<p>I wish that I had taken the full-year survey of Art History.</p>
<p>I would have liked to be the person who studied abroad, but I wasn’t. So I don’t blame “her” too much, but that’s easily the biggest regret!!</p>
<p>ADad - the full year art history survey was one of the best things I ever took. My sister teased me about memorizing Jansen’s History of Art in a night for the all or nothing final one quarter. I still remember “Dying Lioness of Nineveh” Assyria 645 BCE - it came in handy when they were describing the looting after the invasion of Iraq - art history really does give one frame of reference for cultures through time and space - the idea that people have done great things, thought great thoughts and created great art across the world for thousands of years. Plus, one gets to use the word “attenuated” a lot :-)</p>
<p>I wish that I would have been more self-motivated to really work hard at the required courses outside my major. I also wish that I had stuck with my initial plan to study abroad. I graduated college many moons ago and I had older cousins that had studied abroad, one even went by ocean liner which I thought was the most glamorous exciting thing ever- I regret that I left myself get sidetracked… but I made up for it by saving money during the summers and when I had my first job when I graduated and traveling in Europe for five months when you really did live of $5.00 a day… returned home with $.25 to my name.</p>
<p><em>Maybe</em> I wish I’d stayed on campus the last quarter instead of pushing to get out and get to work ($$ needed and saving a whole quarter was a lot to me back then).</p>
<p>Gone to graduation and maybe expected my parents to attend. I didn’t on either one. Now that DD’s graduation is coming up in June, I realize how much I cheated THEM of. </p>
<p>Although I didn’t learn my lesson, I lured my dad down to “come to graduation” for masters program, then said I didn’t want to go waste the time, but wanted to spend the time with him. Never considered maybe HE wanted to see ME GRADUATE!</p>
<p>I had a great time socially, made life-long friends and learned how to think more critically - but two regrets:<br>
- I should have joined the choir - I did this in High School but thought I was too busy/cool to do it in College but it would have been a way to meet different people, take a break from studying/my other ec’s/partying and contribute to the University) - so don’t forget to continue to work on ALL of the talents you have during college.
- I wish I was more aware of the fact that I was a paying customer at the college and should be treated as such - (I didn’t figure this out until grad school) so make sure you take full advantage of all of the resources the university has to offer - special free programs, mentors, ask for a better advisor when assigned a poor one, etc.</p>
<p>Attend a college further from home.</p>
<p>Attended a small liberal arts college instead of the BIg State U.</p>
<p>I have a long list of mistakes that I now repent at my leisure. If I hadn’t made them, I would have been a different person. Instead, I bore my kids by trying to tell them not to make my mistakes and indeed, it appears that each of them will have their own unique list, so I guess that,s a kind of success.</p>
<p>When I was in my twenties and thirties, I would have said that my biggest regret from my college years was being too focused on pure academics, and not taking full advantage of all the other fun possibilities that college offered. I still see some truth in that, since life should be for living.</p>
<p>But today, in my fifties, I see things differently. Even a super serious student in a stressful academic program is really enjoying life compared to what comes after - and I did enjoy it!</p>
<p>Looking back, I give credit to my twenty-something self for really digging in and mastering the hard stuff. That made a real difference in my life.</p>
<p>I went to college 1976 to 1980. I dont recall them pushing the study abroad programs like they do today. </p>
<p>Regrets? maybe I should have studied Engineering? But then again I would have never done what I do now and I can say that I have not worked a day in my life.</p>
<p>Some Advice: do what you love and love what you do = you will never cosider your job/profession work.</p>
<p>Studied abroad - although at the time I didn’t know anyone at school who actually did that so it never occurred to me.</p>
<p>Broke up with my high school boyfriend. He was an hour and a half away so we spent a lot of weekends together and I really missed out on a lot of social things. We broke up soon after I graduated and started working.</p>
<p>Saintfan said, “My sister teased me about memorizing Jansen’s History of Art in a night for the all or nothing final one quarter.”</p>
<p>I, too, took Art History 101 and 102. Both classes outside of my major. Jansen’s book was the ONE book I didn’t sell back! I still have it 25 years later.</p>
<p>I wish I had gone tubing down the San Marcos river like 99% of the other kids. Always meant to do it, never got around to it.</p>
<p>I wish I had taken life a little less seriously at times.</p>
<p>Wish I had chosen a major that I really liked rather than the “practical” major that I was pushed toward.</p>
<p>I wish I had opened and read some of the stuff from my Psych 101.</p>
<p>lilmom - I still have Jansen’s on my bookshelf and the other giant tome - the name escapes me - that the next quarter prof liked better than Jansen’s. SHe was the one whose favorite word was “attenuated”. I use it as much as I can now.</p>
<p>Thanks for starting this thread- I didn’t attend college- so I feel I am at a disadvantage knowing how to help my daughter get the most out of her experience.
I want to print it out & send it to her, although she already took a partial gap year abroad * before* college, I don’t know if I want to give her more reasons to take another one. ;)</p>
<p>I wish I had not gotten a boyfriend as a freshman, and then stayed in the relationship all the way through college and part of grad school. He graduated two years before I did. I missed years of college experiences sitting in my room and being the faithful girlfriend, believing this first-love was the love of my life. </p>
<p>I can’t believe I was so dumb.</p>
<p>Definitely wish I had done junior year abroad. Also, should have majored in liberal arts rather than business; business education is better suited for MBA/graduate school, unless one wants to be an accountant.</p>