University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Top Questions

I would tell myself to relax the change is good and an important change that needed to be made. I would have reminded myself of all the things that are important to have such as tennis shoes and an umbrella and would have not left them at home. I would have also told myself to apply for more scholarships because whatever you do is not enough. You can always fill out more applications.

Don't worry, it's all going to work out! There's going to be ups and downs, but remember whats important. God's going to grab onto you, and He's not gonna let go. I know how you're feeling. Insecure and helpless and confused, without hope. But don't take everything you hear as truth, seek after the Truth with all you've got, as if your life depends on it, because it does. You've been looking for the perfect circumstances to find happiness, and you'll never stop looking because you'll never find it, you'll never be satisfied with this world, because you weren't created to be. Look at the facts, don't be intimidated by the philosophies of this world, you're surrounded by the evidence for God. Stop chasing after something that's going to pass away, and look for something eternal, whether or not He fits your preferred reality, because Truth's more powerful than your ever-changing dead fantasy. Don't forget about eternity, because you're not guaranteed tomorrow. Work hard, do your best, cry out for God until you find Him, you won't regret it.

Get a job, you lazy hippy!

If I could back and give myself some knowledge about college life I would tell myself not to be afraid, to take the interesting classes, but to also find out what is required to transfer to a 4 year college. I would tell myself to take more volenteering oppertunities and find things that interest me, and pursue that path and see where it might lead. I would tell meself to look into finding scholarships, and ways to avoid taking out loans, to find the money because I know it is out there its just a matter of finding it! I would tell myself to travel and experience new places even study abroad, there are plenty of places to see. I would say even when times get hard or you don't like a class or a professor, to try your hardest, go to office hours, and make the best of the sitution. I would say never give up on your hopes and dreams of getting a degree and finding that something you are passionate about!

College is a lot different than high school. The transition to dorm life and classes isn't going to be the easiest. The best advice that I could give is that it is going to be okay. Get to know the people on your floor and in your classes. And also, study hard. Go to class because it is easier to get better grades and understand whats going on. You might not make friends right away but be patient, they will come. Learning to be independent was one of the hardest things that I had to learn and that is also a very important thing to learn right away. You need to learn how to depend on yourself and keep yourself healthy and on track. Another thing is learning how to budget. You will have a lot of expensive tuition bills to pay. You can't just go out and buy a bunch of clothes and things that you don't need. You have to save your money. Another thing is time management. You now make all of the decisions. Make time to study and do your work and also make time with friends. It will all work out.

College is an exciting and liberating experience. Acting as a pathway into adulthood, college can also be confusing and challenging. Knowing what I know now about college life and the transition that accompanies it, the advice I would give myself would be: have a plan B. As a freshman at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, my plan was to follow the family footsteps, get on the pre-dentistry track, and major in Biology. It was all going according to plan until the end of my freshman year when I realized that I had not once questioned whether I saw myself in this career. I came to find, through the help of career services and independent research, that the answer was no. I had simply conformed to the expectations of my family without consideration of my interests. It was a tumultuous and chaotic time—a time of complete uncertainty without any sense of direction. I had no plan B. I could have avoided considerable stress had I known that it's okay to have a plan B—that's what this time is for. Find yourself in college—find what you love, and everything else will fall into place.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, there are a few tip I would give in regard to the transition into college. First, I would say to relax. I was worried about how everything would work out but that's not what I should've spent my time doing. Everyone is in the same situation that you are in so there's no reason to be worried you'll do something wrong. Second, I would have told myself to forget everything about high school cliques because they don't really exist in college. You might have a specific group of friends to spend most of your time with, but in college, you have the opportunity to start over and meet people you never would've talked to before. Finally, I would've told myself that in general, I should be open minded about the entire college experience. There are endless opportunities in college that should be taken advantage of, no matter what your interests are. Open mindedness is the key to success in college and in life, and I wish I could go back and tell myself that.

Try hard to make friends right away because it only gets more difficult as time passes. Also, be ready to network. I know that sounds scary, but talk to your professors and join organizations. As a psychology major, it will be extremely important for you to be involved.

From my perspective, two of the most important things to know in college is time management and financial budgeting. No matter how hard the classes were or how many extracurricular activities I had, I would still want to go back and tell myself to pick up a job so that I can at least learn to start earning money. Because when you start working and earning the pay for your work, only then do you realize the important value of money, and you will learn not to use it recklessly. I would also go back to tell myself to learn to get into a routine in order for it become a habit so I would not have such a hard time adjusting my play time versus my work time. Time management is critical in college, it is important to be social and make connections, but it is also important to study hard and stay on top of your academics since it will be one of the criteria potential employers will look at. So I would telly my past self to get into a routine of homework first, then play afterwards.

Dear Felicia, As a high school senior, you probably have a lot on your plate. Let me tell you something that will take a bit of your load off: space out all of your tasks from most important to least important. I assure you, this will help because we both know that if there is no set agenda then at the end you will feel way too pressured. My most important advice to tell you once you go into your first week of college is: get started on your homework and studying for future exams. You will not regret this!