Augustana University Top Questions

Dear Alicia, Please work really hard no matter what happens. Hard work is what will get you some where in the long road. Don't ever quit. Also don't wait to go to school. Taking so much time off before college, makes it really hard to get back into the groove of things. Although; It definetly makes you work so much harder. I care more now about my education now than I even have before. Make friends with good study partners because they really come in handy later, especially when you need someone to help motivate you to get it done. Not to mention having someone to share some of the stressful moments (the day before a test, the day you get your test back and all the in between) with definitly will make you feel better. More that anything else give it all you got!

I have learned alot about growing up this year. Not enough but alot. I would tell myself to start paying more attention to my own life. Learn how to organize my own time. Understand what I have got to get done and what I want to get done and make it all happen. Juggling everything is hard. We dont realize that while mom is in charge, but it is. I would put more thoughts into everything. Think more about what comes next, or if there is going to be enough time? Scheduling classes, and work, and football practice, lifting, working and work study has proven to be very challenging. I wish I had paid more attention to all of those things my mom always told me to think about. I have to say it, "Pay attention to mom!!"

I would tell myself that it's ok to fail. College isn't for everyone which is ok but once you make it through I think i'll feel fully rewarded. Sometimes it's hard to adjust not only are you alone without your parents so you are basicallly on your own but the school work will be like nothing you've ever seen. Sometimes the pressure will get to you and you'll break down and fall behind but as long as you keep working hard you will be successful. My first semester of college was not me best academic year, in fact it was my worst ever but this semester I have done much better. The only reason I learned this was because I had "failed" first semester but I got back on track. People say you need to study and work hard and you hear that over and over but the only real way to learn it is to experience the failure and that's ok. You have to push forward though because it will pay off if you work at it.

make sure you know what is expected out of you for that college. Beaware of everything you need to do to maintain scholarships that you have recieved. Socialize and get to know people, build a support system for yourself, in case things get tough or if you want a break from your studies. Professors are your friends, don't be afriand to visit them during their office hours to ask a question abou class or have them look over a paper that you have written. No one wants to see you fail, the only person that is stopping you from secceeding is yourself. Do not be afriad to say NO to your friends and say YES to studying, there will be other oppurtunities to go out with your friends.

My college experience has exposed me to so many things that I do not think I would have ever experienced had I opted to forgo college. Living in the dorms for the past two years has allowed me to meet hundreds of great people; many of them who I feel will be my lifelong friends. There are so many activities to get involved in and there is literally something for everyone. There is the Democrat and Republican clubs, intramural sports, and associations for each major. They are great ways to network with many diverse people and create connections that will carry on to life past college. Attending sporting events that go on many times during the week promote a sense of school pride and bring everyone together to support our teams. Parties are not the only social events during the evenings so students who do not want to be in that type of environment have a variety of activity options. Various clubs sponsor movie nights or bring in musicians and comedians almost every night of the week. Attending these gatherings help form friendships where people can bond over mutual interests. I would not trade my college experience for anything

You know the saying “it’s a small world?” Well, that is true now. No, the world is not decreasing in size, technology is merely wrapping the human race in a closer connected (wireless) bond. This new global connection is exactly what college is preparing students for. Not only is college a great social experience, or a place that will set one up with a job, it is a place that will teach one of the world outside the classroom. Whether in politics, economics, biology, or giving students opportunities to travel abroad, college is preparing students for the new "connected" world. Understanding cultures outside of one’s own is important for the coming generations for the fact that it is more likely that students will work with someone who comes from a different background then their own. Giving students an opportunity to study abroad so they can experience other cultures is exactly what colleges, like my own, are setting as a priority. As the world moves towards a more integrated society, incorporating other cultures into one’s study is irreplaceable knowledge that makes college essential to attend.

Since I've started college back in Clermont Florida I've felt that it was an amazing experience. The Professors didn't treat us like small children, and my favorite Professor actually helped me choose the degree in which I wish to pursue. However, since I started my college experience at the beginning of our economic recession my family wasn’t able to afford sending me to a four year college. I feel that I’ve missed part of the experience of being in college due to not being about to live away from home. I hope that I’ll be able to achieve this through some scholarships and work. Besides not feeling like I’ve experienced to true purpose of college due to money issues, my Professor has helped me decide the career path. I’m hoping to transfer into a four year college next semester and work towards a doctoral degree for Archeology. This was the greatest experience I’ve had in college, being able to work towards a career that I’ll love and to fulfill my dreams, having this option is possibly one of the greatest things I could have wished for from college.

I have gotten out of my college expereince the believe in education is the key for the success, there is nothing better for oneself, a group, an organization or a country. Since I was young I have always had the urge to learn about new things. My parents always believed that poor people could never go to college, they always said “the fruit does not fall far away from tree”, which meant that if your family was poor, your life would be just like theirs and there would be no use in hoping for better. They were wrong, from my collge experience, you can change your life, be whoever you wanna be not follow anybody foot steps.

In my three years of college, I received tremendous growth in character, wisdom, and the education in my choice of major. I've also experienced a closer relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Within that experience alone, I've gotten the chance to branch out into the real world and explore the many opportunities that were opened to me. I've gotten to travel to different parts of the country to explore the different cultures of our nation. My attendance in college has become one of my very valuable experiences, because not only have I received growth, but also I've learned who I am as an individual.

From college I have been able to learn the importance of being part of a team. I currently play for the college tennis team, where we have been practicing together for the past 5 months in order to prepare for the season. Over these 5 months I have experienced the type of devotion and compatibility that must be mantained to create a positive working environment. The role models of the team are able to challenge us all with their outstanding work ethic and positive encouragement. Other members of the team bring the competition by constantly striving to improve. I believe that the true definition of a team is a community that works together not only to achieve a goal, but to make each other better. Without support like this, we would not be at the level of play that we are at today. I plan to carry over these values into my schoolwork and future career. Teamwork is the missing link that many companies fail to notice, and I plan to incorporate the positive aura that teamwork creates into many of the challenges that I will face.