University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

My advice to my high school senior self would be simple: school matters more than you think. Having to deal with the requirements of college life, I have found, to be much more rewarding than working in numerous go-no-where deadend jobs. Sure there were moments of being "independent" that were amazing, but in general, the time spent in those things turned out to be fruitless. Actually, I would smack my high school self, proceed to tell him about the road of uncertainity he's about to embark on, and stress that while things seem meaningless now, the life you want will require effort and all those things teachers told you actually mean something.

Just like every other high school senior, I slacked off. Most seniors take easy classes for their last semester and just have fun. If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice, I would have told myself not to take those easy classes. By not keeping up with my normal study habits the semester before leaving for college, I lost some study skills and homework procedures. I believe that if I would have kept up with the classes that were up to my academic lever, I would have been more successful in my first semester of college. When it came time for those first semester exams in college, I was a little bit shocked at the amount of studying and time that I had to put into the class outside of lecture. It was definitely a good wake up call though because in the test scores following those, I showed great improvement.

I would tell myself not to stress about it as much as I did. I think a large factor in my late graduation from highschool was due to an overwhelming of stress. I have learned that one of the most valuable skills you can have is the ability to control that stress.

College is meant for getting an education, not partying. Trust me, staying in and studying WILL pay off. Whether you studied in high school or not, you WILL need to study in college. Surround yourself with people as ambitious as you, because people who aren’t as determined will only drag you down. Everyone learns differently, so find the way that best suits you and use it to your advantage. Do NOT compare yourself to others. You are your own person. Dress how you want to dress and be who you want to be. This is the time to either enhance yourself or make changes for the better. Focus on being healthy, not necessarily skinny. Open yourself to new relationships. You will meet people who will become lifelong friends. You will learn a lot from them. Not only about yourself but also about life in general. They will help you through the hard times and be a major part your best memories. They are your true friends. “Be yourself” is the biggest cliché, but it’s one you should to listen to. Above all, respect yourself, do your best and focus on the big picture. College is just the beginning.

Hey Becky, You're finally done with High school. What is your next step? If college is your next step, college is nothing like high school. Don't procastinate!!! Ask for help when you need it! Don't be afraid to ask your professors, friends, advisors etc. becasue they are more than willing to help you out! Sometimes they're just waiting for you to go to them to ask questions! Get involved in sports, activities, volunteer, organizations. It will look good on your resume. Aslo learn how to manage your time wisely! Learn to workout your schedule between classes, studying, work, and free time. You don't have to know what you want to major in right away, so try/take some new classees, maybe you'll come to like it. And when you know what you want, stay focused and study hard. Some people don't even get the opportunity to go to college, so embrace the education your getting. Be strong and smart about the choices you make.

Hi Ashley, You're a high school senior and you know you want to go college so be prepared. Don't procrastinate on applying for colleges and getting all the paper work done for financial aid. College isn't like high school. Learn how to manage your time well. Manage your time between homework and friends. If you don't understand something don't be afraid to go ask your professors, they're more than happy to help and if there are tutors/study sessions, go to them. Use the resouces around you. Join different clubs or go to events held on campus and meet new people. Don't be afraid to try new things. This is the time to get out of your comfort zone, find you who are and what you want to be. But most importantly, remember why you are there. You are there to get an education, to learn, grow and have a bright furture. So don't let anyone or anything discourage or bring you down. You are a smart young woman and you can do it.

I would like to tell my past-self that going to college so your family is proud of you is not a good enough reason. Also, college is not an escape route from the pain of your mother’s death. I understand you are trying to work so hard to avoid having enough free time to feel the sadness, hurt, loneliness, and even anger. You have to know what you really want to do with the rest of your life; something you have wanted to do since you were young. I know you have talked to your counselor about American Sign Language Interpreting as a major and the community colleges that offer it. I would suggest you take that opportunity, it is a wonderful major but it does take some work. College is not like high school where skating by works well enough to get a passing grade, you actually have to do the reading and the homework. I hope that as soon as you start college hit the ground running, know the classes you will need and talk to a counselor regularly. Also, I would highly recommend forming a study group with other sign students, make friends at college.

I truly wish that I could go back in time and give my high school self just a few words of advice. I would start by telling myself to spend as much time with my family and friends as possible and don't take any of those moments for granted. However, I would advice myself to not get too connected to one specific person. Having such strong ties to one person makes leaving for college even harder and makes for many homesick nights. I would advice myself to reach out to as many people as possible within the first week of college and don't rely on your roommate to be your best friend. Be open to new experiences and don't judge activities or people to quickly.

The advice I would give myself is to always keep focused. Remeber to have fun but also be serious when it comes to school and academics. Its important to set goals and follow through. Always try new opportunities or you may miss out on a chance of a lifetime. You should research more about majors so they can have an alomost final major by their sophmore year. Although going to a new place is hard not knowing anyone, be a good judge of character and make good friends early on because it was always true what your parents told you that your friends affect how you act. We all make mistakes but don't make too many that could effect your entire life or at least give you a big reality check. I hope that you always stay true to yourself and to not change for others. Always remeber where you came from and remember to go to school for yourself not for anyone else becasue in the end you only did this for your own future and the future of your family. This was the best decision to go to college and form your own footsteps to success.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, the advice I'd give would be to SLOW DOWN and breathe. I'd explain that college is a great choice and a wonderful stepping stone to expanding ones knowledge and to gain more life experiences, but slow down as you encounter new ideas, concepts, and people and remember to take it all in. Enjoying college and embracing the moment is all part of the experience. I would emphasize on how important it is to take every class seriously, even if it's a general course that is unrelated to your major, because how hard you work in each class reflects who you are as a person. Last but not least, I would advise myself to not be afraid to ask questions. The only way one can learn and expand their wisdom is by asking thoughtful questions and getting them answered by an educated person. Be fearless in college and embrace the moments because you're creating your personage in the process!