University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would give myself advice on my career choice as well as information about college. I wish as a senior I would have known to take advantage of community college classes. These classes are cheaper and can count for general education requirements. Compared to the thousands of dollars I spent at a four year university taking my gen. eds I could have taken more classes, for a cheaper price at a community college. I also would emphasis the fact that I should major in something I enjoy. The amount of time and money you put into your college experience should be on something you like, not somehting you think will look good. There is no other time in your life besides college to focus on something you are really interested in whether its photography or medicine etc. It is important to devote your time to something that you are willing to learn more about-and in doing so it will make the transition easier.

I would give my high school self very simple advice: Do not slack off. Just because it is your last year in high school does not mean you should take it lightly! When I came to college, I thought that collge wouldn't be that hard. I had taken Advanced Placement (AP) classes and done well in them so I didn't think that college would be much different. I was wrong. My first semester I had so much reading for my classes. I didn't know how to handle it. I was used to coming home from school, taking a nap, having dinner, and then doing two hours of homework before my favorite show came on telelvison. In college, there isn't time for that. In college you really do need to manage your time wisely and take advantage of every free minute you have. It took me a full semester to get back into the swing of things and my GPA suffered because of it. If I could give my high school self one piece of advice, it would be to never stop working hard. It's harder to get out of that senioritis slump than you think!

Attending the University of Maryland has given me a degree of perspective and resolve that I would not have been able to attain in any other enviroment. By being placed in an environment that has both freedom and intellectual opportunities, I have been able to take direction of my own learning and shape my growth, working towards my ideal of a productive member of society. Because I have a complete control over my choices, and so many options to choose from, I no longer have to feel like I am working for someone or something other than myself. In effect, my studies have become a goal rather than a means, and I enjoy greater satisfaction from my endeavors than ever before.

The amount of life experience and lessons that I have had in college are almost too numerous to count. I've learned to become a more organized student, a better reseacher, a better public speaker, a better writer, a better thinker, and much more. The experiences are not limited to academics, however. Through extracurricular activities such as the Model United Nations, my knowledge of other nations has grown, and I have become more aware of global politics and their impacts on daily life here in the United States. College has been, and still continues to give me incredible and invaluable wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom that I can apply into my everyday life.

The education that i have, and am currently receiving in college is invaluable. As a public health major, i am constantly taking courses related to the current state of health in America, as well as internationally. The knowledge we gain is so powerful that it moves ones to action. It has made me an civics activist, and has empowered me to use my knowledge to ensure the safety of all in my community, and ultimately extending that further throughout the world.

Although I've only been at this school for less than a semester, so far I have been exposed to people I wouldn't usually be around back home and it has caused me to have a more open-minded perspective on life. It has been very valuable to attend this school because I know I am getting a great education that will enrich my life and make my future brighter.

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For me the college experience has not only been about learning a new trade or skill, but also learning about myself. I have learned about my style of learning and studying, as well as how I do living away from my parents with relatice strangers (roommates). Through discussions in different classes I have been forced to really determine my feelings on certain subjects and in many solidify my beliefs (political, religious, and social). I have met and become very good friends with people that I ordinarily would not talk to or interact with. I have learned how important it is to look at an issue or conflict from all sides before making a decision. I'm not sure what I would be doing now if I did not go to college, I'm not sure what my future would look like; but it would not be as bright as it is now. With each class I take, with each day closer to graduation I get, the more excited and hopeful I become for my future. College has opened doors for me that I couldn't have dreamed of before. Given the choice, I would do it all again.

"If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?" -TS Eliot I always pushed myself to find my limit. Where was the edge, and what would I do when I got there? In college I found my answer. It didn't come the way I imagined; in a final dramatic snap. Instead, it came quietly with a simple realization. While trying to learn the chemical structures of the amino acids I noticed something I had long been ignoring. I wasn't enjoying myself. The game wasn't fun anymore. I knew I could push harder, I could still go on; but doing so would be pointless. This wasn't learning, it was torture for the purpose of inflating my self-image. It wasn't until I stopped trying to find the limit that I began to enjoy learning again. When new challenges arose I found satisfaction not in the struggle, but in the reward of the new knowledge I found through overcoming adversity. College showed me there was more to life than proving myself. The only way to truly learn is to ignore the self, and embrace the joy of each new discovery.

I have only attended the University of Maryland for one semester, but it has already given me a great deal of understanding for the life I lead. Before I went to college, I had the idea that all my worries would vanish...That things would get better. Things didnt get better. During my first semester in college I can honestly say that it has been the most stressful period in my life so far. On my desk there is a note that says " I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work". And I have a newfound appreciation for my efforts that I put into everything I do. I see the struggle my mother goes through just to keep the things necessary to have stability without a college degree. As any mother would, she sacrifices so her children will have what they need. I wish to not have to sacrifice for my children. I see that life is hard without a higher education. The vaule of my first semester surrounds the stresses that helped me grow into a dedicated woman that will strive to find a needle in a hay-stack.