University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

I would tell myself to actually take school seriously and not goof around when I could be finding out what jobs I would be interested in. I'd also tell myself to relax and be myself when meeting people, as that's the best thing you can do to make friends.

Going back to high school I would tell myself, you are going to experience a lot of new situations and many opportunities will be presented to you, it is only up to you if you want to make it happen. You are at a new standard, you?re an adult and you will be treated like one, print your syllabus and expect every word and date to be true and do not take it lightly. Professors are there to teach you, it is only up to you to retain and take their information and use it. During your senior year, schedule classes that will better prepare yourself for your first year of college and when you hear about or see posters about job fairs; take that as an incentive or opportunity to see what interests you or what you want to be when you grow up. Bottom line if you don?t get your priorities in line and don?t focus on the task at hand, college will hit you hard academically and financially. High school only last once, enjoy it, but don?t regret it. Without an education your dreams and goals may never happen. DO IT and SUCEED!

I would tell myself not to be scared. College can be a scary concept of life, however, the classes aren't that difficult. They are more difficult than high school, but it should be expected. College is a great place to make life-long friends and further your education. Don't be shy to talk to new people and make new friends. These could potentially be future study partners, or future classmates. Making friends may seem like a hard thing to do, but also keep in mind that some of these people you may talk to are in the same shoes as you, new incoming freshman, not knowing what to do, and shy to talk to others. Talk to other people, study hard, and you'll make it.

I would tell myself to loosen up. As a senior, I was very stressed out and constantly on edge about everything being perfect. I, like many seniors, believed that I needed to get perfect grades, consider every possible college and make the absolutely perfect choice. I realize now that college is a time to make choices and take opportunities as they come. There will be many different paths no matter which school you choose and you have to take them in stride. You will never be able to consider every aspect or anticipate every new facet a choice creates. The best you can do is make the choice you believe to be best and learn from it. Nothing is set in stone and at the very least, you will gain an experience from your choice. So, as I have learned this year, I would tell myself to stop stressing out and do what I really believed was right without worrying about what I would be missing out on. Life is not perfect, it is full of mistakes and the best we can do is to learn from them rather than spend our time being afraid of them.

If I were afforded the opportunity as a college freshman to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, the first thing I would tell myself would be to challenge myself more academically. I would explain to myself that while in high school I really didn't have to study that hard to get satisfactory grades. But now in college, the academic pace has been ratcheted up a couple notches and I would find a new level of challenges that I had never experienced before. The second thing I would tell myself would be to become more involved in the local community. Not only is community service highly expected during the college application and enrollment process, but professors and employers expect some degree of community service to be part of your personal experiences. Now that I'm in college I personally have found that community service has made me a more well rounded and satisfied individual.

Be open with people. Put yourself out there. You want your life to be entertaining people, so suck it up and get over yourself. Keep being kind and don't take friendship for granted. You might not become the most popular person or biggest partier, but the friends you will make, will cherish the bond between you. Don't be so lazy, and maybe go use the beautiful sports center and gym more. It doesn't matter that no one else is raising their hand to answer a question, if you know the answer, answer it! The teacher will respect you, and most likely grade your work easier than the others. PRACTICE MORE THAN A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK YOU FOOL, your major requires more studying than most, so study! People will complain about their workload when they only take 12 credits, be prepared to take a full creditload every semester and have 8am classes every day. It's worth it in the end. It's your dream and you are on your way.

Making the transition from home to college and the residence halls can be tough. College is for education; additionally, it presents an opportunity for young people to learn to live in a community. Hang things in the dorm to make it feel like home. Introduce yourself to other students on the floor. Attend events, from concerts to career fairs, and try to speak with at least two people at each; these are fantastic ways to get a foot in the door, and, potentially, your first job in college. Life in college may be overwhelming at first, so it is important to keep a clear head. Ask plenty of questions. Take interesting courses during the day and sleep at night. Getting hired is wonderful, but work no more than two jobs. Joining a club is a good way to get involved and to build a resume. Finally, remember to explore. Exit the comfort zone. Get to know the nearby hangouts, the professors, the people in the cafeteria, residential advisors, and others who come your way. Be confident and smile as you enter college.

If I could go back in time and teach myself what I know now, I would tell myself to cherish my time with my family as much as possible. While they will always be "there" for me, I am now marked with a feeling that home is not home any more. This is not because there is no love with my family, but rather it is due to the fact that I am now struck with a stronger passion than I ever have had, and being at home will not quell my passion. So before I was not running in a frenzy between meetings and events, and now I am. I should find my balance, but even my family tells me to chase my dreams, so "returning" home is no longer possible. The complacency of yesterday is gone and in its place there is a fire.

I realize now that I am in college that I spent too much time focused on my academics when I wish I would have spent more of that time in extracurricular activities because it is very important to make friends once you are out on your own. If I could go back in time and talk to myself while in high school, I would urge myself to make more friends and join in some more non-academic activites to get myself more involved. I would also encourage myself to be more independent and confident in myself and to be more involved with classmates in my studies.

Study hard and be open to all new experiences.