University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

I would say to myself that it is important to put forth the maximum effort right away. That you cannot wait until the last month tof the semester to bring your grades to where you had planned for. I would also tell myself that I should take every opportunity that is presented to me. Looking back on my first semester I realive that I still have alot ahead of me, but I still regret not taking the few chances that I could have taken but didnt. I would lastly say to myself have fun. I love college and think it is amazing. I couldn't see myself anywhere but UW-Oshkosh and love it here.

The number one advice I would give to my high school self, would be to learn how to balance you schedule. The hardest part of transitioning from High School to College, was managing my time wisely. During my first year of college I got really involved in clubs and after school activities. I had to learn very quickly to balance class time, homework, studying, and after school clubs and activities. I would recommend getting an agenda or calender and writing down all the things you need to get done, and then plan your time accordingly. In college, the professors are not on top of you if you do not turn in an assignment, like your teacher's were in High School. So I would also recommend looking through your class syllabi and planning for big assignments and projects ahead of time. So overall I would tell myself to begin balancing my time, and planning ahead, to get everything done on time. By taking this advice the transition from High School to College should be just a bit easier.

Take advantage of all the little things. Utilize any freely given advice, money (scholarships), opportunities, and friendships. Make the most out of everything to better your future as much as possible.

The major advice I would give to my high school self would be to take more AP classes throughout senior year to allow myself to finish my undergraduate degree sooner. By completing more AP classes, I could have passed out of those particular general education courses and allow myself a more flexible schedule in college. Another important thing would be to focus more on extracurricular activities versus focusing one-hundred percent on studying. In this way, I would have been more prepared to get involved in college and allow myself to find which activities I enjoy. This could have helped to point me in the direction of my major at a sooner time. The third thing I would tell my senior self would be to relax and not second guess myself. Senior year was a very stressful and anxiety-filled year for me. Looking back, I am on a path that I feel is entirely compatible for me. I would not change a thing about where I am today. Knowing this, I would advise myself to focus on the most important things, work hard, and to not worry about what is to come.

Now knowing what I know about college life and making the transition I would tell my high school self to step outside of the box and become more involved and out going. Although I have made amazing friends and great memories I would tell myself to try new things, join more clubs, and get more involved. However, I would also tell myself that freshmen year in college it is important to meet new people and have fun but to not forget the importance of academics and the effect slacking off can cause. Even though some of the general education classes may not seem the most important and interesting, doing well the first couple of years in college will greatly benefit you as you apply to your desired school of the field you would like to pursue.

To my younger self, I write you advice that I know you'd never listen to. I write so that you don't make the same mistakes I did, though I know you're too stubborn to listen. I want you to know that you need to work harder now than ever. Volunteer more than you need to, it will come in handy later, and to find a job as soon as you can. Keep in touch with your teachers, even after you leave, and remind them that they are incredible and life-changing when you can. Above all else, I want you to remember that this is not the end, and that you will survive. You are not going to flunk out of college, and—surprise!--you will win an Academic Merit scholarship for the community college you're going for. I want you to be brave as you go there and remember that you are stronger and smarter than you think, and that you have people who love and support you. In short: depression will not beat you. You will overcome, so don't be afraid.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would say two main things. First, don't let the fear of failure and rejection rule your (my) life. No one has it all together, and the only way to move forward in life and in college is to take chances and realize that I can do it! We have to find the opportunities to make our dreams really happen. We have to dream big and never give up hope. Second, I would have stressed the importance to get involved and cultivate good work habits early. High school is the perfect place to discover and uncover interests and build good habits, because lets face it, once you build a bad habbit (such as skipping class or procrastinating on assignments) its the hardest thing in the world to change your old ways and be motivated to do better. College is so important to our (my) future, and building good work habits early could boost us a step in the right direction by the time college rolls around.

Back when I was a high school senior I was starting to get better grades in my classes which was good but I did not prepare myself in making college a less expensive thing for me. If I could go back I would tell myself "Prepare and study well for the college placement tests." Also I would tell myself "Try to get as many scholarships as possible! It will help your stress level go down so much."

If I could go back in time and tell my high school self the things I know now, I would have so much to say. I would start off by saying high school is not going to last forever, eventually you will make it in to the real world and not have it so easy. Friends and boyfriends should not be your number one priority and whoever is considered the “cool” kid in high school will probably be shocked when they get into the real world and have to actually use common sense and be knowledgeable. The number one thing I would tell my past self is to please pay attention in math class. Nobody in class wants to look uncool for actually asking questions and wanting to learn but you should not be afraid to stand out. There are many reasons to love college. Meeting new people, starting over, finding and taking classes you enjoy will be so interesting and fun. Get ready to start your life after you graduate high school and be prepared for way more responsibilities. Also, don’t forget to enjoy life because time passes so fast.

"Don't take life for granted, have fun. You have a large range of ideas for your career!" That would be something I would tell my former high school self. Knowing what I know now in college, to have fun in your career path. To be wise in a decision that could basically alter your life from beginning to end. Learn as many things in college and in life to better your career. To have a vast knownledge in different subjects can be really beneficial to a job you have or to yourself. Another thing I would tell my past self is that to be wise in your friends, some can bring you down to the slums or there are the friends that can be there for you and help you better yourself. Don't pass up an opportunity that would seem like a mistake but can be an utterly great chance to be succesful in life. So in a nutshell: have fun, be patient to the littel thing in life, and be a anything you want to be in life. So many choices, and they all can be yours! Oh and also dont be late any of your classes.

You don't want to be a nurse. Just stop worrying about what everyone will think when you tell them your dreams have changed, and go to school for what you love; horticulture. You can still go to UWO to save some money, but get accepted to a different school as early as possible, otherwise you'll end up doing things last minute, and it's no fun. You also need to take an acedemic skills course. It sounds boring, but it's really useful, because it turns out, highschool doesn't prepare you for college at all. Don't buy that biology book your first semester. It costs way too much, and your professor doesn't use it anyways. Save that money, get a job, and start signing up for scholarships, otherwise you'll just sink in to debt later.

If I could go back and talk to my former self I would tell myself to start saving my money. I always knew tuition would be expensive but I knew that there were grants, loans, and scholarships for that. What I did not know was how much money I would need just to buy my stuff for the dorm. I never really imagined how many new things I would need for the dorms, like twin xl bedding, first aid kits, seating, dishes, laundry supplies and much more. I always just thought that I could take what I had at home. If I can live with the things I have at home why can’t I live with them at the dorm? I thought. But it was not that simple it was a much smaller area so the household items I had needed to be condensed or left behind. Everything I used from living in a house like the washer/dryer and kitchen couldn’t come with me so I had to purchase my own supplies for the ones at school. I struggled to get everything I needed in time for school.

It could be nerve wrecking as a senior in high school thinking about going off to college. To be in a new place of unfamiliar faces, far from home, and to do everything on my own seems unbelievable that it is time to depart from where I used to be. First year of college will be the hardest because of the unfamiliarity to the campus, however, it is also the most thrill and enthusiastic of all because there are so much to explore, new places to be and more people to meet. No matter how far into my education I will always need help and I should not be afraid to ask for help. There will many programs and people to get help from and keep in mind that I am not alone in college. The best way to get involve is to join clubs and organizations which will certainly extend my comfort zone. There will be hardships and uneasy obstacles to overcome but it is because of the intensity and individuality in college that will prepare me for the real world. Once college hits anything can change but always remember that higher education is the key to success.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was in high school the first thing I would tell myself is that you made the correct decision to go to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The campus, the education, and the friends you will make in Oshkosh will change your life in the best ways. Although, there will be some hard times from learning to live in a dorm, sharing a shower with multiple people, and learning to spend more time studying you will look back and be happy with all that you have achieved at Oshkosh. Some things that will be useful to know is that the library on campus is packed when it is finals week, To-Go on campus has some great chicken wraps, and you will spend a lot of money on your books for classes. Overall, your experiences and the people you will meet at Oshkosh will stay with you for the rest of your life. Oshkosh will not only help you find who you want to be but will also help you achieve all your academic goals.

I would have advised myself to live in the dorms for at least one year. The social interaction gained from living in the dorms cannot be replicated by any on campus activities.

Travis, you were born just as equal as anyone else on this earth. Do not allow yourself to think that being gay is as awful as the church and media make it seem. You know you have heard this before- "You light up a room," "You're corageous," "You have the ability to make such a positive impact in this world," and of course, "You were born to work with kids." Believe those words. Do not think that they are lieing to you! You know that you want to earn a degree in Elementary Education, so go for it! Set that goal and be that teacher to make a difference in a child's life. Being gay is just like you having brown hair, it's another quality about you. No one cares that you have brown hair and in college no one cares that you're gay. They care about Travis, not just a part of you but instead you as a whole. So use your entire self, all of Travis, to get involved, introduce yourself to people, and stay active on campus. The reward will be a school year of happiness rather than a school year of disappointments.

If I could go back and give myself some advice, I think I would say something along the lines of, “Don’t stress and just enjoy your time in college.” I had to put off my dream college for a little bit while I live at home and attend another university to cut costs and save money. It is possible to save your money in college and still have a blast and enjoy new things. I would advise myself to relax, meet new people and take advantage of the amazing opportunities I do have. I would also advise past self that it’s okay to change your plan as you yourself change. Change can be good. Finally, I would just offer some my high school self some encouragement. Hard work and good habits really pay off. Back when I had just finished high school, I was wondering if I would be able to maintain a good GPA while working about 20 hours a week. I would tell myself to stay strong and keep working hard. I would tell myself that my work ethic and discipline will really help make the transition smooth and to not waste time worrying about it.

Going into college my freshman year I had no idea what to expect and I was shy and didn't really talk to anyone right away in the beggining and when I finally started opening up is when I really decided that I love the school I go to! I wish I just would have done that right at the start because at semester I really thinking about transfering back home but then I met some amazing people that really changed my collge experience at UW-Oshkosh.

Advice to myself as a high school senior is not have such high expectations at first. When heading to college there is this stereotpe of what college is and when that is different than our experiences, we may feel anxiety that we are not living the full college life. Everyone says college is great but also know there there will be disappointments, homesickness and stress as well. Therefore don't try to live up to those expectations. College is how you make it so make it your own.

Dear, Matthew Wake up, High school is not just some manditory institution, it is the beginning of the rest of your life. What you do here will effect the rest of your life, so get your grades up, i know college isnt even a thought in you mind at the moment, but it will be. You will soon find out that the work force is miserable, the money is good but the labor will make you old quick. I know that you want to have fun now and you will, but spend more time in the books instead of on World of Warcraft. Go out for football too, trust me you are good at it and you will regret not playing all of those years. I wish this letter would of reached you sooner. Sincerely, You