Personal Narrative: Moving Away To College

After a pause of almost 25 years, I am returning to the college classroom and to say that there are mixed emotions would be an understatement. Sure, I’m excited to start but also a bit fearful if I’m being honest. I’ve worked for large and international companies during this time but getting back to college has always been a goal of mine. No time like the present I guess!

The infamous answer to the question, “What is your primary goal for going to school?” is “to further my education, get a job, and be successful” such a cliché if I must say myself. My goal attending school is to make my family happy, as well as myself. In high school, I did not apply myself like I should have done because I was not sure if college was in my favor. Also, being the child of a single parent wanting to attend college seemed impossible, especially far from home. In a family where no one has surpassed the first two years of college, I feel a spotlight is on me to not only finish, but also finish strong. I know how proud my family will be of my accomplishment and how rewarding it will be for me trying to obtain a decent job in the

During the start and the end of the fall semester year of 2015/20116 at Montgomery College, my life changed dramatically for me. Going back to school after graduating four years ago at Baltimore Freedom Academy high schoolHigh School has been challenging for me, but of course it’s challenging for anybody with the same circumstances of not being academically active for all those years, and almost forgetting all the retained information that was given from previous teachers. I felt like my brain was rotting, yet the really bad part about it is that, I wasn’t doing what I loved, which was playing organized college basketball. Throughout my journey of the fall semester, challenges came my way from left to right, but the hardest of all that I’ve faced are adjusting to the student athlete life style again at a college level, trying to learn and complete all that’s given to me from my professor, and working a part time job to help support myself.

Freshman year of college. It was the year that held my emotions in a turbulent roller coaster ride; on this ride however, there were no seatbelts. Growing up, life was a constant smooth run and I rarely ever had to deal with unbearable situations. I enjoyed writing and teaching. Naturally, I was working towards becoming a high school English teacher, just like Ms. Mirmozaffari, my favorite person throughout my high school career. I was accepted and chose to go to the University of Maryland, College Park as an English Literature and Secondary Education major, partially affected by the fact that it was Ms. M’s undergraduate school. Life seemed predictable and it allowed me to feel in peace knowing what my life was headed to. My plan seemed flawless and until this time, life was literally a sailing ship on a calm sea. However, such effortless life style came to an end unannounced and the next few years was the most strenuous time of my life, yet the most precious and the valuable experience of my life.

When my older sister went off to college, I had never seen a more driven, mature and intelligent 18 year old look so terrified and reluctant to leave her home just a few states away. Caroline had spent the majority of her high school years stressed, angry and tired, holed up in her single room acing more APs than I can count with two hands. My sister knew from the time she could read that success meant getting into an Ivy, even if the price was throwing away all human contact or not.

Returning to college has been an exciting and terrifying decision for me. My husband has

As a first generation college student, I have the desire to not only make my parents proud of my academic achievements, but to be the first person in my family to receive a college degree. At a very young age, I was always expected to receive A’s and B’s in my school assignments, as well as my final grades. However, I was never rewarded or congratulated whenever I did receive those grades because it was already expected of me to achieve them. Hence, a time in which I have experienced failure but also felt like I let my family down was when I received a D in my Critical Thinking course I was already retaking for the second time.

August 14th, the day when it really hit me that I would be moving into college in one week. Up until that point I was really really excited! Although I was still excited the nerves started to kick in, I felt that I was not prepared to start a whole new chapter of my life and that there was still so many things that I needed to do, so honestly I started to panic a little bit, but that is just between me and you, no one else knew that I was stressing so bad. The Monday before move in day comes and now I realize that I seriously need to start getting ready, so finally I start packing everything in my room to make sure that I do not forget anything, but at the same time I have no clue what to pack seeing as this is my first time ever packing for college. The day finally gets here, move in day, all at the same time I am nervous, excited, sad and happy. I pack up my dad’s car and a trailer and also my boyfriend’s car, then we leave my house and we are on our way to my home for the next four years, as everyone calls it, I disagree and tell them that this is just my temporary home. Once we pull into the parking deck all of these people start to swarm my car with shopping carts, and I was really overwhelmed, but I was also really thankful that they did all of the work for us and we barely had to lift a

College is a very serious topic for many individuals. For some people, it is an open door to a great career or a nice stable life, but for others it is an obstacle that they feel obligated to overcome so that they are successful in life. There are many factors that could influence someone to graduate or not graduate college. Personally, I am definitely going to go to college no matter what.

I graduated back in 2013 from a pretty decent school district. During high school I wasn’t an A student or a B student, I just did what I needed in order to pass. Once I got to my junior of high school I started taking things more seriously, I started making A’s and B’s. Once my senior year started the pressure was on. Everyone asking “what college are you thinking about attending?” “What do you want to do?” I didn’t have the answers to those questions, I thought about it a lot, but I Just didn’t have the answers. Now being 20 years old at my third community college, I finally have the answers to those questions. Why am I at my third community college? Simple I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I had to go to college, I didn’t have a choice

Something such as returning back to school was long gone and in my past goals. After a couple of years I never thought I would end up going back to school since everything that I wanted was going good and according to plan. However sometimes we are faced with tough situations where we must find other resources in order to improve and better ourselves. Going back to school was one of the most important and wise decisions that I have ever made.

My most significant endeavor since attending community college would be helping my community to receive an Adult Daycare. Thought this endeavorer I have applied my knowledge that I have learned about the disease to educate others in my community who may not have to know the impact of it. I have also used and sought the aid of my relationship that I have built by being at my community college. This Adult Daycare service or Coltrane LIFE center is something that I am passionate about having in my hometown. My grandpa has Alzheimer's and I have seen the stress that tolls on the family and caregiver. To have an Adult Daycare in my area would ensure a safe and calming environment for elderly patients. Also, provide help and relaxing time for the

How much luck does one need to get drafted by their favorite team right after college? A lot of people say that all it takes is hard work and dedication but I am going to do a little more. Its not my dream to become pro, its a goal because not all dreams become true. If my goal fails, I would like to be in sports medicine.

This letter is to address my changing of school within the past few year. I first attended Pennsylvania Highlands Community College starting in high school and had received an Associates in Liberal Arts; I had left this institution to pursue other education opportunities. Attending Mount Aloysius College based on an interest in their nursing program, I had decided to leave this institution after not being accepted into the nursing degree. Conemaugh School of Nursing, I voluntarily took leave after my father passing away unexpectedly, leaving business and personal matter that needed my immediate attention. Most recently I had attended Saint Francis University, where I would still be attending today, but I had lost a large scholarship that was

Fifteen and naïve, there was nothing my father could teach me that I already didn’t know or at least I thought. At times, I can still be seen weighing the many advices he gave me growing up. At the tender age of fifteen, my father decided to move back to Colombia. While it has taking me a while to forgive, I understand his many reasons for doing so. His leaving left some ramifications, especially for my mother and eleven year old sister.