University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Top Questions

First of all, I brought way too many clothes with me to college. I would tell my high school self to pack less then you think you will need. College dorm rooms are not the most spacious so only bring what is needed. Make as many friends as possible, this is one thing that is a must. It will be hard to remember everyones name but that's normal. One thing I regret is that I did not get involved right away. My best advice would be to do so. Get involved on the campus and also in the community. Do some volunteering around the campus with friends or if your campus has a daycare on site then help out there. Remeber to study more then anything else. You want to enjoy your time in college but you also want to succeed.

Thankfully in high school, especially in my senior year, I disciplined myself to seeing school work as a first priority. If anything I’d rather tell my freshman-self how important it was to focus on my grades early on. What I would tell myself in senior year though, was to not stress about going to State College of Florida for 2 years first for an A.A. It will transfer and help knock out academic classes for my Bachelor Degree at Ringling College of Art and Design. Regarding Ringling though, I’d also say that I should have taken financial planning seriously early on and applied for scholarships sooner, and to learn how loans work. There is no guarantee that you’ll be able to qualify for all of the loans offered and the loans that you do get may not be able to cover all of your tuition. Focusing on scholarships sooner may have saved me and my family a lot of anxiety.

The first month of school is crucial. The biggest advice I would give would be to get out there and take advantage of everything offered. There are several events offered for freshmen to meet new friends and get better aquainted with the campus. Go to them and be open to meeting new people because everyone there is just like you. Everyone is looking for new friends, so just say hello to everyone you pass and put yourself out there. Join a club or play an intrameril sport because they are super fun and a good study break. Also don't forget to find where all of your classes are before the first day of school because you do not want to be the awkward person walking in when the professor is talking. The biggest change from high school for most people seemed to be time management and study habits. Many people are able to fly through high school with poor study habits, but college is another story. Find a strategy that works for you and build a schedule that includes homework time and any other priorites you have. Have fun, but remember why you are there. LIVE LEARN and GROW

I would tell my self college is not as scary as you think it is. Marching band will adapt you well to the school community, and you will make plenty of friends. The teachers are nice and there to help and are very knowledgeable on their subject area. There is plenty to do around campus, like explore the near by bluffs, or go to the campus gym. The people and other students are friendly, so you don't have to worry about that. Remember, its ok to study in groups, you can trust other people to help you study, thats one thing I should have done my frist year. Breathe in and out, remember it is a social campus,with people their to help. You will do great. Nicole Lang

If I had the opportunity to give myself advice about college there are three main things I would say. First would be to go out and meet as many people as I can! It is amazing how nice the people in college ended up being, and especially as a freshman I was super scared going into it all without knowing anyone. The fact of the matter is that every freshman is in the same position, and the more friends you make the easier the transition is (especially when you start missing home). Secondly, I would definetely warn myself not to go in too overconfident about my classes. Not that college classes are horrifyingly difficult, but they require completely different time and thought commitments than those in high school. In college most of the work you do for school is outside of the classroom, which can come as a real shock. Lastly, I would tell myself to just have fun! College is full of times to work hard, but it is also important to learn how to save time for the fun things too! It is amazing how fast the time goes, so don't waste what you have!

Knowing what I know now as a college student a year after being a high school senior, I would tell myself to not take life so seriously. I would tell myself that "that physics test you've been freaking out about for weeks and staying up at night to prepare for won't make a damn difference in whether or not you go to college." I would tell myself to stop comparing myself to the school's valedictorian and just do me. Try as hard as I can but don't worry so much. Everything works out. It always does. I would tell myself that "once you graduate high school life does happen and you are on your won, yes, but it's nothing to be scared of. It's a beautiful thing and you can choose to go down whatever path you want. You can be anything you want." If I only knew this all when I was a high school senior, life may have been a little easier up until now. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my 187 words.

Make sure you always bring your key to the showers with you, it's very possible that you will get locked out of your room. Make everyday use of the rec center, it's very helpful in not gaining the freshman fifteen. Save as much money as you can, you're going to need it. Try to find a job right away when you're up there, otherwise you'll end up broke pretty quickly. Cafeteria food is better than it was at Horlick, but always opt for the healthies option. Always do your homework right when you get it, and make sure that you write down and have alarms for every deadline. It's easy to forget when you stress out. The counseling center is there to help with everything, use them. And also, don't forget to have fun. Yes it's work, but don't forget play.

I understand you are excited about graduation, and cannot wait to move onto the next phase in your life. I know you are apprehensive about beginning college, but are filled with such energy about becoming independent. I would like to advise you to be confident in yourself and who you are. College will provide you with many opportunities to experience new things, meet new people, and expand your knowledge of several topics. I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone, but do not lose sight of your personal values. This will be challenging, and you may fail at times, but please work toward becoming a better person for yourself, not due to the influence of others. Several classes will also challenge your way of thinking. This may frustrate you at times and leave you feeling defeated and unintelligent. Remind yourself that you are a smart, capable individual and you are able succeed academically and overcome those obstacles. Overall, remember to remain confident in who you are and where you want life to take you. Invite challenges into your life, and know you will be able to conquer them while growing intellectually and socially throughout your college experience.

You better be able to do everything by yourse;f and ;earn how to read books even though you dont want to

I would tell my high school self to relax and enjoy the experience! When I was in high school, my whole life was about getting good grades, applying for scholarships, taking AP tests, and being able to fill up my applications. But in the grand scheme of things, high school was only four measley years of my life. Honestly, once you get into the college of your choice, nothing I really did in high school mattered anymore. So what if I had better grades than my college roommate? She got into college too. I would not tell myself to not try my best, but to make time for myself and to enjoy the high school experience more than stressing about my next steps in life.

High School is only the beggining of your future. I know things seem tough right now but you have only just begun to live your life. Stay strong even though at the moment it seems that no one is by your side remember those few good friends who are. There are going to be hard times and happy times. but don't give in and don't ever give up . Ignore those who put you down and say your dreams won't come true because they gave up on pursing theirs. You are invincible as long as you are alive! When you walk across that stage and finally have that diploma in your hands you will see that all that hard work paid off. And when you come back to the ten year reunion and see all those who brought your hopes down they will finally know what all this time was for.

Lexie, Right now you are sitting in your desk, complaining about your hard school work you have no idea how to do, or how you cannot wait to get out of the town of Antigo; cherish it. When you go to school, you will be miles and miles away from your family, who you will find is the most important people, along with your number one fans. When you attend your first day of class, and have a lecture, where the teacher doesnt ask once if "anyone has any questions abou the lecture", you will wish you were sitting in your desk in high school with a class of 20, and the ability to ask any question at anytime. What I am saying is, even though the future looks so fun, and exciting; it is actually much more hard. Instead of going down your hall to hang with your sister, you will have to go down your hall to hang with a complete stranger. Instead of sitting down for dinner with your family, you will have dinner with a table of friends, and instead of saying prayer before you eat, you will question if your peers believe in a God.

I would tell myself to not be afraid to show who you are and have the courage to put myself out there. It can be very nerve-racking to go to a new place away from home with such a big increase in the amount of students without knowing many. Most people don't know you, but that's alright. You should embrace this opportunity to meet new people, try new experiences to find and develop yourself, and learn something new from every person you interact with. Joining organizations and putting yourself out there may be scary and you may not enjoy everything you try, but it is much better to try and learn then to miss an opportunity and regret it in the future. During high school and the beginning of college, most students are constantly trying to impress others and not fall victim to any ill-judgements. Instead, I would tell myself to be true to me and never be afraid to have a conversation with anyone. Every person has different experiences and different insight to offer.

I will work in the same way like before.

Dear Devin, I know that right now college seems like a big, scary, exciting place and you have no idea what to expect. I want you to know not to worry. You are going to do some pretty great things once you get there. I don't want to give away all the secrets, but trust me. You will experience many "firsts" and things you never dreamed you would do. Believe in the potential you have stored inside of you. Once you are on campus, you will find that it truely is your new home. Here you will make new friends, learn about life, and go on many adventures. Don't be afraid of change, for with change comes growth and understanding. Have patience with Mom and Dad because they don't always know what you are going through. Communication is often the best tool you have; when dealing with roommates, friends, and parents remember that you need to speak up for your opinions to be known. You have some great ideas, so go ahead and share them! Most importantly, you need to remember why you are here and what is truly important in your life. You've got this!

Dear high school me, Oh, how you have it easy. Although cramming works now, you’ll have a whole new perspective next year. YOU NEED TO STUDY IN ADVANCE. Build relationships with teachers so that you’re comfortable to ask questions after class. It pays off. In addition, you should learn how to prioritize. I know you love being involved in sports and clubs (and that’s good, continue doing them), but when it becomes too overwhelming, remember your education should always come first. Moving past your poor studying skills, let’s confront the petty social conflict in high school. I know you realize the drama’s not something you want to be involved in, so you’ll be happy to know you leave that behind in college. With the thousands of people who go to college, you’ll find your niche somewhere. Don’t worry about making friends. Every college freshman's nervous, but the beautiful thing is you’re all in the same boat, so put yourself out there, get involved, and create new friendships. Enjoy high school and its laid back perks while you can, but be excited for what college will bring. Love, Me

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self about college, I would tell myself to relax. It is a big change and the first month or so is going to be hard but once you get past that and find some friends, college is amaxing. I would tell myself that it's okay to call your family, it doesn't mean you're weak, it means you love and miss them. That's normal. If you really need to talk to someone and you don't want to call your parents, call your grandparents. They love hearing from you and they will accept you and love you unconditionally. Also, send letters to your high school friends. I know they're awkward to write but they will be so appreciated. Finally, don't worry about making great, life-long friends right away. Be yourself and the great friends will come.

I would advise myself to save my paychecks and to better my studying habits. Money in college runs out faster than I ever thought it would. I made the mistake by going shopping alot and buying pointless things I didn't need. I did, however, learn the hard way with having to budget what little money I had for food and other necessities. Along with money is my studying habits, where in high school I had many different ways of studying. In college it is much different and harder to say the least. I would work to better my studying habits so I would be ready for studying for all my exams.

I have thought about people still attending high school and asked myself this question many times. The one thing that I tell every one of my friends still in high school is to take as many AP or advanced placement courses as possible. The advantages to taking these types of classes are twofold. First, you have to potential to earn credits for college through taking and passing the AP test at the end of the semester. Having these transfer credits will help you graduate in four years and set you ahead of many other incoming freshman. Second, the rigor of the AP cources set you up for the workload and overall atmosphere of the general college class. The expectation of having homework every night while in those AP classes develops great habits that are carried over to college. Taking advanced placement classes in high school helped me to achieve nine credits before I had even taken a course in college. Because of the credits I earned in high school I did not need to take a single math course in college. Taking advanced placement classes during high school is the most important decision when preparing for college.

The first thing I would tell myself would be to not stress so much! College is obviously a big step and grades and applications are extremely important for your future, but your future is never set it stone and life will always throw you optsticals. I would tell my high school self to just be ready to roll with the punches and to be ready for adversity- When life gives you lemons make lemonade! The second thing i would tell myself would be to take the AP tests a little bit more seriously. College is expensive and getting those free credits is an easy way to save money. Overall the most important piece of advice that I would give my high school self would be to begin to find yourself and who you truly are as a person. In college, your life is filled with diversity and new experiences which will overall help to form who you are as a person; Starting to discover your true self in high school will allow you to enjoy the roller coaster of college with more self assurance and self esteem! Being more aware of yourself helps you to make that "lemonade"!

Knowing what I know now about college life and the transition, I would adivce myself to get more involved and experience more careers on my own before entering ollege. By doing so, I would have a better idea as to what career I want to persue and I would not feel like I wasted my time trying to figure that out in college. Also, would advice myself to study more and develope better study habits to help make the transition easier for me.

Looking back on my senior year of high school, I remember how anxious, yet enthusiastic I was to make the transition into being a college freshman. Although, I would not go back and change anything that happened my first year of college, I confess it would have been nice to have more insight into what I dove into it wholeheartedly. In retrospect, there are two main pieces of advice that I would give to myself as a senior. First and foremost, always be prepared. This can mean anything from reading ahead in your classes, to keeping floss handy in case you need to sew on a button before a presentation or an interview, to being prepared to meet new interesting people, and possibly lose people from your old life. My last words of wisdom are to make sure you try new things because the more things you do, the more memories you’ll make, and the more experiences you’ll have. Sleep when you’re dead! If a chance to do something completely out-of-character comes to you, seize it. Make the most of college, because responsibility and the real world are looming, and soon, they’ll become everything.

If I could tell myself anything, I would say that you need to take each assignment seriously. I realize now that I let my personal feelings, emotions, and lack of self-discipline keep me from attaining excellent grades. I blew off almost every assignment and homework I was given in high school because I lacked the discipline, time management skills, and emotional maturity to make myself get the task done. I never saw the relevance to the rote work of mathematics or English papers that took too long to do. I was more concerned about the social life going on around me. I was obsessed with my appearance! I would rather be thinking about the way someone else was dressed that day than what the teacher was saying. Now, as an adult, I see that it requires a purposeful, determined decision to make time to understand and finish the assignments given by my instructors. I see now that each task is building a future for me. Each one is producing a new skill and more knowledge that I can apply to a career.

The single piece of advice that I would give myself, prior to high school graduation, is not to waste my life. To elaborate more, I would emphasize the purposefulness of utilizing each and every opportunity that comes my way for something good, something worth while. I would encourage myself to sieze each day and make the most of the moments that it holds. I would support healthy living so that each day could be used well. Most of all, I would urge myself to consider the meaning and purpose of life as soon as possible. This question needs to be answered to live a life that is driven, meaningful, and joyful. With these things emphasized, I think my high school self would be prepared and ready to transition into college.

If I were able to give myself advice as a high school senior with the knowledge I currently possess, I would start by saying that an investment in my education is truly an investment in myself. I would suggest taking a foreign language to broaden my horizons and lay a foundation for my desire to volunteer on global relief mission trips. I would urge myself to reach out for help when I need it and ask questions when I do not understand. Do not worry about what people think of your intelligence, your education is for you and no one else. I would warn myself that college will test my ability to multi-task, meet deadlines, work successfully in diverse groups, use real world problem solving strategies and most of all college will make you believe in yourself. At first, balancing all of this will seem impossible, do not give up. I would tell myself to walk the bridge over the Mississippi River at dusk or climb the Grand Dad Bluffs dawn to clear my head when I feel completely overwhelmed. Most importantly, I would remind myself to stay driven, be myself and to believe in the impossible.

The one, single word of advice that I would give my high school senior self would be: relax. College isn't as scary as people make it out to be. You'll meet some amazing people and have fantastic opportunities, so don't freak out. The professors are amazing and you'll really like your job. Plus, all of the cash that you earn will help you travel abroad during Spring Break. College will be one of the most memorable parts of your life; don't spend the whole four years worring about every little insignificant detail!

It sounds cliché, but these will be some of the best years of your life. The friends you make, the memories you share and the laughs you have are just around the corner. Hang in there, stop stressing about not getting into college and enjoy being young without all the responsibilities of paying rent, and tuition bills. It is not the end of the world if you do not know what you want to be when you grow up! Everyone is in the same boat as you, with doubts about their future and no real set plan before them. Take every opportunity you get to make new friends and branch out, joining clubs and sports teams. Attend every campus comedian, band, or performance you can find. Work ahead in your classes. When you find this out, your stress load will be cut in half. And as hard as your high school teachers say college is, if you attend class you can pull off a 4.0 GPA if you believe you can.

Always remember the reason you are going to college. The reason people go to college is to get a higher level education and to get a degree with that education so he/she can advance him/herself in today's society. Some people believe the only reason to go to college is to party, they think these are the only four years of their life that they get to party. I believe you can party at college, but once it starts to affect your grades, you have to be smart and know that you have to stop attending parties or at least until your grades pick up. Also get out of your dorm room and meet new people, this way you get a different perspective on life and the world. Always remember school comes first and then your personal life.

If I could miraculously go back in time to my senior year in high school, I would tell myself not to worry so much. Looking back to my senior year, I realize that I was so worried about not seeing my family for weeks. The days fly by so fast in college, so before I know it, it's the weekend and I'm going home to see my family. Also, I would advise my high school self to enjoy the pleasure of not having much homework to do. Sure, it might have seemed like a lot at the time, but I would have prepared myself better for the workload to come. I probably would have developed better note-taking and study habits while in high school rather than trying to figure that out in college. I would also have told myself that college is just a big social game where communication is key to truly experiencing it. If I would have known that in high school, I would have made a better effort to be outgoing and sociable. Then, I would have felt more confident in meeting new people and maybe things would have turned out differently.

If I had the chance to tell my high school senior self about college life, I would stress that I should not worry about taking online classes and to take some specialized degree classes with the general education. I would think this advice would be helpful to my younger self because I know I avoided online classes because I thought I would not remember them. Since then, I have found that I am actually quite capable of handling an online class and even will get well ahead of schedule if given a chance. With taking online courses, I would tell myself to take classes such as English, Political Science and related courses online so I could get done with them faster and easier. In the way of taking specialized classes, I realize now I should have been looking at them from the start since some only met at particular times of the year. This is a lesson I have learned the hard way and could possibly cause trouble for me when I am near the end of my degree. I would warn my younger self about this so trouble can maybe be better avoided.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to do things differently than I had. Not everyone is fortunate enough to attend college and have that opportunity, and I would stress the importance of that issue so it would not be taken for granted. The next thing I would emphasis is getting involved. Get involved with every club or organization that interest you. I would stress this matter because meeting people and getting involved in your community enables you to become a more successful student. To make the transition from high school to college a smoother process, I would advise myself to plan better. I then would recommend myself to set up an appointment up with a counselor and talk to them about what my future goals were. Doing this would ensure that every class I registered for would be one step closer to my goal, and not wasted taking unnecessary classes. Finally, I would advise myself to be aware of what my college has to offer. This would be anything from clubs, to internships and scholarships. Knowledge is power and knowing your opportunities makes everything straightforward.

Don't be afraid to take online classes. With your job, it is a lot easier to work more while taking classes as well. Also, study. I know it's college, but that doesn't mean you can slack off. College classes are hard, but there are plenty of good sources.

I would have taken my grades more seriously and asked for help in learning how to organize and study. Being in college is completely different than high school because you can not just skim through it. I would also tell myself that seeking help is not a bad idea because there were many things I didn't know how to do. Especially when it came to applying for college during high school, I had no help and no one offered me any help. When I didn't get any help, I resorted to just figuring things out on my own and I realize now that if I had asked, I would probably be looking at a more enjoyable future than what I have now.

Learn how to manage time! Practice from early on how to get the most done in the time you have. Have a job! By doing this you'll not only practice time management, you'll start to understand how to budget your income. Engage yourself! Become an active member of your community. Networking helps you feel more at home in a new place, learn about the community, and meet people who share common interests. Enjoy yourself! High school is the last time in your life that you have very limited serious responsibilities. Although you're learning what it means to be an adult in the "real world," you have not yet been held responsible for all your actions, decisions, choices, and lifestyle. You will have complete freedom once you get to college so believe in yourself and what you're capable of when you put your mind to it!

My high school years were everything but perfect. I have learned from every mistake and made changes according to those choices I previously made. I now understand how important critical thinking and problem solving is. I would go back and tell myself that studying and getting excellent grades is the way to progress into the college realm of learning. I would tell myself it is okay to make mistakes, but to continue to challenge myself. By challenging myself I am expanding my thought process and allowing myself to prove what I can do. I am more ambitious and driven than I was in high school and that comes from learning more about myself and my studying habits and skills.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would make certain that I talked about a couple important aspects. The first would be about financial means. After being through a semester and a half of college, I have realized that getting prepared early for financial coverage is especially important. From personal experience, I started a little later than I should have with figuring out how I was going to pay for my education. Applying for loans and scholarships early are very important to feel somewhat comfortable in the financial means of college. The second point that I would make clear to myself is to get involved. Join clubs, intramural sports, organizations, work out classes, volunteer or do anything that will get you interacting with others. Even just making friends with those in your residence hall can make a huge difference. Part of the college experience is to build relationships and have fun doing so, and joining extra-curriculars can be a great attribute for resumes or finding any type of employment. Overall, I'd tell myself to study hard and stay focused, but have fun too!

I had a fairly easy road to UW-La Crosse with a minor bump at UW-Waukesha my first year. If I could have talked to myself as a high school senior I would say all the things my older sister Erin, an alumni of UW-La Crosse, would say. I would tell myself it is a big transition from depending on my parents for everything but I need to break away from the nest at some point and start living. La Crosse is all about living my own life, not anyone elses. It will help me find myself and who I want to be. No need to feel scared and being nervous is only natural, when thrown into a huge dorm with more than 100 people you don't know. I would tell myself to embrass the changes and the college life for all its worth.

Making the transition from high school to college is difficult but an excellent opportunity to learn many lifelong lessons. As a college student possibly leaving home for the first time, it is important to remember your support systems and the people that care for you because they will always be there for you no matter what the circumstances. Prepare to work very hard and learn a lot. In addition, as a college student, make yourself aware of the campus community and get involved as much as possible. Being involved will help you to meet other students and also gain more lifelong knowledge about the community and being a member of a community. Reach out to people you may otherwise not and put yourself in a position to experience novel things.

I have learned how to be a student and a teacher. I can learn in various settings and through many different techniques, which is valuable in life. I have learned that it is not just doing well on tests that is important, but actually remembering what you learned and being able to apply it. I have also learned how to be a teacher and since so many jobs require you to teach people this is a necessary skill. Most people think that professors are the only people who teach, but business men teach their colleages how to do perform certain tasks, physical therapists teach patients how to do exercises, and nearly every career involves teaching of some sort. I have also learned how important communication and interpersonal relationships are because you are always around people whether they are your peers, students, or patients. You have to be able to interact with all different kinds of ways in an appropriate manner. Just in my two years of college, I have learned more than the four years that I spent in high school and I intend to retain it and utilize it in the future.

I am currently a freshman at UW-LaCrosse. I am from Rochester, Minnesota, and I graduated from Lourdes Catholic High school. My faith is a big part of who I am, and it helps me to reach out to the community and be involved in activities on campus. My major is Biology and Pre-medicine. I plan to graduate from UWL and then pursue a medical degree to be a doctor. This scholarship fits me well because of my high interest in sports and health and also because of my academic achievements. In high school my GPA was 3.9, and I was inducted into the National Honor Society. I also was captain of my basketball team during my senior year and we placed 3rd place in the Minnesota State girls basketball tournament. I also played soccer for most of my life and my Lourdes High School placed 4th at the Minnesota State High School girls soccer tournament in my junior year. I feel that I should be awarded this scholarship to assist me financially to achieve my dream of becoming a doctor and helping others.

My college experience so far has been indescribable. After only being at UW - La Crosse for one semester I have gained an understanding of what it takes to be a responsible indiviual. College can be the experience of a lifetime if approached correctly. Obtaining a college education will open your eyes to endless possibilities. Overall, it has been a very hard transition to be completely on my own. Although, I have already gained a wide range of lifelong friends that I can approach at anytime. My education is by far the most important aspect during this time of my life. I want to be able to graduate and tell myself that I accomplished one of the greatest and most memorable goals during my life. Somday, I would love to work at a design firm. This would not come true if it weren't for receiving my college degree. I truley believe that college can make or break a person. It has made me.

My college experience has brought so many new ideas and concepts to mind. Not only have I learned a great deal about the world I live in and how it works, I've more importantly learned countless life lessons and truths. I've things ranging from the changes in an electrons energy level during photon emission, to the huge impact the environment had on the once powerful Maya civilization, to the equally complex lifestyle of a residence hall. This experience has taught me to value friends and family over all else, because when it comes down to it those relationships are all you really have and remember. This opportunity has been invaluable for me because of the new view I have on life. College has molded me into a self-relient, critical thinking, headstrong, and more appreciative citizen. I now know how important it is to have goals in life, figure out the best way to reach those goals, and enjoy the ride along the way. I may be just a young adult with an overly optimistic outlook on life, but I'd much rather be overly optimistic than partially pessimistic.

There's nothing better than an education to get you places in life. This is an age at which we haven't found where we quite belong, which is what makes a college experience so great. It has gotten me out of the town I had lived in for 18 years, introduced me to many new people from other states and other countries, gotten me into doing activities I had never had the chance to do before, I got to live with people I didn't get along with and learned to make do, but I also got to live with people I did get along with and had great times with them. I learned that I am a completely different person than I thought I was during previous years of my life. I changed majors more than once, finally deciding on a double major. I still don't know what I'm doing when I graduate next semester, but I think I have finally come to learn that's okay, which is something important I've taken away from this. The value of an education is great but it's the experience that changes you.

In one word, responsibility. I've finally become aware of how much work was done for me in high school and I'm starting to understand that if I want to succeed, I need to ask questions, make phone calls, and sometimes cancel certain fun events in my schedule so that I can get things done. I've started to learn what balance is and I've started to learn how to achieve it, and I've also learned to be grateful for the oportunities that I have that other people don't get to enjoy. Another aspect that comes to mind when I think of going to school is Independence. I've learned that things ayren't going to be done for me anymore and I'm able to embrace that change. I'm getting a job, I'm getting things done, I'm buying books, I'm getting school ID's, simple things that I never thought would be difficult, but took much more work than the one day registrations I used to have in High School. Over all, I feel lucky to have an experience in college, even when I'm just starting out. It's fun!

Next Saturday is my first day I need to be on campus. Last month I went to Freshman Orientation and it was one of the greatest weekends I have had in a long time and I am so excited to go back next week! Going to college is going to change my life for the better. It will bring me closer to making my dreams reality and will be lots of fun in the meantime.

My college exeperience gave me the education and tools to do a job I love, which is athletic training. I am sure I could have become an athletic trainer had I attended a different school but I would not have left that school with as much ability and confidence in my abilities as I did leaving UW-L. College was a time for me do some growing up and get used to being on my own, with that safety net of parents just a road trip away. I learned how to function on my own, make friends, budget, network and be responsible for my actions. There are so many intangibles that you gain from college that without college I would not be who I am today.

The biggest thing that i ahev gotten out of college so far is the self-disciplin needed to make it on my own. Before I was in college, I didn't have good time management and didnt know how to get things done on time. The other major thing I learned at college was self-motivation. I started to learn as college went on is I have to motivate myself to get anything done. If I didnt do it, no one else would.

Since going to college I have totally changed fields from what I thought I wanted to go into to something I simple help interest for in the past, but didn't think I could make anything of it. I started as a biology major, but soon learned that it was not for me. I was always a lover of history but never thought that I could make it into a career. I spoke to many people on campus and switched my major to History. Since this change, I am LOVING my college experience. I go to a great campus that provides tons of extracurricular activies, is in a beautiful location, the perfect size, and I'm studying a subject which I love. I love going to class, and I have really learned to appreciate all that my teachers are doing for me and all the knowledge I am gaining. I love going to school and plan to graduate with a degree in history and archaeology and continue on to graduate school. I hope to someday gain a doctorate and full take advantage of how great the United States secondary school system is.

I've learned to try new things. I started school and instead of sticking to what I knew very well, volleyball, i joined the social dance club on campus. I met a lot of new people, and it made me realize that something I thought I would be bad at could actually turn out perfect. Through this organization I have not only gained some awesome dance moves, but I've gained leadership skills. In the coming year I will become an officer, and along with the other officers, will be co-chairing the roles of club president.

Being in college for the last 3 years has taught me a lot of valuable lessons; I cannot imagine my life otherwise. The most important and valuable things I have gotten out of my college experience is knowledge and courage, but even the knowledge I've acquired so far, can't compare to the amount I will acquire throughout the rest of my college years. One of my favorite quotes is an African proverb that states - "Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested." A college education has allowed me to cultivate my land of knowledge and harvesting it has been the greatest gift I could ever receive, but I do not want to stop at what I have now. I still have a long way to go, but with every hard-earned A I've received, I have gotten a boost of courage which will never fail me in my future endeavors. Thanks to college, I have learned that no matter what roadblocks I may face, if I put enough effort and knowledge into reaching my goal, I will inevitably achieve what I'm striving for.