University of Missouri-Columbia Top Questions

I remember first arriving to the University of Missouri in Columbia. After all the years of dreaming, it was finally a reality. Going into first semester, the classes were very fast-paced, the homework kept piling on, and I just knew I'd never have leisure time. One day I was sitting in my dorm, thinking of all it took me to get here. I was contemplating all the things that I could have done to make my first year go a lot smoother. If I could go back to talk to my high school senior self, I would tell her so much! “I know you've done a lot of volunteering, but you need to do more! Money isn't going to be handed to you, you have to do all you can to earn it! Why don't you make it a habit to check the board in the hallway to see what scholarships you can apply for? Why wait until the very last minute and let money pass you by? Stop being lazy! It's time for you to start being more accountable and make your family proud by getting through school all on your own!”

Now that I am in college I have realized that high school does really help you prepare for college. If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would adivce me to take on every opportunity offered to me, work twice as hard as my peers, and know that settling for anything is not okay. In high school, I did fairly well. I graduated with a 4.1 GPA, had scholarships, participated in a numerous amount of clubs etc. What I failed at was settling for things and not working as hard as I know I could have. If I could go back and talk to myself a a senior I would pressure myself into going the extra mile on a scholarsip application, constantly getting my papers edited although I may get tired of them etc. I would tell myself that my future is completely up to you. Although there may be other factors that can alter it, it is your job to put in the work to get the results you want to live with.

The advice I would give myself is to know that the poeple you meet will have a huge impact on your life. Some will help you and some will hurt you, but it is all about the journey. You will change and grow into yourself abundantly over the next four years. You will learn what your passion is. You will need to try hard, to read everything your professors tell you because it actually helps, and balance out fun and school. Save your money and take advantage of the job opportunitites that come to you. All in all enjoy every second of college. It wonderful, scary, exciting and most of all a life learning experience that goes by way too fast.

Choose the school you feel is right for you. Money doesn't matter the most in this situation, your education does. If you choose the best education that's fit for you, money will pay off later. Try your best, don't back down or get discouraged. You're smarter than you think. Stay healthy and keep in mind that your education is a little more important than sleep and social life. Don't eliminate either but know what you're doing with the time you have available. Don't work too much, focus on your homework and exams. Money will pay off later. Get out and make new friends. See how diverse the campus is and learn new things from other people. Talk with your professors. Make them remember you out of all the students they have taught. Read your assignments, even though you may not need every bit of information for your homework. It's nice to learn little things that can effect your future. Make connections with potential employers. Be curious and ask questions. Live your life and don't sweat the small stuff. Have fun.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would advise myself to make more connections and apply for more scholarships. In high school I had pretty good grades. I was a student athlete, class president, editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, and I received a scholarship to continue studying Mandarin Chinese abroad. I do wish though, that I had reached out to people who could be my potential employers. As a college stuednt, I have learned that it is very important to put your name out there and network. The world is full of opportunities that are just waiting for people to take advantage of them. I would say that I am in a pretty good place now, but I know that if I had took networking more seriously, I'd be in an even better position. As far as scholarships go, I wish I had applied for more. I don't like the idea of my dad having to take out loans to finance my education, but I am grateful he did so. If I had applied for more scholarships, loans wouldn't be the issue they are now.

College life is too fast paced to sit back and expect everything to come to you. You need to get out there, meet as many people as possible, and really apply yourself. Manage your time with a weekly agenda because every hour counts. Finding the balance between social life and study time is ESSENTIAL. It helps greatly to make friends with people in the same major, although it's also extremely helpful to make friends with all different types of majors because it's a great way to broaden your horizon. There are so many people at this campus, and each one is an opportunity to gain a new perspective on life. Find a few extra-cirricular clubs and apply yourself to the max in at least one. If you plan to get hired by a good company when you graduate, you need to get as involved as possible without overwhelming yourself. Take advantage of the study and tutor services offered. Set real goals for study hours per week and any other goals your have. Above all else, keep in mind why you came to college: to learn, broaden horizons, and EARN a degree in something you love!

I know you're scared. In the midst of financial aid applications and graduation party registries, those butterflies in your stomach have begun to grow fangs. You've always felt you could handle anything the world threw at you, but now that college is around the corner and you're staring your future in the face, you're starting to second guess yourself. Don't. This transition won't be nearly as earth shattering as you're expecting. Know that college isn't much different from high school; you've been well prepared for the work load. Manage your time well and be truthful with yourself about when you need help. Know that relationships will evolve and change and that is a good thing. Your family loves you and will be the best support system you could ever ask for. You'll lose friends along your way but know the truest ones will always be close. College life is going to seem impossible at times and you will certainly be pushed outside your comfort zone, but experiences like those are vital along your journey to success and the life you've always envisioned for yourself.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have a lot of advice to give. First of all, you cannot come into college being cocky. College is a whole different world, and no matter how smart you think you are you will find things that will challenge you to your core. Of course you will overcome them, and often times you will become stronger because of it. Secondly, I would tell myself that you cannot by any means be afraid to ask for help. In high school I would never ask for help, never go to tutoring, or do anything like that. But after nearly failing my college algebra class I quickly learned that you cannot do success all on your own, and sometimes you have to ask for help. It makes things easier in the long run. Lastly, I would tell myself to relax. You will make friends. You are surrounded by so many new people that it is almost impossible to not make friends. You just have to be yourself, and take things as they come.

I would advise myself to look more into scholarships. I thought I would be okay with the financial aid offered, but honestly it appers that my mom has the bare minimum to keep me in school but it's also two other kids depending on her. It's extremely hard trying to think of how I'm going to pay the tuition bill. I would just advise myself to look into as many scholarships as possible. Any amount helps.

To start you need to just jump in there, Start studying that first week of class. sixteen weeks are not as long as you think they are. Take everything one day at a time, think about the future but don't put yourself in a stress coma for no reason. If you don't understand the class by the third week talk to your instructor, you have to act as though the end of the semester is next week otherwise the semester will fly by and you're going to have a 'c'. Being busy is part of the experience so just kind of role with it but dont forget to check in with mom, she misses you. Try to join a few clubs and study groups, as much fun as study groups are they definetely help. Don't be afraid of your instructor generally they want you to succeed, so do not hesitate to email them or to set up a meeting to talk about anything you may be worried about. I think the most important thing to remember is to have fun, those 4 years are going to fly by. cherise every moment of college.