University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Top Questions

I think part of the fun of the first year of college are the surprises that await. There are so many new experiences. I would tell the senior me to be open to trying new things. I would also tell myself to move away. I stayed with my parents my first two years and it is hard to get out of the "high school" mentality when you are not accountable to yourself. By leaving, it would give me the opportunity to expand my wings and really explore the new "adult" me. Without having my parents looking over my shoulder, I would be more willing to try new things. But, most importantly, there would be the freedom to try new things without having people waiting for me at home, watching the clock expectantly. Who knows if I would have listened; I was pretty stubborn.

I would advise myself to study more, like right from the beginning of learning the material and asking questions to make sure you are understanding it better. Save more money instead of going out every weekend and spending it. There are times to have fun but there are times that you have to save your money for other important things.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to ditch all fear. Starting college can be a scary experience. Sometimes, it is tempting to not try something because of fear of failing or feeling uncomfortable. However, I quickly found that the only guaranteed way to be let down is to be limited by fear. I was afraid of making new friends and talking to people different than those I grew up with. Overtime, I found that the diversity these people brought to my life taught me to communicate with people different than myself and also exposed me to various cultures and beliefs. I was also afraid of not being good enough or failing. Because of this, I almost did not become a resident assistant, get involved with service learning, or challenge myself. However, by overcoming fear I grew as an individual and had a lot of fun by becoming involved in these things. If I told my high school self to not fear, I could provide myself with more learning opportunities and enjoyment in the future.

Zach - in your Latin class your teacher wrote down the first day of class, Carpe Diem (seize the day) encouraging all of you to do your best everyday. That was good advice and you took it to heart and always strived to do your best in whatever class you had but life is made up of alot more than just studying and getting that A in class. When you get to college don't forget to laugh and have some fun. Get involved in something you have never done before or better yet something you thought you could never do. Life long friendships can develop in some of the most unusual circumstances. Everyone has something they are interested in or passionate about. By stretching yourself and trying new ideas you can surround yourself with people you never may have met by playing it safe. Stop stressing about what other people think of you, just get out there and enjoy life! Remember it takes more muscles in your face to frown than to smile so stop being so serious and start smiling and seize the day! It's contagious.

If I were to go back and talk to myself in highschool I would tell myself be prepared for the long english research paperes that I'll have to write. I would also tell myself that I'm to save up as much money as possible because money would get real tight in college. I would also tell myself to prepare more for college because its much harder than what I thought it would be

If I could go back I would investigate more institutions and try to set clearer goals for myself. I'd decide right away what program I wanted to be in, if I want to study abroad, etc and really asses whether I was mature enough for college or whether it would be better to take some time off first until I could really appreciate the opportunities I was being presented with.

If given the opportunity to go back in time, I would remind my younger self to cherish every moment with my family and to embrace each day. My family is my "rock" and being away from them was one of the hardest transitions. I would remind myself that although I am at the end of one journey, it is still important to finish strong. Any information learned will be to my benefit in future studies. One of the most important pieces of advice I would give, would be to "bloom where you are planted". In saying that, I mean to be optomistic and make the best of whatever situation may come my way. Make goals for yourself, big and little, and work to achieve those goals one step at a time. Have fun and always remember who you are and what makes you unique. You will always be "daddy's little girl". Now is the time to evaluate your morals, for in the near future they will be tested. Having fun does not mean that these morals go out the window, therefore, responsibly make decisions. Most importantly, love each moment and take this as an opportunity to grow and learn.

If I were to go back to high school, there are many things I could do to help myself as a college student. First, something I now see playing a vital role in my success, would be to take classes that would benefit me according to my major. As an architecture student taking more art classes would have been in my favor. Another thing I would do would have been to live in the dorms my first semester. I feel missing out on this social oppotunity played a major role in attaining friends with the similar extra curricular activites as well as the same career objectives. Lastly, I would tell myself to get ready to work hard, have fun, and remember to do what you love and love what you do.

The advise I would give myself is to prepare more for the difficulty of college. I would tell myself to organize my time and realize that a social life is fun but college needs to be placed first. I would tell her to understand just how important college is and you have to work hard right from the beginning or else you can face difficulties later on down the road. The last thing I would tell myself would be to believe in myself. You need to believe in yourself and what you are capable of doing. Always be positive and strive for the best you can possibly do.

If I could go back in time as a high school senior, I would tell myself to not take college freedom for granted. Though some lecture classes don't required you to go to classes, doesn't mean that you should skip those lectures at all. YOU are paying for those lectures; YOU are paying for your classes, so make your money worth it. If you're not paying for it, then someone else must be. Make them proud and prove them that they're making the right decision to send you to college. Though it is true that some lectures are boring, but try to find something interesting about them, or make friends with someone to give yourself some motivations to attend those classes. Also, in the future, in order to get into a competitive company, know that they want the best of the best in people who can move the company forward, not some slacker who will hold the company back. Thus, you should do your best to excel in what you're studying so that you can help yourself, as well as others, move forward.