University of Wisconsin Colleges Top Questions

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

johanna

I would tell my old self to SAVE MONEY, because that would of really come in handy right now. I'd also tell her to chin up and not let the words people say get her down, because she is a beautiful and intelligent young women. She has the world at her finger tips. Go for the gold.

Brittany

I would advise myself to work more during high school because it's harder to have two part times jobs while in college.

Devin

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior knowing what I know today about college life, I would tell myself not to focus on the end goal focus on the short term goal that will get me to the end goal. To slow down and work harder in front of me instead of whats coming next. Another piece of advice i would give myself is to do the things that bring you spirital wealth and not on monitary wealth. Being happy is the ultimate goal for most people and if that means going into a field that does not pay the best then so be it.

Samuel

I would definitely encourage myself to begin my college education as soon as I completed high school.

Rebecca

I would tell my past self to take your time with the decision, that you don't need to go to college right away. That its ok to wait. I would also tell my past self that college is fun and worth it, but you need to do your homework and projects and not procrastinate, along with studying every day.

Adonis

Young man I know you?re shocked that you look so different, I can tell, but believe me I am you. I?m sure you have many questions but you must refrain and listen. College isn't different from current customs regarding school. Same idea: show up to class, be attentive, and complete your work on time. I?m aware that laziness has plagued you always. My life, for awhile at least, has not differed from that fact. But listen to me well Young Man; you must change now and approach everything you do with maximum effort. Do not let up, for that is the only thing that has ever held you back. When you tire, remember this, and dig deep; find the ambition. When distractions surround you, never lose sight of our goals. And when our mother?s husband says, ?You can?t,? I tell you it would be wiser for you to sleep in a den with starving lions, then to even consider his foolishness. Young Man I cherish the experiences I have had, but I would not be somber, if awakening tomorrow, I found that you had been diligent, my past altered, and our dreams accomplished.

Josh

Enjoy high school, college is fun but its alot of work and takes a lot of dedication. You meet cool new people and learn about many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds without taking classes, just from the people around you. You are paying for school now, and it will be out of your pocket so do not slack, you need to work and dedicate yourself to your studies. Be prepared to see your family a great deal less, especially if your working part-time because school and work will rule your life. Save every penny, the economy is bad and wreckless spending is horribly debilitating make a budget and stick to it. But as bad as all of that sounds you cannot forget the biggest thing of all, HAVE FUN! These are the greatest years of your life and you should treat them as such, go out have fun, hang with friends, make new friends this will forever change your life, but do not forget about those friends back in high school, for they miss you as much as you miss them.

Miranda

The advice I would pass on to my younger self would be to accept change. Change is good. Change is great. Embrace change. Change is needed to accomplish bigger and better things. Change is necessary for things to happen in life. If you don't allow and accept change, you will lead a life that never accomplishes anything. Even though change might be scary at first, you'll grow to be a better person if you just "step up to the plate" and be confident in your decisions. Change is good.

Ashley

I would tell myself honestly not to change much. I had a great work ethic in high school and continued that into my college years. With my study habbits from high school it has definitely helped me succeed in college, as I still get my assignments done while waiting for the next class to begin, so my evenings are always free. I would however tell myself not to stress about the small things, people are a lot different in college and the "clicks" from high school don't really exist, it's almost like everyone gets along. The main piece of advice I would tell myself is to take advantage of professors office hours as well as the free tudoring available on campus, why let free tools go to waste when they can definitely benefit you!

Brian

If I could go back eight years and talk with my 18 year old self, I would tell myself to try and apply yourself better in school so that you don't have to play catch up so much when you get to college. I would also say that it would be in my best interests to start my academic career sooner and instead of being in a huge hurry to start living on my own and entering the workforce right away. "You are capable of so much more, you have it in you to do really good things and achieve what you thought was unachievable", would be the best thing I could tell my past self. Highschool advisors told me that I wouldn't be able to do well in a higher learning enviornment, my former self needed to know that my now current 3.8 GPA would like to have a word with them. I know I had people telling me to apply myself when I was younger, I'm sure the impact would've been greater if I had heard it from a future version of myself.

Amanda

If I had a chance to go back to my senior year and tell myself a few tips on life after high school and in college, I would probably start by letting myself know that waiting to start an academic career was bad decision. I would tell myself that moving out is, or was, the best thing you can do for your spirit but not your wallet. I would say to not listen to Mr. Johnson, when he told me I would never get into the school I wanted to, then flash that fancy acceptance letter. "Don't let fear hold us back, I know you can handle anything that's thrown your direction. I've been through it already." I would make sure I knew how to spend my time wisely; how to balance school, homework, work, clubs, sleep and still have some free time to enjoy life. Lastly, I would make myself promise that I will always try to stand out in a good light and to make a great impression every time.

Karly

Do not stress out. Keep working and do not slack off. Be sure to read the text books and study, study, study.

Sarah

I would encourage high school seniors to take a look at the colleges close to them. In my case, I am attending the local two-year college and living at home. This has saved me tons of money and I got the opportunity to get used to college and the new routines while being close to my parents and family. To make the transition easier, I would have taken more advanced classes. If you go easy senior year there will be a large shock when you get to college. I would also make sure to take a college writing class. This was offered at my high school and I took advantage of it and am very glad I did. Also, get involved right away at school. This will help you form friends and people to help with studying and other things.

Tanya

If I were to go back in time and talk to myself, I would give myself a little bit of knowledge about college. I would tell myself that, yes, friends are important, but it isnt friends that carry you through your life. They are there to support you and help your through good and bad times, but you have to help yourself sometimes. You can't rely on other people to do things for you. You will be waiting forever. College brings stress, homework, fun, and craziness alive. Homework and tests are crucial to your grades and your future. This causes stress. As the stress builds you will want to quit and give up and walk away, but this is your chance to prove yourself. Not only prove yourself to yourself, but to everyone else that ever doubted your ablility to succeed. You can do it, and no matter how stressful life or college gets, the only way is up, and you can succeed. All it takes is a little determination and a little help from your friends and family.

Emilie

Hey, Emilie?stop stressing! You aren?t missing out on anything by going to a two-year school before a big university, even though it seems like your friends will be having more fun at their schools. You?re making the right choice. By staying in Wausau, you?re saving so much money on tuition and living expenses?you?ll appreciate it soon enough. Also, don?t be afraid of your professors. They aren?t at all like the professors on Legally Blonde! They're actually very kind, patient, and really want to help you succeed?especially in your first semester. There are also academic advisors in student services who can help you plan your schedule to earn that communications major. Hint: you should take advantage of that right away! Most importantly, though, don?t be afraid to make new friends. UW-Marathon County is really clique-y at first, but once everyone stops worrying about being the new kid at school, it?s so easy to meet new people. Don?t forget to be yourself, and remember that you?re in college to prepare yourself for an awesome, rewarding, lifelong career. Don?t let anything distract you from that.

Gustin

The only things I would have told myself in high-school would be o keep my grades a little better my senior year and actually try on my ACT exam when I took it. These things would have made financing school much easier with scholarships. I believe I made the right choice by taking a year off of school and working a full-time factory job while living with two friends in Washington state. I realized how hard it is to make a living and I decided that I would not stop in school until I recieved my PhD in Nuclear Physics. I don't know if I would have the same motivation if I didn' move out on my own and have that experience.

Jamie

If I were able to give my high school self advice, I would tell myself to stay on the path I followed and keep working hard to acheive my dreams. I had no difficulty adjusting to college because I have always been a grounded and highly motivated student. I've known that I wanted to be a veterinarian for my entire life. I vividly remember "spaying and neutering" my stuffed animals as a toddler. As I've grown older, that dream has only grown stronger. The more experience I obtain with animals, the more working with them feels like my destiny. I just completed my first semester of college, earning remarkable grades along the way. I would definitely tell my younger self to keep working toward my goals even when it seems overwhelming because it really does pay off in the end.

Bridget

I would advise my younger self that college is should always remain the top priority. I would state that setting goals ahead of time and putting aside time for studying is highly important. I would state that allowing time for a social life is necessary, but not to let that take over my priorities or studies. I would advise myself to look into getting a job during the summer before college to save money towards college expenses. You never realize how expensive and pricey college really is until you are scraping for money to buy some food because your textbooks were close to $1000. I would suggest that working the bare maximum of 20 hours a week . 20 hours or less is ideal since you do not want work to overshadow schoolwork and school-related responsibilities. I would inform myself that having fun and maintaining good grades can happen with the right amount of balance and to find that balance early on in my college career.

Kristen

Talk to a counselor before signing up for classes. Make a plan of what classes you want to take, and stick with it. It will be much more efficient than finding out later that there are classes you are missing and need to fit in around the classes you actually want to take.

Graem

I really have no regrets about my high school year. I assumed that college was going to be really tough so those are the kinds of classes I took. I was doing some calculus and advanced chemistry when i graduated. I felt very prepared to take on the classes that i was going to do. I am doing just fine in college, and saved a lot of money in my first two years of college. This was a very smart decision to make. I have not had to take out a loan yet to attend college.