University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Questions

For most students, college represents independence. College freshmen come to school being told the basics of living alone for the first time. These basics include how to do laundry or take care of finances. What most students aren?t aware of, and that I wish I had been informed about, are the keys to success at a highly competitive university. In my opinion these keys to success are quite simple if done correctly and whole-heartedly. One of the keys to success is resourcefulness. There are so many beneficial resources to be found on any campus. For example, I found a great tutoring program for my Economics 101 class in the Business Learning Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business. The secret to using these resources is simply going out and finding them. Once you have the resources, you need to use the second key to success, which is hard work. It doesn?t matter how smart you are in college because your grades depend on how well you do compared to your classmates; what matters most is your willingness to outwork your classmates. Once I realized these keys during my first semester, I achieved immense success.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give myself several tips and advice in order to be as confident as I am today in my second year. First, I would tell myself to, as Winston Churchill once said, "Never, never, never give up." While going through my first year and the first semester of my second year, I faced plenty of tough times and often questioned my own intelligence and self-worth. Sure, times will be tough but they WILL pass and in the end they will made you stronger. The second piece of advice I would give myself is to never take life too seriously. After coming to college, several times I have found myself getting way too stressed out over assignments and papers. Do the best you can in college, but remember to have fun and reward yourself for your hard work. The third piece of advice I would give is not to compare yourself to your peers. Everyone learns and succeeds at different rates so don't worry if you seem behind, your time will come. And lastly, find your passion.

I would tell myself that transitions require time and patience. Sometimes not everyone is lucky enough to find their niche right away, so the change takes a lot of searching and redefinition. When I first got to college I expected to find my best friend right across the hall and to instantly fall in love with my classes. However, I eventually realized that you meet a lot of different people before you find your new best friend and that Political Science really wasn't my subject. It took me the entire first semester to realize my actual dream was to pursue film in a diverse city setting, so next year I'm planning on transferring to Columbia College in Chicago for their film program. UW-Madison was a perfect starting place for me to become acquainted with college life. At first I was very frustrated, confused, and felt out of place as I tried to fit into the college stereotype, but I've realized there's no right or wrong way to tackle college life. So going back to senior year, I would tell myself that sometimes things don't initially work out, but then you just try something new.

I would tell myself to over prepare for college. It is really difficult adjusting from high school to college level material. I would stress to myself the need to start healthy exercising and eating habits young as well as to practice being engaging and open-minded with others who are different from me. I would defiantly tell myself to pursue academic means outside of the little college preparation given to me, but the best advice I could give myself in high school is to just learn as much as I could in high school and bring a positive attitude to college.

Get on track with a better idea of how to study and do it often. It is crucial to study several hours each week and you need to get into a routine or system that will help you comprehend that you need to study often and don't give up on studying. You need to learn now, how to study so that you won't be shocked and just a stupid freshman when it comes time for college.

Walking into my first class of my freshman year of college, I was not prepared for the drastic change between the difficulty of high school classes and college classes. As a perfectionist, I had always worked very hard in high school, but college took hard work to a whole other level that I was not ready for. I stressed myself out over little things and focused on my faults all throughout my first semester of college. As a result, I didn't let myself enjoy the many wonderful things college has to offer. If I could go back and tell myself one thing it would be to accept your mistakes and the things you cannot change. There is no use in lingering in the past. You just have to pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward.

The first thing I would tell myself is to not procrastinate and just buckle down and do what is needed to improve my life. I would make sure that I understood how important my grades are and to apply for as many scholarships as possible for school, because my parents will go back on their word and won't be paying for school after all. Probably the most important thing I would tell me is that no matter how hard life feels right then, that it could get a lot worse and that as long as I do more than just what is required I can and will get ahead.

Take AP classes. They prepare you well for the exams in college. Scholarships are also very important. If you receive enough of them, you will not need to work, and you will be able to focus on your studies, so apply to every single one that you can. Next, get a friend who has been through it all. You already have your older sisters who go to the same university as you. Whenever you have a question about college, go to them. They actually are a little older and wiser than you. One more thing, be wary of the party scene and video games. They both can interfere with your studies. Enjoy them in moderation. Friends from high school should also be enjoyed in moderation. Branch out. You might become best friends with students from a rival high school or even another state. Don't be the person that only hangs out with his high school buddies and girlfriend. You will never learn what else is out there. Finally, come into the experience with no expectations and an open mind. That way, you will be ready for anything.

I would tell myself to go into every opportunity with an optomistic attitude and ready to learn from the experience no matter how new and different it is from what I'm used to. Whether it's making a new group of friends, becoming involved in a certain club for an admirable cause, or signing up for a course that I've never heard of before. Sometimes these things don't always turn out for the best and I would tell myself to move on and continue my search. But other times, it may turn out to be the best decision ever made and a new passion can be discovered. Pertaining more specifically to academics, I would tell myself to try out different study methods to find one that used my time efficiently as well as helped me to learn the material thoroughly. Time management is so much more important in college because you're on your own to accomplish what you need to do without specific times to finish it in. Lastly, because I don't get to visit home as often as I would like, I would tell myself to take full advantage of home cooking.

The most important thing I wish I had known as a high school senior is the importance of taking my studies seriously in these last moments of high school life. I have no regrets and am thankful of everything I did as a teenager because my journey led me to where I am today. I have learned through hardships and successes to love life and to cherish every minute of it. My father always told me, "Money comes and goes, but time you cannot get back." I wish we all had more time on this Earth, and an easier pursuit of our goals and dreams. I'm thankful today that I understand the value of an education and what it could bring me later in life if I have my priorities in order. I am a successful college student and am very pleased with my GPA and standings among my peers. I love my school, and I feel that my school appreciates me.