Personal Narrative: Life After High School

I was a freshman in high school when I realized I was missing something, and no it wasn’t a boyfriend. Out of all the questions I was asked in high school, “What are you doing after high school?” was asked by a margin wider than Ronald Reagan’s popular vote in the presidential election of 1984. I was asked relentlessly by multiple teachers through out my high school career and I was always at a loss for a reply. I didn’t know what I wanted to be and I wouldn’t figure it out for a long time.

Wow senior did go extremely fast. I blinked and I’m about to graduate. I honestly look back and think about how this is what I’ve wanted, to be out of school, and now that it's here, I’m not ready. I’m not ready to be an adult. I tried to put it off as long as possible but that was impossible with the hands life dealt me. But at the same time I’m glad I’m almost finished because I have more time for me! I work out, I read books, I work my butt off, and just take care of myself and the people around me. I honestly love it. High school has honestly been a burden with how much has gone on in my personal life. I can’t wait to just have time to focus on life! I honestly can’t wait to get my first tattoo or dye my hair, which I’ve never done, but

As soon as I got to high school, everyone started asking me what I wanted to do after high school and what my goals were. What high school freshman knows what they want to do with their life? Very few, and I wasn’t one of them. I always knew that I would probably do something in the health field, partly because that’s what my dad did, but also because I’ve always had a heart for helping people, especially children. It wasn’t, however, until Junior year when I got my first job that I knew what I wanted to pursue as a career. Now before I go into what that career choice is and why, there is something which the reader must understand. My dad went to college and got his Master’s degree, my mom only had her high school diploma. Both of my parents agreed that all of their children should go to college, so for me the question wasn’t “should I go to college?”, but rather, “where should I go, what should I do, and how will I stay out of debt?”

Whenever I go grocery shopping with my father, I can always guarantee two things: awkward stares and double-takes. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I’ll get the well-intentioned stranger asking if I’m adopted. You see, my father is Caucasian whereas I am half-white and half-Asian, but I am the spitting image of my mother. Most of my father’s similarities lie in our personalities, where we both enjoy sampling new cuisines, exchanging terrible puns, and listening to the rich purr of V8 engines. The only physical attribute he has given me: my fingers.

The school bell rang as students were eager to leave either to hang out with friends or just go home after a long day at school. Students from every direction rushing to their cars or trying to catch the bus was usually an everyday seeing. Some staying for after school tutorials or even after school clubs. Others not realizing that reality is about to hit us as our final school year is coming.

Throughout my four years of high school I have been apart of many school activities. I have been apart of basketball for one year, volleyball for two years, and tennis for four years. I have also been apart of spanish club for two years. During freshman and sophomore year I fundraised by selling butter braids and cookie dough to many of the members in my community. I also put many hours into working the concessions during the basketball and football games. During the summer I worked at the concessions at the pool. I also helped Mrs. Lonner paint the Concessions stand. After two years I had finally raised enough money to go on trip to Costa Rica with a few of my classmates. During homecoming I'm also apart of all the activities. I have dressed

After high school I wouldn't want to go straight to college if I didn't necessarily have to. I would want to take a year to travel and see the world. Yes it might be better to just go straight to college after high school but who would want to do that when you could travel for a year. I believe after high school you should give yourself a gift and travel take a break from school. Even going to see the world and see different places and cultures, before reality hits you like a truck. Everyone should travel before their to busy with work, school, and or even families at the time. Its good to take time off.

My story starts before I was even born. The doctor told my mom that I was going to be brain dead. I guess I did not move a lot in the womb. I was born on March 7, 2000. It was actually seventy degrees in Huntington. When I was about a year and a half years old my mom and dad got divorced. I can’t remember it but it has affected every day since then. I have had to move back and forth between houses because I felt like I needed both parents in my life to keep me happy.

A few weeks before school ended, one of my friends, Niko, kindly invited me to an AMAZING house in Santa Cruz for one weekend. I thought it was really nice of him to invite me and gladly accepted. The house was really awesome: it had a breath-taking view of the ocean, really nice rooms and when you went to bed you could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. On top of that the hosts were really nice.

The few years before high school was pretty bad for me and my family. We had some financial and personal problems that were going on at the time. I had a lot of problems in school, a lot of the teachers hated me. On top of that I had to deal with personal family problems, I had two uncles that were diagnosed with cancer. My mom would constantly be in and out of the hospital check in on them. Sometimes she wouldn’t even show up to dinner. This forced me to transition from a kid to an adult.

Starting high school was something that would be impossible to forget. You get this grand idea that it’s going to be like the movies. Where the populars rule the school and the school is divided in the nerds, jocks, populars, and who knows what else. Upon being welcomed to Cooper it became clear this wasn’t that kind of school. There were the populars, but not in the same way I imagined. Here we were welcomed and given the helping hand we so desperately needed coming into the bigger fish pond. I can say much like a fish on land, I was out of my habitat. Walking among the others who have gone through this was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done. I have to say that in the beginning I predetermined high school was going to be the

“But mom, everyone is going to this party, I just moved to a new school and I want to make friends! Besides I’m seventeen years old and a senior in high school I think it's time I start making my own decisions.” I whined

I was one of the best even though I was a little younger than the top boxers in the gym. I would always play football every sunday with my friends. I worked out everyday except for saturday and sunday. I was really fit compared to everyone of my friends. But all that didn’t last long, It all started with a football game that I ended up injuring my shoulder bad enough to not being able to move my arm for a whole week. Three weeks later I had a boxing match with a friend and I ended up dislocating my shoulder when I landed a heavy punch, I would of knocked him out but my shoulder had not healed yet.

My plans for after high school were not realized until my senior year. The idea of moving out and being on my own seem to be very foreign. I had heard all about having to start planning throughout high school. Not until my senior year, when it was nearly a reality, that it was the time that I had to grow up and start developing my future. The plan that I formulated this year was to go to George Mason University, rent an apartment or live in dorms, work part-time, and after college to work full-time at an IT or programming department of a company. Many factors can change this prophecy, such as emergencies or making new decisions. For this project, I used the most accurate to my life information and resources. So i looked for an apartment and

Walk up the cold steps. My heart beating exhausting, fast, feeling like It’s close to leap out of my chest.I don’t wish to be here, why am I here. I may gyrate straight away, GO! GO! GO! The thought goes through my head. Panic fleeing going through each of my nerves in my body. My senses strain, each sensation raised multiple.