University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Top Questions

First of all, I brought way too many clothes with me to college. I would tell my high school self to pack less then you think you will need. College dorm rooms are not the most spacious so only bring what is needed. Make as many friends as possible, this is one thing that is a must. It will be hard to remember everyones name but that's normal. One thing I regret is that I did not get involved right away. My best advice would be to do so. Get involved on the campus and also in the community. Do some volunteering around the campus with friends or if your campus has a daycare on site then help out there. Remeber to study more then anything else. You want to enjoy your time in college but you also want to succeed.

Thankfully in high school, especially in my senior year, I disciplined myself to seeing school work as a first priority. If anything I’d rather tell my freshman-self how important it was to focus on my grades early on. What I would tell myself in senior year though, was to not stress about going to State College of Florida for 2 years first for an A.A. It will transfer and help knock out academic classes for my Bachelor Degree at Ringling College of Art and Design. Regarding Ringling though, I’d also say that I should have taken financial planning seriously early on and applied for scholarships sooner, and to learn how loans work. There is no guarantee that you’ll be able to qualify for all of the loans offered and the loans that you do get may not be able to cover all of your tuition. Focusing on scholarships sooner may have saved me and my family a lot of anxiety.

The first month of school is crucial. The biggest advice I would give would be to get out there and take advantage of everything offered. There are several events offered for freshmen to meet new friends and get better aquainted with the campus. Go to them and be open to meeting new people because everyone there is just like you. Everyone is looking for new friends, so just say hello to everyone you pass and put yourself out there. Join a club or play an intrameril sport because they are super fun and a good study break. Also don't forget to find where all of your classes are before the first day of school because you do not want to be the awkward person walking in when the professor is talking. The biggest change from high school for most people seemed to be time management and study habits. Many people are able to fly through high school with poor study habits, but college is another story. Find a strategy that works for you and build a schedule that includes homework time and any other priorites you have. Have fun, but remember why you are there. LIVE LEARN and GROW

I would tell my self college is not as scary as you think it is. Marching band will adapt you well to the school community, and you will make plenty of friends. The teachers are nice and there to help and are very knowledgeable on their subject area. There is plenty to do around campus, like explore the near by bluffs, or go to the campus gym. The people and other students are friendly, so you don't have to worry about that. Remember, its ok to study in groups, you can trust other people to help you study, thats one thing I should have done my frist year. Breathe in and out, remember it is a social campus,with people their to help. You will do great. Nicole Lang

If I had the opportunity to give myself advice about college there are three main things I would say. First would be to go out and meet as many people as I can! It is amazing how nice the people in college ended up being, and especially as a freshman I was super scared going into it all without knowing anyone. The fact of the matter is that every freshman is in the same position, and the more friends you make the easier the transition is (especially when you start missing home). Secondly, I would definetely warn myself not to go in too overconfident about my classes. Not that college classes are horrifyingly difficult, but they require completely different time and thought commitments than those in high school. In college most of the work you do for school is outside of the classroom, which can come as a real shock. Lastly, I would tell myself to just have fun! College is full of times to work hard, but it is also important to learn how to save time for the fun things too! It is amazing how fast the time goes, so don't waste what you have!

Knowing what I know now as a college student a year after being a high school senior, I would tell myself to not take life so seriously. I would tell myself that "that physics test you've been freaking out about for weeks and staying up at night to prepare for won't make a damn difference in whether or not you go to college." I would tell myself to stop comparing myself to the school's valedictorian and just do me. Try as hard as I can but don't worry so much. Everything works out. It always does. I would tell myself that "once you graduate high school life does happen and you are on your won, yes, but it's nothing to be scared of. It's a beautiful thing and you can choose to go down whatever path you want. You can be anything you want." If I only knew this all when I was a high school senior, life may have been a little easier up until now. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my 187 words.

Make sure you always bring your key to the showers with you, it's very possible that you will get locked out of your room. Make everyday use of the rec center, it's very helpful in not gaining the freshman fifteen. Save as much money as you can, you're going to need it. Try to find a job right away when you're up there, otherwise you'll end up broke pretty quickly. Cafeteria food is better than it was at Horlick, but always opt for the healthies option. Always do your homework right when you get it, and make sure that you write down and have alarms for every deadline. It's easy to forget when you stress out. The counseling center is there to help with everything, use them. And also, don't forget to have fun. Yes it's work, but don't forget play.

I understand you are excited about graduation, and cannot wait to move onto the next phase in your life. I know you are apprehensive about beginning college, but are filled with such energy about becoming independent. I would like to advise you to be confident in yourself and who you are. College will provide you with many opportunities to experience new things, meet new people, and expand your knowledge of several topics. I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone, but do not lose sight of your personal values. This will be challenging, and you may fail at times, but please work toward becoming a better person for yourself, not due to the influence of others. Several classes will also challenge your way of thinking. This may frustrate you at times and leave you feeling defeated and unintelligent. Remind yourself that you are a smart, capable individual and you are able succeed academically and overcome those obstacles. Overall, remember to remain confident in who you are and where you want life to take you. Invite challenges into your life, and know you will be able to conquer them while growing intellectually and socially throughout your college experience.

You better be able to do everything by yourse;f and ;earn how to read books even though you dont want to

I would tell my high school self to relax and enjoy the experience! When I was in high school, my whole life was about getting good grades, applying for scholarships, taking AP tests, and being able to fill up my applications. But in the grand scheme of things, high school was only four measley years of my life. Honestly, once you get into the college of your choice, nothing I really did in high school mattered anymore. So what if I had better grades than my college roommate? She got into college too. I would not tell myself to not try my best, but to make time for myself and to enjoy the high school experience more than stressing about my next steps in life.