I made sure to click with friends as soon as I could. I missed out on a lot during orientation week because I spend so much time only focusing on that one group of friends. I wish I would have explored other options and connected with more people because the friends I have now only like to drink on the weekends. That isn’t always fun for me and I always get dragged along with them. So, if I could go back I would tell myself to branch out more and not be afraid to try new things.

Wow. Advice wise, I would say prepare for the workload. It really isnt hard, but there is a TON. And once you meet friends, join clubs, and get a job, you tend to shy away from all the work. But stay dedicated. Also you dont need to feel pressure to drink, people will accept you the way you are. Also, the best time to make friends is literally within the first day, so DO NOT BE SHY. After that, it really is hard to make friends, so if you are a quiet person, really open up those first few days. Utilize all of the different things on campus, such as the financail aid office and the career services, they really want to help. Finally, go to office hours for your professor, you never know what might come from it.

Going back I would explain to myself how important your GPA really is and how easy it is to mess it up. Also how it is even harder to repair it! I would also tell myself to take the time to figure out during my senior year what I would like to pursue as a career. I am thrilled with my decision to go back to school at 27, but looking back it would have been great to have figured it out back then. I would have graduated and been in my choice career by now. Better late than never though! I also would have told myself that school really is worth it, and it can be one of the most exciting, fullfiling things a person can do with their life.

If I could go back and give myself advice, I would tell myself to focus more and to be prepared to grow up fast. In college, you are in an environment where the instructors work with people of different ages and backgrounds. Their teaching styles are very different from the styles that you have witnessed in high school. They expect more out of you than the teachers in high school. Most of the time, you will have to teach yourself outside of the classroom. You will need to be able to focus more in order to pass all the classes and in order to meet the standards that are set at the college level. College will be a new change in your life. You are going to have to grow up quickly once you step foot on that college campus. You will be around people who differ from you. You have to work with people who have different viewpoints than you and you will have to be able to accept it and move on. College is a new world outside of high school. You will have to change and make sure that you can keep up with the change.

I would tell myself, “I know you think you’re not quite ready to move out and go to a “big” university, but I think you’d be able to handle it just fine. It’s not extremely different from home life as you think. I also realize that you’re still unsure of what to study, but that’s okay; you can get started on your generals, while taking a variety of classes to see if any spark an interest. Just remember, don’t simply go for the easy classes; keep taking classes that challenge you as you are now. Also, realize that some classes satisfy more than one degree goal, so check into those that interest you instead of taking the “obvious” classes. And don’t be afraid to change your major; follow your heart! There are plenty of schools out there that will surely fit you and have everything you want and need, so do some more research; ask the counselor for help coming up with a list of schools to visit that meet your requirements. Lastly, remember to get involved in something, and don’t stress too much about your grades, you’ll do just fine!”

First off, I have never been very well personally organized. The main thing I would tell myself is to reconsider how I organized my studies, homework, and time. I spent a little too much time having fun and not enough focusing on the grades i truly wanted to achieve. This only occurred during my senior year as well. Next I would have alerted myself to pay more attention to ACT deadlines, as I applied a tad late, but still was able to take the test. I tended to focus more on the day to day activities rather than the large picture for college requirements, since I wasn't really sure where I was headed in my future. Third, I would have told myself to participate in more community service and join more clubs. Yes, I did participate in my community as a volunteer as an assistant Spanish teacher and community tables, and yes I was part of organizations such as my school's Spanish club, Psychology club, Political Science club, and National Honor Society, but I personally could have put myself out there a little more. Finally, I just need to be me. College is tons of fun!

I would advise to allows keep track of my money and try and be open to new ideas and how people interact. It is scary to be in a new setting but it will be the best experience. People are different and think differently than others so being more open-minded would have helped more. I would say that money goes quick and keeping an eye on it is necessary. I would say to be sure and focus in school and make new friends but don't get involved in anyone's drama because that will only bring me down and cause more stress in life. If I would have taken that advice, I would not have been so stressed out about how others thought of me and take on problems that weren't even my own. I would say just focus and have fun because the classes will only get harder and this is an experience that only happens once.

The advice that I would give my high school self would be not to start college right away. Take a year or two to do different jobs and find out what you really want to study. When you graduate high school you have so many different ideas as to what you want to study and do in the future but really don’t know what that profession does. Go out and get a job in that industry and if you don’t like it, then find another one to try. Once you have found what you really want to do with the rest of your life, find out what classes you need to take and what you need to do to accomplish that goal. It may be a rough road but you already know what you want to do. I believe that if I had done this I would have been more focused on my goals and knowing what I wanted to do. Instead I have returned to college for a third time for another degree to accomplish my goals.

I would tell myself to keep an open mind and make as many friends as possible when I go to college. Also, I would tell myself that UWEC is the perfect school for me and I would not change a single thing about it! The transition was hard for me so I would tell myself that even though there may be rough times, there are amazing times with life long friends that I have made.

"Listen up, Lindsey. Life isn't easy, and you're going to experience that first hand. One of the most important things in life is knowledge, and as they say, knowledge is power. With power comes the chance to not only change your life and your family's, but also to everyone who you meet. College won't be easy, so get that out of your head. The teachers won't hold your hand, nor will they go through the whole chapter of your book with you page by page. To be successful, you must learn to own up to your mistakes and do things as an independant woman. Decided to blow off your homework to go out on a date? 'Oops, I forgot.' won't work here. If you didn't do it, you've failed. Second chances are hard to come by, so get it right the first time. Besides, it's easier to get work done in school and when you first get home, because that gives you plenty of time to play after. Let me sum it up for you: be a leader, don't procrastinate, and think outside the box."

It's not all about you! College is not all about serving yourself and partying and doing the things you want, but rather stretching yourself and maturing yourself into a competent leader for the competition of todays world. Remember that only God knows where your future will lead you and trust him in every decision you make. It is important to stay emotionally healthy and take time to heal from the scars of the past. High school sports are healthy and teach you valuable life lessons, however they are not the "end-all" and are not where your identity should be found. It is important to have a community of believers around you. You will have an almost completely new friend group than the one you had in high school. Exert effort on learning material and learn to appreciate education.

I would tell myself to take the college prep classes and turn to your counselor for advice and questions. Even though you do not have your path figured out yet being prepared for college classes is essential. It's easy to take the relaxed route senior year but it will save you time and money to take a few college preparatory courses if they're available through high school while they are free. Follow the IGETC requirements even if you don't want to go to a 4-year university right away just so you are prepared. Apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can. Over prepare and you will be thankful that you did in the future.

dear stephy, i am your future self.i know that right now you feel like a failiure, and as if your life is headed no were; but stay strong because your future is promising. remember all those times that everyone told you that you would acomplish nothing in your life, use that as your weapon. let your weakness be the strength to carry you on. even though there is no one to guide you right now i will be your shoulder, i am hope. i cant tell you all the amazing things you have to look foward to because i would hate to ruin the wonderful surprises ahead, but i can promise you that if you keep your mind set on your goals, you will be sucessful. so wipe those tears from your sweet crying face, get up grab a book and start studying because although you dont feel like anybody now; one day you are going to save someones life, or help someone leave this world in peace. in your future you are a heroe.those patients may not know you now but they depend on ppl like you "heavens little angels" love always, future me

The number one virtue that I would implement as a senior heading to college would be to take a proactive approach in every aspect of life. As a college graduate who has always envisioned entering the medical field, I would stress the point that I need to explore first-hand as many options in potential careers as possible. Beginning this search to discover an appropriate field would begin as soon as I entered college, which would allow me to get involved in related areas and have a head start on acheiving a goal. I would make it a necessity to get involved in different organizations and attain a diverse experience in college by exploiting as many resources as possible. Using services such as the career resource center as a freshman rather than a senior would have helped me narrow down my search sooner, which would have been a great relief. Since deciding that chiropractic school is my calling, I have tried gaining experience in the field, which has been limited as I did not take advantage of such services sooner. By being proactive, I was able to make the most of my tough situation as a junior transfer student.

Even though I have only been in college for one full semester so far, I have learned so much about college life. The most prominent idea I feel would be good advice for my past high school self deals with stress. If there were some break in the time-space continuum where I could travel back to early 2012 and speak to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself this: "Keep calm, breath, and take up yoga." College is an entirely different lifestyle compared to high school. Professors conduct their classes differently, one must learn to manage time more wisely, and the workload is generally more significant. Granted, I haven't felt all that much pressure from my classes yet, but I have always been known to be a worrywart. I fret about many minute, trivial things, so stress has a tendency to grow on me. That's where my advice for my past self comes in. I would make sure to let myself know that I can and will achieve anything I need to get done, no matter what the circumstances. Now, I know to just stop, relax, and unwind to melt away my worries.

If I could go back in time to my high school senior year, the advice I would give myself is to open up to everyone who comes into my life and never say no to an opportunity. To open myself up to everyone is very important because I figured out in college that if I don't open up to make friends, my college life would be so lonely and I would not be motivated to be successful. I should not just open up to make friends but to professors as well! They are there to help me with my future as long as I open up and treat them as role models. I would never say no to an opportunity given to me because college is where we are given opportunties to expand our knowledge and shine. Why would I reject an opportunity when I don't know the outcome? "Apply for scholarships. You think you are not going to get it but you don't even know who else applied for it. Maybe no one did." ~Holly Hassemer, Collegiate Bridge Instructor at UWEC

I would tell myself that the general classes I take in high school will help me. In high school I learned things for the test. Looking back I do not remember a lot of the things that I was suppose to learn. Some of those things that I was suppose to learn would really help me with the classes I am taking now. The second thing that I would tell myself is to not worry about what everyone thinks of you so much. It is alright to just be yourself. If people can not except you for who you are then maybe they are not meant to be your best friends. Since I got to college I have found a great group of friends. I can't image still having to pretend to be someone that I am not just to fit in with a group of people. These two things would have helped me have a better time at high school and better prepare me for college.