University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Top Questions

Hello there high-school version of myself! Are you ready for college? I do not think so! What are you doing taking only two AP classes? Those are free! Take some more, college credits are expensive. And make sure you save those enormously helpful note packets from high school, they do not just hand them out anymore. I know you are not used to studying just for fun, but you better start getting used to it! For every hour of class you have, study two hours outside of it. Buckle down and stay away from extensive partying, if you can avoid it completely, DO IT. Get used to sharing a room; it is not as easy as you remember from when you were little. College is full of freedom, but more importantly responsibility. Go to class, and get there on time. Classes and tests are hard enough already, you need to stay on your professor’s good side! Show up, be prepared, and participate. Get noticed by your professors, they can be awesome references! College is hard but can be a ton of fun. It will probably be one of the most rewarding things you will do!

I would advise myself to start working earlier to earn more money for college. Also, I would have taken more college classes in high school to have more credits. Otherwise, I think I did pretty well in high school to prepare myself.

When I first came to college I was shy and timid. Now looking back I would tell myself to talk to every one, be outgoing, and to just be myself. In college, people care less about what you wear and how you look. They get to know the "real" you, and I think that is excellent. I would tell myself to try new things, even if they make me uncomfortable because you won't enjoy college and life unless you put yourself out there and step out of your comfort zone. I would advise myself to do these few things,live it up and enjoy college because it goes by fast.

This is a touch question because I would give myself so much advice. As I look back, I wished I had came to school knowing what I wanted to do and how to approach my goal. I came to school thinking what I knew what I wanted to do but that was the not the goal that I headed towards. I'm quite disappointed because I have set myself back a few semesters with the extra classes I took that I didn't need. Now, I know better and that would be the best advice I can myself when I was a high school. Therefore, it would have saved me some time and money.

I would tell me self to take my studies more seriously. I was immature leaving high school and partied all the time and skipped class so my grades as a freshman were not as good as they could have been. I have been getting great grades since then and I am still brought down by my freshman grades.

Visit many colleges so you know what type and which location will fit you best.

Dear High School Me, College won’t be easy. It’s a lot more work than high school. It will take a while to figure out what you really want to major in. Before you sign up for classes, find out who the good professors are from upperclassmen, and use ratemyprofessor.com! You don’t like biology as much as you thought and should start off going for nursing because it’s a tough program to get into and is going to take you some extra semesters to graduate. Living with your parents doesn’t work. Find your own place. It’s much easier to concentrate away from home and on your own time schedule. Having roommates is awesome and they will keep you from getting bored. It’s also nice to always have someone to walk to class with. Study hard and don’t procrastinate! Once you figure things out college will get better. College Me

Dear High School Me, Make mistakes. Make LOTS of mistakes. You don't have to be perfect to succeed in life, nor is it even possible. So stop trying to be perfect and let yourself live a little. Go out and make mistakes, for that is how you learn. Through your mistakes you will discover who you are and who your true friends are. You'll discover how you can achieve what you want out of life in your own way. No elderly advice or self-help book will teach you better about living your life than making mistakes. So get off the futon, set aside the bowl of ramen, and go have some fun without worrying about the correct way of doing things. Go out and make mistakes. You'll thank me.

If I could back in time, I would tell myself not to worry about my reputation, but worry about my character. The difference between character and repuataion, is reputation is how others view you, and character is what you are really made up of inside. Being popular, dressing to impress, and saying things to get attention are all things I did in high school, and not really part of who I am. I didn't want to dress in polos and expensive jeans, but rather school spirit tshirts and shorts. I was always trying to make people like me for accomplishments I didn't exactally do, making me very fake. I wish I would have listened to my heart, and why not take crazy chances for things that I wanted to do! I really wanted to be friends with the popular kids, but they were not always nice and I felt like I was being fake just so they liked me. I should have made better friends that

Really think about your future. What are you really interested in? What are your goals in life? What are you really passionate about? What would love to learn about as much as you really can? Where do you see yourself in 4 years? In 10years? If you've worked part time jobs, like a lot of high school kids. Did you enjoy it? Now imagine, if you never went to college, what kind of jobs would you be qualified for? Would you be happy working in those kinds of jobs? Can you make a decent living out of them? Would you have benefits, such as health insurance, dental, vacation, sick time, life insurance, retirement? Did you know that your peers who have a college degree, will make aproximately $500,000 more in their lifetimes than those who who do not have a degree? They even have more career stability than you would, with out a college degree. Would'nt you rather work harder with your mind, than with your body? Certain jobs, very hard manual labor jobs, are ok, until your body gives out-which it will, as you get older. Now REALLY think about that, and apply yourself!

Catie, I want to tell you that college is not as scary and not as directed towards the 4.0 students as it seems. College is for people who want to learn. You know you love to learn more than some of your straight A student friends, don't compare yourself to them. Don't mistake your B's and C's in english for incompetency. I'll let you in on a little secret; know that when you write your college papers, you will get and A on every single one, and know that you will develop a love for writing that is absent in your current High School experience. Know that you realize the wis message your mom told you every night at dinner, that you never know how you will feel about something until you try it for yourself. In college you will participate in clubs and events and you will be surprised of how much your mind expands. Try to embrace this expansion now because I believe it will only make you a brighter more well-rounded individual, which is more valuable to me, to you, than a perfect GPA.

Tour your university before you make your decison. It is important to get a feel of what you will be doing and where you will be for the next 4 years of your life.

As a high school senior I began to get very scared of leaving home to attend a university I had never even toured. After accepting the offer and officially being registered as an incoming freshman, I wondered if I had made a mistake. I would leave behind the town I grew up in, where I had been accepted by the local university, and leave behind my friends and family who mean the world to me. Now, as a college Junior, if given the chance, I would tell my younger self many things. I would begin with, "you made the right choice." I would then go on to explain how beautiful the campus is, how helpful and friendly the staff and other students are. I would explain how the classes are taught by some of the most compassionate professors who treat you as an equal and help as much as you need. I would end by letting myself know that I will make lifelong friends who will make the next three years amazing, but my friends back home will always be there as will my family. However, I don't think I would tell myself, the mystery is half the fun.

I would say be yourself earlier. You are amazing with many quality traits that others desreve to see. You shouldn't hide behind a facade the is unreal and untrue to who you are. I understand that living within a different culture is difficult but letting others in and being fully aware of yourself will allow you to go far in this world.

I would give my self the advice of, get motivated. I feel I missed out on a few opportunities because I wasn't self motivated enough. I relied on my closest friend to keep me motivated. When I finaly motivated myself, everything became so much easier and a lot more fun!

The advice I would give myself as a high school senior would be to not let the small things get to you. All seniors feel the stress of moving on to college, new friends, new places, and figuring out yourself. I would tell myself to study hard, yet enjoy the experience as much as possible. Go to all the school events; pepfests, football games, ect. Just feel the senior experience before its gone. Also, don't take relationships too seriously. It really is true, that once you move on to college, some friends will stick with you, while others won't.

If I could go back in time and give advice to my high school self, I would tell myself to RELAX! The transition to college will be stressful no matter what, but I feel that I rushed through the end of high school...especially the summer before college, worring about going to college. Knowing how much your life and priorities change while in college I think it is extremely important for high schoolers to enjoy where they are in life. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy your sports. Enjoy your classes...yes, go to class. Enjoy your clubs. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your school. Enjoy your teachers. Enjoy the relationships you have built. And lastly, appreciate all the things you have enjoyed throughout high school. Your life will change, for the better :), in just a few months!

Stefanie, I'm not going to give you a long drawn out speech about your transition into college because you probably won't listen. With that being said, I will say this though; BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF! You know yourself better than anyone else. You know your limits, how much you can handle, as well as your boundaries. Make the best decisions for YOU. Never try to out due yourself. As soon as you get settled in, make a schedule and list your priorities in order! Take care of business first and celebrate later. You can't possibly have fun knowing you might fail a test in the morning! There is no greater reward than the feeling of COMPLETION! Network! Network! Network!!! Always carry a pen on you. Sometimes, in this world, it's about who you know and those wonderful people you will meet throughout college. Most importantly, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Look at it this way; you hold the key to your future! Your actions, dedication, and drive can determine just how great it turns out. Never except No for an answer, when there is always a YES to the solution!

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to apply myself more in high school. There are many times in which that I wish I would of payed more attention to subjects in high school. If I would of studied maybe a little more it could of benefited me more when studying for my college exams which are much harder than exams given in high school. I would also tell myself that when I go to college, that I make sure to study more my first semester and over studying is not a bad thing.

If I could go back in time I would tell myself to work hard, but to enjoy life. You have your whole life ahead of you to work so make sure that you enjoy high school while you can. At the same time it is still incredibly important to keep up the hard work as it will provide you for more opportunities in the future. College is a lot of hard work, but it can be fun if you make it. Be social and introduce yourself to the people you see when you get to college. The more people you meet the more advice you can be given. Some of the advice won't help, but some of the advice you will recieve will stick with you forever. Enjoy life.