University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Top Questions

College is not a right, it's a privilege. Spend these next four (or five) years to become the best version of yourself. Study more than you think you need to, the skeletal system will not appear in your mind overnight. Don't go home every other weekend, mom and dad are a phone call away and the people across the hall from you are just as homesick as you are--go out and meet them! You will be on the fast track to the freshman 15 if you eat Jimmy John's every day--use your meal plan and stick with the salad bar...seriously. Get to know your professors, they are extremely awesome, very talented and are truly invested in your learning experience--don't take them for granted! Study abroad and don't think twice. The people you meet and the places you go will give you a brand new perspective on life as you know it. Join clubs and organizations on campus! Being involved is cool. Be intentional in your friendships and learn how to communicate effectively. Make time for yourself. Don't be proud of your college, make your college proud to have you.

If I could go back to myself as a senior I would not have stopped school at the semester. At the time it seemed like a good idea I was sick of all the high school drama and always being broke. My hope with graduating at semester was to save a bunch of money to use towards college, but instead I learned working retail that does not happen. Even though I was available every day of the week at any time of the day I was still stuck with all my short night shifts that only made me about $30 a shift. I should have just stuck with high school and taken the advance classes offered for cheap to count for college credit, then I could be farther ahead in college than behind because I sucked at the placement tests after six months away from school.

College life was not that hard to get aquainted with, in fact it was much easier to adjust to than high school life was for me. The problem I had as a senior was a lack of intrinsic motivation to go through with my plans, something that has affected my future in a big way because by the time I recieve my Bachelors I will have been in school for 7.5 years as opposed to the normal 4. If I could go back and give my younger self advice I would tell myself to research my major before I start to take classes for it. In the three years of attending community college I changed my major three times which resulted in paying for unnecessary credits and wasting precious time. I would also tell myself to stop thinking so much about what I want to do and just do it. Life is too short to sit around waiting for opportunity to knock at your door; you have to be the one searching and pursuing your dreams, or better yet creating opportunity for yourself. If you want to change the world, you first have to change yourself.

I would advise myself to understand that college is not easy. I would need to make sacrifice, don’t sleep as much as I used to sleep while I was in high school to be able to keep up with school work. Understand why you go to college, knowing that the challenge that you are facing at school is not going to be for ever. I would advise myself to get good grades in my classes, don’t get bothered by all the craziness that might happen on campus. I would advise myself to get ready for all the challenges and know how to manage my budget because being students is hard, especially when you come from a poor family. I would advised myself to not discourage when you ask for help and people don’t help you or do not understand if you are in need and don’t be afraid to tell people who you are and what kind of family you come from even if you have a poor family like me.

As a high school student there are a lot of different pressures coming from all different sources to pick the right school. Most people think that a four year campus is best, but after attending and completing my two year degree at a two year university, I would tell myself to stop worrying about what others think. Going to a two year school or even a technical school does not mean you are any less smart than your peers. If anything, you are smarter because a two year school generally costs less and allows you to remain in constant contact with your family. Moving to a four year school is a hard adjustment because you are on your own; at a two year school, however, you have the option to continue to live with family. You can also keep your job and make money while you learn! Attending a two year school does not mean you will miss out on the "college experience" like many people will tell you. You will still have opportunities to join clubs, meet new people and live on your own if you want. Overall, I would not change a thing!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take my classes more seriously. The first semester of college I took some general classes, like biology, chemistry, and an environmental studies class. The material in the class was not difficult but I failed to take the time and study hard. I thought that I could get by with minimal studying and as long as I got a B in the class I would be okay. Now, looking back, I regret that. The classes I am taking this semester are more difficult and I feel like even though I study hard it is still difficult to get an A on everything. If I had studied more last year my GPA might be higher. I have a 3.5 GPA right now but to get into nursing school it is better to have a 3.8 GPA. It would be nice to go back to the past, but right now I have to focus on the present and future and study hard.

Dear High School Self, I know that you are wise beyond your years. The truth is, the knowledge that you possess right now will benefit you in your future (perhaps even the calculus equation that you learned today). Along with what you know now, countless life-lessons await you in your near future. To guide you to your next step and through your transition into college, please consider the following advice: Change is one of the few constants in life. It is inevitable. Though change is a hard concept, accept it. With that, if you ever find yourself doing something that you don’t like, then change it. Trust your gut. Go after your passion. Push yourself to reach your full potential. Give all that you have and do all that you can do. I know that you will make a difference. It is natural for individuals your age to want to fast-forward into the future. Soon enough, you will feel as though you are fast-forwarding through life. Before you know it, your future will be your present. Remember to pause. Take time to enjoy the journey. Embrace every moment. Stay positive. Stay true to you. Love, Yourself

If I could fo back and talk to myself about the transition to college I would stress that you arenow fully responsible for yourself. There will be no one looking over your sholder to makesure you are doing you homework. Your parents are not ther eto make sure you are making responsible and safe choices. I would make sure that I knew that even though they are not there doesnot mean I should do whatever I want. I would tell myself that I need to make choices that I can live with the next morning. I would tell myself that the choices I make in college can affect the rest of my life. I would do this by telling myself that if I get into trouble with the law it could get in the way of being accepted into the College of Education or getting a job after I graduate. I think thatit is very imoratn to remind all incoming freshamn not to take advantage of their new found freedom because every action can affect the rest of their life.

Being a first year college student, looking back I would've changed a lot of things in High School. First off, I would not take anything for granted. My first three years of high school flew by and all of a sudden I was a Senior. I regret taking a lot of my high school career for granted, especially my Senior year. Also, I would make sure I took my last year of high school more serious. How hard you work in high school reflects on how well you will do in college. If you don't learn how to study and time manage in high school, it will really show in college. Coming into college my first year, I had no idea how to study or even where to begin. Learning how to time mange and how to study are two of the most definite things I would make sure I would've knew before coming into college. All in all though, the biggest advice I would give to myself would be, college is a lot more difficult than high school, start preparing now before its too late.

College is a time where you can completely be yourself, unashamed. There are so many opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals that bring out the best in you. It's ok to not know exactly what you want to study or where you want to go in life, take it all one day at a time. On another note, the all you care to eat dining facilities don't really mean you need to eat it all.... the freshmen fifteen is very real so be careful! Find a healthy balance between school work, social life, and allowing yourself enough time to rest and refresh so you don't overdo it. Most importantly have fun! These are the best times of your life with some of your new best friends.