University of Northern Colorado Top Questions

Dear Taylor, I know that right now things are easy, or at least relatively easy; you don't have a job to worry about, your friends like you, schoolwork is do-able. Right about now you feel pretty secure in not only yourself, but also your place in life. Well, I am sorry to inform you that's going to change. I don't mean to frighten or worry you, that's not my intent. What I want is to let you know what's coming so you may prepare yourself accordingly for college life. So, here: Rule 1: Don't go to college for that boy, go for yourself. Rule 2: I know you love her, but do NOT let your mother influence your major. Rule 3: You're an artist, trust me. Rule 4: Introduce yourself to everyone. Everyone is a potential friend. Rule 5: Confidence. I don't have time to tell you every little thing but I do want you to know the big stuff, and that's there. I believe in you, and I know you can do it, I just thought this would help. Love, Taylor

If I could go back in time and give advice to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that applying to UNC is definitely a good idea. Everything that has happened to me while at the university has been nothing but positive. Everyday I learn and grow as a person and wouldn?t give myself any advice except to trust my own heart and instincts. One thing that I would tell myself, however, would be to apply for more scholarships because as much as I love this university I can feel it slipping out of my hands because the money to pay for school simply is not there. I have taken out far too many loans and am working part time and am still struggling to make ends meet. I am reliant mostly on financial aid and loans as my family is struggling themselves and has no money to spare. If I had any advice for myself it would be to be prepared for struggle, but also to work hard and never give up no matter what.

As a high school senior, I was positive that I had made appropriate choices for my future. I was comfortable with my decision to attend a college for Music Education and wanted to stay in Colorado to be near my family. I was ready to move on. The only problem was that I did not prepare myself to move on. If I could go back in time and express to my younger self advice for the future, I would definitely tell myself to push the boundaries and not allow myself to stay in a comfort zone. I would explain that college is a whole different ball game than high school and that I need to prepare completely for auditions. I would explain that my auditions should be spotless and that I should make sure all of my paperwork is done in time. I would illustrate that practicing for three hours a day is not difficult and that homework is not optional. I would attempt to convince myself that success in college starts my high school year. I would also express that struggles with money and that scholarships are not jokes and should be take seriously.

If I had the chance to go back in time and talk to myself, I would give myself an immense amount of advice. First, I would tell myself not to work about living with a roommate. That was one of the biggest concerns about college that I had. I had never shared a room with anyone, and I had never lived with someone else besides my parents. I have come to love the dorm life. I have a great group of friends I have developed in my dorm. I have also grown into a responsible young man by learning how to live on my own. This was a big concern for me in the beginning. Next, I would tell myself to apply, and apply. By that I suggest I spend a great deal of time applying for all of the various scholarships available. Each tiny bit of money you receive can go a long way. I would love to go through college with a minimal amount of student loans, that way when I graduate I can enter the world with a personal finance deficit of zero. Overall I would tell myself to study hard and to have fun!

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell me that college is not what you expect. It is a great experience, but it is much harder than high school. You really have to know how to manage your time to succeed. It is nice to have a new sense of freedom, but if you get carried away you can mess everything you have going for you. The classes are larger, and since you don't have them 5 days a week missing class can make ittough to get caught up. Even though your parents aren't around to tell you what to do, you should still do what you think is right. If you get your work done and go to class, then you can focus on the fun parts of college. It is a great experience but it is different then you will expect it to be.

Before coming to college, I remember asking everyone how they survived in college. After experiencing almost two years of college, I have a pretty good idea what my answer would be for incoming freshmen or even myself if I went back in time. Most importantly, to help the transition I would recommend getting involved as much as possible. It is far more unlikely to experience "home sickness" if freshmen don?t seclude themselves in their dorm rooms. Equally important, to get used to the work load, I would recommend getting as much homework done in between classes; this ensures for a light homework load at night, further allowing for involvement in activities. Above all, I would tell myself that college is just like high school, but with more freedom. If I would have known all this information when starting college, I would have been less stressed and less worried about transitioning into college life.

Dear Crystal, I am writing you as a second semester college student, and I would like to give you a few tips on how to better prepare yourself for college as a high school senior. Listen carefully to this advice, and you will be able to breeze through college life! First, spend some time to really get to know yourself. Try new things, and decide what you do and don't like. Many of your assignments during the first part of your classes involve writing or talking about yourself. If you get to know yourself better, it will come naturally. Next, start speaking up in the classroom more. In college, professors value your ideas and want you here from you! Also, observe what is going on in the classroom around you. As an elementary education major, you will be asked to make connections between what your observed in classrooms you have been in and what you want to see as an educator within classrooms. Lastly, spend as much time with children as you can. Work with them, play with them, and observe them. You can never have too much experience with children and you will enjoy it!

The biggest piece of advice I could give myself as a high school senior going into college is to open yourself up. Get involved in what sounds interesting to you, and don't miss out on oportunities just because it is outside of your comfort zone or you don't have anyone to get involved with. Talk to more people outside of your roommates, and build friendships with those around you to give yourself a variety of things to do and people to hang out with. Isolating yourself or making excuses as to why you're not involved is going to hurt you in the end, so don't hesitate to take risks and do what you want.

The advice I would give myself if I could go back in time when I was high school senior is to focus more on school. In high school I got pretty good grades but I didn't try very hard. In college you actually need to study for tests and do your homwork. I would also suggested to myself that I should of hung out with more people instead of just a certain group. In college, I've met so many new people and every person is different with their likes and dislikes. In high school, everyone liked the same thing and they wanted to be like everyone else. I was one of those people in high school but now in college I don't care what other people think of me. God made me to be this person and I'm not going to try to change that. I would give myself advice to just be myself and open up to everyone and everything.

I would tell myself that although moving away from home for college sounds exciting, in reality, it's a lot harder than anticipated, especially when you move out of state. Parents can only do so much to support you finically and emotionally. You have to make the conscious decision to find "new family" in the friends you meet at school. No matter what, take a risk on your dreams because you're only young once. Changing your mind won't hurt but taking too long to make up your mind hurts you in the end. I'd stress the importance of budgeting and acquiring a part-time job. In addition, take your job seriously because there are 12,000 other students willing to take our position if you can't fulfill its duties. Lastly, be thankful; education is a privilege NOT a right. Look at it this way: you are paying the university for an education, so milk it for all its worth. Attend weekend workshops, go to free concerts, get lost in the library, take advantage of every amenity, including tutors and professors. You are paying to learn, but lucky enough to get the "whole experience" along the way.