University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Top Questions

I hold a bachelor's degree but am going back for a second degree to be an RN. This second time around I value more highly the experience of learning. I look at my time in school as a way to exercise another part of my brain from the part I use at work full time. To be honest, I am older than many of my instructors and classmates, but I do enjoy meeting them and gaining a fresh perspective on the college experience. Fortunately, I am computer savvy and have taken some online classes with discussion forums, which I find very interesting. It's nice to have this option, learning online. Attending classes though is still preferable because I am enveloped in the classroom experience and surrounded by a whole new environment. I know that I learned a lot during my first college experience, and have applied it in my professional life, but what and how I am learning now seems to be much more stimulating. I plan to complete a two-year RN program and then continue on for my Master's Degree for an APRN.

The real-world experiences like internships and case studies

The college experience so far has enlightened me in expressing in speech and in writing information need in employment and society. The acquisition of two Associates? degrees has encouraged me in finding employment in a compatible desired field with the degrees currently obtained from the local community college. So far that has been unachievable thus far. Companies are requesting a Bachelor's degree now to fill their openings they are posting. Current and future plans include taking classes to achieve a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and gain employment in a related field.

Tears were forming in my eyes as I hugged my mom and dad one last time before they made the three hour journey back home. I knew attending college was going to be a bittersweet transition in my life that would be hard for both my parents and I. I had never been away from home for longer than a week or two and I was about to experience independence in my life for the first time. Part of me wished I could turn back time and stay with my family, but part of me was thrilled to see what I could accomplish on my own. The first week of college was exhilarating; I had never met so many wonderful people who taught me the importance of my life. I learned more about myself than I ever had learned in the past. I began to understand where I stood on issues that I could now decide for myself, rather than depending on the opinions of my parents. What I have learned in college is indeed valuable and priceless. My education has made me the person I am today and I am eternally grateful for what I have learned.

Be content with your best efforts. If you know you have given a project your absolute best, graciously accept the final outcome. Expose yourself. You are in a new town, attending a new school, surrounded by new faces. You can?t make new friends if you remain cloistered in your dorm room. Smile: no one wants to keep company with a frown. If you want to make conversation with someone new, speak up first because they never will. If you are undecided about a major, don?t take an elective in a subject that you loathed in high school. It will only lead to feelings of inadequacy and defeat, and an overabundance of frustrated tears as you try to excel in a class for which you have no aptitude. Finally, take a fun, playful class each term. Since it is graded, you have to go have fun. If you rely on making time for fun when you get free time, you will never find time for it. You need a release from your studies, and from the standard to which you set yourself. You?ll do better overall. Close your book, take a break, and find a reason to laugh.

If I could go back and tell myself "Don't be scared, there are people who can help you if you struggle, you won't fail!" I know I wouldn't have been so scared and confused about what to do to start the college process. I would also tell myself not to rush things, take your time in figuring out who you are and what you want to do in life. And that while having parents that never went to college does make things more difficult in some ways, it is NOT a reason to wait, and put off bettering myself. I would also say "push yourself more in algebra", since that is the subject I hated the most, and have found is very important to any college degree!

Learn to prioritize! When assignments are given to you make note of the due date and write it down in a planner. Block out about two hours of each night to devote to school work. Each night make a list of what you would like to accomplish that day and then turn off any and all distractions. In college, parents and teachers will not be looking over your shoulder making sure you are completing required tasks; setting good habits early makes the transition easier. In addition, do not be afraid to ask questions and seek additional help. As it is often said, there is no such thing as a stupid question except perhaps the question not asked. Do yourself a huge favor and go in for the extra help, in the long run it will pay off. Finally, college can be a blast, but there is also a lot of hard work involved.

From experiencing and making it through one year at UW lacrosse, there are a few things I wish I would have known before graduation high school. The first bit of advice I would be to take higher level classes in high school like AP or IB. Friends that I have whom took these types of classes in high school seemed to have a much easier time adjusting to the teaching styles and amount of studying and homework that need to be done in college. The classes that I took in high school were mostly Honors classes but from what I have experienced, they did not prepare me enough. Another bit of advice would be to become friends with teachers and other staff during high school. Professors in college are harder to communicate with and become friends with so having a high school teacher that you can always go back to and request letters of recommendation is definitely a plus! The last thing I would tell myself would be to just to be ?you?college. Everyone around you is looking for friends, and the only way to find good ones is to be yourself.

I would tell my self to work hard , to read more, to study more. Most importantly take time to enjoy life. I would also suggest to find quiet study place and find friends that have simular interests and goals. I also believe it is essential to ask for help when needed. Talk to your professors, get to know them, help them get to know you.

The only piece of advice I would have given myself as a high school senior would be to "relax and not be so nervous". Before I left for school I was a nervous wreck, like almost every other college freshman, but what I truly needed to realize is that I was not alone. Countless other 18 year old men and women were in my same boat. I would not give myself any other advice because every rough patch I went through, every fork in the road, every emotional breakdown, every moment so far in my college experience has been a learning expierence who has made me into a better person. So my advice to myself would be to relax and just wait and see what happens, because you always have to remember that everything happens for a reason.