Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Top Questions

What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

Lauren

The advice I would have given myself as a high school senior was to not worry about the obstacles I was facing, but to focus on my grades instead. I would tell myself to set goals and act on them as opposed to getting discouraged over the negative things that were taking place in life. Discovering an alternative plan for my education and having it set before I graduated high school would be an important task to have completed. Not knowing the direction you're heading in after graduation is an unsettling feeling. Last but not least, the most important advice I would give myself would be to not procrastinate. It's hard to be successful when you don't have the ability to take your time on an assignment. Every good grade counts and the excess stress you put on yourself isn't worth it.

Andrew

I wish I started school right after high school but I do not regret it since I learned a lot from the military and theat experience will help push me to succeed doing whatever I do.

Kaitlynn

make time of your own to go out or to relax or take a day of your own with friends or family. you need to make that time at least once a week because homework and stress can pile up real fast, without you even knowing it.

Stephanie

If I could magically go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to focus on school work and branch out and take more classes, even though I didn't necissarily need them. Sure, spending most of my day in the artroom was awesome, and taking a college lever art class was beneficial to me, since art is my passion, but I should have taken more classes that I could have got college credits for. Truely focus on what you are at college to do, because that education is going to be very beneficial in the long run. You only get one chance to make it, so why would you want to settle for second best?

Shia

Try to focus more on your homeowork. Try not to feel tired during class time.

marina

When you think of college, you think of parties because that’s what others told you what college is. In truth college is your choice. You decide to go to class. Attending class might or might not go towards your grade. Attending class though will help you pass. The teacher might give you clues on what might be on the test and/or what to study. Always come to class prepared, you don’t know what the teacher might ask for. Take courses that you know will be helpful in the future. You could save a lot of money. When I was in school I didn’t think I’d chose Accounting as a program, so I didn’t take accounting in school. I should have taken that class just in case, so I’d know what I was getting into. I know that repetition helps me remember and if I'd taken accounting in school, I would have been more familiar with the material that I'm currently learning. All I'm saying is that college could be tough if you don't know what to expect and don't rush.

Kristin

Go for it. Some people just aren't going to like you anyway so live big and don't be afraid. Also......you're smarter than you think.

John-Michael

If I could go back in time and talk to yourself as a high school senior what advice would you give myself? Follow your passion. Do what you enjoy doing. Even if you are making a lot of money, if you are not enjoying it, it will not be worth it. More likely, if you do not enjoy what you are doing you are probably not going to be successful at it. Do not let others choose your path for you, not even will meaning parents. Figure out what drives you, what activities you get lost in, and what motivates you. Then figure out how you can use that to help others. Talk with people. It is amazing how much we don’t know. Do not let yourself be boxed in by those who think they know everything. Do not let others define you or tell you what your limitations are. It is not a matter of whether or not you can make a living doing what you enjoy. Instead you should be asking- how do I make it happen?

Danielle

Okay, kid. I know in your freshman year you hated the world. Your sophomore year, you were close to giving up. Your junior year, you switched gears and went into a downward spiral. But in your senior year, you said enough's enough. You picked yourself back up, and you made the promise to go to college and become the person you've always dreamed of being. I couldn't be any more proud of you for making that choice. I want you to remember that nothing can get in your way. College is the most frightening, stressful, confusing, exciting, and best time of your life. Throughout your teens, you struggled with depression and finding the motivation to continue, but you did it. You graduated! You got accepted into college! There's nothing you can't do now. You've made a 180 degree spin and you became your own hero. The scars on your body are battle wounds; you've made it through the storm. You are the female Hercules, fighting your own set of dragons. This new chapter of your life will be exhilerating, but face it head on. You can do this. We can do this.

Jennifer

I would tell myself to join more clubs and do more research on what I want to do for a career. i know now that I would like to go for gerontology. However, I want to get a masters in it and only out of state colleges offer that. I need to transfer now and I should have researched that as well.

Alex

Hey, calm down, it'll all be okay. Sure, one minute you're hanging out with your friends, laughing and enjoying your summer like you always have, and then you blink, and your friends are scattered across the country and you're tackling college all by yourself. The training wheels come off seemingly too soon, and you have to learn to adapt to new, intimidating place at the same time you have to say goodbye to your friends possibly forever; it's certainly stressful. However, you can adapt and thrive in school. And I know change is hard for you, and indeed it will be stressful to be in a completely new environment at times, but that's life, and you'll get used it. You'll realize that college is doable, and even fun; it's a place where you can truly become yourself and work towards and develop your goals for the future. So, my advice to you (me), would be to stop stressing about college. Enjoy being with your friends, and realize that those seemingly insignificant times with your friends now are actually the memories you'll hold most dear to your heart when they're gone.

Jacqueline

First I will be more attentive and follow all the instruction. Work more hard to get better GPA . I will do all my assignment and ask question, explaination to the field or subject I didn't understand. I will work close with the teacher knowing that eduction will better my future and give me a better job. I will sing to myself when I get discourage "EDUCTION IS THE KEY TO A BETTER LIFE AND BETTER JOB" . I will remind myself that I won't be depending on my parent forever, soon will be on my own. Further more, I want a better life than my parent.

Shannon

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself to be more focused. You need to study in college, even if in high school you never needed it to get good grades. College life is rough. Mom and Dad aren't there to make you get up, make you go to class, make you work on homework and study, or make you go to bed at night. I would tell myself that I need to work on being independent and making those decisions everyday for myself. I would tell myself to learn to budget money better and balance my checkbook often. I would tell myself not to fall into the trap of credit cards given out to college students that don't know any better. You need to understand credit, how it works and how it can affect your life, positively and negatively for the rest of your life. These are the lessons I would teach myself if I could go back. These were the lessons I learned the hard way.

Kristine

If i could go back ten years ago, i would've listened to the advice that surrounded me. Like many teenagers, i thought i knew everything. I always thought there would be so much time to return to school. I wanted to have fun! Life passes you by so quickly. Retuning back to school is very challenging! I now have to take classes as a review because much time has passed. Honestly, if I would've continued my education immediately I would save myself time and financial resources. I now am a single mother , returning to school is an even bigger challenge. I wish i would've taken the oppurtunity without the added responsilbility. College should be your passion and your journey in life. Pursue those goals to the fullest! Not only will it make you a confident and a productive member of society, but it will also secure the future of yourself and your family.

Taryn

Don't procrastinate. When you have something to do, get it done right away and not wait till the last minute, because in college you don't get a second chance to turn it in. Push yourself to the fullest.

SEE

If I ever had the chance to go back in time to talk with myself as a high school senior about college life and of what I know now. I would tell myself that so much has happened so much has been gained and lost. However, your life is only the beginning. Be more confident in yourself instead of second guessing. Don?t over think too much or care what others have to say because in the end, you?re the only one who matters anyway. Life is not always as easy as you might think it to be, it is hard filled with an adventurous journey. Life is a journey, we live and we learn. In that journey, we will make mistakes, but with that mistake we learn how to deal with who we are. We discover more of who we are, instead of what others want. We are not a blank canvas, but a masterpiece of our own doing. We are the future, we make the decisions, and we are the future leading towards a more potential future that lies ahead of us. We are the future makers of a new era.