University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

I would tell myself to get involved from day one. It sounds cliche, but making the transition to college would have been so much easier if I would have gotten to know more people from the start. I had a hard time being away from home, as I am very close with my family. Getting involved with clubs and not being afraid to go outside the box and not branch out would have helped that tremendously. In my experience as a Resident Assistant, I have seen first year students suffering from homesickness and have helped them through it by sharing my own experiences with them. You only get to be in college once, and the experience is what you make of it. Additionally, I would tell myself to get help in classes when necessary. There is nothing as terrifying in college as falling behind in a class and not knowing where to turn. Colleges and universities are more than happy to help you with your school work, and I regret not taking full advantage of those oppurtunities from the time I stepped foot in the classroom.

If I could go back to being a high school senior and had to give myself college advice I would tell myself a lot. First, I would tell myself that welcome week will be fun! I was really nervous for it when I went into it. I had no reason to be, because all of the other freshman were in the same situation I was in. Next, I would tell myself that college classes are do-able. I was scared going into it thinking I was not going to pass etc. I ended the year with a 3.539 and 35 credits granted a lot of hard work was involved. Lastly, I would tell myself that living in a city is fun. The single biggest transition for me was going from little Park Falls, Wisconsin to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Growing up in a small town of just under 2,500 people to going to a city of over 65,000 was the biggest change I have ever dealt with. I got used to it however, and loved it!

The first thing I would tell myself if I could go back in time to my senior year of high school is that Education is priority! Never let anybody nor anything interfere with that. Make sure you take lessons learned, the challenges, uplifts and disappointments with you to grow as you attend college as a young adult. I had a health situation my Junior and Senior year that prevented me from my goal to set forth and acheive my degree. Now, 15 years later I am 33 years old, wife, mother of three children and ready more than ever to accomplish that rewarding goal. I look forward to showing my children while they watch me through this journey just how important Education is.

No one cares! Your peers in high school should have no influence on your college decision. You have no reputation to keep up - it won't matter once you get to school. Sure, you're the top of your class in high school so there's some pressure to impress your peers with your college acceptances, but will they really remember where you went in two years? Make the decision that makes you happy! Not your peers. Not your friends. Not your parents. You are going to college for YOU, no one else. You need to pick the college that fits you and your needs best. Whether that be size, major, or location to home. You do not need to go to Madison beccause that's where the top of the class goes. You do not need to go to Marquette because they're known nationwide. A year later no one cared. No one remembered. Everyone made new friends. Your peers moved on. All that people care about now is whether or not you're going BACK next semester. Were you successful your first year? Did you pick a school that will bring you a successful career?

Wow! High school has finished and it is now time for you to make the next big step: COLLEGE! There are a few things I want you to remember along the way. First things first, high school may have seemed like a breeze, but college classes are packed full of information you will need to study! Some classes will require extra study time, but work for the grade you know you deserve, it will be worth it. Along with taking time to study, make time for your friends. Believe me, these four years will fly by and you will not get them back. Take time to go to a movie and ice cream with Gina and Jess, book that ticket to Costa Rica for the volunteer medical trip, join a broomball team, and keep in touch with those who mean the most to you; you will not regret it! You only get one life to live so live it and keep smiling: it's intoxicating! Remember what Marilyn Monroe said "[...] keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.”

I would tell myself to take more courses my freshman year. I would tell myself to work hard but also enjoy every moment of college. Dont be afraid to ask questions, the professors care about your sucess. Take advantage of every opportunity you can.

I have three major things that I don't consider as regrets, but rather what-ifs about being a high school senior. The first one is try hard right away. I got swept up in the freedoms of college. I didn't do terribly, but compared to how I'm doing now, I'm dissapointed in myself for slacking off my freshman year. I now know how to study well and how to succeed in school and I wish I could've figured that out sooner. The second is to get involved right away. UW-Oshkosh has a fair at the beginning of the school year where you can go and explore all the clubs and organizations Oshkosh has to offer. At this moment I am lucky to be VP of College's Against Cancer here on campus, but I still wish I would've joined the club my freshman year. Lastly, I wish I could tell myself to think long and hard about why I'm going to still. As a junior, I am now an extremely motivated journalism student but going in to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do.

Do not be afraid. College is a time to grow, be independent and learn new things about yourself and the world around you. Going to college may be intimidating: there are new people, difficult classes, a larger campus and not to mention living in the dorms is never easy, but it is fun. Attending a university is an experience that many people miss out on, it is a time to flourish and become the person you have always dreamed of becoming. Yes, your dreams my change, but that is life and you will adjust accordingly, I promise. You will never regret going to college, when people tell you that you make some of your best friends in college, they are not lying. There are groups, activities and gatherings for every interest and I can tell you right now there is one that you will fit right into. Don't fret about the crazy professors or having too laborious of classes, there is nothing a little studying can't fix. Just be your silly self and remember that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. All you have to do is believe in yourself.

If I could go back, I would tell myself to take chances and try something new whenever I can. I made the mistake of not getting involved in any form of club or campus event until my second semester on campus. Even though I had good grades, I was alone most of the time and hardly participated in any extracurricular activities due to lack of knowing any other students. Knowing what I know now, I’d make sure to get out there and join in with campus activities as well as join in on the clubs I had been interested in but wasn’t sure if they would accept me. Another piece of advice I'd give is to get to know other students in my classes, not only would I be making friends but also possible study partners for exams, which I have found to be more helpful than studying individually because it allows for the sharing of information and ideas.

If I could go back to my high school self, I would tell him to join in as much extracurricular activities as he could. It is a great way to build close bonds, figure out what you want to be as you progress in life, and it is probably one of the best times you will ever have as you leave high school. I would tell him to not let the amount of homework or the "Senior-itus" scare him as the days draw to an end. and to let it inspire him to get out there and make the most of the little time that he has left in high school. Because these will be the times that he will look at and remember so make as much memories as possible and live life to the fullest.

I would tell myself to do the best you can in high school because it all makes a difference in College. It helps for academics, curriculum, and career choice. I did not focus as much in my senior year and this impeded my future learning. I do well at the University, but know that I should have completed my high school academics to the best of my abilities.

Dear High School Me, Life is not so much about making the right decisions at the right time but choosing to take take risks and hold responsibilities for choices that might not gaurentee you one hundred percent success. Sometimes you will fail but it is a priviledge to taste faillure because those are the moments that will help you stand back up again. Remember to always keep pushing forward, even when you feel like that "F" for your test score definitely defined your intelligence. Life is too short to make your imperfections bigger than realizing your strengths. Be confident. Yours Truly, Maineng

LIVE ON THE HONORS FLOOR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Quit trying to be cool. You will not be surrounded by nerds who live their entire lives with their nose stuck in a book. (Okay, some of them do, but its not a bad thing) You will be surrounded by like-minded people who want to do more on Friday night than drink themselves silly. You'll be surronded by people who value their college career for the education they get, and not just their social life. Honor's students DO have a social life, by the way. They are witty and funny, and not at all socially awkward. PLEASE do not waste a whole semester trying to fit in with people you are never going to fit in with. You will end up sad and depressed with no friends, and stuck with a terrible roommate. You're going to end up there anyway, might as save yourself some heartache.

I would tell myself, to work harder on getting things ready for college. Also, I would tell myself to make sure you have everything ready for college when the time comes.

I would tell myself to make sure that I am ready for the challenges ahead. I actually graduated high school early, and went straight to college during my senior year. I was not prepared and not ready to meet the challenging requirements of college. I took some time off of school, and now that I am older, I am 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} prepared and dedicated to graduating, and also getting the best grades possible along the way. I have maintained a 4.0 since attending UW Oshkosh, and I love being so dediated and committed. Out of all the things I would tell myself, being prepared would most definitely being the most important thing on my list.

I would tell myself to just try and make it through, and make the best of it. There is no need to overstress about what you will do with your life, you have plenty of time to figure all of that out. Also, trying to escape and go to a far away school may not be the best decision to make. Before picking a school, you need to look at yourself and think about where you will be the best student you can be, not where you will have the most fun.

Dear Courtney, College is amazing! Stop dreading it and start looking forward to it! The transition to college at first is very difficult, but it's okay, you will get through it! It's hard letting go of the life and routine that you've followed for the past 18 years but trust me, once you do, you won't want it back. College life is the best! Your roommate is awesome and the amount of new people you meet is unbelievable! Meeting and making new friends is easy! I know you are unsure about living in the dorms, but don't be. The amount of freedom you now have is great. No more having to ask mom if you can go hangout at a friends house; you can just go do it, regardless of the time of day! You create your own schedule. The school work isn't nearly as bad as you think either. Once you learn to manage your time, its a piece of cake. Litte tip: BUY A PLANNER AND USE IT!! It helps a lot. Also, don't create more work for yourself: Take notes AS you read! Sincerely, College Freshman Courtney

Emily, you love to learn and college is going to excite you in that area without a doubt. The one thing you have to do is accept yourself for who you are and know that you mill make wonderful new friends. Don't think you're weird because you like to talk about what you learned in class; you will find many others who do too. Continue making smart decisions but know what the right choices are. Your studies always have come first, but you have to allow yourself to have fun too. Don't be such a scaredy cat and try new things, get involved in campus activites and find jobs that interest you on campus. There are so many opportunities and all you have to do is take a deep breath and let it go.....

As a senior going into college everything looks so tough, you are told "It is nothing like you think it will be, there is a lot more reading, papers, and tests". So then you go into college expecting it to be really hard. My advice is take a deep breath, don't let school control your life and just control your schooling. The one thing I would go back and tell myself is to only listen to yourself and don't listen to what others tell you about your schedule. People will try to convince you that you don't have to study as much as you do so they can go out and have fun with you, or that you already know the information so you don't need to study. Only you truly know what is good for yourself and you have to listen to that gut feeling about it. If your friends are true friends they will still be there waiting for you when you are finished studying and aceing that test and that is the best advice.

Provide yourself with a routine. Create your routine with an end goal in sight. Start every day as a new one and begin every day with a plan. Don't wake up and be unprepared to succeed. Instead, wake up every single moring planning on being the best, most well rounded person possible. You don't build a wall in one day. Every day, you need to lay a brick as perfectly as it can be laid. As the days pass, you'll have a wall. Live in the moment, but don't forget your past mistakes and don't take your eyes off the future. Overall, be happy and enjoy every single hardship and blessing that comes your way, because as you experience these you are only bettering yourself.