University of Wyoming Top Questions

Dear past self, I appreciate how hard you are working. It is worth it. This work will get you into all of your top colleges. When you choose the University of Wyoming, you are making a good choice, even if you are concerned about the distence from home. You make the transition quite nicely, I must say. You have a great roommate, a fantastic RA, and you learn how to co-exist with the girls next door to you ( thought it takes a while and a good portion of patience). You make a good, solid group of close friends. You're going to be fine. You are going to tell friends that you are bisexual and it is not going to faze them. You will partake in research and learn and cry and grow. I would tell you more, but I don't want to spoil just how fantasitc life is for you. Lots and lots of love, Your future self

Knowing what I know now about college life I would tell myself to relax. That things will go a lot smoother than you think if you relax and focus on God, your relationships and your school work. Make sure to lean on the relationships you make at the Christian Student Center, they really will help you get through it and will show you that God will truly lead you through the best path. So never be afraid to ask for help. Also, beware of men that do not seem to fully care. I know I had heard it many times, but it would have been good to hear it again coming from someone who was in the future. Maybe if I listened to keeping close friends at the Christian Student Center and did not hang out with some of the boys that I did, I would not have as big of regrets or secrets that I fear no one will know. Most of all I would tell myself that God has a great plan for you, and to focus on that, and not to care what people think of you or your religion.

Don't freak out! Join as many things that interest you and the friends will come. Have an open mind and an open heart and enjoy the time you have.

The first thing I would tell myself, which is most likely what everyone would tell themselves, “Cultivate study habits”. The first year at college was dismal, I mean three C’s? Come on! I know that I can do better than that. Also, the late night studying right before a test has to go. That is the main reason for the low grades. Low grades impact grade point averages and now it is necessary to work extra hard to bring it up as high as possible. Secondly, I would tell myself, “Work more on your off time (instead of playing) while still studying like crazy as well”. Entering college is a balancing act, balancing work and studying hard, and excelling at both or else we will fail. Oh, and don’t forget time management. Expect to spend three hours outside of class studying for every hour spent in class.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I think the most important thing I would say is to remain focus. It takes determination and perseverance to make it in the world today. In college, you need to exercise that discipline in you studies. I believe If I had told myself that from the beginning I would be doing even better than I am currently doing. Also I think another important message is to make use of all the opportunities afforded to you when you are young. Its true time wasted can never be regained, so always seize the moment. In high school there are so many chances to secure a great beginning for the workforce. Finally, the last thing I would tell myself is to never compromise my integrity. Your character says a lot about you, and it goes with you eveywhere. If from within those high school walls you upkeep your integrity, values and morals, then odds are you're going to do alright in the big world.

If I could give my highschool self one piece of advice, it would be college is what you make of it. You're responsible for getting and education. Not your professors, not your classmates, not your TAs. This applies to the obvious stuff, going to class and doing your homework, but it applies to everything. Figure out what you want and go after it. If you don't like your major change it. Talk to your professors, go to their office hours and ask them about the material. Neogotiate with them if you run into a difficult situation. Do extra work in the areas that interest you. Meet people. Network as they say. Learn who's important in your department and in the university. You're going to need letters of recommendation for work or graduate school. Give people a reason to write you one. Lay the ground work early and get them written before you graduate. Enjoy yourself. If you're bored, you're doing it wrong. If you're so stressed you can't enjoy youreself, you're doing it really wrong.

Your college years are one of the most unique years of your life. Enjoy these years! Explore the opportunities and activities that the college has to offer. There are so many different events in one small area, take advantage of that. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Stay focused and cherish these years. Later in your life, you can look back and know that you had an enriching experience. This experience will remain a part of you for the rest of your life. Make it count!

The best advise anyone could have given me would be to consider going to Colorado State. CSU has a very competitive college of agriculture and that is currently my major. I am also minoring in banking and finance services so I am taking a significant amount of business courses. CSU happens to have a business school that compares very well to UW's school of business. On top of academics, being in along distance relaitonship has been difficult. Knowing that my future girlfriend was going to a school (CSU) that is very comparable to UW would have been valuable information in making my college decision. If I could go back in time and talk to myslef last year, I would told myself to consider going to Colorado State.

Throughout high school I taught myself how to play the "game of school." I learned that success in school meant doing work promptly and handing it in on time, studying bold words and key concepts, utilizing resources and learning the expectations of each of my teachers. Approaching the university stage of life as a "game" was instrumental in my successful integration into this new world. In a game you must be flexible and adaptable. You learn as you go to problem solve and prioritize so that you can reach your ultimate goal and complete the "mission." School should never be taken so seriously that it becomes unenjoyable. Rather one must find meaning and purpose to their time in school so that completing the tasks neccesary to graduate become something that you look forward to doing because, like in a game, you have become aware of the big picture.

I would tell myself to buckle down and start my degree endeavors early. I would push myself to finish college the first time around and not take a break after one year. It would be made very clear that my future would be better with a degree under my belt in something I like doing instead of settling for the norm. I wish I would be able to go back and kick myself into gear because it would have made a big difference in my life as it is now. Then I look at what my path has given me and I realize that I am who I am because of what I did or did not do in my past, so maybe I wouldn’t change anything!