May is an exciting time for many high school seniors, because it's almost time to graduate! I remember how I felt last year when I was leaving my high school for the University of Minnesota. It's hard to believe that it was only one summer ago! I was sad to leave my friends and the school that I knew so well, but I knew that I was moving on to bigger and better things. Based on my experiences, I want to share with you some tips for this summer to help you prepare for the transition from high school.

Take lots of pictures!
In the time that I've been in Minneapolis, I haven't visited home often. The time that passes between visits varies for every college student, but I'm glad I've been able to stay in contact with my friends and family at home. The summer before leaving for college, we made a lot of great memories together that were captured in the photos hung all over my room for my new friends to see. Have fun this summer and create those memories yourself!

Create a budget
College is a big financial commitment. Aside from tuition, you will have to be far more responsible with your money than ever before. Trust me, it's really easy to spend money on things you don't really need. Create a budget before you even get to school, and stick to it! Also, take advantage of the many discounted or free events on campus to enjoy. Our Student Unions & Activities website has a special Deals & Discounts page so you can stick to your budget and still have fun!

Get a summer job
If you don't already have one, get a summer job and save all the money you earn rather than spend it. It will definitely come in handy in the future. Also, start thinking about becoming a student employee at the U of M. Most on-campus jobs work around the schedule of the student, because school always comes first. You can start searching for jobs as early as this summer, on the Student Employment Programs website. This is where I found my job, and I love it!

Visit campus
If you're about to become a freshman in college, you are probably scheduling your freshman orientation for this summer. I encourage you to embrace this experience and get to know your campus. Spending time on your campus in the summer really makes it a lot easier to navigate when you're here in the fall. The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has three campuses across Minneapolis and St. Paul, and there's a lot to explore.

Get to know your roommate
Later this summer when you find out who your roommate is, try to connect with him or her early. You can do this through Facebook, texting, or even visiting each other. I have friends who got to know their roommate very well before living with him or her, so they were able to feel more comfortable on move-in day.

Make a call to your future school
Contact your financial aid office and your admissions counselor to make sure you have everything in place. Don't forget to send in your final high school transcript, and make copies of any financial aid awards you receive. This type of organization is the key to the logistics of a smooth transition.

I'm sure there is much more advice to give, but the best way to learn is through experiencing the exciting college transition for yourself. I really loved high school, but I love college as well! The difference between the two is huge, but I have found the best within both experiences, and I know you will too. I can't wait to start my second year at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities!

University of Minnesota students, including myself, are finally finished with the school year and more than ready to begin summer! After experiencing my very first "Finals Week" last semester, I had learned how to better manage my time and motivate myself to study and was able to tackle my spring finals more effectively. This semester, the reward for finishing my final exams is much sweeter, because now I can enjoy three months of summer vacation.

My schedule for my final exams was a challenge, but one I was able to handle. For one of my classes, I had a take-home exam where I needed to write three essays in one week. It was difficult, but it was nice to be able to use my notes and other materials. At first I was worried about my first day of Finals Week since I had two of my most difficult exams on the same day, but I managed to do well on both of them! The professors of both classes, gave us study guides and provided extra office hours to help us prepare. Although I had two big tests on the same day, I know that other students originally had up to three exams in one day. Luckily, the University of Minnesota is very accommodating in rescheduling those exams to help students with their finals week workload.

My last final exam was for my astronomy class, which was on the last day of finals week--Saturday. Although I didn't enjoy having to wake up early on a weekend morning, it was nice to have the entire week to study.

Since there are no classes during Finals Week, I even had some extra time to spare. The University Recreation Center offers free finals week group fitness classes, and I was able to take a "Cardio-Kickboxing" class, as well as a yoga class. It was a great stress-reliever! I'm really glad that the Recreation Center offered these awesome programs for everyone on campus to experience.

Now that the beautiful Minnesota summer weather has arrived, I can't wait to have fun on my vacation from school! I will be sure to keep you updated on all the exciting things that are happening in Minneapolis over the summer. If you'd like to experience campus for yourself this summer, be sure to schedule a visit, or check out one of our Summer Sneak Preview events!

Whether you're craving a slice of mac & cheese pizza at Mesa Pizza, or snacking and studying at the Purple Onion Cafe, you can find your perfect restaurant only a brief walk from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.

Dinkytown, the neighborhood just north of the part of the East Bank of the Minneapolis campus, is always alive and bustling with students and faculty. The neighborhood features all the amenities a person could need: you can get a hair cut, grab some great food, take in a concert at the Varsity Theater, and even salsa dance at Loring Pasta Bar on Friday and Saturday nights.

Chilly Billy's, a recent addition to the Dinkytown landscape, is a great place to cool down during the summer. Located on 15th Avenue north of Folwell hall on the ground floor of the new Sydney Hall, Chilly Billy's offers self-seve frozen yogurt with great toppings. Last week, some members of the U of M Office of Admissions stopped in to enjoy a frozen treat and celebrate the beginning of summer.

So, the next time you are on campus don't forget to check out Dinkytown as well!

The West Bank Arts Quarter at the University of Minnesota is home to our Music, Theatre, Dance and Art departments. The University of Minnesota is the only campus in the nation to have all of its art disciplines in one centralized location. The West Bank Arts Quarter brings  our artistically and academically talented students across disciplines to share their talent and inspiration.

Each year, the West Bank Arts Quarter offers our students an on-campus source of entertainment with musicals, plays, operas, ensembles, symphonies, dance performances, and art exhibits. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of viewing some of the works that our studio art students produced at the Regis Center for Art. Among the artistic displays were the paintings of one of our former Office of Admissions interns, Daisy Giles! Daisy, along with six other graduating seniors, displayed her paintings during the Spring 2011 Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition. 

Take a look at some of her pieces below:

You can see more of Daisy's artwork on Facebook. 

Summer is an exciting time of year at the University of Minnesota! Warm and sunny days have arrived, students have finished their final exams, and our recent graduates have moved on to pursue new opportunities in their careers.

During the upcoming summer months, the University of Minnesota will begin to welcome incoming freshmen onto campus for Freshmen Orientation, and incoming College of Biological Sciences students will attend Nature of Life, a unique first year program designed especially for CBS students.

We are so proud of the students who will be joining the College of Biological Sciences this upcoming fall semester. In fact, the local NBC-affiliate KARE 11 recently highlighted an incoming CBS freshman in their recurring "Academic All-Stars" segment. This clip showcases just one of the many wonderful students who will be joining our Class of 2015 next year.

If you're interested in learning more about the College of Biological Sciences, you may want to consider visiting campus this summer, or attending our Summer Sneak Preview on June 24!