University of St Thomas-Saint Paul Top Questions

The most important piece of advice that I would give myself going into college would be to say yes! Go meet people, join clubs that interest you, take chances, try out challenging classes, put yourself in new situations! This is the best way that you can make the most of your college experience. You need to be open to new experiences and by doing this you will have an amazing time at college. Don’t be afraid of failing, or messing up, or looking stupid, because you will learn from your mistakes and grow from them. The best part about college is being introduced to new things, and there is never going to be another opportunity to try new things like you will have in college. There can be so much to be gained from broadening your horizons and opening yourself up to the people around you. Don’t take all of these chances for granted, and go try something new!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would tell myself that it's important to be honest with how much I can take on. I think it's important to take things slowly, at first, and gradually increase your workload as you move through the years. In the beginning, I felt extremely overwhelmed and as a result I had to eliminate a lot of things from my life. However, now that I have a handle on how to study I am able to take on a lot more, and still have time to enjoy myself. The take away message is: everything in moderation. If you take on too much you're going to end up falling short in everything. However, if you take on a little, then you always have the opportunity to add more and you allow yourself to have enough time for every aspect of your life.

As a high school student, independent and dependent have two very different meanings. As we grow up into adults, we could not be more excited to move out and get away from our parents. But I learned that in college being away from your parents and home isn't all that great. But the advice that I woud give is that, being in college doesn't automatically make you independent and free. It isn't all that great to be out there in the real world without any aid. Ask your parents for help, stay in touch with your parents. Tell them how grateful and blessed you are to have them as your parents. Cause in the end, their the people you want to stay dependent on.

I was right to take all of the higher level and prep classes. They were a good preparation for college.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior, I would reassure my younger self about his worries about college. At the end of my high school career, I was very worried about going to college. I wasn't sure what school to go to and I had no idea what to major in. Even after deciding to go to the University of St. Thomas I was still scared to go to college. My fear of leaving home and nervousness over whether I chose the right college continued up until the day that I moved into my dorm. But I would be glad to tell my younger self that there is nothing to worry about. The University of St. Thomas is the right choice of college for me. I have had a great time since I have been at school, and I know I will continue to. My classes are great and I have a fun social life. I still have not decided on a major but I now have ideas unlike in high school. So to sum it up I would tell my youngers self to not worry, it all works out.

I would tell myself so many things. First, apply for every scholarship that even remotely applies to you. I am kicking myself now for not doing that more. Second, carefully consider your values. I shared a lot of the same values as St. Thomas, particularly religious, but my goal was to study abroad and I did not plan ahead carefully or consider that value when I was choosing a college. Now, I am in limbo with my study abroad options due to timing and costs. Thirdly, I would tell myself to NOT date that boy in high school and wait until college to date. (He's only going to hold you back and cause a lot of tears and frustration!) Fourth, I would tell myself to lighten up. The biggest lesson I've learned in college is to not take myself so seriously. I was so serious about everything in high school and it led to a lot of stress and anxiety. I would tell myself to choose joy, because life is too short not to be happy and have fun. Finally, I would tell myself that everything is going to be okay.

Treasure your last summer living at home before college starts. Your parents will miss you and they deserve your presence for the last few months, mentally and physically. Don't stress too much about making friends. Attend on-campus activities set up for freshmen and remember to let yourself take breaks from the social atmosphere. Whether or not your roommate is a good friend, you should stay on good terms with them in the duration you are living with them. Remember to call your parents and siblings. Stay in contact with your high school friends too, even if it is only once every few weeks. Its healthy to maintain old relationships and sometimes they can get lost amidts the new.

If I could go back in time, I would tell high-school-Jayme to take as many AP, PSEO, S2S classes as possible. I am currently undecided, so not knowing what I want to do puts a tremendous amount of pressure on me. I brought 16 credits with me to college and I'm still freaking out wondering if I will graduate in four years! I can't really afford an extra year of college, so time is of the essence. My advice, "if you see an opportunity, take it." I missed out on so many opportunities in high school because I did not want to put in the time or effort. Knowing now how important it is to graduate in four years, I would tell myself that if I put in the work now, it will pay off later. I did not fully understand that life lesson until now. If I could go back, I would not waste time. I know now that every credit helps.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would told myself to do more readings and learn to manage my time. From my college experiences, I learned that reading and time management are the most important. Almost all of college courses required reading. In college, I always dream to participate in all of the events that are going on in campus. Unfortunately, it was not easy as I thought. I have homework, readings, and study. Therefore, time management seems difficult to me. General speaking, reading and time management are my advices. I wish that someone would give me these advices; the early I start the more prepare I will be for college.

The best advice that I could give my high school self is to be as outgoing as possible and step out of your comfort zone. I have made a lot of friends by meeting girls on my floor, but I still could have branched out a lot more. I have not met many people that live outside of my dorm, and I wish I would have been more outgoing in the beginning. I also wish I would have stepped out of my comfort zone with my new friends. I still have some of the same beliefs as I did in high school, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, I have missed out on trying new things and having new opportunities because I did not step out of my comfort zone. I let my high school self take over and I missed out on some great, new experiences because of it. The last piece of advice is to go into every situation with an open mind; try your best to not be judgemental. Everybody has different opinions and interests, so it is in your best interest to give them a chance and to let them show their true self.