University of Dayton Top Questions

College will allow you to be the person you want to be. You do not have to fill the the roles given to you by others. In high school, there are cliques, whether you have recognized them or not. Look around you during lunchtime, the table you sit at is filled with athletes, while the table to your left is filled with students who formed a book club, sharing their thoughts on different pieces of literature. Just because you are an athlete doesn't mean you can't study Robert Frost. Notice, everyone at your table carries their packed lunch in a brown bag. Is your turkey sandwhich a little warm and slightly slimy? Do you ever want to bring a lunchbox with an ice pack inside to keep it cool? Would that be cool? College is always regarded as the "best years" of your life. It is not because of the heavy workload, long nights, and stressful testing enviroments, believe me. It is because you have a chance to change your identity. No, you cannot be George Clooney, but you can be the Paul you have always wanted to be.

Seeing my depressed, defeated, and broken high school self would bring back some very difficult memories. I would have more than a few words to say to my senior self if I had the chance. I would say that it gets better. That after I walk accross that stage on graduation, I will enter a new life at the best university there is. No longer will students judge for having panic attacks, and being crippled by depression. New classmates, roommates, and faculty will soon embrace you and show you the true potential you have. The University will soon become your family, and the sheer amount of joy and love that fills the campus air is enough to calm any anxious heart. I would say that the potenial found in the University of Dayton classrooms will motivate you to be the best you can be, and create a dream you never knew you had. I would look into the eyes of my high school senior self, and just say to hold on, because a new, amazing life is awaiting.

If I could go back in time and have a conversation with my high school self, I would only have one word of advice: relax. I found that every process I endured my freshman year of college such as saying goodbye to my parents, failing my first test, and spending my birthday without my family was stressful and difficult but looking back now, I have grown from all of it and am stronger. I had no reason to worry because I studied harder and didn't fail my next test, called my parents everyday to talk, and spent my birthday with the closest friends I've ever had so instead of stressing out or freaking out, I should have just relaxed. College is never going to be easy, and life won't either, but everything in life always has a way of working itself out. One test or even one class is not important in the grade scheme of life. So relax, enjoy life, and realize that everything will end up beautiful.

From the moment you step foot on campus, there are things you should understand to graduate with the best experience, strong relationships, and ultimately a job in your chosen career field. First, it is far easier to maintain a GPA than it is to raise one. Your first and second year curriculum will likely not be related to you major but do not disregard them; they still count towards your GPA. With that said, a good GPA isn’t everything either. Employers are not impressed with just a number on a page, but are interested in the story that shows what you have done to achieve that number and outside of academics. Regarding your social life, if you’re always the life of the party, then you’re also the one that will be taken less seriously in most cases. Being liked and being respected are different things; respect is far more valuable. Also, do not look to fall in love because you will settle. Let it happen naturally and focus on you. Everybody is attracted to somebody that has a promising future. Lastly, have fun. Four years goes by faster than you can imagine .

The biggest piece of advice I would give myself is that you absolutely have to manage your time. Prioritize your classwork, and make sure its done before you do anything else. Also, college is harder than high school. You won't be able to just coast by without studying. You need to put in the work to have any success.

If I were capable of giving advice to my high-school-senior self, I imagine the conversation would go something like this: "Emily Elizabeth Voelz, get a grip and CHILL OUT. There are literally so many great things you can experience, and you are not doing anyone favors by taking the back seat. DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE RISKS. Not to be corny, but YOLO. You only live once, and although this has turned into a derogatory phrase, it is so true. Blaze a trail for yourself, and don't let your constant worrying and fears hold you back. You are capable of so much when you put your mind to it, so you might as well gain some confidence and go for it! Live in a way with which you are proud; in a way that, when you look back on your life, you will be satisfied. There are so many things that are more important than what you got on that anatomy presentation or calculus quiz. Be proud of who you are and who you can become. Do what makes you happy. And, most importantly, CHILL OUT.

Listen, kid: you have work to do. Get used to it. It seems like integrating home life and school life will make things easier, but if you go into college with that attitude, you won't put in the effort that you should. You'll crash, and you'll burn, and you'll be upset and angry at nobody but yourself. You'll lose your scholarship, thinking like that. You'll kick yourself for not caring enough. The time for slacking off is over; you've overstayed your welcome in that department anyway. You keep telling yourself that you can be great if you apply yourself, so apply yourself. It'll be hard, yeah, but if it's not hard then it's probably not worth it. It feels like a struggle, and you won't snap out of your cycle of procrastination and self-loathing because you've convinced yourself that the alternative will destroy you. It won't. It will rebuild you. You will feel better. You will be better. You will sit at your clean desk and know that soon you can check "give advice" off of your to-do list. Now get to work.

I would give myself the advice of not being afraid. There are so many opportunities that I have missed over the years of college that I have lost because I was afraid I couldn't do it, or I wouldn't be good at it. I went into college thinking that it would be competetive and so different, and I have held myself back from some things I was more than capable of doing. You will meet all kinds of people in college and you will have all kinds of chances to be who you are and noone is going to judge you. I was afraid of being myself for the first semester my freshman year, until I realized that noone was judging me on who I was. There are always people just like you, and if you search just a little, you will find exactly where you fit in. I found that out when I opened myself up to UD and all of the people here. So my advice to myself is to not be afraid. Don't be afraid of being yourself, taking chances, and doing something you don't usually do. You won't regret it.

If I could go back to my high school senior self, I would tell myself to slow down. As a senior I was working full time, 40 hours a week at the age of 17. I would jump at the chance to miss class to go to work, because my manager would excuse me and I would just say, “I’m a senior, it’s not like it really matters.” It does matter, my grades got worse and I didn’t even get into my number one school choice, The University of Wyoming. I would not go back and tell myself to study this or do this with your life, because I didn’t decide to study nursing until last semester. I would want myself to know that yes a good paycheck was nice, but having a good gpa is better. I have been working like crazy in school to get to where I am now and to make up for what I missed in high school. School and life doesn’t get easier, but it gets more rewarding, which is what I would tell my senior self.

If I could go back and tell my senior self, I would definitely make sure that I knew how different college would be. I would tell myself to enjoy senior year as much as possible, and not to take a moment for granted. Most importantly, I would make sure I knew how much I would miss being involved in theater and to make sure I got as involved as possible. As far as for the acedemic aspect, I would make sure I knew just how different the transition would be. I'd make sure I had good study skills and that I had the work ethic a head of time that you need when you get to college.

The one thing I would tell my senior year self would to be more comfortable with who I am as a person and to not change in order to make people like me. My freshmen year, I changed myself into someone I really did not like in order for my "friends" to like me. I was not happy when I hung out with them but I did not want to be who I really was because these kids were considered cool and I wanted them to like me. Towards the end of freshmen year, I started to realize that I needed to be who I truly was. So, I came into my current year (sophomore year) being who I really am and now I have friends that I can honestly say are my best friends that will be around for my whole life. I would stress to my senior year self to never change; never be afraid of what others think of you and make sure to never make the first priority in your life to be to please someone. I stopped doing that and now I am enjoying life to the fullest with friends that I love the most.

I would tell myself to enjoy high school while I had the chance. College is a lot of work and focus. There is less time with friends and less time for relaxing. Also, I would say to enjoy every moment with your family. It's surprising how much one can miss their parents while at college. I would tell myself to cherish all the moments in the lunch rooms and being silly with my friends. Lastly, I would tell myself to not have such high expectations for the people you will meet in college. After all, like the saying goes; High school never ends.

Having been in college for a semester, I have grown and learned a lot that my high school self was too immature to understand. If I could go back in time and give myself one piece of critical advice, it would actually have nothing to do with my education. Academics are important, but I also believe that social skills are just as significant. In high school, I was very concerned on being liked. I focused my attention more on how other people felt about me, rather than focusing on how I felt about myself. In college, I have realized it is more important to put the focus on myself and how I feel about myself. I now strive to be the best person I can be; I am friendly to everyone and am more understanding of other’s differences. This change of focus has helped me achieve the friendships that I strived for in high school, but was not able to obtain. By realizing I needed to put more effort into how I treat people, I am a more likeable person and have found my best friends at college.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have many words of advice to give. First, I would mention how difficult college is and that the transition can not be taken lightly. I would tell myself to start applying myself then because by the time college starts, I need to be ready to try my hardest and do my best. I would also tell myself to enjoy life and slow down because high school goes by so fast, especially senior year. Senior year is a time where memories are made and some of the best moments that will be cherished for ever occurr during senior year. I would end by telling myself just to be the best person I can and to try making a difference because in college, the people who have the biggest affect on others are the one's who are the most caring.

The greatest advice I could give to not only myself as I entered college, but everyone entering college, is to feed your interests. College is a time for students to figure out their true selves and not hold back from what makes them truly happy. There are many cases when people going into college believe they know exactly who they are, what they want to do, and how to do it. It is stubborness that can lead people down the wrong path; for if a person doesn't experience college open-mindedly, he or she may miss somthing that could entirely change the direction of his or her life. Open-mindedness is the key to feeding your intersest; one must surely know what they want to do before they can feed it. With this in mind, I would advise my younger self to open-mindedly talk to many different people, young and old, about their interests and what they hope to do with them in the future. Above all however, I would advise myself to follow my passions and let the things that I am good at and enjoy write my future for me.

I would tell myself not to take everything so seriously. I was so worried about being involved in everything so that it would look good on ny resume, mind you I loved the extracurriculars I was involved in, but it was not worht the stress and demand I put upon myself. I would tell myself to be better at maintaining relationships with people because that is how you grow as a person. I would tell myself to take risks and face fears because you only have one life to live. Lastly, I would tell myself "embrace life".

The only advice I would give myself is to not worry much about the transition, as it was a very smooth one for me.

College life is going to be a major change from your life as a high school student living at home. There are times that you will become homesick, however you will have many loyal and reliable friends that will help you be more comfortable away from home. Although there will be a lot of opportunities to have fun, in order for you to succeed in school you will have to work very hard and have persistance. Do not worry if you are wondering if this school might not be right for you, everything work out and it will be one of the greatest times of your life. You will learn a lot academically, and you will also meet a bunch of wonderful people.

Dear Self, You really did not need to worry about making friends, or picking the right major, or being so far away from home, you made the right choice. UD was a perfect fit for you. It has an amazing campus that you love, your have been able to grow as a person and in your musical experiences, and you have met some incredible people. You didn't need to be scared to try this new place out. You now have two places to call home and you are loved both places. Love, Me

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior about how to succeed in college, I would tell myself to get things done early. It is a lot easier to get things, school related or otherwise, done earlier than have to rush through things at the last minute. The work you do when you have time to focus on it is a lot better and it makes life a little easier because you are not stressing about getting everything done on time. I would also tell myself to have fun! This is college so you need to stay focused on school and do good in your classes but you still need to have fun. Go out with friends and have a good time but stay smart and stay away from dangerous situations that could harm youself or others. That is what I would go back and tell myself as a senior in high school about what to expect in college.

I would tell my high school self to be focus and rid some of my negative habits, such as waiting till the last minute to do work and not applying myself the way I knew I could. I would tell my high school self to be in everyt] organization that i could possibly be in. to expand my horizons. I would also tell my high school self to not take advantage of the fact that the work given in high school wasn't that difficult becasue once college comes the work load would increase by a great amount; therefore requiring me to put forth my best effort. I would tell myself to appreciate the time that I have left in high school because once graduation comes, high school days are over and that I will miss them very much.

I am having a really great time so far as an undergraduate student at the University of Dayton. I haven't had any kind of problems with the school's policies or regulations and I think that shows I came mentally and physically prepared for the college environment. Maybe one thing that I would suggest myself is to be a little more communicative at the beginning and establish more contacts with people on my floor, in my classes,groups etc. I would also suggest to be more concentrated on my studies, because although I managed to get 3.3 GPA for my first semester I am not pleased with this result, because I know that I can do a lot better. Besides that I am happy that I learnt how to manage my time, before coming to the University, because that really helped me with maintaining the balance between my mental and physical activities within the Flyers' community.

Looking back on my high school self during senior year I would have told myself to get your grades up, look more into scholarships for college and to have more fun during my last year of high school. I have never been a 4.0 student but if I would have gotten my grades up during my senior year I would have gotten more financial aid for the private Catholic college that I am now attending. Another thing I would have told myself is the importance of applying for a large variety of scholarships before coming to college. I would have done this because all of a sudden it really hits you one day that you are going to have to pay thousands of dollars for the education and experience you have been having. But most of all I would have told myself to just really enjoy the experience of being with my high school friends because it is tough in college to stay in touch with friends that do not go to the same school.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to find balance in life. By the end of my senior year, I had a 4.0 GPA, was salutatorian of my class, and earned over 20 college credits, most to Xavier University. While I was very accomplished academically, I was not as accomplished socially. I often spent more time than necessary doing homework and less time hanging out with friends. Even though I enjoyed my experience at my school, Purcell Marian, I realize now that my experience would have been better if I had studied less and socialized more. I finished my first semester at the University of Dayton with new friends who I would consider just as close to me, if not closer, than the friends I made in my four years of high school. In addition, I earned a 3.41 GPA as a mechanical engineering major. My transition into college life took some time, but if I had better known how to find balance between school and friends, I may have been able to make the change more efficiently.

As a high school senior, I found myself tiring of high school and anxious to move on to the next phase of my life. Now that I have experienced a half of year in college, it seems like forever since I was in high school. If I could go back, I would tell myself to stay focused on grades and learn as much as possible. I would also advise myself to make time to be with friends because as you scatter to various universities, you will miss them. I would also recommend to build purposeful relationships with adults that can provide mentoring and support for me throughout college and provide insight to various careers and even internships. Lastly, I would save more money from my job because once in college you will wish you had more!

If I could go back I would tell myself to do the best of your ability possible. Take it seriously and get the best grades you can. It is important to take notes, pay attention, and do all your assignments. Show up to class and be respectful to teachers. Not only is it important to do well academically, but also enjoy it too. It is your last year of high school. Make time after school work to hang out with friends, play sports and have fun. Do not worry about working all the time. You have the rest of your life to work.

Keep up the hard work. College isn't all it's cracked up to be, McKenzie. I know you are looking forward to having the best four years of your life, but there is a difference between you and all of the others who have told you that college is amazing. They all are falling and have fallen into the pressures of college partying and have changed who they were from high school to college. You Mckenzie, are a very smart girl, you don't care what others think of you and you don't mind being different. It doesn't matter that you dont drink or smoke, nor do people care that you love Jesus. Be yourself and people will love you. I promise you that you, and I, will be proud of ourself and the choices we made throughout college. Don't give up your senior year and keep that GPA up, it will only make you work harder in college. I'm proud of you.

The best piece of advice I could give to myself as a high school senior is to enter into college with an open mind, and do not limit yourself to the identity that you held in high school. College is an opportunity to make new friends, explore new interests, and develop into an adult member of society. Therefore, do not turn down an offer of friendship with someone you normally wouldn’t hang out with in high school, and be willing to step outside of your comfort zone a little bit. Also, this is one of the only periods in your life when you will be in an environment completely centered around learning. With that being said, take advantage of all the academic events school has to offer! Go to the speakers that are on campus, attend the musicals and concerts, and get to know your professors. These are the types of resources that make you a more well-rounded person, as well as a better informed individual, ready to conquer the world! Finally, enjoy the four years you have. They go fast and there is no starting over. Live every day with an open mind and an open heart!

The advice I would give myself is to not procrastinate, and to go with the flow. College, so far for me is not scary, and truthfully I love it. I would have told myself to pick my college ahead of time and that it was not as scary as it seems. Also, learn to study more, I believe that would have help me a lot more. I do not believe that I could ever truely prepare myself for college, only guide my former self. To properly give full advice, I do not believe I would have followed or believed in myself.

If I was able to go and talk to myself as a senior in High School, I would definitely say to not let time pass by to quickly. Time fly's when you are having fun. Work hard in High School, because it will help you so much once you get to college. Also, the better grades you receive, generally the more scholarships you can receive!!

The key to life is confidence. As a freshman at college five hours away from home, I have had to have confidence in order to leave home and build a new family. I have been a college student for three months and have noticed a change in my level of self-confidence. Not knowing anyone and being five hours away from home, I have made a termendous effort to make Dayton my home. I have joined several groups, including Distance for Dreams and the Business and Marianst Value Living Learning Community. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to have the confidence to join more groups and get involved in community service. I have seen myself grow and have built meaningful relationships as I have joined groups in college. If I could go back to my senior year of high school, I would join more service organizations and get more involved in my school.

The advice I will give myself if I could I could go back in time I will tell myself to apply for more scholarships than just a couple. The more and more scholarrships you apply for can help pay off tution and once thats payed off, you will have a lot of money left over to spend on anything you want. Paying off the tution on time can keep you stress free and you can focus more on the having fun with your friends and your studies. Always go after the scholarships that deals with your major because they are the ones that give more money and that can help you more.

If only there was a true thing called time travel! The choices we make in our past are only the stepping stones to better future decisions on this pathway called "life". I don't regret any choices I made senior year, but I do look back now and pinch myself when it comes to things I wish someone would have reminded me to do. The biggest tip that every teacher, counselor, and parent gives is not to procrastinate. I really wish I would have listend, for I would not have been so stressed over my winter break with college and scholarship applications. Also, there is so much drama and pettiness involved in high school, but it's childish. One should enjoy their last year putting drama aside and getting to know their peers better. You never know where people will end up in the future. You could be sitting across them as they interview you for future employment. Lastly, take pride in the place you come from, your hometown. You are a product of that community and represent that area wherever you go in life. Don't be shamefule, but more so gratified of your hometown.

My news for myself would be very positive. I would tell myself not to doubt my own abilities, because I was able to do some awesome things in college that I never thought I'd achieve. I'd also reassure myself that I don't have to doubt never getting a Master's degree because I was recently accepted into a Accelerated Master's of Public Administration program where some of my classes are actually paid for. When I was a senior in high school, my mind was like a glass ceiling where I reached a certain point of achievements and then felt that I could go no further, but in college I broke through that mental barrier and really started to shine. If I could talk to my past self, I would tell her not to worry so much about getting a job after college either because I'm confident that my work experience will land me employment soon. Also, I would tell myself that I was about to spend half of the next three years on adventures in Central and South America, and to get ready for a series of life-changing adventures that I'll never forget.

If I went back in time to talk to myself as a high school senior I would have told myself to take school more serious. Though I have only been out of high school for 5 years it flys by faster than you know. They always tell you remember high school because it will always be something you look back on and I never believed that till now. Entering college it means more now because it really shows how hard you work and how bad you really want to mature and grow. I would have told myself to follow true to my FFA(National FFA Organization) roots and truely follow my passion. Life should be about you and the ones you care for. Don't let anyone tell you different. Take your time and enjoy school, but take it seriously. Don't go into something totally blind sided and never think you can't ask someone for help. I was always scared to follow my heart or follow what really matters. When it comes to your education you always have someone to help you through the times. Don't waste your time with business classes! Follow your heart!

If I could turn back the clock, there are a lot of things that I would tell myself. First off, I would tell myself to take as many AP and college courses as possible while still in high school. That way, they're paid for and you have that many GECs out of the way!

If i could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior i would advise myself to stay focused on my education and make it one of my top priorities. I would also advise myself to include lots of study time to prepare for quizzes and tests. Procrastination was always a bad habit of mines, and i would tell myself that i can not put off studying. I would continue to tell myself studying is the key to a successful future along with a strong mind and support. Friends and free time can come after priorities. Lastly, another thing i would advise myself to do as a high school senior is not to be a shamed of asking questions or going in for help whether its with a tutor or the teacher.

During high school, I put more effort into my favorite classes such as Spanish (since I am of Puerto Rican descent) and Language Arts. However, when it came to math, I didn’t take the higher levels such as algebra and statistics since they weren’t required and I was afraid of not passing since I got a C in pre algebra. After high school, I registered to take classes at Manatee Community College (known as State College of Florida) to pursue an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts but didn’t test high enough on the math placement test. Therefore, I have had to take all the prerequisites in math that don’t apply towards my degree with credited courses. If I would have attempted to take more advanced math during high school, I could have received a higher test score and been placed into a credited math class from the start. Fortunately, I am close to finishing my A.A. degree with only needing the credited math which has been challenging for me along the way since I neglected to take these in high school. From this experience, I have learned the meaning of, “you live and learn”.

When I first came to college, I was very homesick and did not really want to get as involved for the first semester of my freshman year. If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would encourage myself to get more involved and not worry so much about being homesick. I have had amazing experiences here at the University of Dayton, and now it seems like my time here is going by too fast. I look back at freshman year and wonder how I was ever sad to be away from home when I was here with all of my amazing professors, classes, and friends. I would tell myself that Dayton is full of wonderful opportunities and people that can help make the transition to college much easier, and that getting involved and taking every possible opportunity offered to me will make amazing memories. I love the University of Dayton and would not hesitate to tell my senior self that the next four years will probably be some of the best of my life.

Work hard in high school and you will be well prepared for college courses. Take all the AP and honors classes you can manage. Learn to manage your time well and use a planner to keep track of all your assignments and due dates. Get involved in activities and clubs so you can quickly make new friends and feel comfortable on campus. Don't cling to people you know but make new friends and try new things. Be yourself. Be confident. Don’t be afraid to say no to alcohol, drugs and sex. You will be respected for expressing yourself. If you are not respected then find the friends who do respect your views. Not everyone is binge drinking, doing drugs and having sex in college. College is the time in your life to find your passion. So try to take a variety of classes to learn what your passion is. Explore areas that you are unfamiliar with and you may just find what you really love in life! Be open. Be flexible. Love life! You have been given the opportunity to attend college. Now make the best of it and work hard! Oh the places you may go!

Enjoy every moment. I know you are ready to move on with your life and you are, but you are never going to get this year back. There will be no more Friday night football games or classmates that you've known since kindergarden. Life flies by a lot faster than you think and before you know it you'll be on your own having a whole new adventure. Don't look back on the past. There's nothing you can change. Look to the future. Take risks. Live for the day, and you will never regret a moment of your life.

I've just recently started my college career and I'm enjoying it very much. My teacher is a correctional officer and has made the learning process fun and exciting because of him I am looking forward to taking more classes in the future. I've learned patients and deciplin in my very short weeks here and thats a bonus since I plan on enlisting in the marines after school.

College has really expanded my worldview, and increased my indepence. As nerdy as it sounds, I love learning and never really realized that until college. I did not fit in with most of the people at my high school, and it was refreshing to come to college and find that there are so many people with similar interests to mine. Through internships and challenging classes I've found a passion for research and I hope to go into neurology research after college. Therefore, I think the most valuable thing about college has been self discovery.

I have learned a lot about myself. I have grown more independent and realized what I would like to do with my life. By living 5 hours from home, I have grown on my own and have been able to seperate how I would like to live my life rather than how my parents would like me to. I have enjoyed volunteering within the community. By doing this, I have learned a lot about myself and how much I should value. College has taught me to help others while I get a head start on living my dreams

I have gained a greater understanding of myself. Continuing my education in a new state with all new faces, I was forced to become more independent than I ever have been. Though technology has made it increasingly easier to communicate with friends and family at home, I have been forced to become more independent than I ever had been before. I am engaging in new activities and attending classes I am actually interested in studying. College has allowed me to begin to discover who I am, what I want to do with my life, and what I believe in and stand for. In high school I think we all fall into a mold that is hard to break out of. Since graduation I have been able to become the person I have always wanted to be and without the independence college has given me, I wouldn't be able to grow into the person that I hope to be in the next few years once I graduate.

Over the past two and a half years in college I have learned vast amounts of information. However, the majority of significant material I have learned wasn't taught by a professor, pledged by a counselor or even written in a book. My college experience has taught me that money does not grow on trees (unlike most children believe until they turn eighteen), every person needs to set goals for their future, and that I must work hard to achieve those goals. My college experience has also broadened my understanding of people, increased my determination to be successful, and brought to my attention varied topics of study. Overall, I believe that attending college has been a valuable experience for me because it forced me to grow as a person, both eduationally and personally. It opens your eyes to so much stuff that was previously unkown to you and this, in return, empowers the student. Education has inspired me to not only be successful but also to help spread the love for education to our forthcoming generations. As a society we must not sit back and watch as our children get dumber but take a stand so they can be wiser.

The University of Dayton has helped me down MY path. I was able to work for my passion with the aid of faculty, staff, and fellow students. I have learned about who I am, I have learned to accept who I was, and I have learned to look forward to the future. UD is a community, we are all a family, and it is wonderful to know that I have thirty plus people that I could call at any given time to come help me with a project, family issue, etc. The motto "Learn, lead, and serve" is true to my character and I have had numerous opportunities to do so. The faculty have instilled in me the desire to not find a job, but to live for a passion. Find your dream, work for it, and acheive the dream. UD is my home away from home and I am so grateful that I chose this school to continue my education. Thank you for the opportunity to bring more students to UD!

When I first went to college, as a dual enrolled student, I was terrified. The many buildings, stern proffesors, and heavy books were just a few of the things that left me shaking in my rain boots. But once I got used to the college life, I have absorbed so much information and look forward to attending classes-while coming out of my shell of shyness. It has been valuable that I attend college, not only so I can further my education and succeed my life goals, but also so I can become a more well rounded person and have the courage to step outside of my comfort zone.

I hadn't valued my education until I attended college. I thought education was just a stepping stone to a great career. Little did I know that college makes you appreciate the richness of History, the beauty of Music, the enchantment of Science, the intricateness of Mathmatics, and the versatility of English. College allows me to grow into a more independent thinker and grow socially. College allows me to discover my talents and interests and to fine-tune them to perfection. College has drawn me closer to God as I put faith in him when struggling with exams. College is an experience I will continue to take full advantage of and to use all my resources to bring out the best in my life.

My college experience has allowed me to fully develop into the person I want to become. In high school, I had an idea of who I wanted to be but I did not know how to get there or what it would be like to try to get there. Living with peers and interacting with others almost every moment of everyday does not only provide the opportunity for growth, it demands growth and maturity. I have learned that the choices I make and the people I meet all serve a purpose in my quest of self-discovery. College is a fun and interesting experience; it is said that college is the best four years of a person's life. College is a lot of work and a lot of studying, but the studying is of topics of my choosing and my interests which is enjoyable; the social life is exhilerating and has allowed me to befriend an eclectic group of people. Attending college has opened up possibilities I did not know existed and has allowed me the opportunity to choose who I am becoming.