Personal Narrative: Life After College

Contemplating back on my high school journey, I began to recognize and appreciate the life changes I experienced and the imperative lessons I learned throughout those four years. If I had to choose several words to describe my high school experience, I would begin with eventful, challenging, and memorable. High school afforded me many experiences that continuously led to stressful and challenging encounters. Being involved with the Ambassador Program and the National Honor Society was one of the greatest decisions I made in high school. Both clubs provided me with numerous life-changing opportunities that will continue to have an impact on me for a lifespan.

All high school students are typically looking for the same thing in every college. An institution that will help them to start a successful career while preparing them for life after college. Yes, these things are highly important, but I believe a college experience is more than that. I want a school that I can befit from during the four years I am there. A school that has a lot to offer for its students and once they attend, it will prove to them that they made the right chose. Simon Fraser University is undoubtedly that school.

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

Between the grades of kindergarten to grade four, I just didn’t care. I never thought twice about giving the wrong answer, doing my best work, or presenting projects in front of the class. That soon came to an abrupt halt when I started grade five. Everyone was starting to get serious about their grades and who they were starting to become. I began to worry about what people thought of me, and tried desperately to fit in. I was constantly working at getting my grades back up and maintaining my friendships, but I developed really bad anxiety about everything. I couldn’t work on or present any projects without stressing over it to the point where I wore myself out and made myself feel sick. My anxiety has decreased small amounts at a time over

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.

A family sitting around a dinner table, refugees being placed into healthy environments, a house full of family and friends, these are all images I conjure up when pondering my future. I wish to begin my journey to obtaining this fantasy by pursuing college. College represents an extremely important piece to my future and to get there, I must work extra hard. I see myself attending a University to attain a masters degree in global studies. To be able to get to that point I must reach out and ask for help, the reason for applying for scholarships. After college I would like to locate a job somewhere in the south, such as Tennessee. Once I've had a few years of settling into my career, I enjoy the idea of starting a family. Yes, this does involve

Since I was so young I was worried that I wasn’t ready to take on such a big challenge, but graduating early was the better of the two choices I have ever made. I had to decide on this my sophomore year, which at age fifteen wasn’t an ideal choice to make at the time. There were many considerations I had to contemplate about: my high school career in basketball, college, and leaving my friends.

As each day comes closer to the start of college, the question becomes how will I survive the 4 years of college? How will I avoid being part of those who drop out? How will I pay my gap? How will I pay my college books, fees, etc.

If someone would have told me five years ago that I would be going to college to become a teacher, I more than likely would have laughed right to their face. I have nothing against teachers it just never seemed like a career, that I would purse and enjoy. I actually did not plan on going to college because I honestly had no idea what I would pursue in college. I did not make a final decision about my career path until my last year of high school. I just had too many things going on in my personal life to even think about my life after high school.

I am constantly questioning every aspect of my life, but the main thing I seem to always worry about is my success. The questions that mainly circulate my mind are, “am I living up to my purpose? Is this how I pictured my life after receiving my college degree? Is a bachelor’s degree really as worthless as people say?” But, one thing that I have never questioned is my passion to help others. I know it’s normal to have these feelings, to question your life’s purpose, but I am truly unhappy and I’m the only person who can change that.

One day you’re gonna hear about my sucsess at the Olympics. This essay will provide information on my life as a grade nine student. Firstly, I will provide basic information about who I am. After that I’ll explian my phisical attributes such as height and facial characteristics. Leading up to the end of my essay I plan to inform you of some of my hobbies and maybe even a few things I have experienced in my life so far.

Ring! Ring! The school bell dings and Stan gets up and goes to his locker. He walk over to the water fountain and someone push his head down and he got wet. It was his friends Kyle and Eric. He says” hey what was that for” and Kyle responds “ It was just a joke.” They then exit the school and went their way home. As they walk through a back alley Stan trips Kyle. Kyle falls and hits a garbage can, and the can tips over. In the can was a brown bag filled with money. The boys were astonished and took the money.

I saw it. I saw as they drove into the peaceful grape fields that could be seen from any direction as the scorching sun burned our skin. I worked in those fields for eleven hours everyday with my parents. The peace was interrupted when the fields where invaded by white cars with a green stripe on both sides of the vehicle. Men in uniforms came out of the vehicles and started taking away some of my family’s closest acquaintances. I was seven years old when I discovered the reason my family lived in fear of stepping one foot outside the house unless it was absolutely necessary. The thought that they would take my parents away from me made fear overwhelm me until I dropped on my knees. My father grabbed my mother and I and ran as fast as we could

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

“Okay then…” trailed the entrepreneur, “As moving and depressing as your story was Zach, I think I’ll finish this out with an inspiring and riveting story about perseverance, opportunity, and taking big risks in exchange for fantastic rewards.