University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

The most important thing I would tell myself is this: There is no need to be afraid. Remember that. Its perfectly normal to feel anxiety, to feel scared, nervous, and excited, happy and worried all at the same time. We are only human! But life is all about change, and this is one of the most important ones so stay strong and have no fear because you will find that college is nothing to be afraid of. You'll have the time of your life and you'll learn more than you ever thought you would, both inside and outside of the classroom. The experience will bring about lasting memories, good times, and maybe a few bad ones too, but that's what life is all about: remembering the good times, learning from the bad, learning all you can and becoming the person who you want to be to face a new tomorrow.

If I had the opportunity to see myself in my high school year, I would advise myself to follow my instincts and not be afraid to make my own decisions regardless of other people?s opinions. I have encountered several situations that required me to make very difficult decisions that tested the fellowship of my peers and my personal view of integrity. One of such circumstances occurred during my freshman year at the University of Maryland. While I was hanging out with my friends, one individual tried to get us to smoke weed in her apartment. I was able to convince my friends to leave her room instead of just walking away myself. I was surprised that I was able to turn a situation of peer pressure into a meaningful experience. It defined my integrity to not only myself, but what I stood for. I had always been an honest, respectful and responsible individual, and I did not want to let another person?s actions have such a negative influence on my character. I had always wanted to obtain the qualities of a leader, and I understand that in doing so, you must always trust yourself and follow your instincts.

I would have only a few fragments of advice. Though I have learned a lot... Find yourself and stick to it - No matter how odd I am, people admire me and I succeed because humans sniff out individuals. Everyone aspires to be true to themselves. I wish I had have been happy with everything about myself earlier. I also wish that I could tell myself to live! Think about loose consequences but life is about living. One should learn earlier how to balance their own lives. Socializing is important, part of life... it is what makes life, life.

Be more confident in your abilities, and college is a great time filled with academic and social opportunities that need to be fully taken advantage of

I definitely would have tried to become more outgoing and become more comfortable with myself in uncomfortable situations. The most difficult part for me was trying to meet new people and feel a sense of involvement because of the massive size of both the campus and student body. I think it would have been much simpler to enjoy myself initially had I been a more extroverted person. Aside from the social aspect, I definitely would have taken a class or at least practiced study techniques, because a lot of the learning at this University occurs outside of the classroom while you review texts and notes.

Had I known what I know now, I would tell myself "Do not hesitate to check all options before selecting a school. I am enrolled now at a university that I never even considered as an option as a senior. I transferred after my freshman year. If you choose a school, it does not mean that you must stay there all four years of college. You are allowed to be unhappy with your choice and change it. Everything in college moves very quickly. So do not hesitate to act. Even if that means just to look at other schools, or even just other degree programs, that you have not yet considered. There are limitless possibilities. Good luck."

Two key words: Time Management. Teenagers see college as the time of their lives and the period of their life to try new things, step out of their boundaries, and break away from the restrictions of parenting and childhood. To the typical student, this means joining all sorts of different clubs, taking challenging classes, and making new friends that could result in a packed schedule and fulfilling semester. Time management is a key aspect to college life and that is to balance your activities with your school work. Education is in fact the primary reason for being in college so it is vital to keep your eye on the prize and succeed academically before trying to balance the other aspects of college. I would advise myself the need to get involved, as well as the importance of focusing on my studies before trying to stretch myself too far. This is the key to a rewarding college experience.

If I could go back and talk to myself, I would DEFINITELY tell myself to fill out as many scholarships applications and college applications as possible, so that I don't end up where I am now: graduated, living at home, umemployed, and regretting my decision to wait until the last possible second to apply for anything.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to prepare for college by acquiring good learning skills, to read, write, and think critically and have time management skills. I would advise myself to read as many books and scientific journals to help me learn to be a fast reader and learn build my vocabulary. I would also spend my summer writing essays about the books I read in order to learn how to read the text closely and understand the information presented. This would help me be a good writer and be able to present information/ facts effectively. I would tell myself to be very organized and have good time management skills. I would learn how to balance my social life and my academic life. I would teach myself to become a good learner and how to study effectively and efficiently. I would make sure that I use my time wisely and divide up my workload during the week, and study for my exams at least two weeks ahead. If only I knew this advice, my college life and transition would have been less difficult.

Keep up with your reading assignments because come exam time it is going to be stressful to catch up. Always study for an exam a week in advance because there will be a lot of material on one exam. There will probably only be three exams in each class so do well on all of them. Remember your friends are not paying for your education so if they want to hang out on the weekday and you have not done your work then make sure it is done. Try not to join every club in sight, take at least two organizations seriously and be an active participant. It would also be helpful if you try and get to know at least two of your professors real well because you will need teacher reccomendations in the future. Make sure when you come to lecture you are attentive, sit in the front so that you do not miss any information. Playing games on your cell phone and computer are distractors and you may miss important information. Professors are willing to answer questions in lecture so ask them and make sure you always visit your TA if your struggling in a class.