Portland, ME
University of Southern Maine

If I can go back to being a high school senior and talking to myself, the first thing I could possibly think of telling myself is, “Please be organized!” Being organized is the key to great achievement in college. Organization, simply put, means that you are overcoming the hindrances that keep you from doing all you need to do. College students have to be organized with everything; be it with knowing your class schedule, dates of exams, or dividing your free time with your studying time. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and organization to really master being a college student. Many students do not know that so much is involved with being a college student rather than being in high school. Everything was mapped out but now the organization skills must kick in! Once a student has become “organized,” they have this ability to be able to take on more and to achieve more in their college career. Being organized leads to the promise of obtaining your degree and a promising future!

You need to make a schedule and stick to it. Fight the urge to push everything to the last minute. Dont spend money on things you do not need. Do not skip class because you are too lazy.

Nothing you are doing is abnormal, or strange. You are not handling college any better or worse than other freshmen. Do what makes you comfortable and happy, not what you think is expected of you as a college student (outside of completing your homework on time). While the upperclassmen all seem far more knowledgeable and wordly than you, they started out where you are right now and are STILL trying to figure college out. The school year will pass by much more quickly than you think, so stay on your toes. You're a neurotic and anxious person, so don't make it worse by procrastinating on assignments. This will snowball out of control and you will be so paralyzed by anxiety that you can't even start that already late assignment. It's okay to spend all night watching movies and chugging soda when you feel like you can't deal with other people. Taking a time out to pamper yourself and to allow for self-reflection is just as important in college as making sure you connect with other people - which you may not do easily at first. That's okay. Take it one step at a time.

The best thing about my school is that it's one of the safest campuses in Maine, so while the town it's located in isn't very big, you know you'll likely be safe there. This is an incredible step up from the school I transferred from.

Any scholarships you may have been elligible for if you were applying right out of high school do not apply even if you are a first year transfer student coming in during the spring semester. While it's still fairly cheap, it would've been much cheaper if I had just gone here as a first choice.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself four years of advice that I have acquired since. First, I would tell myself to study hard annd apply for as many scholarships you can. The real world is very difficult and money does not grow on trees. I did not take college serious as a high school senior, and thought money would just appear for payment I guess. I was lucky enough to receive the Life Scholarship, however, I thought I loved a boy and did not attend class everyday. In turn my grade point average dropped and I lost my scholarship. I would tell myself how good I had life made and not to take it for granit. I would also push myself way harder to achieve my goals faster. I have learned a lot being out of high school and my parents house. Living on my own is not what I thought it would be as a child. If I could truly go back and tell myself to work and study hard that school will be over soon and that I will greatly appreciate the works payoff.

If I could go back to myself in high school and give some advice, it would definitely be to apply myself to my studies more than what I did. I wasn't exactly a slacker, but I could have applied myself more and would have gotten better grades. I would also tell myself not to worry about the little things so much, to just take life as it comes, there's too much that tries to bring you down and take your peace away. I'd really try to influence myself to make better choices in friends, because now that we've been out of high school for a couple of years, most of if, not all of, my friends have left or changed in some way; so i'd make myself find more lasting friends so that I've always got them no matter what. There's alot more I'd say and tell myself about what all I've done, but that doesn't matter as much right now.

I would tell myself that success is determined by one's attitude not apptittude. One can achieve anything if the effort and determination is there. Also to never let the people around you keep you back from success. Everyone has a different path so separation is natural and in most cases, separation is neccessary

The food service is terrible, the Cafe is fill with carbs and there is no selection. Also most of the student service employees lack care for the USM students so we are often mistreated

A person looking for the average college experience. USM offers a different experience and environment. There is not a since of community nor school spirit and pride .

I had a very religious background growing up, so although getting good grades was important college was strongly not encouraged. I wish if I could go back I would look at my high school education with a view to looking at what I wanted to do in college. High school is a time in life where you are curious and feel indestructable. It would have been nice to think about college as an adventure where I could become anything I wanted.

A student who is self-motivated and willing to work hard. A student who can mulitask and is curious about the world around them and wants to improve the environment they are in.

I would say, any student who isn't commited to their education, or willing to put in the work to sucessfully complete their major.

The school is best known for the atmosphere provided by the students who attend. Walking around on campus as an incoming freshmen can be frightening, but the upperclassmen here are so open, and willing to start a conversation with anyone, it makes you feel like you're one of them. Just the feeling of being home really helps. The feeling makes it easier to do homework, join clubs, and hang out around campus.

If I could go back in time, what I would want to tell myself would be to just relax. Looking back now, I flustered myself before I came to college. I would want to tell myself that I'm ready to go, and not to worry about the "what if" situations. That in college you just have to roll with the punches, and deal with situations as they come. I would tell myself that if I waste time thinking about things that may not even happen, my college expirience won't be open to as many opportunities. I would aslo want to tell myself that what happens in college is real. That slacking off with school work isn't an option anymore. That school work needs to be taken seriously now. At college I've seen too many people slack off, and have their grades suffer in consiquence. I would renenforce the fact that what happens now, affects the rest of your life. Employers worry about what you know, and how well you know it. The only way to prove you know something, is to actually know it. So school work must be taken seriously to prepare for the future.

Any type of person could fit in at this college. There are numerous athletic teams, clubs, and intermurals. There are theatre clubs, open auditions, performances. There is also a wide variety of academic clubs. Anyone who comes here has all the opportunities in the world to fit in. The school is capable of housing every and all kinds of personalities and interests. In short, every kind of person could come here.

I would tell myself that college is nothing like high school. You have to be an independent learner, and put all the responsibility of schooling upon yourself. You have to remind yourself of when assignments are due, when you have quizes, exams, etc.. The professors will do it for you once in a while, but not to the extent that high school teachers will. Also, in college, going to class is optional. However, you should make it mandatory for yourself; even if you're not feeling the greatest. Bring some handsanitizer, and anything to stop the spreading of what you've got. Being in class is so important, I can't stress it enough. The days you miss are the days you would have learned the most, or something really important for am exam. What I would really tell my high school self though is to stay more focused, but don't overdue it. Sometimes people have bad days, and failing an exam isn't going to be the end of your life. Get back up on the horse and put everything into it next time.

Sometimes it's hard to schedule tutoring. It's first come first served, and if you want to get tutored for an exam, sometimes it's just not an option.

That occasionally teachers drop the lowest grade, because they all know we can have a bad day once in a while.

I'd tell myself to never give up. Friends do come along, and sports come back. Focus a lot during my first semester and don't waste so much time with people that don't care about me. I'd tell myself its okay to come out of my shell because people will end up loving me. I'd remind myself to work hard in off season, college sports are very hard. I would also like to tell my past self that you really do make your life long friends in college.

I believe our school participation is great. We are able to raise each other up, and work together every day.

I believe someone that doesn't like to travel between campuses shouldn't attend this school. Also if they aren't friendy or willing to work with others.