Personal Narrative: After College

Returning to college, after graduating high school twenty-five years earlier, proved to be not only rewarding quite challenging as well. Viewing myself as a self-starter with extensive investigative skills I truly believed college path mapped out correctly, so I never met with an advisor, what a colossal mistake! I had self-scheduled all my courses and although I faced a few obstacles I was finally at the end. After completion of all my pre-requisites I applied to the LPN-RN Fast Track Program, little did I know my past would stop me dead in my tracks.

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.

Returning to college has been a prodigious challenge. One in which I determined I would meet head on with resolution. As a fine arts student I was fortunate to find a mentor in the Paradise Valley Community College Theater Director, Andrea Robertson. Andrea perceived potential in me and encouraged pursuit my goals as a writer/director. I took the initiative to approach Andrea with the idea to write and direct my own play in the Advanced Directing course. This past fall that idea came into fruition. As a director I oversaw numerous different areas in the production of my play. These were roles filled by fellow students, allowing the opportunity to provide guidance and leadership to peers. I worked with actors, stage management, set design, prop

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.

It’s never too late. These are words I whole heartedly believe. A year and a half ago I decided to go back school to study nursing. Coincidentally, a week after I enrolled in classes I found out I was ten weeks pregnant. As any woman would I had my doubts about whether I could handle going to school and now being pregnant. But then I thought, I now had even more of a reason to go back. I would soon have a child who would be looking up to me. I wanted to be able to set a good example for them. I started attending classes in the fall as a part time student. Considering I had not been in school for over ten years the transition was a lot easier than I had thought it would be. My teachers were nice as well as my classmates. I finished a semester

The droplets of rain emerge from the towering clouds as I step onto the vibrant green grass for the first time. I lock eyes with the monstrous building and tilt my head back until I have reached the roof. There I was. A stick-like, puny, first year college student looking at my home for the next four years. Yet I can't manage to take a second step. I stand there, staring at the giant brick block and lift my classic yellow rain jacket hood up over my impressively soft chocolate hair, protecting it from the harm of the rain. Four years of Ireland weather lays ahead of me. Four years of bunk beds in dorms. Four years of competing for the number one student. For years of awkward parties and tests. Four years until I'm out.

Throughout my four years here at Blackfoot high school, I’ve changed a lot. I went through many different phases from my freshman to my senior year. My freshman year I remember thinking “I don’t need college,” “College isn’t for me,” “I’m not going to college,” Boy, was I wrong.

To start, one reason that I have decided to come back to college is a very personal reason. I’m the baby of the family out of all 6 children. Meaning that I would be the last to do everything in life. No one in the family has ever graduated before. Therefore, I will be the first to graduate from college. I’ve always wanted to make my parents proud of me. So, I believe that me attending college would make them very proud. As a result, I want to start a new tradition in the family by being successful.

I look back at how I write. I actually changed my way after I get into college. When I was in high school, we don’t have writing class, the writing is combined with Chinese class. So we might just take 2 or 3 times writing class each semester. In the writing class, teacher taught us how to write, how to generate our idea. But except writing class we are asked for write, the only writing we need to do is for the exam. In the writing class, I would give some time to think about what I’m going to write, maybe I would write a outline. But for the exam, I don’t have time to do that. The writing part take 40 percent of the grade, but the time we got is depend on how fast we can finish the other parts of the exam. When I finish other parts of the

In my lifetime, I hope to achieve many things. I want to leave my mark on the world and leave something behind to be remembered by. There are several steps to becoming successful in life and graduating high school is what I am trying to achieve currently. That being said, I want to leave the things I have learned in high school behind to those who may face the same challenges that I have during my own high school experience.

I have headed off to college and to be completely honest I have never been so true to myself as I am these days. I have started to change the world in small significant ways and have made the conscious effort and decision to be my 100% true self in order to better others and speak my truth.

College comes with multiple, unspoken rules. My personal favorites being if you do not have a car find someone who does quick, time should never be wasted, ration your food, and last but not least, eight a.m. classes truly do not have your best interest in mind. About two weeks ago, these guidelines became my college commandments off this one hilarious memory.

"Things end, but memories last forever." My weekend was sure to prove that. Even though the seniors of 2016 are in readiness to graduate we will most definitely miss these times consumed together. On top of my roof, we sat chattering about what we are going to do after senior year. We discussed about how May 21, 2016, would arrive way before we wanted it to come upon us; once that day comes, we will realize only then that we might never see everyone out of our class again. As we all were articulating about how college will be contrary, how we will study so much more, and how tough it really might be; we promised to never drift apart from the best friends that we are. Finally, two a.m. crept up on us, and we knew it was time to get some

Once I leave to college to start my future I hope that I won't leave my father with the constant fear of worrying about the financial troubles that lie ahead of him. I want him to be able to relax and know that his daughter is well taken care of. This scholarship will help me accomplish my goals and watch out for my family.