San Diego Mesa College Top Questions

Describing my four years of high school as a roller-coaster ride would be an understatement. I learned so much about what it takes to be a good student as time went on, but my senior year could have been better if I had known then what I know now. The work that someone puts in during high school, especially during senior year, prepares that person for the next level in our educational life, which is college. The advice I would give myself as a high school senior is: to be successful in college, you need a good foundation, such as developing good study habits, remembering what you have learned in high school, and take that with you to college. As a college freshman, I know what it means to make sacrifices and commit to learning as much as I can. In order to do so, discipline and determination is very important. If you stay focused on learning, and remain committed, you will be on your way to a successful college experience, and also a successful life ahead. Give your best effort; it will all be worth it when you finish college and embark on the career of your dreams!

I would advice myself that scholarships are very important. Apply for scholarships and save your money because college is expensive. But after you graduate, it's all worth it. Don't apply to colleges that your friends are attending because that is not always in your best instrest. Enjoy senior year. Don't take your high school education for granted. Be thankful for all your teachers and the great ampount of help you get. You can become very close to some teachers. They are the ones that guide you through the entire year. In college you have help, but sometimes its uncomfortable because you don't have the same relationship.

For years I have wished that I could go back and giving an inspiring pep talk to that senior in high school getting ready to make some 'choice' decisions regarding her education. I would start by saying that it is more than okay to start your education in community college to save money, but be sure to make the absolute most of it, choose electives wisely and prepare a college plan early so that you can transfer in two years. The most important lesson I would give myself, though, would be to grow in Love early on. Love, I have realized, is the key to being a successful student, worker, and overall individual. Learn to love, instead of loathe, your coursework. Love your job and all the opportunities that it affords you. I would tell myself that being overwhelmed is the ultimate strengthening course of life and that each step of the education process can be an empowering journey and should be treated as such. Most importantly I would tell myself to love and be gentle, not only with those around you, but with yourself. Life and college are exactly what you make it, so make it count.

I would tell my 18 year old self that the opportunity to go to school and work towards your goals is incredibly valuable. You are about to enter a very important chapter in your life - keep your head on straight. I am a single mother to a 5 year old girl, Jayden, who looks up to me for any and everything. The advice that I would give Jayden and myself 5 years ago - always set goals. Set them high and achieve them. No matter what obstacles come your way thrive to be the best you can be. Without a degree or work experience, it was very difficult to find a job that paid enough to support myself and my child. This is why I am so eager to continue my education and obtain a degree. I know that money is not the most important thing, but I often dream about a life without struggle and I know that getting my education is one of the only things left for me to do to get myself there. With this award I will be able to acheive my goals and learn more about what I am passionate about.

If I could go back and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself to begin looking and applying for scholarships, and to have more realistic expectations about what I want to do with my future. I would tell myself that I need to take school more seriously, but that it's okay to have a little bit of rest and relaxation from time to time. I would tell myself not to worry about the workload; that it's not nearly as bad as everybody makes it seem to be. Most of all, I would tell myself that there's nothing to worry about; I'm going to be just fine.

Dear younger me, Listen: You will go to college, and you will study theater. But not yet. When you finally leave that wretched minefield called "home" this summer, you'll take the first of many grueling minimum wage service jobs. You'll lose some of those jobs, you'll lose apartments, and with no family or safety net, you'll be homeless for months on end. You'll bounce from city to city. You'll eat a lot of dumpstered bagels, and walk miles in ragged shoes to stutter, "Are you hiring?" to pitying counter staff. Somewhere inside, a stubborn light will flicker. You'll be low, desperate, and humiliated. But not broken. At the magic age of 24, the gates of financial aid will swing open for you. Go to San Diego, for the hell of it. Throw yourself into your theater classes at Mesa. "It's only community college," others will sneer. But on the Mesa stage, you will find your voice. In 2014, you'll be accepted to a Directing BFA program in Chicago. You survived your home life, ok? You got this. No finances, no safety net, no time for self-doubt. Now, jump.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior about college it would go something like this: "Ryan, listen to me. I know you come from a family that cannot afford to send you to college and you don't feel like you're ready for it anyways. That's okay. Go through with your decision to join the Marines. The experiences and friendships you will gain will be invaluable. You will discover who you are and grow into becoming a man. But when you get out of the Marines you need to have a plan. Follow your passion for fitness and go to school right away. Pursue a degree in kinesiology and become a strength and conditioning coach. Don't wait because if you do you will be 30 years old by the time you graduate and unhappy with where you are in life. Be ambitious, work hard, get straight A's like I know you are capable of doing and go after your goals with everything you've got. Success doesn't come to those who wait, it comes to those who go after it. So go after it!"

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior, I would tell myself not to procrastinate and study more for the SATs. Procrastination is something that always gives you stress at the end time and is soemthing that can accompany you in your college years. Another thing I would tell myself is to take more advanced classes to challenge myself so that I will be ready for the college courses that I will have to take later on. The Last thing I would tell myself is to manage my time more efficiently and try to be more organized.

College classes can be tough. The grades that you make that first semester will follow you all throughout your four years and onto graduate school. Do your best, but if you mess up, and you know that it is becuase you are not trying hard, or other commitments such as work/family prevent you from doing better, then step back, take only one class at a time if you need to, be the best that you can be in that class, and do not take a full load again until you are ready to be serious and give it your all in all your classes. At 18 you truly have your whole life ahead of you, it is ok to take your time and do it right the first time. You will learn more, develop your creative and thinking side more, but most important you will truly enjoy this wonderful life experiance more and be more prepared to end up in a career you will be happy in.

First off I would be telling myself that life has its rollercoasters. You could experience from one thing, but forget to take it in as a lesson learned. Life does not always happen as you plan along, its happens while you are busy. Appreciate the things in life that are taken for granted. Pursue your goals to the fullest, knowing that anything can be accomplished. Make the extra effort to study hard for your major. Get a mentor and learn from what experiences they had. Make challenges for yourself and never give up. Remember that each obstacle that you come across, will make you a stronger person.