University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

Well the first advice would be to never give up. Always have your dreams ahead of you, and never look back on your failures. Studying is going to be difficult, but you can do it. Pay attention in class, no matter who the professor is, take notes. Prioritize you life correctly. Make sure to seperate time to lock yourself up in the library and work. Do not procrastinate! Get papers done early enough to get them checked by the writing center and/or teacher. When things get rough, sit back and take a breather, but get back up. Go to class, try not to miss any classes, it is hard to make up those days. Be ahead of the game. Do not be afraid to ask questions, it is the only way you will learn. If the subject is difficult, get a tutor. Take as many classes as you can, but do not burn yourself out. College is not about having fun, and throwing your life away with careless actions, rather it is the time to grow up and become the person you have dreamed of. Lastly, surround yourself with people who will encourage your to do your best!

Dear Miriam, "Courage is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding." ~Dorothy Thompson. Although the true value of this assertion does not in itself encapsulate some grand epiphany, it offers a peripheral view that if taken can often unlock everything from the safes to the towering gates along life’s path. Adversity knocks on the door of every life at one point or another and it is very rare that it bypasses an address. However, the way in which we meet it, determines the course and shape our lives will ultimately take. While obstacles often transform a journey in ways one has little control over and may never anticipate, if followed through there is nothing short of a rainbow waiting on the other side. Remember, if God helps and grants you the strength and ambition to push your limits, why settle in accomplishing any less? Signed, My time at the University of Michigan

Don't worry so much about the ranking and reputation of the school you choose. Don't limit your college search to US News and World Report top rankings. There are other factors that make a college a good fit - explore these possibilities. Some smaller and less well know schools are great and may be exactly right for you.

With experience comes truth, knowledge and understanding. Although I was a high school senior less than two years ago, it is a fragment of time in which I would compose a large range of advice! At every point in life, there is a constant pressure to prepare for what is to come. I was no exception to this; at the time of my senior year, I was overwhelmed with applying and getting into colleges, interviewing for jobs, staying connected with friends and spending time with family. Understandably, my mind was consumed with a multitude of situations. Yet, I was at such a significant point in my life, and ironically enough, instead of living, I was focused on where I was going to be later in life. Living in the moment, emersing yourself in gratitude and smiling at every obstacle that comes my way, would be the advice to put forth to myself. Breathing in the beauty of time is of the utmost importance, for it is an aspect that we won't always obtain. Pausing throughout the day and being thankful for the conveninces I aquire, the people I know, and the life that I live.

Before coming to college, I was so afraid of starting a new life in a very unfamiliar place; as I spent my high school years in the United Arab Emirates, I knew almost nothing about the United States. I thought I would be so hard to make friends, get along with my roommate, and do well on the exams. I guess I felt more intimidating because I built up theses negative images of my life in the university. Now, as one semester passed, when I think of the time when I first came to college, I can smile. I learned that it was not only me who was nervous and afraid of meeting new people. If it is possible, I want to tell myself, as a high school senior, not to worry, relax, and be confident; everybody is nice and would want to know more about you. I wish I could tell not to lose the chances to enjoy the transition and be excited about it so that the moment would last as an unforgettable, precious memory.

As a high school senior, one thing I wish I had known would be the importance of finding your passion and devoting a large amount of time and effort to that passion. Too many high-schoolers enter college simply looking for a job that pays well or go to college only because it seems like the next logical step in the educational procession. The important thing is finding the one thing or various things that you love and doing them to the best of your ability, and in terms of a college major it is about finding something you enjoy doing so that during your lifetime as you work you will get a sense of satisfaction regarding whatever career you chose to pursue. Explore yourself and who you are in your last year of high-school, ask questions, seek answers, and overall prepare yourself as much as you can for whatever challenges and opportunities may come your way as you transition from high-school to college and eventually adulthood. Make your life worth living, experience it in its fullness and make an impact on the world in a positive way. Don't just settle for average, work to be extraordinary.

“CONGRATULATIONS—You’re IN!....How does it feel to be a Wolverine?” 3 years later, you will feel the same amazement as the first time your read those words. Brace yourself for massive stress but also massive leaps in knowledge gained, people met, and passions realized. You will be surrounded by astounding talent, intelligence, and dedication. Soak it all in, and take advantage of the incredible opportunities and resources campus will offer you. You have been given the liberty to explore and develop your dreams, so go! It is reasonable to fear being overwhelmed, but don’t underestimate yourself; if you want to do something badly enough, you can, so do it! Take deep breaths and remind yourself how blessed you are be studying for that final, writing that paper, or responding to the 57th email of the day. Appreciate your place on campus where you are working toward becoming one of the leaders and the best. Lastly, commit to the fact there is no excuse to not take care of yourself. While your goals are important, your body, mind, and spirit should always be top priority. Your spirits should be high, because it feels great to be a Wolverine.

Write in your journal. Write something every day about where you went, how you felt, what you ate, saw, did. Write it down because you will not remember it, impossible though that may be to imagine right now. And you will want to remember.Find the thing you love to do, and find others who love it too. Commit to it, work on it, talk about it; make a community of it, a hobby of it, a passion of it. I know what it is now, but I could’ve known earlier – you can know now. Find it and go after it now. Don’t wait. And don’t be afraid of failing. Try all that appeals – keep painting and drawing, keep dancing, writing, running, keep telling stories and keep expressing your creativity. Keep trying all these things you enjoy and don’t let fear of failing stop you. As long as you are trying you are already succeeding.

If I could travel back in time to give my high school self some advice about what it takes to survive college I would be nostalgic because there is no other person in the world that can relate better to you than yourself. The first pointer I would give myself is to decide. Make a decision. In high school, I was not quite sure what major I wanted to pursue. I switched from law, to journalism, and a few other things inbetween and when I started college I had no sense of direction which made the process kind of difficult and overwhelming for me at first. The second pointer I would give is stay true to yourself. What I mean by staying true to yourself is to stear the course, stay focused on what is needed to complete the college courses. This also means to practice delayed gratification. Doing this will enable anyone to complete their college career at a much faster pace and a much better academic standing.

Think about what will engage you best. Do you struggle to pay attention, if so go to a smaller school. Do you want to do more outdoorsy stuff, go somewhere that will push you, perhaps a smaller school. Really think about who you want to be around and where you will succeed. Accept what limits you have (procrastination, focus etc) and try to find something that will be condusive to that.