My College Experience : My Experience In My Life

One of the proudest accomplishments of my life was receiving my bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida. As I approached the stage, I put one foot in front of the other and tried my hardest not to stumble. The crowd roared loudly, I could see Knightro dancing in the corner, it was my turn. In the three seconds that I walked across the stage, I felt a plethora of emotion but most of all… I felt fear because on the other side of the platform was the rest of my life. Unfortunately, my “life after graduation” plan was short-lived, as I found it very difficult to find employment within the first three months of graduating.

I have defiantly not had a normal or a comfortable life. I have lived in RVs and cars on the streets of NE Portland, been homeless twice and I have left the country on multiple occasions cause of my family financial situation. As recent as two years ago I was in Central America and Southern Mexico looking for a safe and decent place to survive in. I missed a year of school. Currently, I live in a leaky, moldy, single-wide trailer home in Rockwood Neighborhood in Gresham. My parents are divorced; my dad, who I live with, is unemployed, has health issues, and has no formal education. So I provide for him and myself.

In the summer, I attended a guidance class at Chaffey College. I thought that community college was for people who drop out of high school and not take life seriously, but I got that idea from teachers who went straight to universities after high school. When I attended Chaffey, I was surprised to be in a diverse culture. The people that I have met were so different and the professors were very helpful than I expected. Suffering through the midst of exclusion taught me that there are so many options I can choose from in the future. Being a survivor from the destructive side effects of mind control was shocking enough. Fortunately, I recovered from the operation that poisoned every inch of my mind. I was glad that I attended Chaffey because

they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please

1. What experience do you like talking about the most? What has been the most interesting, intriguing, and exciting part of your life- why, and what did you learn from it?

The month after graduating from high school I watched six seasons of the CBS show “Survivor”. When my dad insisted I socialize with my friends, I invited them over and we all watched “Survivor” together. I was obsessed. Winning the game involves a certain finesse that changed from season to season, yet the key elements remained consistent. This show offered a new perspective on how to approach and adapt to challenges.

My community college experience has been rigorous but highly rewarding. As an international student, it was like stepping from a hill to a mountain looking out at the horizon. The sheer breadth and depth of the world are mesmerizing. I have entered into a leadership role like Phi Theta Kappa and Student Government Association (SGA), that has helped me grow as a person.

It happened all through-out college. I had always heard stories about body-shaming with overweight individuals, but I never thought that it would happen to myself or the millions of other young women on college campuses.

So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things, and respond to others makes all the difference. Sometimes we fail; sometimes we succeed. But whatever happens, we know we must keep learning from our decisions. Do not feel fear to fail or choose your own decisions in life. Inasmuch as, if one day I fall, I will get up, and keep trying until I reach my goal. I refused to give up until I succeed. For example, I decided to make a change for once in my life. I wanted to continue my education, so I decided to attend college. Going to college has affected my life in appositive ways, such as building my concentration, participating in classes, and working in a group.

I am attending college, so that I will be able to learn more about my major and also to explore my options. While in high school, I had many reasons and people that motivated me to enroll into college, including my mom, my guidance counselors, and research on what I want to be later on in life. Although I was already going to apply for college, I heard a lot of good things about it from a few of my friends, on how college really makes you a stronger and more independent person. In the past few years, I’ve met quite a few people who have graduated high school and decided not to attend any college, and sooner or later I hear about how upset they are that they did not attend and how they have no idea what to do with their life. I did not want

Most employers will not want to hire “college kids” fresh from college. It is all about experience: how much experience one has or how little experience one has. Most employers are looking for someone who already knows what they are doing, not someone who has to be taught everything. Now, there are few employers who prefer people without experience because they can be molded. Those kind of employers do not want someone with experience because they do things differently. For example, I work at Subway. My boss would rather hire new people because he can shape them into what he wants. We have had two people who worked at previous Subways, and it is harder to train them in what he likes versus what they were taught. It confuses

The decision to return to college after a twenty year hiatus was a very intimidating one. Not only was I twenty years out of school and my study habits and routine long forgotten, but the world itself had changed enormously in terms of technology and everyday procedures. There were no such things as PC’s cell phones and yes the Internet back in the 1980’s. Having evolved with this technology made my return to college that much easier, yet I was still very apprehensive regarding the uncertainty of my success. I made the decision in an intuitive manner at this point and jumped in feet first not knowing what to expect and relying on my intelligence to get me through. The first semester I took extremely serious and managed to become a rational/linear

College is a great opportunity that I am blessed to be going through today. I see it as an opportunity to grow as a person and set myself up for the future I want. The success I have in the future will be greatly affected by how I do in college.

I do not doubt that I am prepared for college I have taken several AP and dual-enrollment classes so, unlike other kids, I do not fear the course load or even the transition into college. I fear to face the same problems that black students often face in higher education. Black students often face marginalization and deal with negative stereotypes alongside criticism from peers and educators. Learning can become a chore when dealing with negativity every day. I have learned in my 17 years that anger will not solve the problem nor will tears. In the past, I have joined clubs whose main goal is to increase equity: club alpha, NAACP, VHS Equity team. I have been involved with club Alpha since I was in my freshmen year of high-school students of

The first year of college comes with many changes and challenges. These changes can include the food in the cafeteria, study habits, time management skills, and much more. Every student has to find their own way to handle the first year and determine what works best for them. For many the most essential change is living away from home. Campus life provides opportunities to become a part of a unique, diversified community. With these opportunities come challenges, such as having a roommate, being away from one’s parents, and determining self-limits.