Personal Narrative: Life After Gradutaion

Growing up, school was not a major factor in my life. I come from a hard-working, middle-class military family. My mother, a Filipino immigrant, was a homemaker. My father was a 21-year United States Marine veteran. They were my first impression of what I thought my future would be. Being the youngest of four children, I was expected to fall in line behind my siblings when it came to education. I was never pushed to excel in my studies, so I did just enough to get by. As I watched friends escape the grasp of a military town and ascend to their respective colleges, I was left wondering what was next for me. I attended my local community college for a brief period of time. I treated college no different than high school. I

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.

The transition from high school to college is a dynamic time in one’s life that parallels the change from childhood to adulthood. Both of these changes are dramatic and, as a result, feelings are difficult to put down into words. A messy combination of emotions fills the heart, surfacing in strange ways. Confident high school seniors go right back to the bottom of the chain when entering college as freshmen. These students start all over, just like entering grade school or high school for the first time. The move up from high school to college signals the switch from dependence to self-sufficiency. From a personal point of view, going through the experience of graduating high school and transferring to a residential college campus at STLCOP, made me realize I was no longer a kid and capable of making my own decisions.

In my earlier high school years I did not plan to go to college. I wanted to join the workforce immediately. I felt like college was not going to benefit me in many ways, but after careful consideration I decided I would be missing out on excellent opportunities if I did not go. I want to attend college not only to obtain a career, but also for all of the opportunities college life will offer me. I am eager to be involved with the college community and to make friends with my peers. I plan to better myself by learning things I never knew or learned in highschool about who I am. I know I have a lot of potential to be someone valuable to the community. Whether it be to a business, the sciences, or medical fields, I know in order to become that

In August of 2015, I started the next chapter of my life at Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma. I heard numerous personal testimonies of what college is like and how I will have loads of homework. From these stories and personal testimonies, I decided that college was going to be extremely scary and brutally difficult. As my senior year in high school began, I had no plans of where I was going to go to college and how I was going to pay for it either. As my senior year went along, everything concerning my future plans at college played out the right way. I was accepted into the Honors Program at Rogers State University and the program paid for my education. Reflecting back on the thoughts I had about the college experience

It is that time of the year: the sun is finally coming out, people are buzzing out into the streets and students have high hopes for what the future holds for them. Students are bubbling with excitement over the change from grade school to high school and others high school to college. Just remember that little jolt of adrenaline and for most people relief when they have waited months for a piece of paper that defines the rest of the next four years of your life: socially and educationally. Within those few seconds, you did not face the realization of your peers that were hit with defeat and did not like what a piece of paper spelled out. You did not realize the other students, like you, who were not fortunate enough to live a life up to now

The fact that there is life after school is honestly a little terrifying. Since the age of six we have been put in school and that is all we have known, but come college graduation we are all thrown out in the real world. We are expected to immediately go out and get a job, start a family and grow up. While this thought is a little scary I am very excited to go on this journey. From college on I hope to thrive in college, become a great teacher, create a family and be financially stable.

My experiences beyond graduate school will help make me a successful educator. My experience working in different areas of government helped give me a better understanding of what diversity truly means. It helped me realize that communities have different needs. Schools are a reflection of the communities of they are located and the needs of the students will vary and constantly change, that adaptiveness will allow me to continue to grow as a

About four months ago, I made the decision to attend graduate school. I submitted the application and then received an email from my enrollment counselor a few days later. We have been communication off and on in regards to when I will start classes and the whole process. At the end of December, I received an email stating that I will start graduated classes at the end of February or the beginning of March. At the very moment I was excited, but then I began to panic. My perception of graduate school was that it was difficult and a lot of writing. After having a moment of anxiety, I began to pray and ask God for guidance and direction. I evaluated my life with or without a master degree and how it will open up to better business opportunities

From that day forward I made up in my mind that I was going to college! Not only was I going, I was determined to finish. Being that my brother didn’t finish high school, it seemed as if our family had a curse. Being the youngest, I felt it was up to me to break that curse. From elementary school to high school I thought about what colleges I wanted to attend, what I wanted to major in, pledging, and joining NAACP. As the years passed I noticed my mothers actions reflected how she felt about school. I attended Fort Lauderdale High school as a Pre-Law magnet student. I entered high school with a middle school mentally not

Have you ever told yourself why is college worth going to? Well there are many reasons why you should go to college one of them being that you are able to earn more money that a high school graduate, have a better opportunity for a job with better benefits, you are less likely to be unemployed and, you can get a job that you are more satisfied with.

Every young adult knows the importance of getting an education. The future holds many opportunities, including a job that one can excel in and enjoy. Some people think that those who go to school waste their life on furthering their education, but who have longer lasting jobs and a bigger paycheck? According to The College Board Organization, going to college will let you explore various jobs and help find the career path that fits you (College: What It’s About). College gives someone the chance to be more independent and social. College sets a realistic plan for goals, making dreams more achievable and attainable (Beckstead). Attending college after high school expands your knowledge, helps the transition to adulthood, and prepares you for the future.

I stumble, missing a step. A little lightheaded is all. Maybe I should’ve eaten more for breakfast. I walked up the steps and attempted to push open the door even though the sign clearly read pull. I murmured to myself, “Why do I have a math class at 7:45am?” This was a routine for me during my years of high school and I often felt miserable as a result. Although I felt as if I was in hell every morning high school has been a captivating experience for me. It has certainly had its positives and negatives and many confusing experiences in between. Overall, I feel as though I have been suited for not only college, but also life as a whole. High school has taught me many things, both academically and subjectively. It has revealed my true colors, both good and bad, and as a result, has built many aspects of my character as well as define my success as I enter my first year of college. My experiences at A.C.L.A have shaped me into the person that I am today.

My first reasoning I thought was important on why you should go to college is you earn more money and will have a better chance at getting a job before someone who only has a high school diploma will.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010, the median weekly earnings with some college but with no degree were $712, compared to $1,038 for a college graduate.After college, most people will have a better chance at getting a job,“In most respects,” The Hamilton Project has found, “a college degree has never been more valuable.”College is so expensive but, it’s worth it because having a college degree rather than just a high school diploma,you’re most likely going to get a job that pays really well.According to BLS data has shown that workers with more education have lower unemployment and higher earnings than workers with less education. People with higher levels of

When I was growing up, college was always talked about. From school to family to friends, it was anything any of us dreamed of. We knew it was an important next step in life, a straight line, get great grades and high scores in high school, and go to college. I dreamed of what I would good to school for, I dreamed of what I would go to school for after that. I had so many dreams about what exactly I would do, but unfortunately, life had a flurry of other plans for me. I had my path picked out, my ticket to happiness. I love learning, and the thought of more time spent in school has never been daunting to me. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I realized that the obstacles I was going to face were going to be a lot different from what my friends were facing.