University of Wisconsin-Madison Top Questions

Although my highschool was what many small town Wisconsin folks may call "large," it was nothing compared to the massive community at UW-Madison. I say "community" because while the undergraduate population was around 45,000, a day never goes by where you don't see a familiar face. Regardless, the vastness of the campus and particularly my classes, sometimes as large as 400 students, became quite overwhelming when I first started college. It became difficult to ask questions in class or to address my professors in office hours. I struggled through several classes my first couple years of college because I, not once, went to office hours. I, rarely, asked for help from classmates. This behavior was completely uncharacteristic of myself as I was in high school when I always asked questions and frequently communicated with my peers and teachers. It was all out of fear that I lost that community that I was used to in high school. After four years at UW-Madison I realize that there is a strong sense of pride among generations of Badgers and if I could only talk to my high school self I would say "reach out and LEARN!"

As an adult who has now returned to college to earn a degree in the field I had originally wanted to pursue, I would encourage all high school seniors to not give up. Do not let anyone stand in the way of what you really want to do. Explore different career paths and if one door closes on you, keep knocking. I wish I would have kept knocking instead of simply opening another door, which led me nowhere. Stay focused and be proud of who you are. Get involved with activities at school and utilize the resources available to you. Most of all, enjoy the experience because it will go by so fast.

Enjoy college life and not rush through college just to finish very fast. Also, I would say to be more involve the many different organizations and athletic teams.

My advice for anyone entering college for the first time is to do everything you possibly can. All too often people slack a bit and take their new found freedom for granted. This is a time in a young persons's life to experiment, this especially true for big universities and urban schools. There are too many events to attend and people to meet to justify sitting in a dorm or apartment. Living life to its fullest also help a student determine who they are and what sort of career they want to pursue. The sooner an individual can figure that out, the better. Attending a university for a fifth year is usually not desirable or financially responsible. The people a person meets at college will often stick with them for the rest of his or her life. There is so much growing up and self reflection during this phase of life, make the most of it!

In retrospect, I would definitely tell myself to make more of an effort socially and to take less classes. I worked really hard my first two years in college and did not focus too much on meeting new people. I was the first child out of my whole family to go to college (not including the adults) and there was a lot of pressure to succeed and make good use out of my parent's funding of my education. I would also tell myself not to stress so much and to enjoy my time here more.

If I could give myself any advice as a high school senior, the most important thing I would tell myself is to never take family for granted. It is one of the very most important things in life and is also one of the only certainties in life.

Don't be afraid! UW-Madison may be ten times bigger than your high school, but you are going to have so many opportunities and are going to meet so many awesome people that will make UW-Madison's huge campus feel like home. Don't be afraid of trying new things! Going outside of your bubble is totally worth it and it helps you discover things about yourself that you may never have realized! Don't be afraid that no one will like you! It is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} guranteed that you will find someone who has similar interests to your own! Not only will people just like you be your friends, but you will meet people who you are friends with just because they are so much different than you and can help you learn about different cultures. Don't be afraid of getting lost on campus! There's an app for that! Don't be afraid to be yourself! College is not high school. No one will gossip about you for wearing things that express your crazy sense of style. No one knows about all of those embarassing, akward high school moments. Don't be afraid, college is awesome!

I would tell myself not to pack and bring too many things to my dorm room. It may seem like it is a difficult transition to make from living at home to a single room, but it's not. There is no need to hold on to a large amount of possessions to ease into that transition. Life in college is an experience that is interesting and intellectually stimulating. I would tell myself and others to be sure to prepare for introspection on life, convictions, opinions, and feelings. Studying and obtaining a degree are the most important components of attendance at a university, but discovering yourself as a person is very important. It is critical to embrace figuring out who you were, who you are, and who you will become to be successful and fulfilled in life.

I just have a few things for you so pay attention. Number 1: For the love of God, please turn everything in early. I know you got your applications in with plenty of time but now, it is all about scholarships. Every scholarship you see that you might qualify for, apply for. What is the worst that could happen? You might not get it, but what have you wasted? A couple hours of work for a possible scholarship is far worth it. Number 2: Adults you meet in college, no matter how scary, sincerely want you to succeed. They do need to who you are, however, to help you. Make sure your academic advisors and professors know who you are. Do not be irritating but also do not be afraid to answer questions in class. Number 3: Do not load up your first semester with 18 credits. Relax in the courses you take. There is nothing wrong with taking generals if you need them. However, just because your classes will not be insanely hard, you cannot slack off. Focus on the classes you take and create a strong foundation to build on in coming semesters.

If I could talk to my high school self, I would tell her college is as awesome as I thought it would be. College is a time to reinvent yourself because no one has known you your entire life. You are free to take what ever classes you want because they were created to help you discover yourself. And definitely do not worry about making friends. It is cliche, but everyone is in the same boat as you, looking for someone awesome to hang out with. During those awkward ice breakers, be the girl who goes first and has confidence. Do not limit yourself to what you were in high school because you will definitely be missing out on new experiences. When you are in the dorm, keep your door open, you never know what will happen. Someone could ask if you want to go lake jump at 2 am or take the city bus (gasp!) to a free concert on the otherside of town. Live life with no regrets. Also, forget all the cute shows and make sure to pack some comfortable ones. When you rely on your feet for transportation, fashion no longer matters.