University of Utah Top Questions

What should every freshman at University of Utah know before they start?

Jamie

You will love the University of Utah even more than you think. Pay attention to those flyers in the hallways. The clubs, special interest courses, and guest keynote speakers will be the best part of your experience. Your professors will be some of your best friends, and some of your best friends will teach you more than your professors ever could. Having a monthy girls' night with your roomates will make a huge difference in the harmony of your apartment. This is a time investment that is well worth it. OFalafel has the best food in the city - and the owner will help you practice your Arabic. Take on that extra minor in sustanability- you'll become more passionate about that than you realize. Don't stay so close to campus. Try ALL of the coffee shops, but NOT all of the Mexican restaurants in downtown Salt Lake. Half lemon half honey in a cup of hot water is the perfect mix to soothe your sore throat after those football games when you scream your lungs out. All in all - get ready for the most frustrating, most inspiring, most catalyzing experience of your life.

Danielle

Get involved in activites/groups you enjoy to help you make those life-long friends. It's okay to not know what to study at first. Take the time to explore various types of classes to really learn what you want to do without switching your major multiple times. Take classes that interest you just for the heck of it. Look for internships early on to help narrow your career path and network. STUDY ABROAD. Have and enjoy those once-in-a-lifetime experiences!

Jordan

If i were able to travel back in time and give myself advice on transitioning to college I would mainly focus on convincing myself to get more involved with the University of Utah's community even before attending. The University has so many great programs that I feel would provide a great benifit to my path to a degree in engineering. I feel like I made all the correct preperations necessary for transitioning, just the extra involvement and contacts would have made it a slightly smoother process. Because of my preperations I am excelling in all of my courses to this point and has made college life alot less stressful and more manageable. As far as transitioning to college there is always more you can, should, or sould have done, and I think being more involved is one of the things I could have improved upon.

Brian

Don't give up and just do it. It would make a world of difference to not only you, but your childern.

Austin

So much of your early education has been focused on rote memorization. As a senior, it is time to start learning to think for yourself. Rather than spend your remaining months in high school blindly memorizing factoids, generate the skill to ask powerful questions. Questions that defy normal learning. Questions that do more than scratch the surface; ask questions that breach the basics, that dig deep, that shovel through the rote to find profound understanding. Learn the truth for yourself. Learn the meanings behind the meaning. Because the day you step into your university program will be the day you have to start thinking critically. The purpose of university education is to transform you into the Albert Einstein or MLK of the future. What makes these individuals great is they went beyond normal and discovered profound. They changed the world because they refused to accept life at face-value. Learn independence of mind now, and you will see its benefit play out not just in your university education, but the rest of your life. You will go beyond normal and discover profound. You will come to know what makes you, you. You will change the world for the better.

Colton

Do all that you can be be involved in what interests you on-campus. Although academic success should be a top priority, properly balancing it with a healthy social life will make college more enjoyable and will help build connections that will help you be successful both in school and for years to come. Find what interests you, whether it be sports, volunteering, a certain career, a unique hobby, and join clubs, groups, or organizations that value those same things. If there isn't something available that you'd like to see at your college, start it! Getting involved in existing groups or starting new groups will show your passion, dedication, and leadership skills on resumes and applications. Being involved will help you in your studies, make school more enjoyable, and help build lasting connections to step into the career you want.

Alexus

Do not overwork yourself and get burnt out. Take more time to decide what you want to major in, and be more social during your first year so that you can adjust more easily. Take the time to be involved in school activities while you are able, and enjoy all that college has to offer. It is okay to ask for help, and I encourage you to do so before your problems become overwhelming. The advisors and faculty are there to help you, and you should utilitize them from the very start. They will help you to stay on the path you want to be on.

Henry

If I could go back in time and talk to my high school self, my advice would be simple: save money for college! Why do you keep blowing money on video games you played for about a week then never touched again? Start applying for scholarships, idiot! Nobody's going to hand out free tuition to you just because you're "awesome".

Richael

If I were to go back give myself advice as a high school senior, I would say this. The most important thing that you can do with your life right now is go to school. Don't put it off or try to go part time and drag school out. You will regret not finishing your degree as soon as possible. You will value your education enough to see that student loan debt is worth the cost. You will come to see the time that you procrastinate getting your education as wasted time. So go to school. Go directly to the University and don't waste time at community colleges or junior colleges. Make your education your primary focus. Study hard and enjoy your time in school. Then you will be better equipped to be successful and enjoy yourself after you graduate. You won't regret it.

Samir

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