“College is the best time of your life. When else are your parents going to spend several thousand dollars a year just for you to go to a strange town and get drunk every night.” (Wood, David) When I was in high school, I never pictured myself attending college. College was not on my mind at that time because I was still figuring out what I wanted to do. College made me a better student by not giving up, my finals, and graduation confirmation. Many students that graduate high school do not attend college. I felt like college was not the perfect fit for me. I say that because I hate studying and getting prepared for assessments. Nowadays you have no other choice but to attend college in order to be successful. There were many times in high school where I thought about giving up but I didn’t. When I attended Hinds Community College in the fall of 2016 I didn’t think I would make it more than a semester. College may not be the perfect fit but in the long run its worth it. College helps me adapt to the environment I will be looking forward to in the future. Yet, sometimes we make decisions based off what you think people will say about the outcome. For a while, I had no path way and I listened to my family comments on going to college. The experience of going to college was one of the best decisions I could have made. There is no better feeling that walking across stay receiving your degree. There were ups and downs, but it was nothing I couldn’t overcome. In the following paragraphs I will be explaining why this was one of the most memorable day in my life.
August of 2018 was my last semester of attending Hinds. I enrolled in my courses and as I was notified the same day that the classes were mandatory I passed in order to graduate in a timely manner. One of the classes I had to take was math. I knew that I wasn’t good in math and I had just gotten off of probation from the 2 previous semesters. I didn’t apply myself as needed, and it brought my GPA down to a 1.9. In order to graduate I had to maintain a 2.0 and pass with a C average or above. I told myself every day I could get through it no matter how bad I wanted to give up. Classes weren’t hard at all. I just didn’t have the strive to do the work. Time came to turn in work I would procrastinate and turn things in at the last minute. My grades were good enough just to get by. My mom always motivated me to be successful, but my mind was on entering the work force. Assessments were my weakness. Anytime test day came around I would panic. Being that I hated studying made things harder on me. I pushed myself because I knew I could get through the simple work that was given.
As time passed it was time to submit the application for graduation. As I was told I told my mom as soon as I found out I was approved to graduate. Two days later I submitted my application. Grades were not where they were supposed to be, but I told my mom in an exciting tone, not knowing whether I was gone graduate. I wasn’t applying myself as needed. Knowing that midterms were the following week, it was time to actually get on my material. That’s something I should have been doing from the beginning. Study guide exams were given out the same week as graduation application. I studied every day until it was time to take the given assessment. JSU homecoming was the weekend. As I’m thinking everything is all good, I ended up going to the activities not thinking about my nib day that I have within the next two months. I ended up trying to study for my exams at the last minute. Test day was the next day and I was just as lost as I could be. My whole body shut down on me during the time I was taking the test. I felt as if I failed my parents, my family, and as well as myself. This was the time that determined if I actually passed the course, because it was worth half of your entire average. After testing I immediately asked my professor could I see what I made on my exam. I was told that I couldn’t get my results until the end of the day. As time passed through the day I prayed and just hoped that I passed my exams although I didn’t study. By 6.30 that evening I was notified that I had passed all of my exams. I cried with tears of joy reading my email from my instructor. I still hadn’t made a decision on what I wanted to do next in my life once I graduated, and with that being said I felt as if I was one step closer to my big day.
Final grades were posted and it was time to move out of my dorm room and pick up my cap and gown. I was so excited about graduating that I paid someone to just bring all of my items from out of my dorm room to my car. Lazy was actually the word for that situation, but I didn’t care being that I was getting prepared for one of the biggest days in my life. I walked to Moss hall right after I finished. Immediately, I took a picture of my cap and gown and put the image in the group chat with my entire family included. Everyone was so overwhelmed with me graduating being that many people from my mom or dad side didn’t attend college. If attended, they didn’t receive a degree. My aunt texted inviting me out to eat to my favorite restaurant Golden Coral. Graduation was the next week. As time approached I sweated just thinking about walking across the stage in front of so many people. I thought crazy things as what if I fell, or what if they mispronounce my name and people laugh. Everything was going all good, until it was time to pick a graduation outfit. I’m tomboyish so I gave my mom a very difficult time finding me something to wear. Every store we went in I found something negative to say. I didn’t want a heel on my shoe nor a wedge, and most definitely not a dress. Flats and slacks were just what I was looking for although my mom wanted me to be different for my big day. Simple clothing was the best way out for me.
The big day has come and it is time for me to get dressed for graduation. I wake up to a big breakfast, and I prepare to go and get my makeup done I received a call. My makeup artist was in a bad car accident, and she would be able to get the job done for me. Instantly I feel as if everything was going wrong. I didn’t want anyone else on my face, so my mom and I agreed on not wearing make up. A few hours before graduation it starts to pour down raining. I hated being out in the rain because everything would be wet, and the feeling isn’t a preppy feeling. My maps ended up taking my family and I to the wrong location. I began to dread myself, and stared to burst in tears. I was already late so that made things worst on me. We finally found the building. Only thing was wrong was that we were parked on the wrong side of the building. I gathered my things to prepare myself to go to my designated area. By the time I walked in they were already situated and in order, so I had to be put in place at a fast pace. Walking into the room with crowd I was nervous and anxious at the same time. Names for my row were beginning to be called. As I began to walk towards the stage I get teary eyed. Thinking about all of the struggles and hard times I had, my journey has come to an end. Being that I didn’t want to attend college and my people proud was no better feeling in the world.
College isn’t for everybody and there will be times where you want to give up. I couldn’t see myself giving up because I know that I want to be successful. As long as you’re willing to put in the effort and time, anything can happen. It gives you the opportunity to learn in other ways not just books. If we as students would put more value in education, then we will work strive hard to be where we need to be. Life is hard, and without a degree it’s hard. Job opportunities are short. Not saying that if you receive a degree and go to college that you will immediately get a job, but you have a better chance of getting one than those without a degree. There are many ways to be successful, and college is one of the best ways to be. There will be times when you will get doubted, and maybe you doubt yourself ever. The key words are never give up; no matter how stressful things may seem to be. Earning a degree from college is propitious to have being that it takes you far in life with bonuses such as self-confidence, finding yourself, and maturing. Once you walk across the stage in complete awe, you have more self-esteem about yourself. This was one of the most memorable events in my life!
