University of Massachusetts-Lowell Top Questions

Do not stress. Stressing makes things worse, especially when you have papers, homework, work, and a social life to balance. Time management is your best friend. If needed, feel free to sit down and just plan your week ahead. What assignments you have to get done, if you have any meetings, when you plan to see friends, what your work schedule is, or even random notes you want to add like a show you watch. Time management has helped me in so many ways to accomplish the goals I have. I also have to give time management much credit for my 3.9 gpa that I am very proud of. Hard work does not come easy. Take advantage of flashcards/notecards when applicable and buy A LOT of them. Studying 5 - 7 at a time will be the best habit you will ever adapt to in your school career. Also, have fun and do not be afraid to meet new people. You never know who is out there and how much of an impact they will have on your life.

keep learning and try the best you can to figuages out what you really can do. Some time it really take alot of time to find what you really want to become. So chose your role model and ask them what you can do to become one of them in the future.

I would tell myself to look at colleges earlier, and take harder classes to be prepared for the intense workload. I would also encourage myself to enter more math classes.

Commuting sucks. You're going to have to drive on I-95 back and forth, stuck in traffic, constant construction, and putting up with angry drivers--yes, even if you follow the rules of the road. Also, you're going to get into one incident of road rage; don't lose your cool. Just suck it up, get out of the way, don't make eye contact, and don't make any gestures, okay? Make sure not to skimp on your studies in the first year. This isn't high school anymore, pal. I know that senior year and senior slide was a fun thing to do, but now you're no longer forgiven for doing stuff like that. In fact, do not skimp on ANY of your classes throughout college. Focus on your studies, very carefully. Seriously, man, you're going to bomb your grades if you do stuff like that. On the bright side, you won't have to put up the bullies anymore, so there's that! Most of them ended up in prison, or are dead. But most importantly, enjoy this while it lasts, because once it's gone, it's over, and adulthood sucks.

I started college thinking I could take on the world. A noble enough goal, right? Club pamphlets filled my dorm room while my schedule was filled with try-outs and meet-and-greets. I was running from club to club, seeing what there was to offer. And I did get a taste of all the things I had ever thought about trying, and then some. My one fatal flaw was trying to keep up with all of it. ACLU, soccer, basketball, news-letter, and a host of other clubs, the names of which, now I can’t even remember. While it was great to see everything and get a feel for the college atmosphere, I didn’t take advantage of one of the coolest aspects of college. The ability to choose. For the first time, I had no curfew or mandatory classes. Heck, there wasn’t even the requirement to show up. I responded to this newfound freedom by saying “yes” to everything. But it was really an opportunity to pursue what was most important to me. So do yourself a favor and check out everything, but commit only to the things that matter.

The advise that I would give myself is that it is okay to not know exactly what I want to study. However, as a high school senior you have to make sure that you really think about where to go to school and not just decide on a whim or because you want to "get away". It is a serious decision and it can change your life. It needs to really be thought about and everything needs to be considered. College is very expensive and if I could go back, I would make sure I took my family's advice and gone straight to a community college first and then transfered to a four year school instead of doing to opposite. A decision like this will change your life for better or worse; it is your decision as to which you would rather.

I’ve recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, and there are so many things I wish I’d tried. If I could advise my high school self of anything, it would be to try everything. As a commuter, I went to class and went home. I had no college experience. One of my biggest hang-ups was coming out of my shell! Be yourself, a cliché, but true. I was too anxious about joining this or that club, or attending events, and I lost out on networking and making lifelong friendships. In college, you can really find people who share your interests and passions. My high school friendships fizzled, and I never made college friends. I don’t feel like I have things in common with the people I do still hang around with. You don’t realize how much you are going to grow in those years. I struggled to find a career after college because I avoided those chances to network and get advice from professors. They are a great resource! I’d write that on my former self’s hand so I’d never hesitate to approach a professor.

During my first semester I wished all the time that I could go back and give myself advice. The most important advice I would give myself is to develop good study habits and become an expert at time management. The most difficult transition is being responsible for yourself. In high school teachers chase you down and make sure you do your work. In college, you're paying for your own education. The teachers are there to teach and it's your responsibility to go to class and turn everything in on time because they will fail you without so much as blinking. I would tell myself to be aware of all deadlines and to manage my time well.

Stay in school, even if you change your major! You will eventually figure it out. And if you don't right away, stick with it. Take classes anyway, especially if you receive a scholarship for them. Take general classes in order to keep credits high and transferrable to a program you eventually know you'll complete. Get it done before you are 25! Going back to school at 33 for a career change is not the most ideal situation. Get A career figured out by the time you're 25.....if you decide to change your mind later on in life and are able to afford going back to school and the time is right, then go for it. Do your research to pick a career. What interests you? Are you looking to make a lot of money, or do something you love, or both? This is one of the most important questions you should answer, then look at the choices you have.

The first thing I would tell myself is apply for as many scholarships as you can. You cannot rely on financial aid to pay for your school. you need to work hard and save as much money as you can. Don't be afraid to take on a full-time job during the summer, there will still be plenty of time to have fun. The second thing I would tell myself is don't settle for a school just because it is the least expensive. There are other ways to pay for college. Shoot for your dream school and don't be afraid to try something new. Be willing to stay at school and dorm, don't be hesitant, and don't shy away from out of state schools because you'll end up falling in love with one and regretting your decision to settle for a school that wasn't part of your dream.