Umpqua Community College Top Questions

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

Ashley

Enroll for college. No matter how exhausted you may be from 13 years of education, these next few years are so important. To be specific, they are the most important of all. It is so much easier to be able to focus and be successful in school when you are young and free from distractions and responsibilities. Just do it and give it everything you have. You are on the home stretch of your journey!

Norma

My advice would give me is, if I going to college today is a opportunity that comes to few but I try my best for finish the college. Is my best opcion for a future I want skills in my life i want a better job, and do my best in this country.

Megan

Don't go to college without a plan or just because it's "what you're supposed to do after High School". Don't rush into it. If it is what is going to make you happy, and not just "I'm happy because the people I'm with are happy", then do it. If you would stick through it even if those in your social circle aren't, go for it. If not, take some time to find yourself and what's going to make you happy. Take some time to travel and gain world experience. It's ok to not be college bound right after High School. Challenge yourself to be more outgoing, more involved, and don't let the friendships you make doing so fall to the wayside., yet continue improving your own sense of self. Those that are true friends will support you for it. Surround yourself with people who love you and not just the things you do for them. At the end of the day, be happiest about what you are doing for yourself and don't ever doubt yourself. You're stronger than you realize. You are loved.

Cassie

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to make the same mistakes. Freshly out of high school, my father was ready and willing to pay my tuition - and he did, however I maintained that I "wasn't ready" for school, and ended up avoiding college altogether. I know that I was a willful young adult, but in truth, if I knew then what I know now, I would have continued with my education and made something of myself as soon as possible, rather than waiting until I was thirty years old, and the single mother of a (beautiful!) toddler. I would caution myself against being too "nomadic" in life (I moved around a lot for several years) and note that some structure is not always a bad thing. I would urge myself to be more driven, not only with school, but with life in general. I am so incredibly fortunate to be able to go to school now, and acquire an education. But there have been many times where I have looked back and wished that I had done so much sooner.

Alexander

Don't worry wether you're going to attend on college or not. UCC will help you to get desireable degree and find a job. Be competent and prepeared for a lot of job, UCC will make you highly prepeared for future life. Be open-minded and kind. UCC will give you a friends and chance to realize your potential.

Jennifer

Jenn, it's not as bad or scary as you think. The world is a much more inviting place, and it will alter your life in the best of ways. Go find yourself, travel the world and experience a life that is fully engaged. When you do finally go to college, it will actaully be enjoyable and much easier. All of those expectations you felt in high school, don't let them suffocate or define you. People dig genuine and passionate people, so shine on! Let go of that bitterness and hate. Live life with arms and mind wide open. That stupid idea of perfection that drove your high schoool success, and anxiety, it's really a fallacy. Perfection doesn't exist. So take a deep breath and get ready for a fun, full and imperfect journey. Be kind to others always. Never trade in monetary wealth for the life of service you want to live and give to others, both globally and locally. Never let anyone tell you that your love and desire to pursue social justice is silly. It is not. One of the most important things is human solidarity. So, relax, laugh, love, serve and enjoy yourself.

Kalee

If I could go back in time and give my fresh out of high school self some advice, it would be to work a little harder. My first term was fairly easy and I let the deceive me. I got lazy and did not do as much studying as I should of. My grades were not what I had hoped to be and discovered that college really was not like high school at all, despite all the warnings I had been given beforehand. I would tell myself to invest more time into studying and not take my classes so lightly. It has affected my overall GPA, and in turn, my confidence in myself as a student. I want to feel good about my time at the college and earn scholarships to help prevent myself from going into debt from student loans, which a poor GPA prevents. I would tell myself of the frustration I would later face because I did not go into college with the right mindset and hope that would be enough for me to kick myself into gear.

Ryan

You are making the right choice, joining the Air Force! Until you have had years to mature, you will not truly value the education that college can provide. You have a hundred dumb mistakes ahead of you, and far better to learn them in a structured environment than in the open campuses. So go out, work for a few years and learn the lessons you need in order to truly appreciate and earn your college degree.

James

If i could go back to being a high school senior, I would start by saving up money to help myself for my future times in need. I would then start feeling out scholarships to try and save as much money as possible and to help me with my college expenses. Realizing the amount of work I would be doing, I would get myself on a regular sleeping schedule. I would make sure I had plenty of pens and pencils at all times. I would organize my work to make sure I always had the right work for the right classes. Homework would be my first priortiy after classes. I would make sure to leave 20 min early to be on time at my first class of the day. I would read up on my projects and make sure to be well prepared when i had speeches to give. The last thing I would do is to make sure that before I had any fun, that educational life was secure for the next day.

Alicia

I wish I could back to my freshman high school self and I say, "Self you need to get your act together, don't take electives because they look easy but instead challenge yourself to harder classes that will help you later in life." I would also like to tell myself to not mess around in math class my junior year because I had to retake my math class and that put me back a whole year! I know I could have gotten straight A's all throughout high school if I had just paid attention because my whole senior year I had straight A's with a full, challenging schedule. Some students don't realize exctly how important high school untill it's over and it's too bad. I love talking to high school students now about how important it is and hopefully I can make a difference in one of their lives and help them to be the best they can be.

Justin

I graduated at 17 & had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had no interest in studying more, much less focusing on a career. I ended up going to college but goofing off and it cost me in both tuition. The best advice I would have for myself would be to get out in the world for a couple of years and see what I enjoy doing for work. I ended up in a job doing working with a construction crew. That experience was the inspiration I wish I'd had as a senior. I'm not saying college isn't right for many or even most seniors. I'm suggesting that although I always had the plan to finish college one day, I may have saved myself considerable heartache by finding the path for me first. If I had the option, would I go back & tell myself all this wisdom? No. Even though it would make my life easier to have a degree already and have a successful career, I would have missed the challenges and the learning curve that has made me who I am today.

Timothy

I would tell myself to not be afraid of change and to get into a good school as soon as possible and not to wait for life to happen to me. Because if I do, I will regret it for the rest of my life.

Cierra

If I could go back and talk to my high school self about the transition from college to high school. I would tell myself that it is not as scary as you think it is going to be, but it is going to be the beginning of your future. Leaving friends and starting all over again is not as bad as it sounds and that you will make so many more friends and have the time of your life.

Nichole

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would want to tell myself how important my education was. I would let myself know that no job is a guarentee and if I want to be able to support myself and my family, education is the key. I would teach myself about economy ups and downs. I wish I could go back and tell myself I am no where near in my life where I would like to be because I didn't finish what I started when I first left high school. I would explain to myself where I was financially in my life and where what step my career was at. I would let myself know how disappointed I was that it took getting laid off from long time employment to get me back on path to full fill my career and education goals. I think if I could say all of this I could motivated myself as a senior to stay focused and on track. I think myself as a senior would want to make sure my career path changed so I wouldn't be where I am today.

corinna

If I go go back to when I was a high school senior I would told myself to take more classes that will count as college credit. I also would have tried to spend more time learning how to study, take notes, and write essays. I would have told myself that college is a lot different than high school because in college you can't cheat your way through and it is important that you actually know the material you are covering in class. I would have told myself that the test are going to be tougher in college so to actually practice studying in high school. I also would have said to take some psychology classes to help me be more successful in my college courses in psychology. Basically, konwing what I know about high school and college I wish I would have spent more time studying and taking notes in high school in order to prepare myself for the transition.

Kimberly

Hi Carol! I am you from the future, can you believe it? Well, I am, and my name is Kimberly. Right now I have a chance to help you to avoid the (some funny, some just awful) mistakes that I made, so that you don't have to make them too. First of all, about your family: let them go with the love they cannot show you. This experience is one of those "character-building" things that fall under the category of "things I cannot change". You'll never please them, so just continue on your path, practice kindness whenever possible and spend as little time with them as possible. Also, no expectations, even for help with college. It is a little hard, but you are an amazing, smart, multi-talented and good person! You can do almost anything you set your heart and mind to! Remember how you talked your way into survival camp when you were ten?This way, you can apply for help with the medical schooling they wouldn't approve. Hopefully these suggestions will keep you away from party life and grounded in reality, but if not, please just remember: to thine own self be true.

Roy

When I was in high school, I was not asked about college, or maybe I just dismissed the possibility of going to college because I knew my family did not have the resources. I do not believe that there were opportunities and resources made available to students today, and actually did not take the time to check what options there may have been. Although I do know that now anyone who has a desire to attend college can do so with a little effort. Well maybe a lot of effort, but it is possible for anyone to get a college education, even if their family does not have the resources.

Edwin

The first statement to myself during my senior year is learn yoga, and start a weight train regiment. You will need a way to relax and boost your immune system, because by your sophomore year in college stress levels are high, and the amount of sleep is low. The second thing would be start cramming as many activities as possible, not only to build volunteer, but also to learn to realistically budget time. After these nuggets of information, I would say that college is going to make me a lot stronger than when I began. Typing 500 words on a given topic is going to be nothing. I would also tell myself to prepare to see engineering principles everywhere, from sitting in an airport to why your parent should not terrace the backyard. I do not regret anything I have done. Community college was the smart choice for me even if it does not feel that way my senior year. I would conclude my discussion by saying even if I you completely ignore everything I have said, the next two years will be a little harder, but you will still have joy, triumphs, and friends to share these experiences.

Jessica

I would tell myself how to succeed at scholarships. It's very difficult to express yourself on paper to judges in order to pay for an education. There is an art and a method to writing scholarship essays. When I first began attending college, I filled out hundreds of scholarships, but I filled them out wrong, or I just didn't word them well, or I didn't come across right. So, I didn't win many scholarships, which made paying for college difficult. So the most important thing that I could tell myself is how to fill out scholarships so that I say what I want to say how I want to say it in a way that is easily understandable. Over the years, I have gotten much better at expressing myself, so I would tell myself that knowledge so that I could focus more on my education and classes and less on paying for them.

Jessica

I would tell myself not to put off homework and applying for scholarships. I was homeschooled, so I began attending college when I was in my high school senior year. Attending Umpqua Community College was my first look at a real school, so it was a huge transition for me. However, I loved every minute of it. One thing I would change though, I would not be so quiet and unsocial. During my first year, I didn't interact with many classmates, and that is one thing that I would change. Mostly though, I would just tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as possible, and I would give myself tips for a more successful application.