How has going to uni changed you?

White

So, I know that going to college has brought out a lot of things in me that I never realized were there. Has anyone experienced this? I know I'm not the only one who started college this year, so I'd just like some peeps to share their experiences. Or, even if this isn't your first year, do you remember what it was like for you then?

If it helps, you can post before and after personality tests. I managed to dig up one that I had taken before and then retook it. Here are the results (the first number is the first result, the second number is the second result, followed by the calculated change):

Extraversion: [9] [33] = +24
Friendliness: [18] [45] = +27
Gregariousness: [2] [57] = +55
Assertiveness: [49] [14] = -35
Activity Level: [12] [12] = +0
Excitement-Seeking: [23] [33] = +10
Cheerfulness: [26] [66] = +40

Agreeableness: [49] [52] = +3
Trust: [73] [94] = +21
Morality: [48] [48] = +0
Altruism: [28] [54] = +28
Cooperation: [83] [76] = -7
Modesty: [38] [38] = +0
Sympathy: [9] [1] = -8

Conscientiousness: [54] [21] = -33
Self-Efficacy: [59] [19] = -40
Orderliness: [17] [24] = +7
Dutifulness: [18] [18] = +0
Achievement-Striving: [63] [7] = -56
Self-Discipline: [53] [41] = -12
Cautiousness: [94] [60] = -34

Neuroticism: [25] [19] = -6
Anxiety: [27] [6] = -11
Anger: [6] [11] = +5
Depression: [66] [49] = -17
Self-Consciousness: [48] [58] = +10
Immoderation: [34] [55] = +21
Vulnerability: [18] [5] = -13

Openness to Experience: [70] [78] = +8
Artistic Interests: [60] [50] = -10
Emotionality: [1] [26] = +25
Adventurousness: [71] [81] = +10
Intellect: [78] [78] = +0
Liberalism: [99] [81] = -18

ape

University is the most dangerous place I have ever spent time

A cultish environment where many children are separated from their family's for the first time, newly exposed to booze and drugs, casual sex and a fleeting social life.

This creates vulnerable states of mind for many youngins and into this steps academics with extremely heavy course loads and a ready made dogma of life and people that can be very much at odds with the realities of who and what people and life really are

I saw many good, well adjusted kids go into the meat grinder of academia who came out the other end lost and confused. Most spend years afterwards decompressing and detangling some of the messes made

I would give it a miss till at least 21 so as to gain some real world experience that could be used later as an anchor in academic wacky town

sartreality

My university years were some of the best years of my life. I went to a small upper middle class high school in which almost the entire student population came from the establishment class. I couldn't wait to get out and go to university. In fact I spent a considerable amount of my free time at the university library before even graduating from HS, just because that's the kind of nerd I was LOL

I didn't leave my home town to go away to uni, but I did move out of my parents home.

How did university change me?

It exposed me to a vast body of knowledge and experts in many fields from all across my country and other countries.

It exposed me to a wide array of wisdom and life experience of these experts in their field as well as other students from all over the world, instead of my tiny little insulated, small-minded community.

I had free reign of a huge data base of research material due to being fortunate enough to attend a great university.

It taught me critical thinking skills way beyond anything ever taught in High Schools. The value of this can not be over emphasized. Evaluating the validity of information is crucial for a free democratic society.

It taught me to place things in context at all times and never take anything at face value. If you don't question what is happening and why it is happening and how things and information is controlled, you are but a pawn.

I learned that history is constantly being re-written.

I learned that learning is a life-long thing and a closed mind is a handicap.

I learned that it doesn't matter what you major in or what your degree is or how many letters are after your name. What matters is that you use your mind.

As for my personality. University didn't change that. I believe that is mostly genetic.

MannyP

The closest thing to a "before" personality test would be the online Myers-Briggs-type test I took my freshman year, in which I tested as an INFP. Now that I look back, I don't think there was ever a point in my life that I wasn't an ISTP, but at the start (and throughout most of my undergrad time, for that matter), I was down on myself and thus was probably in "shadow" mode a lot. My self-confidence grew tremendously after I graduated from Cornell, however.

What I learned was that information is cheap, but the education you get from all the experiences in life is so valuable.

White

I think many colleges actually go out of their way to make sure that their students are well-adjusted, at least in the US. Yeah, there's booze and drugs, but I've made some incredible bonds with people. I'm sorry that your experience was so negative.

I didn't mean to imply that who I am essentially has changed, or that college changes who you are at the core. I just meant that I've discovered new parts of myself and became healthier and happier.

decided

When I finished high school I had no idea what sort of career I would like to have.

I studied business administration for a year, realised that I have an interest in the provision of health care, and immediately started working in medical laboratories. I worked in histology and in laboratory management before deciding to study at university. I had a much better idea of what my interests were by this stage. I believe that I have chosen my papers wisely because I waited a few years before going to uni.

For a while I studied extramurally, but that was incredibly difficult with the job I had at the time. There was too much to juggle at once, and as a perfectionist I worked myself to the bone. So a couple of years ago I quit working full time so that I could study and work part time. It is a slow way to get my degree, but I don’t mind

I have found it great studying now. My relationships with people at work mean that they were happy to find a part-time position for me, where I could change my working hours each semester. I now organise training events for people working in a particular field in medical laboratories, and fit in study on the other days. It can be ridiculously busy sometimes, and I am actually taking a break this semester, but I'll get back to it next year.

How has uni changed me?

-- It taught me that my curiosity and imagination is a blessing.

-- It has given me food for thought, and a lot of concepts to better understand the world.

-- It taught me that there is no such thing as common sense.

-- It enabled me to do research and write about findings.

-- It taught me that learning has its own rewards.

-- It has given me some new interests, passions and more direction to my life.

-- I am still the same person, but university has definitely enriched my life.

Kevinaswell

I completely lost all my shame.

ape

The cool aid always taste sweet going down

The tummy ache comes later

A cult I tells ya.....a cult of NERDS AND WEIRDOS !!

Best cults seem uncultish in nature making you think you are not in a cult but you really are in a cult and as proof that you are in a cult you say you are not in a cult which is a very cultish thing to say which proves you are in a cult

Know what I mean jelly bean?

sartreality

My name is Kate and I am a nerd and a weirdo and I'll add freak to that too.

Happy now Ape?

Decon

College hasn't done any good for me. If anything, I've become a lot more introverted than when I started. I've talked to three people outside of class, and the class is half way over. (Took midterms 2 weeks ago)

Probably for two reasons, 1.) I go to a community college, but there isn't much community there. 2.) I'm still dealing with the realization that I've probably m issed the boat an actually having a good college experience since I'm not a freshman at a four year with a dorm and things like that. I guess I just feel like I'm missing the true college experience.