University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Top Questions

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to take my senior year more seriously. I would push myself to take all the advanced placement classes and college PSEO classes that I could. I would tell myself the more that I slacked off and procrastinated, the harder my first year of college would be. I would let myself know that popularity and being cool is not nearly as awesome as getting good grades and taking hard classes. I would stress the importance of acedemics and extraciriculars to myself to prepare myself for the courseload and the demands that are ahead of me in college. I would tell myself getting into my dream college was the easy part and that I would have a lot of hard work and intensive learning ahead of myself. I would tell myself to embrace everything going into my first year of college and get to know as many people as possible. Most importantly, I would tell myself to never lose sight of who am and what my goals are because even though it will be difficult, I can do it.

At the risk of sounding cliche, I would reiterate to my past self as so many others already had: embrace your college years for what they are and don't get too hung up on personal introspection early in the game. Personally, the hardest part for me over the span of my Freshman year was wrapping my head around the fact that your life, career, and personal development are never going to play out linearly, nor should you want them to. Coming from a household where my sister and I were the first generation of full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates the thought of life after college was ominously hazy. Our career trajectories would be entirely different than that of our parents, who both started working full time as soon as they were done with high school. All this is to say, you shouldn't waste your precious time as a college student trying to plan the rest of your life. Obsessing over your major will do nothing for you but take up focus and time that could be spent elsewhere, making memories with the people around you who are there, living in the same moment as you.

I would say that you really need to pick a college where you can feel at home and enjoy your time there. Also go with your gut when picking a major, since you really do need to be very interested in the topic and learning all about it. Don't worry about not fitting, everyone is in the same boat and you will figure it out. Go out there join clubs, meet people at lunch and just enjoy yourself. Make sure to study hard and take classes you wont fall asleep in.

H.O.P.E People could tell me that things would get better 1,000 times during my senior year, but I would never believe them. I would just nod and smile in response to their attempts to reasure me. It became an act and a mask I wore well and often; a disguise to hide the pain from my hurt and depression after losing my cousin to suicide. I didn’t know how anything could possibly get any better after that. My mom would tell me to try and have hope for a new start at the University of Minnesota. I held on to that hope and she was right, after my first year there I found a love within the campus that filled the hole in my heart, with life long friends and incredible new opportunities. I was completely satisfied and thankful for the new beginning. Although the pain of losing my cousin is still there everyday, it no longer is a pain that consumes my life. If I could go back to my senior year of high school, I would look myself in the eyes and give the advice: H.O.P.E, Hold On Pain Ends.

Emma, Goodness gracious girl, take a breath and relax!! You're doing great in school and you'll end up exactly where you should be--even if it's not your first choice. Stop comparing yourself to everybody else's standards. As long as you're happy with your life, that's all that matters. The sooner you realize that, the better. The goals of "everybody" aren't your goals; they don't want the same things and have different priorities. It doesn't matter if you don't get invited to parties--partying isn't a great lifestyle anyway--those people aren't your friends and trying to be like them will only hold you back. You're an amazingly talented young woman and you should be kinder to yourself. You're not perfect--no matter how hard you try--and you never will be. You will make mistakes and hurt people you care about. How you handle these situations will dictate how you, and people who care about you, view yourself. Be someone that the little girl who read "The Rock Book" would be proud of; if you do that, you can't go wrong. Always, Emma

Reflecting on my freshman year at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, I would emphasize two things to myself as a high school senior. The first would be to do what interests me and the second would be to not let others influence my decisions inside and outside the classroom. When in high school, students around me boasted about their lavish lives after pursuing a career in engineering or a career in business. This influenced me in the early stages of my freshman year to lean toward the path that would pay more money and not the one I truly wanted to do. In my last few weeks as a freshman I had an epiphany. College graduates say college is the best four years of your life, but why? Because college provides the opportunity to do what you love in a professional, individualistic way. It let's you make a career out of something you love and want to pursue. It is really what you make of it and not what other people want or think you should do because college truly won't be the best four years of your life if you're not doing something you love

Put down the drugs. I know it really hurts right now and it seems like the only way to make it better is to fall into a bag or a bottle and pretend the outside world doesn't exist. I know how scared you are of the diagnosis you just received and of all the work that you're going to have to put in just to lead a normal life. Everyone has their problems and no one can see the pain that others hide. You are not alone. Things are not going to go as planned. I know you think that ISU will change everything and that it will all get better. For a while it will, but you have to remember that wherever you go you will bring yourself with you. I know it doesn't make sense, but your daily work is going to be important. The world doesn't judge us on our test scores. It judges us on what we do every single day. I know you think the little stuff doesn't matter - that you shouldn't care because caring hurts. Truth is, life gets better when you care. Especially about the little stuff.

College is like hiking a mountain. As you begin your adventure, you can see where you need to go, and what obstacles you'll need to overcome. You pack your backpack full of the essential items: all the right classes, friends, professors. You believe you've thought of everything, every possible scenario that may derail your journey to the summit, but nothing will prepare you for the first obstacle. Whether it's a bad grade or a bad decision, you will not be ready. The first boulder is the hardest, but you'll find a way past it--you might take a left and find a tutor, or climb over to an advisor's advice; either way, you'll trek on. Halfway up the mountain, you may realize that you don't enjoy the path you're on, and that it's time to try a different way. You'll let go of some things in your pack and pick up new ones: experiences, lessons. Finally, you reach the top, and you realize that although it was the hardest thing you've ever done, you reached your goal and found something you didn't expect--a new view on life.

If I could go back and tell my Senior-in-High-School-self a little something about college, I would say that it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I mean, I knew this was going to be the hardest 4 years of my life. But I'd also like to know that I didn't have to go through it alone. I think the transitioning from high shool to college makes individuals think that college is all about ourselves. I have to make myself my first priority in school in order to succeed. But that's not all true. Of course I need to focus on myself, but I also need friends, multiple ones, with different stories and strenghs to build each other up. I can also rely on my professors because they really do care. They have concern for my well beig and asking for help is okay. They are there for a reason, to help me succeed and grow.

if i could go back to my highschool self i would tell myself to never give up on my dream of being a social worker, i would tell myself to study as hard as i can. i would read, write, and think critically more than i did in my younger days. i would better prepare myself and be college ready by the time i finished high school. i would finish highschool and not make the mistake of dropping out and becoming pregnant at a young age. i would tell myself that no matter how hard my life got to keep moving forward and never give up on myself.