University of Nebraska at Omaha Top Questions

If given the ability to go back in time and give advice to myself as a high school senior, I would say that the number one thing I should focus on is giving the academic experience my all. I would join more active groups such as a debate or political team, as well as sports and theater. I believe that each of these lead to enhancing self-confidence, communication skills, dedication to achievement, and work ethic. I hesitated my first year of college due to being shy and unsure where to start in joining clubs on campus. Now that I know how much fun and eye-opening it can be, I would tell myself to go for anything I could dream of! I have enjoyed every moment of choir, band, theater, various ministry groups, debate team, cross country, and dance team since I have attended college, and wish I could go back to encourage myself to join all my freshman year. I would recommend the same to anyone as I believe it gives us confidence in class, grows leadership skills, builds friendships, and prepares for the world unknown after college.

If I were able to go back in time and give myself advice about college life, I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as I could possibly do. You may not think you would get a certain scholarship, but it never hurts to try, and the worst that could happen is that you do not get the scholarship. I would also tell myself to save money, and work hard so you have no regrets about the outcomes of the school years. The most important thing I would tell myself is to be who I am, and do not let anyone change who you are. You do not need to change who you are to fit in. If they do not like who you are, then they do not deserve to be your friends. Lastly, do not do anything you will regret later on.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, I would tell myself to not be afraid of being myself. That I should put myself out there to meet new people and connections. I would also tell myself to try hard in school and not to be afraid of failure. Failure isn't always a bad thing, because it brings experience, and with it you grow. You look back at your failure, review what went wrong, and try harder to fix those mistakes. This is the beginning of my life as an independent grown up. Things are going to be hard, but with effort comes results. You can't expect things to always go your way. To succeed you need to attend every class, take good notes, review your notes at home, do homework and study hard.

There are many times in a persons life when they wonder if he/she has made the right decision. This could include a job, trip, friend, etc. One of the big choices a person has is the college he/she attends. Knowing what I know now I would not go back and change my decision. I have loved my college experience at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I have created lasting friendships, reconnected with some family, and recived a great education. However, the things I would change are my invovlement on campus and how I approached college. I never really gave much thought to applying for scholarships. This is the biggest regreat I have. I would definately tell myself as a high-school senior to apply for any and all scholarships I/you can find. Any little bit of money helps out when in college. I did not get involved my freshmen year of college after being super involved in high-school, thinking this would help with the transition. I was wrong. Being involved helps you find a support system, friends, etc. This involvement helps with both social and academics. This is the knowlege I have aquired throughout collge.

I would convince myself to "rush" (join a sorority) or attend meetings for organizations. I would also strongly advise myself in better sleeping and studying habits, as well as making time for on-campus activities.

The drive for education has to come within. You must be self-motivated to finish school. In college you have to show up for class when the only person accountable is you. Professors will not seek you out or care if you skip class, the only person you hurt is yourself. "College is the only place where consumers steal from themselves," this was a statement I have heard about school. This was in the forefront of my mind and I wanted to make sure I didn't do this. You should know you are paying for this, it's an investment, sometimes a large one, to attempt to obtain a diploma. Also I would not get caught up in the drinking scene as much as I did at some points. I understand that drinking is a part of college life, I would advise to be disciplined about it. Limit yourself to bars and such only after you pass a class, test or finish a project, not on a Tuesday when you have work to be done. Finally, realize that you need to seek out what you want. Professors are avaliable and can help, but you must find them.

I would put one hand on my shoulder and tell myself to start taking school a bit more seriously. In high school, I was eager to get out and my day ended around 12:30 pm, right after lunch. Right after I graduated, I worked for about a year and a half and realized my life wasn't really going anywhere. That's when I decided to go to college. Knowing what I know now, I think the best advice I could give myself would be to sieze the opportunities as soon as they come instead of waiting. Deciding on a major was the hardest thing I had to do, but once I had it, things started to take shape and the gears in my life began turning. And not just the regular ones, but the really big gears that have been waiting to turn since I was born. These were the gears of my career and the career is the biggest part in the machine that is my life. In conclusion, I would say: decide on a goal or major as soon as possible, and don't stop trying to obtain that goal.

Work more in high school so you wouldn't have to work while college is in session

I would like to tell myself to be better prepared for the ACT's and to have looked at more job shadowing opprotunities.

Be open minded. The unknown is always scary, but worrying will do you no good. Be friendly, smile, and new friends will not be hard to come by. Do everything you can to keep the fires of past friendships burning. Moving on to college is a big step, but it is only one chapter in an ever-changing work in progress. Be patient, but never routine. There is no such thing as a time limit when it comes to your dreams, goals, or aspirations. Move forward with your eyes fixed upon the sky. Make each step more sure than the last and you will never fall down. Rest easy now; good sleep is hard to come by.