University of Nebraska at Omaha Top Questions

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

daniel

I'd say to my higschool self; Attend every class, every lecture. Also forget about others opinons on yourself, everyone in college is there to learn not to judge. Another thing would be, time management is very important, focus more on homework and studying, than work or partying. Answers to tests and quizzes are not spoon fed to you like they were in highschool.

Kristine

The very first thing I would tell myself is to calm down, because it’s not the end of the world that you didn’t get into your dream college right away. Take this opportunity to save and fill out scholarships so as to later afford the school you want. Also, there are benefits to staying in Nebraska. You will get to better plan your life and how to achieve your goals. The biggest thing that came out of staying in Nebraska is that your best friend in the whole world will need you in a couple years and if you moved away she would be in poor house. Consider the blessings you have and how you can help her out because she will need it within two years. My last piece of advice is when life gets rough in college sit back, relax, watch a movie or a Friends episode because it will work out. You’re smart, creative and can work through any project put on your shoulders. P.S. Summer of 2014 will be a great summer to be in school!

Jennifer

Dear Jenny, As an older version of you, I have greater knowledge and life experience. I'd like to offer you this bit of advice. Don't be afraid to take chances. Go to the more expensive out of state school that's located in the city you've always dreamed of living in. It's much easier to move as a college student, than to wait until you have a family. And please chose a major wisely and stick to it. This will save you lots of heartache, time and money over the long run. Last, but not least, make sure to form lasting connections during your college career. Those connections just may prove to be more important than your grade point average. Best wishes to you. Love, Jennifer (your older self)

Kelsey

If I could go back to my senior year, I would advise myself to follow the exact same path I chose. I have no regrets from attending the university that I did. I made numerous amounts of friends, was given leadership positions, and was taught the value of volunteering. I made the most of my college experience and still have great connections through the university. The one piece of advice I would give myself would be to take out less loans and apply for more scholarships. As a freshman you underestimate the toll of student loans, but as a senior, student loans are one of the top things that are constantly on my mind. I appreciate my college education and am forever thankful for everyone who helped me along my journey.

Phillemon

My advice is everthing is easy if you work hard from now on. Otherwise, it's not good to feel high heat when you reach to college. Plan now and you will be fruitfull throughout your college life.

Jordan

My advice to myself is this: You are doing the best you can with everything. In college everything becomes much easier. You still need to keep looking for scholarships because everything is very expensive. You also need to have more fun. Try and hang out with your friends more. Your new roomates will be nice and you need to talk to them more! My biggest advice to you is that you need to relax and enjoy yourself. Relax and enjoy your last year of highschool. You deserve to enjoy it.

Caitlin

I would tell my high school self as a senior is to get more motivated and try hard with grades. I was super involved in school with extra ciricular like dance team, speech, choir, drama and cheerleading and didn't focus on schoolwork. School was hard for me to focus on and I really wish I would have tried harder to get better grades. At the time I didn't care but looking back now I wish I did.

BreAnna

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would have told myself to take appyling for scholarships for college more seriously because I have to constanly worry about how I am going to pay for school year after year. Even though I applied for some scholarships as a high school senior, I did not apply for enough to avoid a financial burden that I am dealing with now. I ended up getting 4 out of the 14 that I applied for, however I still had to take out a loan which was my worst fear. That is the most important thing I would advise myself because I realized that federal loans are temporary financial aid, that will have to eventually be paid back once you graduate college. It gets even more difficult to search for financial aid once you are in college so applying for as much as you can while in high school is very imperative. Another piece of advice I would give myself is to develop the best study method that works because it will come in handy when studying for exams. I found notecards to be very helpful.

Meredith

Don't worry so much about "the college experience". Worry even less about being popular. Nobody in college cares about who you used to be, or your awkward phases. They're all incredibly friendly - even the professors, who are actually doing something they love, instead of the teachers in high school who got stuck there. Everyone in college wants you to succeed. It isn't like Legally Blonde or Animal House unless you want it to be. Make sure you read everything all the way through - financial aid, scholarship applications, the guidelines for your general requirements. College is a money-making operation, but you can have it without squeezing yourself dry. Most of all, have fun. It's not about drinking every weekend or studying for six hours a night. Find a happy medium and balance yourself out. That will make your college experience better than any tired old cliche.

Quinn

I would take college seriously from the start and apply early since the bulk of scholarships are onyl offered to first-time freshman students. I would double up on classes while my parents were paying all my expenses since the coursework is ridiculously easy and someone without a job can easily take twice a full-time academic load. would finish my degree as quickly as possible.

Crystal

If it were possible that I could somehow talk to my high school senior self that would be really awesome and helpful. This would be really helpful because I could give myself many tips and ensure that I actually carry them out. Tips such as apply, apply, apply, and apply for scholarships because in the world today money is getting harder and harder to obtain as well as to keep, so it would been helpful if I could've at least applied for a few scholarships. Also to get myself to actually apply for scholarships, I would explain to myself that my parents who are helping me to pay for school also have three other children that they have to make sure goes to college. Another tip I could give to myself would be to explore as many as colleges as I can and to research various careers and majors so I could have a better picture of what I want to do and be in my life.

Alexander

My advice would be to get involved with as many clubs or organizations as you possibly can. Often when going to college, it's a totally new environment from what you're used to. So having a familiar face or two around campus can be very relieving and reassuring at times when you're lost finding a building, or looking for somewhere to sit at lunch. And being able to find the right balance between clubs, and academics. Tests are at a completely different level in college, so I wish I had taken my professor's words more seriously n preparing for most exams.

Katherine

I would tell myself to save money now so I wouldn't have to work so hard later. I would tell my high school self that there will be hard things to deal with but to remember that life goes on and that everything will be alright. I would tell myself not to take life too seriously and try to have fun. I would stress the imprtance of the "little things." There will be love and loss in the future but you'll be stronger because of it. I would tell my high school self to never push away friends because you're too busy. Enjoy every minute of everyday...

Jamel

The difference between the 20 year old Jamel and the 18 year old Jamel is maturity. I didnt take college seriously and that is why i didnt apply for scholarships and didnt take the neccessary procedures to get school paid for. I dropped out of sports, my GPA dipped my senior year and i was not focused on what was important. I was focused on girls, drugs, and trying to be popular. So if i had to give myself advise, it would be a phrase. "What Would Jesus Do". Jesus wants every man woman and child to have joy and happiness in their life. Not only does he want that but he wants long term joy. All of those things i named before was short term joy and that is why i feel that i am a better person now that i have my head on straight. It was a long road even getting to high school and i would feel that some of the things that i had to go through he would need to go through to become a man. And that is what the 20 year old Jamel is today. A young, spiritual, intelligent young man.

Michael

I would take my education my seriously. I made the mistake of not picking a degree and took classes that ended up being unnecessary. This wasted time and money and I ended up at college an extra year. Also, I would plan ahead on finances.

Alyssa

I would tell myself to NOT take it easy my senior year in high school! It might seem like the year to relax, but getting used to relaxing was a huge problem for me when I got to college. The stakes are much higher than in high school (even though I attended a nationally ranked school for ACT scores), much more work is required in college and I had to learn that the hard way. I would also tell myself to not get carried away with the newfound freedom of living on my own on campus. Just because you aren't "required" to go to class, doesn't mean you are not required to go to class....that is a must. I would also remind myself to stay focused on school and not get distracted by my social life and everything going on around me, because school is always top priority. I would remind myself of that over and over again!

Lauren

My senior year of high school was amazing. I had so much fun with my beloved friends throughout the year. However, there are some things I wish I could re-do if I had the chance. For example, I applied to a lot of colleges. This created a lot of unnecessary stress. It's kind of ironic that I ended up going to community college. I would tell myself to be mindful of where I would apply. I would minimalize the colleges I applied to and make sure each college I apply to is realistic budget, academic, and geographical wise. I would ensure I visited a lot of colleges and apply to colleges with a great variety of academic and extracurricular programs. I would remind myself that even though going to college with my friends sounds fun, I have to do what is best for me and my interests. I would motivate myself to get all the tasks done as soon as possible while applying to college. And finally, I would tell myself to not sweat the small stuff, to take every day as it comes and to cherish every moment because someday soon, it will all be over

Mary

Stick with the path you are choosing, going to a community college and transferring credits over to a four year is a smart, easy transition and is helpful when it comes to the money. Take your time and explore all your ideal majors, you're young and the major you choose will be the career path you choose for your life. Yes, you can always go back to school if the one you choose ends up not being right but, you're young now so explore, think, figure things out. You have one life, and you should find a passion, not a job. If it ends up taking 5 years until you graduate instead of 4, that's okay. Work hard, study hard, but live your life and have fun too.

Heather

If I could talk to my 18 year old self, I would tell me to be focused on my studies more so then work. The transition between high school and college was very rough because I insisted on living on my own. I would tell myself to stay at home with mom, save 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of all of my income in a savings account, and enjoy the time with my family because as an adult in the working field, I have had to give up a lot of family events. I would tell myself to enjoy every second of every class because it's knowledge for my future. I wish I had been more focused on my classes because work doesn't end until you are 70+ now.

Kristen

If I could go back in time and give myself advice, I would advise myself to look at more colleges. The university I go to I like, but I'm sure there are a lot of other universities that I could have gone to that I would have liked and even loved. When I was a junior and senior, I was only looking at colleges based on the major I was interested in at the time, which I'm not even interested in anymore. Looking and picking a college is a lot of work, but the more work you put into it, the better the chance you will find that one special college that is perfect for you. I dont believe the college I chose is perfect for me, I should have thought more about the type of environment and the people I wanted to surround myself with and not just base it on what majors the college had or people that I would know if I went to a certain college. Again, I do like the college I chose, however, I believe there is a better college out there that would better suit me and what I like.

Alicia

If I could go back and talk to the high school me I would have a lot to say. First, I would inform myself to keep the fun in college— remember to focus on the academics but to enjoy all the opportunities presented to me. That it is about going to class, learning as much as possible, making new friends, and trying new things daily. The next piece of advice I would give to myself would be to work hard at everything. It does not matter if it is a half page worksheet or a twenty page paper; it all deserves your best efforts. I would also want to remind myself to constantly tell my family how much their support means to me every step of the way. They are the ones who give me the motivation to keep going when I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed.

Allison

I would love to say all those organizations and groups you were a part of matter in college, but they don't. Now is your chance to start over, make new friends, and start building your resume. Start looking for organizations to be a part of, and stick it out. It looks good on a resume if you keep up with an organization for a long period of time. When you write your resume you won't include any of the things you did in high school, so you have to get a leg up on the competition and start running for student government or being the founding member of a sporting club now(maybe ping pong?). There are lots of things to be a part of; you just have to pick one. Make sure you keep up with your studies too. One bad grade will tear down your GPA so fast your head will spin. Make sure you remember though, that your major classes won't fill up all the credits you need to graduate, so it's ok to take some classes you think sound fun because you will need the credits anyway.

Casey

Go to class. Make school a priority. Study some every day. Do the homework. Apply for any and all aid and scholarships available. Put all your effort forth to do well. Make friends and have fun. Invest into friends' and your familie's lives. Get involved in things that are important to you and coincide with your values and what you stand for. Communicate often with your advisor to make sure your classes get you to your degree as fast and efficiently as possible. School is your full time job, but make sure to let yourself breath and relax at least one day a week. Have fun! Make college a great experience to remember after you graduate!

Amanda

1. You might be tempted to “take a break” before starting college (or not go at all) like a lot of your friends are doing. But stick with it. It’ll be worth it in the long run. 2. Juggling school, music, and athletics has helped you learn prioritization and responsibility. You’ll need those skills in college.3. You’re very motivated and well rounded, and actually finish what you start4. All those years you spent doing gymnastics really are relevant to kinesiology, so you picked a great field to major in.5. You worked hard in high school to get good grades because your mom always stressed how important a good education is. Now you know it’s true you would not have gotten accepted into an impacted program if you had a bunch of C’s and D’s.6. NEVER let the dog eat your homework!

Manuel

College life is one experience that differs among every college student, whether it’s studying for an exam or partying until the hours of the morning. My experience, although fun, was one of those experiences I want to prevent my past from indulging in, for it cost me grades, self-esteem, and my parents' trust. The first year is probably the toughest due because it’s almost like starting a new life – new people, surroundings, teachers, and finally…choices. In high school, life was simple because of the simplicity of class choices. But with college, the spectrum increases, meaning that career choices are entirely up to the student. Besides the opportunities that are provided through classes, there are other things that should be made known. Drugs and alcohol are present on almost every campus, so it’s pretty easy to lose one’s self quickly. However, refrain from these as much as possible, because they won’t only affect you socially, they’ll negatively affect you academically and personally. That’s the reason I present this warning. I’ve experienced it first-hand, and I wish no one else, especially my past self, to experiences what I’ve had to.

Lauren

The first thing I would tell myself is to be more ambitious. I would encourage my past self to spend more time pursuing extracurricular activities that pertained to my passions: music, painting, writing, and most importantly, my concerned interest in other countries.

Shakira

Don't assume. You know that saying when it comes to assuming, well it's true. Nothing good happens when you assume, in fact bad things will happen. Have a plan. It may seem like you have everything together and that some parts of the equation will come together by themselves but that will not happen. Get it everything together including finances and even your room. Expect the unexpected. Nothing will ever go as you planned so don't expect it to, pretty much anything will and can happen. In a nutshell, keep everything together! You've already got the fun part down so just get organized and everything will come together!

felicia

Dear Felicia, I talking to you with a heavy heart and hope you are listening to me. Please get your life straight and take this last year at North high school more serious. I know that you are hurting and in pain because your mother died your freshman year. And you skipp classes and not focus on what is important right now. But it is never to let to turn your life your to God and get back in to school. If you start now it will not be so hard for you when get older. Please consider what I am saying to you. I only what the best for you and things in this world are getting harder. I truly believe that if you better your studing habits now, when you decided to futher your education it will not be a hard transition for you. I love yo and have faith in you that you will settled down and take your education serious.

Michael

In my short university experience I have gained many invaluable experiences that I would not trade for anything. While I do not drink or party, there is not a lot of emphasis in that lifestyle on our campus. Therefore, academic relationships are easy to form. I have grown mentally and have developed many skills that have proven to be invaluable in my life. My patience has grown as well as my maturity. I now accept the resposibility for all of my actions and study habits. I have learned so much within the realms of science and look forward to learning much more.

Cassandra

Personally, I found Christ while at campus and to me that was the most important part of my experience. Academically, I was able to pursue my interests and find a job in that field. I feel confident in my abilities post school and confident of my opportunites for Grad school and jobs

Natalie

I have learned how to become a independent person. Before I came to college my parents did everything for me. I also have learned better time management. I found out that it is better to get projects and homework done as soon as you get the assignment. College has been valuable to attend because it has taught life long lessons and you meet many neat people. Attending collge will ensure me a better job then if I did not attend. I cannot wait to get done with school so that I can be with the young children and to teach them life lessons that I have learned.

Craig

I have been a really shy person throughout my life, and I was scared of college. I almost didn't want to go. Then, orientation came and I put my name down for fraternity recruitment. I have gotten soo much out of my fraternity, I don't think I wouyld have made it through my first semester without it. It pushed me to keep my grades up, its helping me become a better person, and I learned that fraternities arent what you think they are. I encourage everybody I know to become involved in an activity outside of class to further enhance their college experience and to help keep them on track. College is a life experience that everybody should be able to enjoy, as it will be critical to your future employment. I know that going to college will give me the degrees I need to become a physician, and will greatly increase my chances of getting hired. I advise everybody to attend college.

nicole

It’s amazing how in high school home work takes barely any time to complete where as in college it takes much more time and concentration. This is why the most important skill I gained from attending college is time management over my home work assignments. It took me a good semester to learn just how important it was to line up all the assignments from biggest to smallest. If I didn’t get the bigger ones done first, they didn’t get finished at all and therefore I would be stressed and awake all night trying to finish all my homework. Now that I am in my third semester of college I am much better at organizing my homework and I almost never suffer from lack of sleep due to getting all my assignments done on time and my grades do not suffer as well. This is why time management has become my most important life skill gained from attending college.

Erica

I have learned more then just stuff I learn in classes. I have learned responsibility, having to get up and motivate myself to go to class everyday, time management, I am in a sorority, I work, I go to school, plus I have homework and tests. All of it really has taught me how to jugle my time. I have learned to be open-minded, there are so many different people at my school, I have learned to not judge them, jump to conclusion. I give everyone a chance, I always help people that ask me for help whether it is a homework question to where a certain building is. A huge thing it has taught me is, there is a lot of things that can be worse, I just need to work as hard as possible, and stay positive.

Stephanie

I have gotten a well-rounded education and made many friends from my college experience. It has been valuable to attend school because it has made me learn much about myself that I would not have known otherwise.

Sarah

When it comes to college, you get out of it what you put into it. Since I put my best effort into each assignment, my college education has been particularly valuable to me. It has provided me with a foundation of valuable skills and habits that have proven useful in all aspects of my life. For example, through my higher education, I have acquired effective note-taking and studying methods. In addition, I have advanced greatly in my skills in public speaking as a result of the practice and constructive criticism I have recieved in various classes. Futhermore, I have continued to sharpen my skills in writing concise and well-thought-out essays. Often, I draw the information presented in these papers from extensive research. Therefore, I have devoted a great deal of time and effort to such research, and I have learned how to investigate a topic effectively and document the sources correctly. Finally, since I am naturally an introspective person, the intrapersonal skills that I have aquired have proven invaluable. Through group assignments and class discussions, my school has forced me to come out of my shell and prepared me to build and maintain peaceful and cooperative relationships.

Meghan

My college experience, so far, has opened my eyes to opinions, ideas and worlds I wasn't aware existed beyond my own carefully shelted, glass like world. I have lived in one town my whole life. There is a certain manner that comes in time with staying in one place and not reaching to take that "next" step in life, I believe I had some of it. Attending college has expanded my horizon and shattered some of my previous views, and I honestly couldn't be more thankful. If we aren't living and learning that self-assured manner just expandes into arrogance. In reality, It is valuable to attend college because no matter who you are, where you are or how old you are people are always evolving and so we can never stop learning. Going to college opens doors for better things in life; since going I have seen these "doors" open and see the opportunites waiting on the other side. I want to be able to follow my passion and help others! Before I do any of that I know I must help myself by finishing my degree, thats why it is so valuable to attend.

Amanda

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Jessica

What I have gotten out of my college experience was you have to be prepared to what has to come. Its not like a high school experience, you get to meet people from all over the country, the teaching and learning experiences are different. In college you don't pass or get anywhere unless you really put your mind and effort to get things done! You've made a commitment to go and get things done, so theres no time for slacking around. It has been valuable to attend because you get positive things out of it. Your life changes from a good to a better way. Your mind opens up a little more and just makes you want to keep going. That is a little summary of my experience and my reason why I think its a good idea to attend.

Erin

College has taught me to be a professional as well as a team player. While I was in high school, I could get by doing a lot of studying on my own and very seldomly sought help from others. In college, I have learned that it is often beneficial to ask for assistance and that working along with others is the key to success. Attending college also offers the opportunity to students to become exposed to diverse populations. In my hometown, virtually everyone was a middle-class white. farmer At UNO, I have had the pleasure of interacting with people of all cultures, ethnicities, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I have also been forced out of my comfort zone to build relationships with other students and faculty members. The experiences that I have gained from my college experience will be invaluable as I continue to contribute to my community as a working professional.

Autumn

From my college experience, I've gotten knowledge about myself and a world as a whole. Like our textbooks, some things may change about us, but we will always have the fundamentals which make us human. It's been valuable to attend college not only for the knowledge of how to be a human service work, but also how to be a person. We never stop learning, and being in college, I discovered how to get the most out of what I learn.

Tanner

My college experience is eye-opening. It has made me see many things that I, otherwise, would have not seen. College is just another step in my life, and it should be a rather enjoyable one.

Brock

I have learned what I wanted to do with my life, what I care about, and who I want to become. I don't think most people figure that out so soon and I consider myself very lucky.

Rasha

I have gotten a lot of expierence from my visit to my college's campus. I saw myself as a grown up and can be responsible for the things I do. I learned that I had to be friendly and more open with people. In other words to socialize with people and make a new firends. I really liked to make friends with people whom are from a different countries, because I will more knowledgeable about other countries and cultures.

Katherine

I have received much from my college education at University of Nebraska at Omaha. With the help of UNO I have been able to attend several courses and lectures from notable business men and women. Beyond the academic aspects, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has helped me experience many new cultures. Through the university I have made friends from around the world, broadening my horizons beyond the limits of my country. Attending UNO and experiencing the diversity the university has to offer helped me decide on my major of International Business. Before deciding on my major I was able to speak with several different advisors from the different departments, each advisor helping me with my decision. The teachers and consultants at UNO have also been invaluable, as they have helped support me in my class work and finding scholarships to study abroad. Several of my teachers have taken a personal interest in my future, writing numerous recommendations for my scholarships and grants. These experiences at UNO have made my college education exceptional.

Devon

My first semester at the University of Nebraska at Omaha I have learned a lot. I went into this whole college thing being afraid that I wouldn't succeed. However, with the correct time management and drive I proved my self wrong. While in college I had a rude awaken that I was paying to attend school so I should work hard for my grades. I took every opportunity I could get to better my grade. I spent a lot of my down time in the library studying and completing homework. When it came to my classes I liked to get there an hour earlier and re-read my work. Also , when I had a major paper due I had people read over it multiple times. I think my first semester was valuable because know what to expect if I transfer. Now in second semester I am still using my same methods. My classes this semester are tougher, but the class sizes are smaller. So you have more face to face time with the professors. So I am hoping that this semester will be the same as the last. I am just going to have to work harder for it.

Melissa

The biggest thing I got out of college was education. All of the professors I have had so far are very inteligent and helpful. They want you to succeed and they will help you, but they expect you to put in a lot of hard work too. I know that with this education I will be sucessfull in my future with my career and my family. I have also gotten long lasting friendships. I joined a sorority and I have made some of the most fun and trustworthy friends I have ever had. Also out of my college experience I have learned a lot about time management. In high school I did not have to study at all, but once I got here I learned that was going to quickly change! I learned to tackle going to class, studying, doing homework, being actively involved in a sorority, and also playing intermurals. That will help me also in my future when I have deadlines to meet for certain things. College is a very good investment for your future.

Ruby

My college experience had made me seen part of the real life and the real world. Also have helped me improve as a student and as a person. In college one has to be punctual and be respectful with everyone. Because this experience your going to use it in jobs or with other people that you spend your life with. It has been valuable to attend college becasue you learn new subjects everyday. Getting the knowledge that when your out of college you will have to do and live your own life. And thats when you take your own decissions, wheather they are wrong or good, which is up to you. Your going to be the only responsible for your mistakes.

Lynn

When I was in high school I was told that college is not a joke and Its nothing like high school. I just laughed and walked away thinking to myself everyone is crazy. Getting through the four years of high school years i was just passing and made it to graduation I was lucky. Now that I am a freshman in college im kicking myself in the butt and wished I tried harder in high school! Getting to the end of freshman year I realized that I needed to listen to the people that want to see me succeed. I did. Now next year im going to University at buffalo to spealizes in medicine. The pass year i have been working hard to reach for my goals in life. I believe I should recieved this scholarship because I'm going to work hard and devote all my time to reach what I know I can achieve.

Kyle

i feel that i have learned more that just what is tought in class, there is a lot more than just straight up information in class, you can learn how to be a better student and how to prepare for your future.