Wesleyan University Top Questions

College is more than a nurturing ground of an education for the future. Although few would argue that this is important, I am enthralled by the stimulating environment of being surrounded by fellow students thirsty for knowledge. College is where thousands of students can each thrive on their unique passions. Living and learning in this atmosphere, I begin to understand that school in itself is such a valuable experience. This kind of educational experience is what cultivates a person into a social and able citizen, and the type of learning that I value the greatest.

I would advise myself to get involved in as many activities as possible during my freshman year of college. Freshman year is a time for new beginnings; it's the year when your eyes are most open to your new environment. You are less tied up by committments and routines than you will be at any future point in your college career. Try to meet new people every day and get to know them in a setting where you can discuss, ask questions, and learn from them about what your school offers. Upperclassmen are a tremendous resource because they were most recently in your position. Getting involved in clubs, student groups and other activities will connect you to upperclassmen with similar interests who can give you specific advice. Take the time to expose yourself to a wide spectrum of your campus' options during your first year so that you pick your path with informed confidence. If you narrow down your options and your social circle too quickly, you could prevent yourself from discovering opportunities that are right under your nose! Be open and curious; freshman year should be a time for exploration.

OK, self, first of all, don't be so nervous about the changes that everyone tells you college brings. Yes, there are big changes, but you do not have to be a passive fish lost in a vast sea of new experiences; rather, you can be an active agent in shaping your new life. Also remember that getting into college is probably harder than any single assignment you will have to complete during your time at college, so, once again, don't worry. Focus on being involved in outside activities, such as volunteering, social activities, and clubs --- these will complement what you learn in classes. In terms of course selection, try to sample a wide variety of classes, but don't be too hesitant to specialize in a subject area, or to take all the classes offered by your favorite professor. On a lighter note, I would advise you to study the campus map and explore widely in the beginning of the first semester --- learn all of the shortcuts and unknown secrets of the university. You will be glad you did.

Experience. I feel like, for one reason or another, I dedicated more than enough time to simple academic tasks rather than experiencing and enjoying the world around me. I was privileged enough to grow up in a vastly diverse country like Ecuador, where some of the most unique environments in the world are closely intermixed within a small territory, but I feel as if I forsaked the many opportunities my setting provided in favor of academics. It?s clear to me that it was my academic record that got me into Wesleyan University, but I neverthless feel like perhaps too much of my time was absorbed by my own relentless attitude towards learning just that which was taught in class. Today, I know that I could have learnt even more valuable lessons simply by discovering and experiencing the knowledge that already surrounded me; from the peculiarities of isolated environmental systems in the mountains, to the social dilemmas of agriculturally-dependent indigenous communities. Every day, I woke up in this world, but I never paid any attention to it, I took it for granted. It was a mistake of the past. Upon my return, I will make up for lost time.

As a senior in high school, I was terrified of starting college. For one thing, I didn?t get into my first choice, and was less than enthusiastic about the options I had left, mostly because I had never pictured myself anywhere else. I was also worried about making friends; I?m very shy, and I?d gone to school with the same kids since kindergarten. I didn?t even remember the last time I?d made a new friend, and the thought of immersing myself in a community composed entirely of people I?d never met was petrifying. I wish I could have told myself not to worry about it so much. When I began college this fall, I soon realized there was nowhere else I?d rather be. And even though it was hard to make friends at first, I soon found people to be close to just by being myself. I would have tried to convince my high school self that WHERE I went to college wasn?t important. What was important was opening myself up to the experience of attending college and embracing all the new things this stage of my life has to offer.

Are you ready to live by yourself and take full responsibility of yourself? Are you ready to study hard? or rather, use your time wisely to do all your studying? Are you ready to take intensive courses where you need to break your barrier to participate and express your ideas? Are you ready to focus? Are you ready to make decisions by yourself? Are you ready to be away from family? Are you ready to encounter new and different people from all over the place? Are you ready to face the realities of students being different from what you ever thought of them? Are you ready to fight yourself? Are you ready to be challenged in your faith/belief? Are you ready to engage in wonderful conversations with your professors? Are you ready to expand your knowledge? Are you ready to think differently and much deeper than ever before? Are you ready to share your wisdom with your peers and people around you? Are you ready for your future? Are you ready to be who you want to be? Are you ready to make yourself valuable? Are you ready to stop thinking/talking and start acting? Are you ready?

The advice that I would give to myself is to practice making choices for myself, and not letting myself get influenced by outside factors. In college, there are no parents telling you that you need to study. The professors don't tell you to do your homework (problem sets), they expect you to do it. You make up your own schedule, you chose your classes, you decide to go to a party on friday night or not, you decide to drink, or not. Everyday, you are faced with choices, and high school wasn't like that, we did not have the choice for many of things....You are your own university because you can choose to do the work, attend the lectures, and succeed, but if you don't, then college won't really mean anything. You make up your own rules, and you will pay the price at the end.The ultimate advice would be that the 4 years of high school, getting good grades, staying out of trouble, and well everything in between, no party, no drinking, no smoking pot, weed, and all that other stuff; being in college makes it worth it.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself I would tell myself to work on time management and to be more independent. I relied so heavily on my parents that when I went to this out of state college, it was very hard to transition into a life on my own. In making the move to college life I would tell myself to never forget family, but to also not make them your main source of companionship. I would tell myself not to be afraid to be outspoken and make new friends and most importantly to take classes I would never think to take. College is all about new experiences and part of that is having an open mind to take in the new and unexpected. Without this mindset I would never have taken my first anthropology class and would never have known how much I loved the material. I would also tell myself to mentally prepare for the amount of work coming, because high school was a breeze in comparison, but I would also tell myself that all of the work is so worth the knowledge attained.

Ignore the rankings. Ignore the prestige. Talk to the students, eat in the dining hall, sit in on a class. You're going to be here for four years. You want to make sure that you'll be happy and that you'll learn a lot.

really think about what you want in a school.